armoured personnel carrier skot and its variants produced in poland

27 Pages·2016·1.43 MB·English

JOURNAL OF SCIENCE OF THE MILITARY ACADEMY OF LAND FORCES
d. - Volume 48 Number 2 (180) 2016 ISSN 1731-8157
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ohi DOI: 10.5604/17318157.1216d080
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distri ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERi StKOT
use only - AND ITS VARIANTS PRODUCED IN PhiObLAND
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This copy is for pers *Faculty of Philology and History, Jan Dlugeo-smJze aAriclz:a yjnd. k KeamApjeryJtE ainTn [email protected]*l
d. - Received on September 28th 2015; accepted afteurt ireovision in February 2016
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o Copyright © 2016 by Zeszyty Naukowe WSOWL
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al use
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ers Abstract
or p y
py is f The paper presents the history of designing the armnloured personnel carrier SKOT and the
his co cooperation between Poland and Czechoslovakiao related to their participation in its pro-
d. - T dirneuvscoptleivocentmi.v Teeh nveta sroiefar nitathlse po rPfo otdhliusech tp ioedrnesf ooennf ncthee ils icn vaderurhisietcrrl,ey s. g iserTo hdueisp ceaudrst siinceltdeo a:o sbu awtslieinclel, saf isgt hhthetie nc geh,xa tcreoanmctt meorfai srntedilca sat neoddf
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ohibit staff, and fire support vehicles. The paperu describes the use of the vehicle by the Polish
n pr Armed Forces, with a special emphasis o n its influence on the process of modernising the
butio Land Forces and their adaptation to opaelrations involving weapons of mass destruction.
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only - Keywords: o
use armoured personnel carrier, SKOTs, vehicle
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pers e
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py is f INTRODUCTION p
o
his c The armoured personnel carrrier SKOT was the first modern fighting vehicle included on
T o
d. - aa dmdiatsios ns ctaol et hine tahrem eyq’ssu fiepqmueipnmt oefn tt hwe aPso lpisrhe cAerdmede db Fyo arc epse riino dth eo fp ionstte-nwsaer speearriochd . fIotsr
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ohibit a new type of fightin ig vehicle for the land forces that would meet the requirements of
n pr an atomic battlefieyld. Already in the mid-1950s it was recognised that the personnel
o
uti carriers BTR-152, pforming part of the materiel, did not meet the minimum expecta-
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distri tions. Because oof the lack of possibilities of acquiring a more modern vehicle the works
nly - on own desigcns were started, out of which the most promising solution was the
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ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER SKOT AND ITS VARIANTS PRODUCED IN POLAND
ed. - wheeled armoured personnel carrier TK-30, developed by a team of scientists from the
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ohi Gdańsk University of Technology1. Soon it turned out that its further developmdent
pr
on would require huge expenditure, the provision of which was well beyond the capeacity
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distri of the state budget. At that time prototypes of the personnel carrier SKOT appeitared in
nly - Czechoslovakia and the offer to produce it under licence in Poland, being an ebconomi-
use o cally viable alternative, was quickly accepted. Over several years this vehichlie became
onal the basic type of fighting vehicle in the Polish motorised infantry. Owing too its modern
pers design it was a part of the equipment of the Polish Armed Forces for almorst 25 years.
opy is for In 2010, a monograph on the armoured personnel carrier SKOT was ppublished in the
his c Czech Republic, describing the history of its design2. The publication fnocused, however,
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d. - oAnrm thye. Idt edseisgcnr iwbeodrk tsh aen vda vriaarniatsn tuss pedro bdyu cthede fPoorl itshhe A nremeedds Foof rtchees u Ctoizneolcyh ions alo gveank ePreaol wplaey’s.
