The GAZ AA “Polutorka”. The Soviet most mass model of trucks since the 1930s

The GAZ AA “Polutorka”. The most mass model of trucks since the 1930s during WW II. This model is 1942. The speed is 70 km / h. Maximum mileage – 215 km. Power HP – 50 hp. Lifting capacity – 1.5 tons.

Museum of the Victory, Moscow

The GAZ-AA, a truck produced at the Gorki Auto Plant in the Soviet Union from 1932 to 1938, was the factory’s first truck produced under the GAZ brand-name. Russian-speakers often refer to it as a polutorka (полуторка) – meaning “one-and-a halfer”, with reference to its carrying capacity of 1.5 tonnes (1500 Kilograms).

On 31 May 1929 the Supreme Soviet of the National Economy of the Soviet Union (Russian: Высший совет народного хозяйства СССР) made an agreement with the Ford Motor Company to produce Ford Model A and Model AA vehicles, and the Soviet Metallostroy organisation (Russian: Металлострой) started constructing an American-designed automotive plant in Nijni Novgorod.

Initially, 10 Ford Model AA trucks were built at the plant, under the name NAZ (for Nijni Novgorod Avtomobilni Zavod). Soviet engineers prepared their own mechanical blueprints for production, specifying a truck to be made with thicker steel and to have an upgraded suspension system. In 1932 the city of Nizhni Novgorod adopted its new name, Gorki – after Maxim Gorki (1868-1936) – and in 1933 the plant was renamed to Gorki Automobilni Zavod, and the trucks began to use the model designation GAZ-AA. By 1932 mass-production had started, with around 60 trucks were built at the plant daily from knock-down kits sent by Ford.

Variants

GAZ-AAA: largely based AA
GAZ-410: dump truck
BA-27M: military vehicle using GAZ-AA assemblies
GAZ-42: version with a gas generator
GAZ-60: half-track version made for the Red Army
PMG-1: fire truck
GAZ-905: tractor version
GAZ-03-30: bus variant
GAZ-55: ambulance variant
GAZ-MS: log truck

Read more: History of trucks with Jim Andrews ...