BAV 485

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title: "BAV 485" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["wheeled-amphibious-vehicles", "military-vehicles-of-the-soviet-union", "military-vehicles-introduced-in-the-1950s"] description: "Soviet amphibious transport vehicle" topic_path: "history/military" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAV_485" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Soviet amphibious transport vehicle ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox automobile"]

Field	Value
image	Samochód pływający BAW.jpg
caption	A ZIS-485 at the Lubuskie Muzeum Wojskowe (Lubuskie Military Museum), Drzonów, Poland
name	BAV-A/ZIL-485A
manufacturer	Automotive Factory No. 2 Zavod imeni Likhacheva (Likachev Motor Factory)
aka
assembly	Moscow, Soviet Union
production	1952–1962
class	6x6 amphibious transport
body_style	waterproofed hull
layout	Front engine, six-wheel-drive
platform
engine	5.6L ZIS-123 I6
transmission
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)
weight	7,150 kg
related	ZIS-151, ZIL-157, BTR-152
::

|image = Samochód pływający BAW.jpg |caption = A ZIS-485 at the Lubuskie Muzeum Wojskowe (Lubuskie Military Museum), Drzonów, Poland |name = BAV-A/ZIL-485A |manufacturer = Automotive Factory No. 2 Zavod imeni Likhacheva (Likachev Motor Factory) |aka = |assembly = Moscow, Soviet Union |production = 1952–1962 |successor = |class = 6x6 amphibious transport |body_style = waterproofed hull |layout = Front engine, six-wheel-drive |platform = |engine = 5.6L ZIS-123 I6 |transmission = |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) |weight = 7,150 kg |related = ZIS-151, ZIL-157, BTR-152 |designer = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/POL_MWP_ZiL_485.JPG" caption="ZIS-485 (BAV), Muzeum Wojska Polskiego, Warszawa"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/ZIL-485_Kyiv.jpg" caption="ZIS-485 (BAV) Soviet amphibious truck ([[National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War]], Kyiv)"] ::

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. 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.

Specification

• Rear axle clearance:
• Ground clearance:
• Front track: 1590 mm
• Rear track: 1720 mm
• Turning radius: 11.2 m
• Maximum speed (loaded, highway): 60 km/h
• Tyres: 8¼x20 in (21x102 cm)
• Fuel tank capacity: 2x 150 L
• 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)

Notes

Sources

• Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 5, p. 476-7, "BTR".
• Hogg, Ian V., and Weeks, John. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles. London: Hamblyn Publishing Group Limited, 1980, p. 308-9, "BAV-485".
• Prochko, Yevgeniy. «Bolshoi avtomobil vodoplavayushchiy». „Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye”. 03/2009. p. 15-22 (in Russian).
• Prochko, Yevgeniy. «Bolshoi avtomobil vodoplavayushchiy». „Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye”. 04/2009. p. 16-22 (in Russian).
• AMW - Agencja Mienia Wojskowego
• ZIS-485 at denisovets.narod.ru

References

1. link. (2007-03-01)
2. [[ZIS-151]]
3. "Bav-485 (1952)".
4. Hogg, Ian V., and Weeks, John. ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles''. (London: Hamblyn Publishing Group Limited, 1980), p.309, "BAV-485".
5. "Bav-485 (1952)".
6. Prochko, Yevgeniy. ''«Bolshoi avtomobil vodoplavayushchiy»''. „Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye”. 03/2009. p. 15-22 (in Russian)
7. Introduced in 1952,Hogg & Weeks, p.308, "BAV-485".
8. Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons & Warfare'' (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 5, p.476, "BTR"
9. Prochko, Yevgeniy. ''«Bolshoi avtomobil vodoplavayushchiy»''. „Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye”. 04/2009. p. 16-22 (in Russian)
10. Hogg & Weeks, p.309, "BAV-485".

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