bite Thence, this article aims at supplementing the history of the personnel carrier and
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pro providing details related to its production and operation in Poland. It was possible
ution since access was obtained to documents stored in military arirchives and in the Archive
distrib of New Files as well as to instructions held in the collecsttions of the Central Military
only - Library in Warsaw. Additional information, in the form doif a report, was received from
al use the chief designer and head of production at FCS Lub lin (the Lublin Automotive Fac-
on tory), where the vehicles were produced. -
ers
or p 1. HISTORY OF THE DESIGN y
py is f nl
his co The personnel carrier SKOT (Stredni Kolovy Oborneny Transporter) was developed at
T the end of the 1950s, in Czechoslovakia, on the basis of subassemblies of the Tatra
d. - Tre-1p3la8c etr tuhcek OanTd-8 t1h0e, ap rhoatlof-ttyrpaec ko af rtmheo uPrreadg asp eSer -s3o6n0n terlu ccakr3r. ieTrh,e m voedheicllleed w oans tdhees iGgneermd atno
e
hibit personnel carrier SdKfz 251. In its general uappearance the SKOT resembled the BTR-60,
o
n pr a vehicle added to the equipment of the Soviet Army at the same time, but this resem-
distributio blance was only superficial. The designna lsolution adopted for dividing the hull was com-
e only - ptole ttheely pdeifrfseornennet la innd t hine tlhaen dciansge torofo othpes cSoKmOTp aitr tgmueanrat.n tTeheed h suiglln oiffi ctahnet lvye mhiocrlee wseacsu ariitry-
us s
al tight, so it could be driven through a contaminated area, which was particularly impor-
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pers tant in operations involving weeapons of mass destruction. The landing troops com-
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opy is f priaerrt mbye ntht ew raesa lro cdaotoerd. iTnh teh ev eprheiacrle p warat so af ltshoe p vreohviicdleed, ewniatbhl itnhgi cskoelrd iaerrms toou re xpilta tthees acanrd-
his c r
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d. - 1 T h e d e s i g n t e a m w a s h e s a fd e d b y Prof. Mieczysław Dębicki. By the middle of 1960, the initial design of
ohibite ttharey pgeerasrobnonxe, lh cyadrrroiep rni weuitmh aatnic 8 sxu8s pderinvseiloinne a snyds tceemnt rwaal st ydreev perloepsseudr,e p croonvtidroinl gs yfsotre tmh.e Tuhsee voefh aic plel awnaes-
on pr designed to carry twyelve soldiers. Koreferat projektu wstępnego transportera opancerzonego TK-30
uti p
b of 9.07.1960, Centralne Archiwum Wojskowe (hereinafter CAW), 1350/68/646, sheets 602-667.
e only - distri 23 MJ. P. Buudrłoia, nF,S JC. DLcuitobel,i nM -. hDiustboarniae klu, bOeTl-s6k4ie Sj KfaObTr.y Hkii sstaomrieo cah voýdvóowj o, b[ornnělinnéeh] oA vtraalinbslep oornte trhue, PInrategran 2e0t:1 0In. ter-
al us net, http:s/ /www.lubus.info/artykuly/41-lublin-miasto-infrastruktura/394-historia-lubelskiej-fabryki-
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perso samochohidow (access 15.04.2014).
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Jerzy KAJETANOWICZ
ed. - a diesel power unit, more economical and safer in operation. Owing to these advan-
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ohi tages the personnel carrier SKOT was ranked higher than the BTR-60. d
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on e
uti The design of the personnel carrier SKOT was developed in the Design Office of the
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distri K. Gottwald Automotive Plants (AZKG) in Prague. Miroslaw Splichal was its chieift design
nly - engineer. The designing works were started in January 1958, on the basis of tbhe tacti-
use o cal and technical requirements specified by the executive staff of the Czheichoslovak
al
on People’s Army. The project, coded A-105, was approved in January 195o9. During its
ers
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opy is for dsuebvaeslosepmmbelniet st hoef athsseu tmrupctkiosn p wroadsu mceadd ein t oC zuesceh,o tsolo vthaek iag rfeoart easrtm pyo sp suipbrpleo seexst.e nItt ,c tohne-
his c cerned mainly the power unit of the Tatra T-138 and the power transnmission system of
T
d. - tthhee SPKraOgTa, Sco-3d6e0d. AIn- 1A0p5r-iIl (1S9K6O0T, -iIn), twhaes L beutnilat nayn dA uptuotm too ttihvee tPelastn otusnt it thhoee fpirrsot vpinrogt gortoyupned o4f.
bite The majority of problems detected during on-road and off-road tests were related to
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pro the semiautomatic power transmission unit, Pragmatic, with a fluid coupling and gear-
ution box, which experienced frequent breakdowns. After drivingr i3,075 km it was necessary
distrib to replace the whole unit. Consequently, it was determinsetd that this unit was highly
only - prone to failure and its wear and tear occurred too qudiickly. In November the vehicle
al use was subjected to tests for resistance to heavy arms fi re, calibre 12.7 mm, which were
on failed. In December an order was placed for a new hu-ll, intended for the fourth proto-
ers
or p type, with a thicker and modified armour plating.y It successfully passed the tests in
py is f 1961. As a result of tests on the SKOT I it wasn lestablished that some fundamental
o
his c changes would have to be introduced in the suobsequent prototypes, such as a higher
d. - T pstoewereirn ge snygsitneem, .m odified power transmisssioen system and improved power assisted
e
hibit In September 1960, two subsequent protuotype vehicles were built, SKOT-II and SKOT-
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n pr III. In the SKOT-II a semiautomatic power transmission system of the Praga-Wilson type
butio was installed, whereas in the SKOT-III, atlhe improved version of the Pragmatic unit. The
distri SKOT-III prototype was tested on then proving ground on the territory of Poland, and,
only - then, it was subject to comparisoon tests with the personnel carriers BTR-60P and
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us BRDM, carried out in the USSR. sWhen the programme of trials and tests was com-
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perso pleted, in September 1962, theer fourth prototype of the personnel carrier was built,
or SKOT-IV, which took account of the results obtained during the site and field testing as
py is f well as of the remarks and pproposals submitted by specialists from Poland and the
o
his c USSR. The subassemblies wrhich demonstrated the best performance in the previous
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d. - pthreo tsottryopnegse wr Tearetr ian cTo-9rsp2 o8fr-1at4e edn ingi nthei sa vnedh sicelme.i aTuhteo pmeartsioc npnoewl cear rtrriearn swmaiss seiqouni pspysetde mw itohf
n prohibite tphreo dPurcatgiao-nW. Iinls oJunl yt yy1p i9e6. 3T,h disu vrianrgia tnhte w laaus nacdho optf etdh ea ss ear imalo pdreol dvuechtiicolne ionft ethned evde hfoicrl es,e trhiael
utio works on its furpther modernisation and application of subsequent changes were
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distri started. It was polanned to reduce its weight to 11 ton, increase the capacity of the fuel
nly - tanks to 300 l,c adapt the engine to run on different types of fuel, extend the lifecycle of
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person 4 V. Francheiv, Československé tankové síly 1945-1992, Praga 2012, p. 80 and 106.
