Zil · 1952–1962
BAV 485
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. 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. The prototype was built in 1949 in ZIS subsidiary DAZ in Dnepropetrovsk, but a production started at ZIS factory, as ZIS-485. Introduced in 1952, 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) as its basis. 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. 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. It was planned to move the production to BAZ works in Bryansk, but only 24 vehicles were completed there by 1962. 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. 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.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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Specification
Rear axle clearance: Ground clearance: Front track: 1,590 mm (62.6 in) Rear track: 1,720 mm (67.7 in) Turning radius: 11.2 metres (36.7 ft) Maximum speed (loaded, highway): 60 km/h (37 mph) Tyres: 8¼x20 in (21x102 cm) Fuel tank capacity: 2x 150 litres (39.6 US gal; 33.0 imp gal) Fuel consumption: 6.7 mpg Top speed: 60 km/h (37 mph) (road)10 km/h (6.2 mph) (water) Range: 480 km (298 mi)
Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.
Specifications
- name
- BAV-A/ZIL-485A
- Manufacturer
- Automotive Factory No. 2 Zavod imeni Likhacheva (Likachev Motor Factory)
- aka
- ZIS-485 (1952–1957), ZIL-485A (after 1958), BAV-A (army designation)
- Assembly
- Moscow, Soviet Union
- Production
- 1952–1962
- Class
- 6x6 amphibious transport
- Body style
- waterproofed hull
- Layout
- Front engine, six-wheel-drive
- Platform
- ZIS-151, ZIL-157 (from 1958)
- Engine
- 5.6L ZIS-123 I6
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual (road), PTO propeller drive (water)
- Wheelbase
- 4225 mm
- Length
- 8.6 m(before modernization) 9.54 m(after modernization)
- Width
- 2.07 m(beam, before modernization) 2.8 m(after modernization)
- Height
- 2.64 m to 2.66 m (with top-mounted)
- Kerb weight
- 7,150 kg
- Related
- ZIS-151, ZIL-157, BTR-152
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.
More photos
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q241068CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAV_485CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1275092701 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Samoch%C3%B3d_p%C5%82ywaj%C4%85cy_BAW.jpgPublic domain · Photo: Wisnia6522 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.