View source for Engineering:GAZ-69

{{Short description|Soviet four-wheel drive light truck}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = GAZ-69
| image = GAZ 69 (217 XUD) pic1.JPG
| caption = 
| manufacturer = {{ubl|[[Company:GAZ|GAZ]] (1953–1955)|[[Company:UAZ|UAZ]] (1954–1972)}}
| aka = Kaengsaeng 68 (North Korea)<ref>{{Cite web |title=KAENGSAENG 68KA {{!}} chinesecars |url=https://www.chinesecars.net/content/kaengsaeng-68ka |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=www.chinesecars.net}}</ref><br />Sungri 4.10/25<br />UAZ-69
| production = 1953-1972 (1975 for Romania)
| model_years = 
| assembly = [[Place:Nizhny Novgorod|Gorky]], Ulyanovsk (USSR), Câmpulung (Romania - spare parts only)
| predecessor = {{ubl|[[Engineering:GAZ-67|GAZ-67]]|[[Engineering:Willys MB|Willys MB]]}}
| successor = [[Engineering:UAZ-469|UAZ-469]]
| class = Light truck
| body_style = 2-door cargo, 4-door field car
| layout = [[Engineering:Front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, four-wheel-drive]]
| platform = 
| related = IMS-57, M59, ARO M461<br>[[Engineering:UAZ-452|UAZ-452]]
| engine = 2.1&nbsp;L ''GAZ-69'' I4
| transmission = 3-speed manual
| wheelbase = {{convert|2300|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| length = {{convert|3850|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|1750|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|1950|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|1535-1589|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}
}}
[[File:Gaz-uaz.jpg|thumb|right|GAZ-69A]]
[[File:UAZ-69A during II. Vasút - Vasútmodell és Technikai Modell Fesztivál 2.jpg|thumb|GAZ-69A rear]]
The '''GAZ-69''' is a [[Engineering:Four-wheel drive|four-wheel drive]] off-road vehicle produced by [[Company:GAZ|GAZ]] (ГАЗ, or ''Gorkovsky Avtomobilnyi Zavod'', Gorky Automobile Factory) between 1953 and 1956 and then by [[Company:UAZ|UAZ]], in 1956–1972, though all of these light truck class vehicles were known as GAZ-69s. It was also produced in Romania until 1975.<ref name=thompson70>Thompson, Andy. ''Cars of the Soviet Union'' (Haynes Publishing, Somerset, UK, 2008), p. 70.</ref>

==Development and production==
The GAZ-69 was created by the team of chief designer Grigoriy Vasserman as a replacement for the [[Engineering:GAZ-67|GAZ-67B]] that would have lower fuel consumption than its predecessor and use the same {{convert|55|hp|kW PS|lk=on|abbr=on}} {{convert|2.1|L|cid|abbr=on}} inline four and three-speed [[Engineering:Transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] as the GAZ-M20 ''Pobeda''. The development process started in 1946 and the first prototypes known under the name "Truzhenik" (Toiler) were built in 1947. After extensive on-road testing, the new off-road vehicle went into production on August 25, 1953.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.off-road-drive.ru/archive/32/Geroy_soctruda | title=The history of the development of the GAZ-69| publisher=www.off-road-drive.ru|language=ru}}</ref> Over 600,000 GAZ-69s had been built by the end of production in the USSR in 1972. a copy of the GAZ-69 with some modifications was produced by ARO in Romania until 1975, first as the IMS-57, its main difference was that it used the GAZ-A type I4 engine (obtained by importing old Soviet tooling, as the original GAZ-69 engine was seen as uneconomical), then heavily redesigned as the IMS M59, and later modernized as the ARO M461.<ref>''IMS M461'', "Avtolegendy SSSR i Socstran" No. 168, DeAgostini 2015, ISSN 2071-095X {{in lang|ru}}, p.3-6</ref> GAZ-69s were standard military jeeps of the Eastern Bloc and client states, except Romania that used mainly the locally built ARO models.

==Design==
The standard GAZ-69 was able to reach {{convert|56|mph|km/h|abbr=on}},<ref>Thompson, p. 176.</ref> but more powerful versions, with 2400&nbsp;cc (derived from the basic 2100&nbsp;cc) 65 h.p. engines and the same three-speed gearbox, could reach {{convert|100|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}. They were known as the GAZ-69M, or GAZ-69AM for the four-door version.<ref name=ware177>Ware, Pat. ''The World Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles'' (Lorenz Books, 2010), p. 177.</ref>

It featured two fuel tanks, one of {{convert|47|L|usgal impgal|0}} under the floor, one of {{convert|28|L|usgal impgal|0}} beneath the passenger's seat.<ref name=thompson70/> All civilian models also had to meet Army requirements, in case of wartime [[Social:Expropriation|requisitioning]]. (This is also why a hardtop version was not available until 1993)<ref>Thompson, p. 176</ref> The basic variant '''GAZ-69''' has a pair of doors and usually has standard canvas top and upper sides; there are two seats in front and two folding benches for three passengers each on sides. The further variant '''GAZ-69A''' (UAZ-69A) has four doors, folding canvas top and two rows of seats.