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ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER SKOT AND ITS VARIANTS PRODUCED IN POLAND
ed. - the power transmission system and ensure the mileage between overhauls of
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ohi 20,000 km. These improvements were implemented already in the course of sedrial
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on production of the vehicle5. e
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distri 2. COOPERATION BETWEEN POLAND AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA it
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use o In 1961, Poland became interested in the production of the personnel carhirier SKOT.
al There was a need for a modern vehicle that would enable land forces to take part in
on o
ers operations involving weapons of mass destruction. According to the estimates, the
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opy is for uolft iambaotuet d4e,5m0a0n. dC oonf ctuhrer elanntldy ,f oitr cweas sf obre plieevrseodn tnheal tc athrrei elrasu onfc hthinisg toyfp te h wep apsr oadt uthctei olenv oefl
his c this vehicle in Poland would contribute to the modernisation of the anutomotive indus-
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d. - tforyr, tlheea dniantgio tnoa tl heec osntaormt yo.f Dtuhrei npgr othdeu cintiiotina lo df islacrugses iotrnusc rkes gaanrddi nmugta itchhoein peesr sinodninspeel cnasrarbieler
e
hibit SKOT it was suggested that Poland would produce armouredb hulls, water propellers,
o
on pr winches, shock absorbers, and fuel, electrical and pneumatiic systems, and carry out
only - distributi twthhoeeu felidnn datla oakfes s1 ep9ml6a5cb.el y Iti no w fJ atuhsl yea s1vse9uh6m3ic,el eda.n tIdht awttha tasht ae6n p,t4ri0coi0dp uavtceethidoic ntlhe was todw ituhosldteur lbsdte ah rlaatv-uuenp cb hoeefe dtnh inep rpJoerdlocudzcaueńcdts ikobiney
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al us Zakłady Samochodowe (the Jelcz Automotive Plants), b ecause of their location close to
n -
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ers the southern border, and the resultant savings on the transport of parts and subas-
or p semblies, as well as their considerable experience oyf manufacturing large trucks. Loca-
py is f tions in other parts of Poland, characterised by nlthe surplus of workforce, were also
o
his c considered. In accordance with the assumptionso, the start-up of production in the Jelcz
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d. - Ainugt o2m00o tmiviell iPolna nfotsr wcoonusldtr urecqtiuoinre a cnadp iitnaslt aelxlsapteei onnd itwuorerk osf. aTbhoeu pt uPrLcNha 3s5e0 o mf 2il4lio0n m, iancchluinde-
e
hibit tools, out of which 15% from Western cuountries, was planned. The anticipated em-
o
n pr ployment was at the level of about 3,40 0 people and, therefore, PLN 130 million was
butio to be allocated to ensure housing for tahle production staff. The value of annual produc-
distri tion of the personnel carrier was estimnated at PLN 5 billion6.
e only - The decision on starting up the prooduction in Poland was taken pursuant to Resolution
us s
al of the Council of Ministers of the People’s Republic of Poland no. 80/62 of 2 March
n
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pers 1962. In accordance with the eresolution the assembly of personnel carriers was en-
or
opy is f tmruosttiveed Ftoa cFtaobryr)y,k aw hSiacmh owchas o dpróelwat Cedię żmaraoinwlyy ctho wth Leu bsilginniiefi c(aFSnCt sLuurbplilnu,s tohfe wLuobrklifno rAcuet oin-
This c this area. On 27 March a ojorint committee started its works, aimed at coordinating the
d. - phreoadvuy citniodnu storfy tdheep uStKyOs mTf.i nTihstee rP. oTlhiseh cdoemlemgaitttieoen awssaess sheeda dtheed rbeys uZltysg omfu tnetc hOnsitcraol wtesskti-,
e
ohibit ing performed on th ei prototypes and the modifications made to the vehicle design. On
n pr y
o
buti p
only - distri 5 Msíly. B…u.r. i2a0n1, 2J., Dpc.i to1e0, 4M. . Dubanek, OT-64 SKOT.…, p. 44-51 and 78; V. Francev, Československé tankové
e
al us 6 Materiał ws sprawie uruchomienia produkcji nowych asortymentów uzbrojenia. Komisja Planowania
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perso przy Radhziie Ministrów, Zespół Wojskowy, 20.06.1961, CAW 1806/92/1, sheet 398.
