The KrAZ-255 is a
Ukrainian (formerly
Soviet) three-axle
off-road truck with
six-wheel drive (6 × 6), intended for extreme operations. It was manufactured at the
KrAZ plant beginning from 1967.
The KrAZ-255 was developed directly from its predecessor, the
KrAZ-214 (produced 1956-1967). Despite being very similar at first glance (both using the same cab,
flatbed as well as the suspension), there are few major differences. Firstly, the 255 used new and much more powerful engine - the YaMZ-238 (same used in
MT-LB tracked
APC), replacing the previously used and sensibly weaker YaAZ-206B which was used in 214. The 255 also featured new and more reliable
transmission, the YaMZ-236N, instead of the previously used YaAZ-204. It also featured new headlights (which were now, together with
turn signals, located in their own housings mounted on the
fenders) and, most notably, much wider tires (1300 x 530 x 533 in dimensions), which offered lighter ground pressure and thus, even greater off-road capabilities when compared to its predecessor.
Along with
Ural,
ZiL,
Kamaz,
GAZ and
MAZ, the KrAZ once represented one of six models of cargo/towing trucks (in its basic version, the KrAZ-255B) used by the
Soviet Armed Forces, as well as by many civilian organizations in the former Soviet Union (mainly by various construction plants), where it was also used as a
logging (the KrAZ-255L/L1) and
dump truck (the KrAZ-256[3]).
Since the KrAZ-255 was the heaviest (weighing 12
tons empty) and most powerful (using a 14,900
ccm engine, producing 240
hp/180
kw) of all Soviet three-axle (6 × 6) military cargo trucks, it was most often used for towing heavier
artillery pieces (such as
D-74,
M-46 and
2A65howitzers or
T-12anti-tank gun) and also for towing various aircraft from their
hangars to
runways, or vice versa (in
tractor-unit version, the KrAZ-255V).
Furthermore, it was also used as a platform for control cabin and the antennas of PRV-9/1RL19 Naklon[4] (
NATO reporting name: "Thin-Skin") and PRV-16/1RL132 Nadyozhnost[5] (NATO reporting name: "Odd-Pair") Soviet
height-finding radars, as well as for various
engineer duties in
specially-designed versions (such as
PMP collapsible
ferryboat intended to be used as a
pontoon bridge and TMM-3[6] mobile
bridgelayer), which are still being used today by various military forces across the globe.
The KrAZ-255 ultimately evolved into a new model as its successor in 1979, the
KrAZ-260, whose only difference was a new design of cab and the interiors. Despite that however, the KrAZ-260 did not replace it in production, but was actually produced alongside it up until 1994, when both were finally discontinued in favour to
KrAZ-6322 (a modernized model of KrAZ-260).
Technical characteristics
Engine: 14.86 L diesel 8 cyl.
Power: 240 PS /2100 rpm
Torque: 883 Nm /1500 rpm
Top speed: 71 km/h (44 mph)
Variants
KrAZ-255B (КрАЗ-255Б)[7] - 12-ton cargo truck[8] Mass production started since 8 August 1967[9]
KrAZ-255B1 (КрАЗ-255Б1)[10] - cargo truck, mass production started since 1979[11]
Romania - 4 were allocated to the Bucharest public transport company in 1978 serving as recovery vehicles for buses, trams and trolleybuses, where they remained in service until 2007, when one was cut and disposed and the other 3 retired
^
abcКременчугский автомобильный завод имени 50-летия Советской Украины // Большая Советская Энциклопедия / под ред. А. М. Прохорова. 3-е изд. том 13. М., «Советская энциклопедия», 1973. стр.373
^
abcdКременчугский автомобильный завод имени 50-летия Советской Украины // Украинская Советская Энциклопедия. том 5. Киев, «Украинская Советская энциклопедия», 1981. стр.399
^Ежегодник Большой Советской Энциклопедии, 1968 (вып. 12). М., «Советская энциклопедия», 1968. стр.51
^капитан В. Иконников. Автомобиль КрАЗ-255Б1 // "Техника и вооружение", № 4, 1983. стр.11
^
abcdПерспективи розвитку озброєння та військової техніки Сухопутних військ: Збірник тез доповідей Міжнародної науково-технічної конференції (Львів, 17-18 травня 2018 року). Львів, НАСВ, 2018. стор.264
^
ab"удивили реактивные установки залпового огня БМ-21 на шасси знаменитых "лаптежников" - КрАЗ-255. Все привыкли видеть "Грады" на платформах бензиновых и дизельных версий "Уралов" и КамАЗ-5350, о такой версии РСЗО ранее ничего не было известно" Алексей Моисеев. Реактивный "лаптежник": КрАЗы с РСЗО "Град" заметили в Таджикистане // "Российская газета" от 25 февраля 2020
^"Паромы, как и понтонные мосты, собираются из отдельных секций - звеньев, каждое из которых перевозится одним грузовиком КрАЗ-255" подполковник Александр Севенко. Покорители Немана // журнал "Армия", № 3, 2014. стр.13-17
^Владислав Морозов. Остров в океане. Бронетанковая техника Революционных Вооружённых сил Республики Куба 1961 - 2016 гг. // «Техника и вооружение», № 4, 2016. стр.14-24
^"Базовые автомобили КрАЗ-255Б планируется заменить на более современные автомобили КАМАЗ-63502" На выставке "KADEX-2016" в Астане представят модернизированную военную технику // газета "Сарбаз" от 28 апреля 2016
^Artilleristen am Mekong // "Armeerundschau", № 10 1987. s.60-65