The ZIS-6 was a Soviet general-purpose 6×4 army cargo truck, a three-axle version of the ZIS-5. It is best known as the chassis of the original BM-13 Katyusha multiple rocket launcher of July 1941.
ZIS-6 at a glance
| Maker | Zavod Imeni Stalina (ZIS), Moscow |
|---|---|
| Production | 1933–1941; a few assembled in January 1942 |
| Layout | 6×4, three axles |
| Based on | ZIS-5 |
| Payload | 2.5 tonnes, or 4 tonnes on the highway |
| Built | 21,239 |
| Bore/stroke | 101.6 / 114.3 mm |
| Tyres | 860 x 180 mm |
| Best known as | chassis of the BM-13 Katyusha |
| Replaced by | ZIS-151 after the war |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the ZIS-6
The ZIS-6 was a Soviet general-purpose 6×4 army cargo truck and a three-axle version of the ZIS-5 two-axle truck. Prototypes were made in 1932 and serial production started in 1933. In October 1941 the Moscow Zavod imeni Stalina factory was evacuated, but a few more ZIS-6 trucks were assembled from parts in January 1942. A total of 21,239 units were produced, and the truck had a payload capacity of 4 tons.
The ZIS-6 was a reliable truck and served as the base for a number of specialised military modifications: a searchlight truck, radio and radio repair stations, a mobile field workshop, a supply-delivering vehicle, a troops-moving vehicle and an artillery towing vehicle. It was also built as the basis for the VVS-RKKA aircraft fueller BZ-ZIS-6.
The Katyusha
The ZIS-6 is best known for its role as the first multiple rocket launcher, the BM-13 Katyusha, in July 1941. The launcher was built by the Compressor Plant’s design office during the Second World War. German soldiers nicknamed the weapon ‘Stalin’s Organ’. The truck chassis was equipped with several different versions of the launcher, although later the American-produced Studebaker took over as the predominant platform for Katyusha launchers. Several dozen ZIS-6 trucks were also converted to carry the 37 mm automatic air defence gun M1939 (61-K).
Very few ZIS-6 trucks survive today. After the war the type was replaced by the all-wheel-drive ZIS-151.
Design and features
- Three-axle chassis: the 6×4 layout was a three-axle development of the ZIS-5.
- Military versatility: the chassis carried searchlights, radio stations, field workshops, supplies and troops, and towed artillery.
- Katyusha carrier: the ZIS-6 was the first chassis for the BM-13 multiple rocket launcher in 1941.
- Anti-aircraft conversion: several dozen trucks carried the 37 mm M1939 automatic gun.
ZIS-6 versions
- ZIS-6 (1933–1941): the standard 6×4 cargo truck, 21,239 built.
- BM-13 Katyusha: multiple rocket launcher on the ZIS-6 chassis.
- BZ-ZIS-6: aircraft fueller for the VVS-RKKA.
- 37 mm AA conversion: several dozen trucks fitted with the M1939 (61-K) gun.
The ZIS-6 was a three-axle version of the ZIS-5 and was replaced after the war by the ZIS-151. More trucks are in the ZIS collection.
Sources
- ZIS-6, English Wikipedia: production, military versions, Katyusha role and specifications