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Jerzy KAJETANOWICZ
ed. - 8 January 1963, a Polish and Czechoslovak agreement on sharing the production of the
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ohi personnel carrier SKOT was signed. It stipulated the production of 8,600 vehicles, dout
pr
on of which 4,600 for Poland and 4,000 for Czechoslovakia7. e
uti
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distri Polish design offices focused on the fine-tuning of some of the subassemblieist of the
nly - personnel carrier SKOT. Ośrodek Badawczy Sprzętu Pancernego i Motoryzacji b(the Re-
use o search Centre for Armoured and Automotive Equipment) in Sulejówek, latehri renamed
al
on as Centrum Badań Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej (the Research Ceontre for Ar-
ers
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opy is for mofo aurrm aonudr Apulattoems oatnivde t hTeec dhensoilgong ioefs )t hweo mrkaeidn ocnlu timchp raonvdin pgl atnheet aqruya lgite yap rabnodx ,r eoswisitnagn ctoe
his c which it was possible to eliminate defects delaying the start-up onf production8. As
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d. - afo rre sstualrtt ionfg juopin tt heef fsoerrtisa lt hpero tdeucchtnioonlo agty FdSoCc uLumbelinnt9a. tIino nN owvaesm dbeevurtei l1oo9p6e3d,, tihned icsopoerndsianbalte-
bite ing committee adopted the plan to start up the production of command and staff vehi-
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pro cles, SKOT R-2 and R-3, from 1966. In 1964, the works on the armed variant were
ution started, with the assumption that a turret mounted on the priersonnel carrier TOPAS or
distrib a brand new design would be used. In December the joinstt committee agreed that the
only - turret from the Soviet carrier BTR-60PB would be used fdoir the carrier SKOT. The turret
al use was to be produced in Poland10. The carrier SKOT was included in the equipment of the
on Polish Armed Forces and Czechoslovak People’s Arm-y in 1964. In the Czechoslovak
ers
or p army the vehicle was designated OT-64 SKOT (obrneyny transporter wz. 1964).
py is f 3. PRODUCERS OF THE CARRIER SKOT nl
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his c o
T The final assembly of the carriers was performed at FSC Lublin. The factory was built
d. - finrogm a lsiccreantccehd i nv a1r9ia5n1t, oafn dth ien GthAeZ -y5e1a.r Isn 1 t9o5ta1sl- 1e1 975,497, 9it spurcohd uvecehdic ltehse w treureck m Launbulinfa-c5t1u,r beed-.
e
hibit The experience gained during the producution of the above vehicle made it possible to
o
n pr master, in a relatively short time, the te chnology for the production of the armoured
distributio personnel carrier SKOT and its final anssaelmbly. FSC Lublin produced also some elements
e only - osyf seteqmuip, mgeeanrt w fohre tehlse fSoKrO tTh,e s tuucrhr eats,o aanm amiru dniisttiorinb ubtoioxne su, neittc f.o Ar tnheew f ilpteror dauncdt ivoenn htialallt ifoonr
al us assembling the carrier was built isn FSC Lublin, having an area of 5,100 m2 (Section B),
n
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pers with three departments: parts eand subassemblies department, production department
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py is f with a production line consispting of twelve machining stations and vehicle assembling
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ed. - 7 N o t a t k a s ł u ż b o w a w s s p fr a w i e u ruchomienia w kraju produkcji średnich kołowych transporterów
ohibit opancerzonych SKOT ii bojowych wozów piechoty BWP-765 of 13.02.1969. Sztab Gen. WP. Archiwum
n pr Akt Nowych (hereinyafter AAN), 237/V/764, sheets 36-37.
o
buti 8 Z. Brudziński, W. pNerlo, W. Bohuszewicz, Wkład WITPiS do rozwoju samochodów wojskowych, „In-
distri formator WITPiSo”, Sulejówek 1987, p. 28.
only - 9 Rozwój ludowcego Wojska Polskiego w latach 1956-1980. Kierunki rozwoju techniki wojskowej
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us i zabezpiecz enia technicznego wojsk, Warszawa 1986, p. 17.
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person 10 M. Buriahni, J. Dite, M. Dubanek, OT-64 SKOT…, p. 78-81.
