During the Soviet era, designers of various bureaus created many types of cross-country vehicles. All-terrain vehicles of the USSR were often produced in experimental order in order to find the best option. At that time, the developers of ZiL, NAMI, MAZ were considered the main creators of such units.
Swamp vehicle E-167
In the early 60s SKB ZiL received a government order to create an all-terrain vehicle that can easily overcome marshy and snowy areas in the Far North. The prototype was created in just a few months. The result was a snow and swamp vehicle on six wheels, the length of which was nine meters.
The unit had a mass of 12 and a load capacity of 5 tons. The body made of fiberglass could accommodate about 18 people. Ground clearance was 75 centimeters. All-terrain vehicles of the USSR of this series were equipped with two V-8 gasoline power plants with a capacity of 180 horsepower. The engines were aggregated with a pair of three-speed automatic transmissions. The maximum speed of the ZIL E-167 was 75 kilometers per hour. At the same time, the device consumed about 100 liters of fuel per hundred kilometers. Despite successful tests in which the car was not inferior to many tracked competitors, this modification did not go into serial production.
ZIL-4904 augers
The designers of the plant created this modification in 1972. Auger technology could pass where wheeled load models instantly. In addition, such all-terrain vehicles of the USSR were not afraid of water. The only problem for them was movement on a hard surface.
The ZIL-4904 auger turned out to be really gigantic. Its mass was more than seven tons, and its length was eight and a half meters with a width and height of 3 m. At the smallest point, the ground clearance of this “monster” was not less than a meter. The equipment was powered by two engines, which supplied 360 horsepower in a set. Testing the machine has proven that it can go almost anywhere. Despite the low speed (in water - 7 km / h, and in snow - up to 10 km / h), the tests were generally considered successful, although this project was soon closed.
ZIL-4906
USSR army all-terrain vehicles under the name ZIL-4906 ("Blue Bird") were designed to search and rescue space crews that landed in hard-to-reach areas. The unit got its name due to the blue color of all models, which made it possible to notice the technique from afar. Basic versions of the car were available in two variations:
- The Salon (49061).
- The Crane (4906).
The second modification was equipped with a manipulator and a small auger, allowing you to get into hard-to-reach areas.
The peculiarity of the “Blue Bird” is that all sizes of equipment were adjusted for the cargo compartments of aircraft and helicopters used at that time. As a power plant, a V-8 gasoline engine was used, the power of which amounted to 150 “horses”, and the maximum water speed was 8 kilometers per hour. Considered all-terrain vehicles of the USSR can be called the most successful design KB ZiL.
Crawler all-terrain vehicles of the USSR
In the 60s of the last century, NAMI employees decided to create an SUV equipped with pneumatic tracks and solid engines with tracks. The model was made on the basis of the Moskvich-415 car. The prototype received the C-3 index. The rear wheels were replaced by tracked elements. They were equipped with a pair of balancing trolleys, pneumatic chamber belts, double rollers with driving sprockets.
Soon, a modernized version based on the GAZ-69 was released. It is worth noting the presence of reinforced pneumatic tracks and leading frontal drums. Such an all-terrain vehicle was able to move on hard surface at a speed of the order of forty kilometers per hour. One more idea of US designers is known. In 1968, they tried to combine a car and tracks with interchangeable inflatable pneumatic tracks. However, it never came to mass production.
GPI Series
The employees of the Polytechnic Institute developed a number of off-road prototypes, including military all-terrain vehicles of the USSR. For example, GPI-23 had five tons of cargo capacity afloat, it was equipped with an all-metal welded-type casing with a frame made of steel profiles.
The unit was driven by a YaMZ-204V diesel engine, the transmission unit included the main transmission by the type of automobile speed, cardan and friction switches. The running block consisted of track rollers arranged in pairs (six pieces on each side), driving and driven wheels, independent torsion suspension, and a pair of pneumatic-track tracks. On the loading platform, it is possible to install a tarpaulin awning.
Despite the fact that modifications of the GPI were released as prototypes, the designers of the GAZ plant, focusing on existing developments, released the serial all-terrain vehicle GAZ-47.
Lightweight off-road conquerors
Forgotten all-terrain vehicles of the USSR were produced not only on multi-ton platforms. There are a number of developments based on cars "Moskvich" and ZAZ-966.
In the first case, the swamp was equipped with an all-metal casing and aluminum outer skin. GPI-37 had a load capacity of 0.5 tons and the ability to tow a trailer with a similar weight. The engine was located in front, the running unit had a pair of rubber-fabric tracks, metal soil hooks, track and guide rollers. This all-terrain vehicle was characterized by low specific pressure on the soil.
In the mid-sixties of the last century, two variants of snow and swamp-based vehicles based on ZAZ-966 were created: S-GPI-19 and S-GPI-19A. The carrying capacity was two hundred and fifty kilograms. The main purpose of these light floating all-terrain vehicles was to service hunting and fishing farms in the Far North.
MAZ-7907
All-terrain vehicles of the USSR and Russia received a worthy competitor from Belarusian designers. In the 80s, a giant transporter of the 7907 series was launched. It was supposed to use the equipment for transporting mobile missile systems. The dimensions of the all-terrain vehicle were almost thirty meters in length, and in width and height - more than 4 m.
The uniqueness of this giant lies in the fact that it is the only mobile unit with 24 driving wheels, sixteen of which are swivel type. The turning radius of the "monster" was 27 meters. The T-80 tank gas turbine engine, whose power was brought up to 1,250 horsepower, acted as a power unit. Each wheel was equipped with an electric motor, the maximum conveyor speed is 25 kilometers per hour. After the collapse of the Union, this technique lost its relevance; you can see it in the museum of the Minsk Automobile Plant.