In 1954, the Kurgan plant, whose main production was aimed at the production of heavy cranes, undergoes a reorganization. Now his task was to develop a new industry in mechanical engineering. Namely, the plant’s management was entrusted with the task of developing and setting up serial production of artillery tractors of the middle class on crawler tracks. In this connection, KZTK is renamed KMZ (Kurgan Machine-Building Plant).
The first medium artillery tractors
Since the Kurgan people did not yet have experience in the production of such machines, the specialists of the Design Bureau of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (ChTZ) were involved in the development of the first tractor, which, in essence, developed the machine. The project was led by I. S. Kavyarov, previously working as deputy chief designer of ChTZ, and since 1954 he was appointed chief designer at KMZ.
The first automatic telephone exchanges assembled using tractor units left the production workshop just a couple of months after the start of work on the project. The car turned out to be quite successful, and on its basis the plant produced several modifications of the conveyor, both military and civilian.
The next car was completely produced by KB KMZ, it was an artillery tractor ATS-59 (factory code is “650”).
Description of the new artillery tractor
The development of the tractor began in 1956. The car was intended primarily for towing artillery systems and trailers, as well as for transporting ammunition, camping equipment and combat crew serving the towed gun in the back.
In front of the ATC-59, directly above the main friction unit and the gearbox, there was a welded metal cabin for two people (driver and senior car).
The tractor cab was very cramped, even for two people, with small uncomfortable front doors. A large casing was arranged in the center of the cab, providing access to the transmission units and the main clutch.
In the ATC-59 all-terrain vehicle gearbox, the designers provided an input that allows you to connect a power take-off drive in the case of attachments.
The machine body was a supporting very strong structure, welded from thick sheet steel.
Designers placed the power plant between the cabin and the cargo platform.
The chassis included an independent torsion bar suspension with five double track rollers on each side. Lever type hydraulic shock absorbers are installed on the first (leading) and last wheels. The rollers themselves were a double rubberized structure of a rather large diameter.
On the rear platform of the towing truck, folding benches are provided for 12-14 people. Under the benches, it is possible, if necessary, to install additional fuel tanks. From above, to protect from the weather, the body was covered with a waterproof awning with windows.
Also, the ATC-59 all-terrain vehicle is equipped with a reversible traction winch located at the rear of the machine.
Thanks to the well-developed layout, the car turned out to be highly resistant to tipping over when moving along steep slopes. And the high cross-country ability of the ATS-59 allowed it to operate in virtually any off-road conditions.
The path from prototypes to the series
The first experimental all-terrain vehicles were built in 1958, after which a cycle of comprehensive factory tests of the machine began, after passing through which the next stage of inspections for the tractor began. This time, the tractor was tested by the military, who generally rated the car positively and adopted it, changing the factory marking to ATS-59.
Further refinement of the machine was already carried out during production. The first experimental batch of 10 cars left the plant's workshop by the end of spring 1961. A year later, the release of the all-terrain vehicle reached the level of 120 copies per month. In addition, work was underway on the creation of various modifications of the tractor. As a result, the plant on the basis of the 59th began to produce cable and railway track stackers, as well as bulldozers.
Also, specially commissioned by the military, the ATS-59 tractor with a crane arm was released. It found its application in the anti-aircraft missile forces.
ATS-59: technical specifications
1. Dimensions of the all-terrain vehicle - 6m 28 cm x 2m 78 cm x 2m 30 cm (height along the upper level of the cabin).
2. Ground clearance - 42.5 cm.
3. Road track - 2 m 20 cm.
4. Base - 3 m 28 cm.
5. The curb weight is 13 t 200 kg.
6. Powerplant - W650G with a capacity of 300 l / s.
7. The maximum speed at full load, while driving on the highway - 39 km / h.
8. Cruising range under full load with a trailer:
- on the highway - 730 km;
- on the ground - 500 km.
9. The permissible steepness of the overcome slope when driving without a trailer is 35 degrees.
10. Carrying capacity:
- permissible mass of cargo for transportation in the back - 3 tons;
- trailer trailer weight - 14 tons.
Machine rating
For all the time of operation, the ATC-59 all-terrain vehicle tractor has established itself as a very reliable and, most importantly, unpretentious car. Due to which it was widely used in the army as a tractor and base chassis for special superstructures. In civilian life, the car in the basic configuration was used in the development of new difficult regions of the country.
Old tractor with a new cab
The only significant drawback of the tractor - the cramped cab - was eliminated with the advent of the ATS-59G. In fact, it was the same ATS-59, the characteristics of which remained unchanged in the new model, but with a completely different, completely redesigned and spacious six-seater cabin, also equipped with a more powerful heating system. Such processing added popularity and increased demand for the car.
Moreover, after KMZ stopped the production of tracked tractors due to the need to re-profile production lines for the production of infantry fighting vehicles, the production of all-terrain vehicles did not stop, but was transferred to Poland, which at that time was one of the Warsaw Pact countries.