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ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER SKOT AND ITS VARIANTS PRODUCED IN POLAND
ed. - department11. The testing of finished vehicles took place on the proving ground be-
bit .
ohi longing to the factory, located near Rogoźno. Field tests were performed on the abodve-
pr
on mentioned proving ground, on the specifically built obstacle course, and amphiebious
uti
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distri tests were carried out on Łukcze Lake. The vehicle-mounted armament was cailitbrated
nly - at the firing range near Świdnik. Having passed the trials and laboratory and fibeld test-
use o ing, and after finishing works were done, the carriers were delivered to the rhiecipient12.
onal Apart from the assembly of the SKOT, carried out in strict secrecy, FSC Lubolin produced
pers the delivery van “Żuk”, which, officially, was the only vehicle leaving this fractory.
opy is for The basic elements and subassemblies of the carrier were manufactur edp by almost 100
his c domestic companies, cooperating with FSC Lublin13. Armoured hullsn and turrets were
T
d. - pOrsotrdouwceiedc bŚyw iHęutotakr zimys.k iM. Aarrmceoleugro p lNatoews outskei d( tfhoer tMheairrc eplri oNdouwctoiouttnkio wo Semree mltianngu Pfalacntut)r eind
bite by Huta Częstochowa (the Częstochowa Smelting Plant). For this purpose the most
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pro modern plate mill in Europe was built in this plant, producing metal sheets with an
ution area of 100 m2. Suspension elements, such as suspensiorni arms, shock absorbers,
distrib springs, bearings and wheel rims, were produced by Hutas tStalowa Wola (the Stalowa
only - Wola Smelting Plant). Tyres for the carrier were maded iby Zakłady Stomil (the Stomil
al use Plants) in Olsztyn14. The vehicle-mounted armament, i.e. the KPVT heaviest machine
on guns, and their guiding mechanisms, were produced -at Zakłady Mechaniczne (the Me-
ers
or p chanical Plants) in Tarnów. These plants started yup the production of the above-
py is f mentioned machine guns within a period of onlyn lten months. Optical sights were pro-
his co duced by Polskie Zakłady Optyczne (the Polish Ooptical Plants) in Warsaw15.
T
d. - Irne stehnet epdro bdyu cAtVioInA ,o wf thhiceh p werasso nmneerlg ceadr rwieirt hSs KtOhe eT Kth. eG Coztetwchaolds loAvuatko msidoeti vwea Ps liannittisa l(lAy ZrKeGp-)
e
hibit in 1961, creating the Letnany Automotivue Plants (AZ Letnany). The government of
o
n pr Czechoslovakia designated this company as the main coordinator for the production of
butio the vehicle, possible modifications to alits design and deliveries of subassemblies and
distri parts for the carrier SKOT. In total 5n7 companies were involved in the production of
only - respective subassemblies. They inclouded, among others, the TATRA Koprivnice Factory,
e
us where engines and ancillaries wsere produced, the former K. Gottwald Automotive
al
n
perso Plants in Prague, manufacturinger gearboxes and transfer boxes, the Slovak Metallurgical
or Plants (SMZ) in Dubnica, delivering driving axles, and the Air Conditioning Equipment
py is f Plants (ZVVZ) in Liberec, whepre filtration and ventilation equipment was assembled16.
o
his c In terms of value the sharre of the Polish industry in the production of the carrier to-
T o
d. - 1 1 V . F r a n c e v , Č e s k o s lo v e sn s fk é t a n k ové síly…, p. 120; Report by Mikołaj Polech, M.Sc., Eng., the chief
e
n prohibit 12 dReespiogrnte br yfo Ar nspderzceiaj lMy p iraolidnuocwtisokni, aEtn FgS.C, tLhueb lhine a(idn othf ep raoudthuoctri’os np oosfs tehsesi opne)r.s onnel carriers SKOT at FSC
o
uti Lublin (in the authpor’s possession).
b
distri 13 R. Żochowski, Jaok powstają SKOTY, Wojskowy Przegląd Techniczny 1971, no. 7. p. 7-8.
nly - 14 Historia Huty cStalowa Wola, Stalowa Wola 1996, p. 3.
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us 15 Kompanie a kademickie. Gdański Fakultet Wojskowy 1947-1952, Warszawa 1997, p. 133-136.
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person 16 M. Buriahni, J. Dite, M. Dubanek, OT-64 SKOT…, p. 72; Report by Mikołaj Polech, MSc, Eng.
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Jerzy KAJETANOWICZ
ed. - talled about 48.5% in the case of a vehicle without a turret and 53.5% in the case of
bit .
