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.

ManufacturerAutomotive Factory No. 2 Zavod imeni Likhacheva (Likachev Motor Factory)

Alsocalled

• ZIS-485 (1952–1957)
• ZIL-485A (after 1958)
• BAV-A (army designation)

Production1952–1962

AssemblyMoscow, Soviet Union

Quick facts Overview, Manufacturer ...

BAV-A/ZIL-485A
A ZIS-485 at the Lubuskie Muzeum Wojskowe (Lubuskie Military Museum), Drzonów, Poland
Overview
Manufacturer	Automotive Factory No. 2 Zavod imeni Likhacheva (Likachev Motor Factory)
Also called	ZIS-485 (1952–1957) ZIL-485A (after 1958) BAV-A (army designation)
Production	1952–1962
Assembly	Moscow, Soviet Union
Body and chassis
Class	6x6 amphibious transport
Body style	waterproofed hull
Layout	Front engine, six-wheel-drive
Platform	ZIS-151 ZIL-157 (from 1958)
Related	ZIS-151, ZIL-157, BTR-152
Powertrain
Engine	5.6L ZIS-123 I6[1][2]
Transmission	5-speed manual (road) PTO propeller drive (water)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	4,225 mm (166.3 in)[2]
Length	8.6 m (28 ft)(before modernization)[3] 9.54 m (31.3 ft)(after modernization)[4]
Width	2.07 m (6.8 ft)(beam, before modernization)[5] 2.8 m (9.2 ft)(after modernization)
Height	2.64 m to 2.66 m (8.7 ft) (with top-mounted)
Curb weight	7,150 kg (15,760 lb)

Close

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.