The territories of Russia for the most part consist of impassable sections. And to get through them on ordinary cars is simply impossible. So you have to acquire special equipment that can overcome any obstacles. A striking representative of such equipment was the crawler all-terrain vehicles GTS.
How it all started
The Second World War showed the citizens of the country how important technology is able to drive through any terrain. Therefore, after the war, designers and engineers set about developing all-terrain vehicles. Of course, they were not preparing for war. It was planned to use equipment for the development of the northern lands of the country.
And the efforts brought success. Already in 1954, the first copies of the GTS were presented. The all-terrain vehicle had a cabin with front placement, a section for the engine and a loading platform. A model was produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant. There, this model received the factory name GAZ-47. The basis of the development was taken the production of military equipment. More precisely, the T-60 and T-7 tanks.
They named the model according to the first letters of the words that indicate that the machine belongs to a tracked conveyor snow and swamp vehicle.
All Terrain Features
Designers have not in vain spent three years on the development of the project. The all-terrain vehicle GTS, the characteristics of which made it unique at that time, was worth such an effort. He had the best cross-country ability among vehicles at that time. Even tanks were stuck in swamps or sands. The developers took into account these shortcomings. As a result, the all-terrain vehicle received wider tracks. Each of them was increased by thirty centimeters. This technique reduced the pressure of the equipment on the soil. The GTS was able to overcome not only the swamp, but also snow drifts.
Yes, and water is not an obstacle for the GTS. An all-terrain vehicle is capable of fording across the river with a small current. Depth should not exceed one hundred and twenty centimeters. True, the distance is limited to one and a half kilometers. Under such conditions, a snow and swamp vehicle can overcome water barriers without additional training. At the same time, its speed is regulated due to the work of the tracks. If the river flow rate is very high, the GAZ-47 lost stability due to the large area of the underwater side. There was a chance of heeling and flooding if the equipment approached the shore on board. An all-terrain vehicle could get out on land only in places with a gentle descent, not exceeding twenty degrees.
In addition, the GTS (all-terrain vehicle) is able to overcome a slope of sixty percent, a ravine 1.3 meters wide, a wall with a height of sixty centimeters.
Application area
All-terrain vehicles GTT, GTS were developed specifically for operation in severe climatic conditions. For this, the equipment was manufactured with improved performance capabilities and increased reliability. Snow and swamp vehicles successfully worked in the Northern, Far Eastern, Siberian regions, Central Asia and even Antarctica. They could even be transported there by air, using An-12 or Il-76 aircraft. The temperature at which it is possible to operate the machine is represented by a range from minus forty to plus fifty degrees.
GAZ-47 was successfully exploited in the military sphere. In addition, the all-terrain vehicle was widely used in construction, geological and scientific research, in the construction and use of oil and gas pipelines, and during rescue operations. Another area of application is the transportation of goods in trailers weighing up to two tons.
Machine Features
GTS (all-terrain vehicle) is characterized in that the power unit and transmission are located in the bow of the car. In addition, the drive is also front-wheel drive.
The body is all-metal. Its main elements are a compartment for the engine, a cabin with two doors, a cargo area with an awning. The cab heating system is interesting. Installed for heating fan heater. But his blades are bent in the opposite direction. Due to this, air is not pushed out of the cab. Conversely, cold air is drawn into the radiator system. There he heats up and enters the cab.
Specifications
It had a GTS (all-terrain vehicle) with the following dimensions: length 4.9 meters, width 2.4 meters and a height of two meters. At the same time, the road clearance was forty centimeters.
The all-terrain vehicle was equipped with a GAZ-61 six-cylinder four-stroke carburetor engine. He gave out power of eighty-five liters. The gearbox had one rear and four forward speeds. To start the engine, an electric starter, pneumatics and a 24-volt battery are installed.
Torsion bar suspension. Made in the form of five rollers, which can improve the performance of all-terrain vehicles. They are made from a mixture of rubber and minerals.
The GTS all-terrain vehicle is capable of speeds up to 35 kilometers per hour on solid soil, ten kilometers per hour in snow and four kilometers per hour in water. There is enough fuel in the tank for 400 kilometers.