ohi a vehicle with a turret17. d
pr
on e
uti 4. PRODUCTION OF THE CARRIER SKOT IN POLAND
b
distri it
nly - In the years 1964-1968, pursuant to the concluded agreement, it was obriginally
use o planned to produce 8,600 personnel carriers, out of which 4,600 for the Pohliish Armed
al Forces and 4,000 for the Czechoslovak People’s Army. At the end of 1964, the govern-
on o
ers ment of Czechoslovakia notified the Polish authorities that it had reduced the number
p r
opy is for opfr ocdaurrciteiorsn foofr tthhee iirn faarnmtryy, fwighhictihn gw vaes hriecllea tBedM tPo-1 t.h Teh pulsa, ntnheed P ostlaisrht -suipd epo fw tahse f olircceendc etod
his c adjust the number of carriers for the Polish Armed Forces, because onf the balancing of
T
d. - mcoumtumaal ndde loivf etrhiees Uonfi fpieadr tAs ramnedd sFuobracsesse mofb tlhiees .W Daurrsianwg Tthreea ctyo nOustruigltaoantiisoantsio nh eiltd w bays tdhee-
e
hibit cided that the Polish Armed Forces would receive 2,700 carribers SKOT up to 1970. In
o
on pr June 1965, a supplementary protocol to the agreement wasi signed, providing for the
only - distributi tCnooztemaclhi cdo ecsloliovnvedariiktei osP neosof pi2nl,e 5t’0sh0 eA cryameraryir esbr ys1 9ftoh6r6e - t1he9ne7 dP0 oo, lfit sh1he9 A6nr9um1m8e. bdHe Farov doiirncfs getc srat ararknieednr s2 a,t1co7c 8ob uecn aptr rrooiefd rutsh cfeeo dre tcfhooer-
e
al us the Polish Armed Forces was reduced to 2,200.19
n -
o
or pers The first three carriers SKOT left the production liney at FSC Lublin on 12 October 1963,
his copy is f it.aeb. loisnh itnhge t hPeo liPsohl iAshrm Peedo pFloer’sc eAsr mDayy20, . cOonmem veemhiooclrenal twinags atrlsaon stfheer r2e0dt ht oa nWniovjeskrsoawryy oInf setys--
T tut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej (the Military Institute for Armour and Automo-
d. - ttihvee tTheircdh noonleo gwieass) lienf tS autl eFjSóCw Leukb, ltihne, asse cao tnedss toe a nned w maos ddeel livveehriecdle t. oO tnhee m Cozencthh alartmery saunbd-
e
hibit sequent seven vehicles of the pre-produuction series were built. These vehicles were
o
n pr intended for military testing, to verify th eir tactical and technical features in practice.
distributio During these tests a number of defenctasl were detected, which uncovered the need for
e only - irnetgraorddu ctoin gt hree lecvluatncth d, epsoigwne cr htarnagnesosm. iTshsieo nh igsyhsetsetm fa, ilwuraete frr epqruoepnecllye rwsa as nodb sweirnvcehd. wTihthe
us s
al proper serial production started in May 1964. The number of produced carriers was
n
o r
pers gradually increasing, starting freom six vehicles in May and ending with 120 vehicles in
or
opy is f Dveehciecmlebs ewr,e wreh picrho dwuacse tdh,e o tua tr pgoef tw mhoicnht h5l0y pforor dthuect Pioonli scha pAarcmiteyd. B Fyo trhcees e anndd o 2f 0109 6f4o,r 2th50e
This c Czechoslovak People’s Aromry. In the following years 900-950 vehicles were built on an
d. - annual basis. s f
e
ohibit i
n pr 17 Notatka służbowa yw sprawie uruchomienia w kraju produkcji średnich kołowych transporterów
o
buti opancerzonych SKpOT, AAN 237/V/764.
distri 18 Ibidem. o
only - 19 Wykaz planowcanych dostaw uzbrojenia i sprzętu technicznego w latach 1966-1970, CAW 1806/92/3,
e
us sheet 411.
al s
person 20 C. Matuhsizek, Od Lublina… do Lublina. Historia fabryki samochodów, Lublin 2008, p. 235.
or
py is f T
o
his c 41
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ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER SKOT AND ITS VARIANTS PRODUCED IN POLAND
ed. - In 1965, pursuant to the provisions of the agreement, the armed variants of the vehicle
bit .
ohi were to be produced. According to the preliminary assumptions a turret used in dthe
pr
on Czechoslovak vehicle OT-62 TOPAS was supposed to be mounted on the carrier SeKOT.
uti
b
distri The turret was equipped with the 82 mm grenade launcher T-21 and a 7.62 mitm ma-
nly - chine gun. Development works were carried out with regard to a turret with ab 23 mm
use o and 30 mm automatic gun and a 7.62 mm machine gun. However, this phrioject was
onal ultimately abandoned21. In 1966, the armed variant of the vehicle starteod to be pro-
pers duced, designated SKOT-2A, in which the turret was borrowed from thre carrier BTR-
This copy is for 6Ofi0gwhPitBni,ng gwt oivt ehth htiihcsle es soh lewuativtiohienins t i ttm hweaa cWsh ipanoress asgwiubn leP, aatco t1 . 4eI.nn5s u1mr9em6 7a o, hnthiege,h aepnrr dol edavu e7clt. 6ioo2fn smnot amf npc dmoamradcmihsaiannteido gnau nondf.
d. - setrasf ifn vteehnidceleds ,a tsh teh eSK eOqTu iRp-m2 eanntd f Ro-r3 t,h we aPso cliosmh mAremnecedd F.o Irnc e1s9 6a9n,d t uhtthiee op Crozedcuhcotisolonv oafk c Paerroi--
e
bit
hi ple’s Army was finished. In February 1970, it was agreed thabt the vehicle production
o
pr
on would be continued by 1971, to produce the total of abouti 6,000 vehicles. The serial
uti r
distrib production was finished on 22 July 1971, when the last svtehicles left the production
e only - hCazellc. hIno stlootvaalk i4a,2627. 8 carriers were produced, including 2d,i500 for Poland and 2,178 for
al us
on After the serial production was finished, FSC Lublin- continued works related to the
ers
or p modernisation of the previously produced vehicles tyo the SKOT-2AP variant, by mount-
py is f ing “anti-aircraft” turrets. Also the equipment nenleded for the construction of special
o
his c variants was prepared, particularly for the commoand and staff vehicles. Already during
ed. - T t1ShK9eO6 7pT,-h 2taAws eea lnovdfe i7tcs2a rscreairerirrasile prSsKr oOSdKTuO-c2TtA iRo w-n2 et, hrteoe scIroaalrqdri, e tsaorn e Sd UK giOnaT n1 dw9a7a,0s i,ne 5x 71p 9oc6art9rer idae nrtsdo So1Kt9Oh7Te0-r,2 c2Ao5,u 5tno tc rSaiuerrdsi.ea Inrns.
