ZIS-5 Truck

Manufacturer:	ZIS Savod imeni Stalina
Sales designation:	ЗИС-5
Production period:	1933-1948 at ZIS, until 1958 under UralZIS
designs:	Flatbed, military superstructures, various conversions
Engines:	Six-cylinder petrol engines
Power:	54 to 62.5 kW
Payload:	3 t
Perm. Total weight:	6.1 tons

The truck ZIS-5 (Russian ЗИС-5) is a Soviet truck, which was built from 1933 first in Sawod imeni Stalina.

History

In the summer of 1933, the first prototypes of the ZIS-5 were manufactured in the Moscow ZIS factory as successors to the obsolete AMO-2 and AMO-3 trucks. Relatively fast, namely as early as October 1, 1933, the truck was mass-produced. From 1934 the first models were exported to Turkey. The ZIS-5 was thus the first self-produced truck that the Soviet Union sold to other countries. The main customer, however, was the Red Army. By June 20, 1941, there were already more than 100,000 pieces in their inventory.

 The ZIS-5 was one of the most produced trucks in the Soviet Union of the 1930s to the 1950s. During the 25 years of mass production, a total of almost one million pieces were produced in various factories. In 1947, at the end of production in Moscow, there was a version with revised engine, which was called ZIS -50. Also, a three-axle variant was produced, the ZIS-6, Almost identical lorries were also called UralZIS-5 and UralZIS-355, since they were manufactured in factories other than the ZIS headquarters in Moscow.

In the autumn of 1941, production in Moscow was stopped and relocated to the Urals due to the war. From February 1942 to 1944, the truck was manufactured in the Ulyanovsky Awtomobilny Sawod , then UAZZIS. From 8 July 1944, UralZIS also produced the truck under the name UralZIS-5. However, the Moscow ZIS factory resumed production in April 1942. Here the ZIS-5 was built until 1948.

The vehicle was leaf-sprung at the front and rear axle. In contemporary sources, it is believed that the engine power in the 1930s was below the stated 73 hp and was more 67-68 hp. In the 1950s, the maximum speed was increased to 70 km / h. Comprehensive maintenance of the vehicle had to be done approximately every 1,200 km. After this distance, an oil change was prescribed. General repairs were made every 50,000 to 85,000 km, depending on the condition of the road. The engine of the ZIS-5 was used identical as a delivery part in the much heavier truck JaG-6.

Over the course of 15 years of production, modifications have been made to the ZIS-5. Due to the war, the trucks were simplified from 1941 onwards. Many parts were built due to material shortages in the metal area of ​​wood, seats, cabs and doors for example. The bumpers were completely omitted, fenders greatly simplified, partly also saved the right headlight. The vehicles were called ZIS-5W (Russian ЗИС-5В), where the W stands for war, Russian Война. These changes were only partially reversed after the end of the war. Nevertheless, the truck was appreciated for its reliability and simple construction.

In 1955, the UralZIS plant, which still produced the Ural ZIS-5, reversed the changes caused by the war and the shortage of materials. The vehicle thus delivered again with round fenders and sheet steel cabin received the designation Ural ZIS 355 and was produced until 1957. In 1958, his successor went into production, the completely revised Ural ZIS 355M. 

production figures

• In the Moscow ZIS factory: approx. 700,000 copies from 1933 to 1948 (with war time interruption from autumn 1941 to April 1942)
• At UAZZIS in Ulyanovsk : approx. 6,500 copies
• At UralZIS : approx. 200,000 copies (until 1955)

In total, almost 920,000 ZIS-5s were produced.