The ZIS-6 () is a Soviet general-purpose 6×4 army cargo truck, 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 factorywas evacuated, but a few more ZIS-6 trucks were assembled from parts in January 1942. A total of 21,239 units were produced. The ZIS-6 had a payload capacity of 4 tons. A reliable truck, it served as a base for the creation of a number of specialized military modifications -- searchlight truck, radio and radio repair station, mobile field workshop, supply delivering vehicle, troops moving vehicle, and as an artillery towing vehicle -- but is best known for its role as the first multiple rocket launcher (

Katyusha Katyusha () is a diminutive of the Russian name Ekaterina or Yekaterina, the Russian form of Katherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in c ...

) in July 1941. It was built by the "Compressor" Plant's Design Office during World War II (1941–45). Very few ZIS-6 trucks survive till today. Several dozen (exact number unknown) were converted to carry the

37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K) The 37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K) () is a Soviet Union, Soviet 37 mm calibre anti-aircraft gun developed during the late 1930s and used during World War II. The land-based version was replaced in Soviet service by the AZP ...

. During the early World War II, the ZIS-6 was used as the chassis of the original BM-13 ''

'' multiple rocket launcher by the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

,http://www.lomakovka.ru/ZiS-6.html nicknamed "Stalin's Organ" by German soldiers. The truck chassis was equipped with several different versions of the launcher. Later though, the American-produced Studebaker took over as the predominant platform for Katyusha launchers. The ZIS-6 also served as the basis for the VVS-RKKA aircraft fueller BZ-ZIS-6. After the war, the ZIS-6 was replaced with the all-wheel drive ZIS-151.

Specification

*6×4, 3-axle 2,5-ton (4-ton - highway) *ZIS-5 based truck *Bore/Stroke: 101.6/114.3 mm *Tyres: Katyusha Rocket Launcher - Artillery Museum - St. Petersburg - Russia.jpg, ZIS-6 platformed with BM-13

battery Kolyma road01.jpg, Kolyma road construction (1938) Одесса Чкалова троллейбус.JPG, Civil used autocrane based on a ZIS-6 chassis in

Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...

(1942)

References

External links

{{commons category, ZIS-6 *
ZIS-6: The 6x4 ZIS-5 utility Soviet Army truck.
' *

' Military trucks of the Soviet Union ZiL vehicles World War II vehicles of the Soviet Union Military vehicles introduced in the 1930s