ohibit The export of the vehicle was continued aulso in the following years23. In 1966, the price
distribution pr ochf atnhgee craartreie arm SoKuOnTt ewda tso PULSND 1 3.9527, 5m0ni0lal2ilo4 .n , which translated at the then effective ex-
only - 5. VARIANTS OF THE CARRIER SKOoT
e
us s
al Several variants of the armoured personnel carrier SKOT were produced for the needs
n
o r
pers of the Polish Armed Forces. Ineitially, these included only the basic vehicles, then the
or
opy is f veanrgiiannetesr iwngit hs uvpephoicrtle, -rmecoouvne trepyd a nardm caommemnat nwde arned p srtoadffu cveedh,i cfleosll.o Aw evdeh bicyl ef iwreit hsu tphpeo irnt-,
This c built electro-acoustic equoirpment formed a special variant of the carrier. It was also
d. - ptola bnen edde vteol oepqeudip. Uthnef osmr tfeucnhaatneilsye, dth uisn iptsro wjeictht wa ams endoitc aiml spulpempoernt tveadr,i apnrto boaf btlhye f over hciocslet-,
e
ohibit i
n pr y
o
buti 21 V. Francev, Českosplovenské tankové síly…, p. 107.
distri 22 Notatka służboowa w sprawie uruchomienia w kraju produkcji średnich kołowych transporterów
nly - opancerzonycch SKOT …, AAN 237/V/764, k 36; M. Burian, J. Dite, M. Dubanek, OT-64 SKOT. … p. 93.
o
e
us 23 V. Francev, Československé tankové síly…, p. 132.
al s
person 24 T. Szczerhbiicki, Pojazdy ludowego Wojska Polskiego, Czerwonak 2014, p. 461-462.
or
py is f T
o
his c 42
T
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Jerzy KAJETANOWICZ
ed. - saving reasons. Only many years later, when the fighting variants of the carrier SKOT
bit .
ohi were already decommissioned from service in the Polish Armed Forces, a medical sdup-
pr
on port vehicle was developed on its basis, called “Ryś-Med”, which was used durineg the
uti
b
distri stabilisation mission in Afghanistan. However, this modernisation was too far-rietaching
nly - to consider this vehicle as being one of the typical variants of the SKOT. b
use o Basic vehicles – they were the first personnel carriers SKOT that left the hpiroduction
al
on line at FSC Lublin. Initially, they were used as the basic type of equipmento designed to
ers
p r
opy is for tfirgahntsipnog ratn md ostpoercisiaeld v einhfiacnlet rvya. rFiaronmts . 1 965, they served as the basis for cponstructing the
his c SKOT-1 (SKOT S-260-1) – the basic vehicle without any vehicle-monunted armament,
T
d. - itnatsekns.d Ietd w taos teraqnusipppoertd t wheit hin faa nsetrlfy- stuop tphoer tbinagtt hleufilel,l dco amndp letote clya raruiytri toioguhtt v aanrido uasd aapntceildla troy
e
hibit amphibious mode. The hull was divided into three compartmebnts: steering, engine and
o
on pr landing troops compartments. The 8x8 driveline system coimprised the Tatra 928-14
only - distributi dWkmieil/ssheol n ine t nyagpmienp.e hT ihwbeiiot vhue sha m icploeod wceoe. urT lhdoe fr e1caa8cr0rh i eharp mw aaanxsdi me aqu umsiep msppeieadeu wdtdo iiotmshft a ruatp icf i tlogtre a9at0riob knom xa /nohdf a tvnheden utPiplar attoigo an9-
e
al us device enabling it to move through the contaminated area and a central tyre pressure
n -
o
ers control system, making it possible to continue drivi ng the vehicle with its tyres punc-
or p tured by shooting. There was a VHF medium-rangey radio station in the steering com-
py is f partment. The vehicle could accommodate 20 sonlldiers, including two crew members
o
his c (commander and driver) and 18 soldiers in the olanding troops compartment. The land-
T
d. - isnidge tsr,o foopusr gcouunl dp oorptse nin ftirhee fhraotmch i ncsoivdeer st haens dve e twhiocl eg utnh rpoourgths isni xt hgeu nre paor rdtos oorn. Aths et hheurell
e
hibit was no vehicle-mounted armament this vuehicle was not designed to move directly on
o
n pr the battlefield. At first, the carrier was p art of the equipment of the motorised infantry
butio company. Then, it was used for othealr purposes, serving, for example, as a mobile
distri command and observation post, amnmunition vehicle, artillery prime-mover, impro-
only - vised ambulance, liaison vehicle, veohicle for driver training, etc.