It was used as the basis for the rear-wheel drive van GAZ-19 that was built in 1955 but didn't pass the prototype stage. The off-road van and light truck [[Engineering:UAZ-452|UAZ-450]] and the newer [[Engineering:UAZ-469|UAZ-469]] also traced their origins to the GAZ-69.<ref name=ware177/>

==Military use==
The GAZ-69 had been the basic light off-road vehicle of the Soviet Army, replacing [[Engineering:GAZ-67|GAZ-67]]s and [[Engineering:Willys MB|Willys Jeeps]], before the army adopted the [[Engineering:UAZ-469|UAZ-469]].<ref name=ware177/> It was also used as the basis for the 2P26 [[Engineering:Tank destroyer|tank destroyer]], as well as for the GAZ-46 MAV, a light 4x4 [[Engineering:Amphibious vehicle|amphibious vehicle]] inspired by the Ford GPA 'Seep'.<ref name=ware177/>

==Users==
*{{AFG}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shankar |first1=Colonel C. P. |title=Military in Pakistan and Afghanistan A Brief History |date=2015 |page=202 |publisher=Neha Publishers & Distributors |isbn=978-9380318851 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FxnkEAAAQBAJ}}</ref>
*{{ALB}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mitzer |first1=Stijn |last2=Oliemans |first2=Joost |title=The North Korea Of Europe: Listing Socialist Albania's Military Equipment |url=https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2023/03/the-north-korea-of-europe-listing.html |website=Oryx |access-date=23 December 2023}}</ref>
*{{ARM}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Janovsky |first1=Jakub |last2=Dan |last3=Mitzer |first3=Stijn |last4=Oliemans |first4=Joost |last5=Kemal |title=The Fight For Nagorno-Karabakh: Documenting Losses On The Sides Of Armenia And Azerbaijan |url=https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2020/09/the-fight-for-nagorno-karabakh.html |website=Oryx |access-date=5 January 2024 |date=27 September 2020}}</ref>
*{{CHN}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=United States Department of the Army |title=Handbook on the Chinese Communist Army |date=1960 |publisher=Headquarters, Department of the Army |page=111 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g40PLENq5SEC |access-date=23 December 2023 |language=en |}}</ref>
*{{CZS}}{{sfn|Department of the Army|1960|page=73}}
*{{GDR}}{{sfn|Department of the Army|1960|page=97}}
*{{EGY}} − 2P26 tank destroyers<ref>{{cite book |title=Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices: 1945-1995 |date=1995 |publisher=Marine Corps Intelligence Activity |pages=II-6−II-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XeM72t6oOZIC&dq=2p26+tank+destroyer&pg=PA181 |access-date=5 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
*{{IDN}} − around 4400 units ordered in total; first batch 4000 units ordered by government, second batch 400 units ordered by {{wipe|Indonesian Air Force}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsyganov |first=Mikhail |date=2014-03-20 |title=Tahun 1958, Mobil Uni Soviet GAZ-69 Taklukkan Gunung Api Jawa |url=https://id.rbth.com/blogs/2014/03/19/tahun_1958_mobil_uni_soviet_gaz-69_taklukkan_gunung_api_jawa_23423 |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=Russia Beyond |language=id-ID}}</ref>
*{{flag|Iraq|1963}}<ref>{{cite book | author1-last=National Training Center |title=The Iraqi Army: Organization and Tactics |date=1 January 1991 |publisher=Paladin Press |isbn=978-0-87364-632-1 |page=145 |language=English}}</ref>
*{{PRK}} − Built locally as the Kaengsaeng<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lankov |first1=Andrei |title=North of the DMZ: Essays on Daily Life in North Korea |date=10 January 2014 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-5141-8 |page=146 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hmKiUkUE_p8C |language=en}}</ref>
*{{flag|Romania|1965}} − Built locally<ref>{{cite book |last1=United States Congress Joint Economic Committee |title=East European Economies Post-Helsinki: A Compendium of Papers Submitted to the Joint Economic Committee, Congress of the United States |date=1977 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |page=398 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1qdFSFqpTvIC |access-date=26 January 2024 |language=en |}}</ref>
*{{USSR}}<ref name="ware177" />

== In Popular Culture ==
In the film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull a GAZ-69 appears in one of the chases of the film involving Spalko and the main characters.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:GAZ69-MoT-STL.jpg|A retired GAZ-69 in the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Mo, United States
File:UAZ-69.jpg|A retired GAZ-69 in the {{Interlanguage link multi|Fort aan den Hoek van Holland|nl}} in Hook of Holland, Netherlands
File:FUG_2.jpg|A GAZ-69 of the Hungarian Army
File:Gaz-uaz-69m-1958-20130502-l.jpg|UAZ-69M, front view
UAS-69 30.06.19 JM (4).jpg|UAZ-69M
File:GAZ-69_Armaturenbrett.jpg|GAZ-69, interior

</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Engineering:Einheits-PKW der Wehrmacht|Einheits-PKW der Wehrmacht]]
*Stoewer R200 light off-road car

== Bibliography ==
*{{cite book |last1=United States Department of the Army |title=Handbook on the Satellite Armies |date=1960 |publisher=Headquarters, Department of the Army |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eoc-FktJHr0C |access-date=23 December 2023 |language=en |ref={{SfnRef|Department of the Army|1960}} |}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.gaz69.org/ GAZ-69 – Everything you want to know about the GAZ-69]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160404084600/http://www.mortarinvestments.eu/products/jeeps,-trucks-a-motos-3/gaz-69-63 GAZ-69 on sale at the Mortar Investments website]
* [http://www.sovietarmor.com/catalog/armored/gaz_69.html GAZ-69 at the Soviet Armor website]

[[Category:All-wheel-drive vehicles]]
[[Category:Off-road vehicles]]
[[Category:Military light utility vehicles]]

{{Sourceattribution|GAZ-69}}