The Soviet automobile industry could have been considered as conservative in the 1950s/60s, at least in the civilian sphere. On the other hand, military vehicles made in USSR back then were at the beginning of a new stage to put it simply. It was the dawn of many successful, or not, prototypes.
The race with the United States for world domination had just started and the finest engineers on both sides had to perform their best. There were no rules. They started from pure ideas and originality through old and tested designs to offhand steals. Literally, no holds barred.
Off-Road Vehicles
ZiS 157 prototype in 1956. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Off-road vehicle ZIS-E134 Model number 3 in 1956. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Water tests of ZIS-E134. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Prototype off-road vehicle based on ZIL-157 – ZIL-157R. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
2.5-ton vehicle ZIL-157R on six arched tires. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experimental vehicle ZIL-136 in 1957.Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL-136 with a monocoque body and frameless arched tires. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The original BTR-E152V. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL 132
The three-axle 2.5-tonne truck ZIL-132 with cab from the ZIL-131. 1960. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Option triaxial-terrain vehicle ZIL-132 with arched tires. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL-132 with automatic transmission and 24-inch tires in 1961. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experienced 4-tonne amphibious ZIL-132P. 1969. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
View from the rear of the same vehicle. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The unusual form of amphibious ZIL-132P without the tent. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Test of amphibian ZIL-132P on the Moscow River. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The first use of gas turbine APU on the ZIL-132P. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
5-tonne prototype truck-tractor ZIL-132R in 1974. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL-132R. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Tests of ZIL-132R truck on a very rough terrain. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experimental multirole three-axle truck tractor ZIL-132RV in 1976. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Five-axis version of ZIL-132RV. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
KrAZ-E260E truck with a gas turbine. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The two-stage gas turbine plant GAZ-99D capacity of 350 liters. from. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Profile of a KrAZ-E260E in 1974. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The second version of a KrAZ-2E260 with 360 hp gas turbine in 1976. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
S-3 on chassis of Moskvich-415 with pneumatic tracks. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Semitrack S-3 during the water trials in 1962. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
C-3MU with pneumatic tracks on the model C-3M. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Optional version of C-3MU based on GAZ-69M with the same pneumatic tracks. 1968. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Direct view of pneumatic tracks. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Rear view of a C-3MU with a pair of pneumatic tracks. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
NAMI-044E truck on four tire rollers in 1959. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Off-road vehicle ZIL-132C on four pneumatic rollers in 1964. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL-132C on a shortened chassis ZIL-157K with a cabin of ZIL-164. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
This one can reach 55 km/h, but was unstable and difficult in terms of drive-control. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experimental off-road vehicle NAMI ET-8 in 1961. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Tests of ET-8 and its first public appearance in press. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
5-tonne multirole NAMI-094 with more powerful diesel engine YaMZ-238 in 1963. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Joris Nieuwint is a battlefield guide for the Operation Market Garden area. His primary focus is on the Allied operations from September 17th, 1944 onwards. Having lived in the Market Garden area for 25 years, he has been studying the events for nearly as long. He has a deep understanding of the history and a passion for sharing the stories of the men who are no longer with us.
@joris1944 facebook.com/joris.nieuwint