BAV 485

BAV-A/ZIL-485A
A ZIS-485 at the Lubuskie Muzeum Wojskowe (Lubuskie Military Museum), Drzonów, Poland
Overview
ManufacturerAutomotive Factory No. 2 Zavod imeni Likhacheva (Likachev Motor Factory)
Also called
  • ZIS-485 (1952–1957)
  • ZIL-485A (after 1958)
  • BAV-A (army designation)
Production1952–1962
AssemblyMoscow, Soviet Union
Body and chassis
Class6x6 amphibious transport
Body stylewaterproofed hull
LayoutFront engine, six-wheel-drive
Platform
RelatedZIS-151, ZIL-157, BTR-152
Powertrain
Engine5.6L ZIS-123 I6[1][2]
Transmission
  • 5-speed manual (road)
  • PTO propeller drive (water)
Dimensions
Wheelbase4,225 mm (166.3 in)[2]
Length8.6 m (28 ft)(before modernization)[3] 9.54 m (31.3 ft)(after modernization)[4]
Width2.07 m (6.8 ft)(beam, before modernization)[5] 2.8 m (9.2 ft)(after modernization)
Height2.64 m to 2.66 m (8.7 ft) (with top-mounted)
Curb weight7,150 kg (15,760 lb)
ZIS-485 (BAV), Muzeum Wojska Polskiego, Warszawa
ZIS-485 (BAV) Soviet amphibious truck (National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, Kyiv)

The ZIS-485, army designation BAV (Russian, БАВ, большой автомобиль водоплавающий - bolshoi avtomobil vodoplavayushchiy, big floating vehicle), is a Soviet amphibious transport, a copy of the WWII American DUKW.

During World War II, the Soviets received 586 DUKW-353 amphibious trucks under the Lend-Lease Act.[6] The design was regarded as successful, so it was decided to build a similar domestic vehicle. Due to lack of own experience, the DUKW was copied, although with improvements enhancing its capability.[citation needed] The prototype was built in 1949 in ZIS subsidiary DAZ in Dnepropetrovsk, but a production started at ZIS factory, as ZIS-485.[6] Introduced in 1952,[7] it was intended to complement the GAZ-46 4x4 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle, but using the ZIS-151 6x6 truck (also used in the BTR-152)[8] as its basis.[7] Similar in size to the DUKW, which it resembles, the BAV has a rear tail gate making loading and unloading easier, rather than all cargo being loaded over the side by crane. Also a platform was enlarged by 1/3, to 10.44 m².[6]

Initially based on ZIS-151 truck, after the introduction of the improved ZIL-157 the vehicle was modernized using its components now bearing the designation ZIL-485A (army designation was BAV-A). Its production started in 1958, but it ceased in ZIL factory in 1959, after manufacturing 2005 ZIS/ZIL-485.[9] It was planned to move the production to BAZ works in Bryansk, but only 24 vehicles were completed there by 1962.[9]

The cargo body is open, but a canvas cover is available.

Propulsion in water is by means of propeller.

BAVs were used in service by Warsaw Pact Armies and in the Middle East up to the 1980s.[10]

In use by the Soviet Union and its allies and client states the BAV was gradually replaced by the much larger tracked PTS amphibious vehicles.

  1. ^ AMW - Agencja Mienia Wojskowego Archived 2007-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b ZIS-151
  3. ^ "Bav-485 (1952)".
  4. ^ Hogg, Ian V., and Weeks, John. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles. (London: Hamblyn Publishing Group Limited, 1980), p.309, "BAV-485".
  5. ^ "Bav-485 (1952)".
  6. ^ a b c Prochko, Yevgeniy. «Bolshoi avtomobil vodoplavayushchiy». „Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye”. 03/2009. p. 15-22 (in Russian)
  7. ^ a b Hogg & Weeks, p.308, "BAV-485".
  8. ^ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 5, p.476, "BTR"
  9. ^ a b Prochko, Yevgeniy. «Bolshoi avtomobil vodoplavayushchiy». „Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye”. 04/2009. p. 16-22 (in Russian)
  10. ^ Hogg & Weeks, p.309, "BAV-485".