Mental Soviet Cold War Experimental Off-Road Vehicles – 39 Wacky Photos

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

Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZiS 157 prototype in 1956. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Off-road vehicle ZIS-E134 Model number 3 in 1956. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Water tests of ZIS-E134. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Prototype off-road vehicle based on ZIL-157 – ZIL-157R. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
2.5-ton vehicle ZIL-157R on six arched tires. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experimental vehicle ZIL-136 in 1957.Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL-136 with a monocoque body and frameless arched tires. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
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 cab from the ZIL-131. 1960. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
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 arched tires. 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. 1961. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL-132 with automatic transmission and 24-inch tires in 1961. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experienced four-ton amphibious vehicle ZIL-132P. 1969. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experienced 4-tonne amphibious ZIL-132P. 1969. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Rear view of the displacement body and an aluminum body. 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 with skim tent (from the archive of the author). Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The unusual form of amphibious ZIL-132P without the tent. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Test 180-strong car amphibious ZIL-132P on the Moscow River. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Test of amphibian ZIL-132P on the Moscow River. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The first application of gas turbine auxiliary power unit. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The first use of gas turbine APU on the ZIL-132P. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Five-ton prototype cabover truck-tractor ZIL-132R. 1974. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
5-tonne prototype truck-tractor ZIL-132R in 1974. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Turn the vehicle ZIL-132R with extreme steering wheels. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
ZIL-132R. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Tests flatbed truck ZIL-132R on rough terrain. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Tests of ZIL-132R truck on a very rough terrain. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experienced multi-purpose three-axle truck tractor ZIL-132RV. 1976. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experimental multirole three-axle truck tractor ZIL-132RV in 1976. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Five-axis trailer with dimensions and weight layout of the transport car. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Five-axis version of ZIL-132RV. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Under the wide hood of the truck KrAZ-E260E placed the gas turbine. 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.
The two-stage gas turbine plant GAZ-99D capacity of 350 liters. from. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Test pilot turbine truck KrAZ-E260E. 1974. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Profile of a KrAZ-E260E in 1974. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The second option KrAZ-2E260 with 360-strong gas turbine. 1976. 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.
ATV-3 on chassis Moskvich-415 with pneumatic tracks. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
S-3 on chassis of Moskvich-415 with pneumatic tracks. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Half-track machine-3 boosts the water obstacle. 1962. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Semitrack S-3 during the water trials in 1962. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
US C-SUV 3MU pneumatic tracks on the model C-3M. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
C-3MU with pneumatic tracks on the model C-3M. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Option C-3MU based on GAZ-69M with trucking pnevmogusenitsami. 1968. 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.
Revolutionary propulsion with numerous pneumatic Tracians. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Direct view of pneumatic tracks. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
With ATV-3MU two hingeless pnevmotrakovymi 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.
Easy tractor US-044E four pnevmokatkah. 1959. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
NAMI-044E truck on four tire rollers in 1959. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Breadboard terrain vehicle ZIL-132C on four pneumatic rollers. 1964. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Off-road vehicle ZIL-132C on four pneumatic rollers in 1964. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
The car ZIL-132C on a shortened chassis ZIL-157K Cab ZIL-164. 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.
The hard way unpretentious and fragile machine on the road. 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.
Experienced board vosmikatkovy conveyor US ET-8. 1961. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Experimental off-road vehicle NAMI ET-8 in 1961. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Tests conveyor ET-8 - the first public appearance of the machine in the "Driving" magazine. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Tests of ET-8 and its first public appearance in press. Photo Credit: ⒸEvgeniy Kochnev, Kolesa.ru.
Upgraded rover US-094 to the national economy. 1963. 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.

Damian Lucjan

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