e
us s
al SKOT-1A (SKOT S-260-1A) – a modified variant of the basic vehicle. In this vehicle, in
n
o r
pers the front part of the landing treoops compartment, instead of the previously mounted
or
opy is f hpaetrcsthr,u ac tsuurpee wrsatsr udcetsuirgen ewda ts o bp eunilstu wreit ahl la-r olaurnged hfiaritncgh fcrloomse cdr ewwit-ho pae srpatliet dc ogvuenrs., Tshuech s aus-
This c machine guns or anti-tanko rgrenade launchers, without risking to injure other soldiers in
d. - tinh eth laen cdairnrgie trr SoKoOpsT -c1o.m Ts hpfiasr vtmareianntt. Twhaes nlautmerb uesre odf atrsa tnhsep boartseisd fsoorl dreiebrusi lwdiansg t ihnet os aam vee hais-
e
ohibit cle with vehicle-mou inted armament, designated as the SKOT-2A.
n pr y
o Infantry fighting vehicles – the basic type of carriers delivered to the mechanised infan-
uti p
b
distri try units. The eqouipping of the SKOT with vehicle-mounted armament was suggested
nly - by the represecntatives of the Command of the Unified Armed Forces of the Warsaw
o
use Treaty Organ isation. The subsequent variants with vehicle-mounted armament were
nal characterisesd by increasingly better firing performance, making it possible to use the
o
pers SKOT direhcitly on the battlefield.
or
py is f T
o
his c 43
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ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER SKOT AND ITS VARIANTS PRODUCED IN POLAND
d. -
e
bit .
ohi d
pr
on e
uti
b
distri it
nly - b
use o hi
al
on o
ers
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opy is for p
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d. - utio
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bit
hi b
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pr
ution ri
distrib Fig. 1. Armoured personnel carrier SKOT-1 durings ttactical exercises
only - Source: Own collection di
e
al us SKOT-2 (SKOT S-260-2) – a carrier with a small super structure mounted in the front
n -
erso part of the landing troops compartment, in which a round hatch was provided with a
or p rotating base for vehicle-mounted armament. At fyirst, a 7.62 mm machine gun was
py is f mounted on this base (SGMT and, then, PKT), anlnd, afterwards, a large calibre, 12.7
o
his c mm, machine gun of the DShK type. The ammunoition stock for the gun was at the level
T
d. - oarfm 1,o2u5r0 p rloautensd sa.n Tdh per poovsiditeiodn a w fuitlhl 3th6e0 om foiruinsngte e adb igliutyn. wIta ws apsr oat etectmedp oorna rtyh eso sliudteios nb.y O twnloy
e
hibit a small number of carriers were upgradedu to this variant. The modification was carried
o
n pr out at the military automotive plants fro m 1964. The vehicles were presented for the
butio first time on 22 July 1964, during thea lmilitary parade in Warsaw, organised to cele-
distri brate the 20th anniversary of the Peopnle’s Republic of Poland25.
e only - SKOT-2A (SKOT S-260-2A) – a carrieor with a fixed turret, borrowed from the Soviet ve-
us s
al hicle BTR-60PB, developed at the Military Institute for Armour and Automotive Tech-
n
o r
pers nologies in 196526. The vehicle ewas armed with the heaviest machine gun, 14.5 mm, of
opy is for tthhee KKPPVVTT twypase ,5 a0n0d r ao ucnodaxs iaa ln 7pd. 6fo2r m thme mPKaTch, i2n,e0 0g0u nro oufn tdhse. PTKhTe tcyapreri.e Tr’hse c urenwit ocof nfisries tfeodr
his c of 12 soldiers, including ar commander, driver, on-board gunner and ten troops. The
T o
ed. - s f
n prohibit 25 J. Magnuski, Wozy byo ijowe ludowego Wojska Polskiego 1943-1983, Warszawa 1985, p. 244; T. Begier,
utio D. Użycki, Współcpzesne kołowe wozy bojowe, Warszawa 2000, p. 32. The speaker of the Polish Film
b
only - distri Crlaahtdereor ,no tinchl ee2 2sin aJfmuoclerym o1tye9pd6e 4t ,ho wef tevhrieee wpcaearrrrsti eothrf awthta etsh eaeql sucoaip rsrmhieoerwns tnS o KdfO utTrhi-en2 g,1 wstth hWei camhr silwaitwearr Mey pteaackrhiaandnge isp ienadr W tD iianvr istshaiowen ,m. dTiulwitroainr ygye tpahares-
e
us celebrations of the millennium of the Polish state.
al s
person 26 J. Janeckhii, Wojskowy Instytut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej, „Wojsko Ludowe”, 1973, no. 1, p. 98.
or
py is f T
o
his c 44
T
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