A look at the GAZ-67: A Russian WWII-era stalwart
The Jeep made such an impact n WWII that it inspired designers to develop a Soviet equivalent, which would become known as the GAZ-67.
When Hitler directed his armies to attack the Soviet Union, thereby launching “Operation Barbarossa” on June 22, 1941, it was the largest such offensive in history. Involving 3.8 million men with over 6,500 tanks and other AFVs across a front of some 1,800 miles and supported by thousands of aircraft and pieces of artillery, it was the ultimate demonstration of the Blitzkrieg tactic. Such was the weight and speed of the attack that the Soviet Red Army was virtually overwhelmed. However, the country was far from being alone and abandoned, because there was hope lingering which would provide a lifeline and help avoid total defeat.
Three months earlier, on March 11, 1941, the United States, although neutral at the time, had implemented the Lend Lease Act to supply military aid to those countries threatened by Hitler’s Germany. Britain had been receiving much-needed support through this scheme since June 12, only 10 days before Hitler’s attack against the Soviet Union. Britain would send materiel to assist its new ally, but it was what America would send from October 1941 that really made the difference and contribute greatly to Germany’s defeat. Among the supplies sent between 1941 and 1945 were millions of tons of food and oil products, including fuel, and more than 500,000 vehicles of all types, including some 44,000 Jeeps.
To the Russian troops, the American-supplied vehicles were most useful, and it was the Jeep, with its versatility, which made the greatest impression. In fact, the Jeep made such an impact that it inspired designers to develop a Soviet equivalent, which would become known as the GAZ-67. Responsibility for developing the vehicle was given to the Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (Gorky Automobile Plant) from which the letters GAZ were taken. The design team included Vitaly Andreevich Grachev and Grigory Moiseevich Wasserman, who in order to reduce development time resorted to using components from a range of vehicles already in service, including the electrical system from the GAZ-M1 and the radiator from the GAZ-AAA. Using this method of design also meant the components were already in production and available when the new vehicle design went into service production. The GAZ-MM truck design, which had been in service since 1938, provided the gearbox and fuel tank. The engine was a Soviet-built version of the Ford Model A four-cylinder. Parts from the GAZ-61-40 would provide the steering mechanism and brakes, making the GAZ design a hybrid.
What emerged was a vehicle referred to as the GAZ-67. Protoypes were ready for inspection in April 1943. Slight modifications followed these trials in July, including extending the width of the track to 4 feet 9 inches. More service trials were conducted two months later which involved a vehicle towing a Zis-3 M11942 76.2mm field gun weighing 2.1 long tons over a distance of 1,400 miles. Another road trial involved driving over cobbled road for a distance of 350 miles.
Production commenced within weeks of the trials being successfully completed and the GAZ-67 entered service in late 1943. At first the production rate was very low, only 15 vehicles per day, with wartime output amounting to 4,851 by 1945. Post-war production continued until 1953, by which time another 87,992 vehicles had been turned out. During the full 10-year period of production, a total 92,843 vehicles of the GAZ-67 design were supplied to various military forces either supported by the Soviet Union or satellite states within the sphere of the Warsaw Pact.
The GAZ-67 was an open-topped light car of 4x4 design capable of carrying three passengers in addition to the driver. A canvas tilt could be erected on a collapsible frame and canvas screen doors were fitted. A split-panel windscreen was fitted which could be folded forward over the engine hood and a spare tire was carried on a bracket fitted to the rear of the vehicle. Overall, the design proved to have good cross-country capabilities.
In January 1945, the GAZ-67B began series production with a strengthened chassis and larger fuel tank. It entered service within weeks, but it did not replace the GAZ-67 and the two continued in parallel service together. In fact, there was very little to tell the two types apart. It was only by placing them side by side that the size difference became obvious. The length of the wheel base was extended by 24 inches on the GAZ-67B version. Also, the width of track was increased by 8 inches. Both versions proved much better than the GAZ-64, which had entered service in 1942.
The GAZ-67 proved very versatile and able to operate in a wide range of roles. Some examples were even fitted with a pintel mounting to allow a machine gun to be fitted for self-defense. The load-bearing capacity allowed for the towing of either the M1942 45mm anti-tank gun weighing 1,257 lbs., wheeled mortar of 120mm or supply trailers and all the way up to field guns of 76.2mm. The GAZ-67 lent itself to liaison duties to deliver messages and could be fitted out with radios as a communications vehicle. Its cross-country ability meant it could easily operate with units in forward areas and even be used to evacuate wounded. Soldiers referred to the vehicle by various names, including “Goat”, “Pygmy” and even “Ivan Willys”’ in recognition of the inspiration from the Jeep.
Like the Jeep, which inspired the development, the GAZ-67 and GAZ-67B continued service in post-war years and served in several conflicts during the 1950s. They were supplied to Viet Minh forces engaged against French forces during the Indo-China War as France tried to hold onto its pre-war colony. Communist forces were supplied with examples of the vehicle during the Korean War from 1950-1953. After 1955, when the Warsaw Pact was formed, the forces of Hungary, Albania, Poland and East Germany used either the GAZ-67 or GAZ-67B. The model was finally replaced in service in the late 1950s by the GAZ-69, a not-too-dissimilar design.
Examples of the GAZ-67B were captured by UN forces during the Korean and also by the French during the Indo-China War. In 1966, around 200 examples of the GAZ-67B were purchased from Yugoslavia and the former state of Czechoslovakia and taken to America. The block castings of the engines and crankshafts were found to be fabricated from steel of a very high grade. Gradually over time more examples of the GAZ-67B made their way to the West, where they were acquired by military vehicle enthusiasts. Occasionally, examples do come up for sale with the price reflecting condition. In the U.K. a GAZ-67 was offered for sale with an asking price of £12,500 GBP ($16,800 USD.). In Poland, a refurbished GAZ-67B with 10,600 miles was put up for sale with an asking price of just over $20,500 USD.
Because of the low production numbers, spotting an example of these Russian Jeeps outside of a museum is unusual, but not impossible. Those which are displayed at shows usually blend in with other similar vehicles because of their color schemes. However, experienced enthusiasts with an eye for such things recognize them as something truly out of the ordinary.
Spare parts are available for owners seeking replacement items for restoration projects. Likewise, there are a number of online forums where owners and enthusiasts can exchange views and request advice. One such meeting place is the Polish-based site specializing in the GAZ69: www.gaz69.org.
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