The Americans, to put it mildly, often exaggerate their role in the Second World War, but the equipment they supplied through Lend-Lease to the USSR was always desirable among Soviet soldiers. This may seem interesting to you, but the most popular American vehicle of the Red Army was not the truck, of which 52,000 were delivered to the USSR, but the Studebaker us6 truck.
From 1941 to 1945, 197,000 of these three-axle Studers were produced, and 100,000 of them were sent to us. It is worth noting that American trucks often came to the territory of the USSR disassembled, and their assembly was carried out at ZIS production sites. The vast majority of us6s had six-wheel drive, only 20,000 were rear-wheel drive. It is also interesting that cargo Studers did not serve in the American army: their engine, the Hercules JXD, did not meet the then American standards. Even on trucks delivered to 
USSR compression ratio was reduced from more than six, to 5.82:1, Studebaker still differed from Soviet trucks in that it liked higher quality gasoline and oil.
He dragged artillery and trailers behind him, transported soldiers and beat the fascists with Katyusha fire, he brought our victory closer and drove the fascist scum back to the threshold of the Reichstag. We must remember this truck, whose contribution to the war allowed our grandfathers to consider it theirs as much as America's. This article is dedicated to the Studebaker us6 - the car of heroes and winners.
It is noteworthy that the cars sent to the USSR received rectangular front fenders. The idea is 
that two soldiers could sit on such a wing and ride accordingly, and when there was no more space left in the back, or there was a possibility of an ambush ahead, our soldiers could sit on the wings. With a curb weight of 4,505 kg, the Studer is capable of taking on board another 2,500 kg. They say that if there was a hard and level road under the wheels, if necessary, 4 tons were loaded into the back of Studbaker. In the photo of the Studebaker us6 you can see that the truck's headlights are protected by special grilles. Of course, they won’t protect you from bullets, but they are good protection from branches and stones that can “fly” from under the wheels of a car in front. Body length is 6366mm, width - 2235mm, cabin height - 2210mm. The ground clearance of the cargo Studer is 248mm.
Of course, when getting behind the wheel of a Studbaker, our soldiers did not expect sophistication, 
but there are original solutions here too. In the photo you can see that the clutch and brake pedal are round in shape. In addition, on the latest vehicles, in addition to the ignition key, a special rotary lever was used; for an army vehicle this is a very reasonable solution. It is interesting that Studer's windshields are not tightly fixed: they can rise from below - this is very convenient in the summer. It is also very interesting that the engine temperature in this car is indicated not in degrees Celsius, but in degrees Fahrenheit, so at engine operating temperature the instruments show 170 - 185 degrees.
Technical Specifications Studebaker us6
With a diameter of 101.6 mm for each of the six cylinders and a piston stroke of 107.95 mm, the volume of the American engine is 5.24 liters. With a compression ratio of 5.82:1, the power is 95 hp. Maximum speed - 72km. 7.5 liters of oil are poured into the Studbaker engine, and the cooling system holds 18.5 liters of liquid. The engine itself is designed for 70-72 gasoline, which consumes 38 liters per 100 km. The Studer has a five-speed manual transmission; in addition, the truck is equipped with a lowering gearbox. The drum brakes of the American truck differed favorably from our “one and a half” trucks by being hydraulically driven and having a vacuum booster.
Original taken from mgsupgs in Studebaker History.
The Studebaker company, once well known in the Soviet Union for army trucks, owes its appearance to the Studebaker family, who came to the New World in 1736 from Germany. At the end of the 18th century, the founder of the new generation, John Clement Studebaker, was born, who gave the world 10 children, including five sons.
This surname is Dutch, and it has been known in the States since 1736, when the first representatives of this illustrious family arrived on American soil among the first settlers. The first carriage company was founded by representatives of the Studebaker family in 1798 in the city of Conistoga, Pennsylvania, and strong, solid, and most importantly, spacious vehicles were made there, which played an important role in the development of the “Wild West”: the famous migrant wagons, in which the whole family could travel as long as desired - a kind of mobile homes, the distant ancestors of today's camper buses.
And that workshop, which was destined to become an automobile plant, arose in the Indianapolis town of South Bend in 1852, and its fixed capital at the time of its founding was sixty-eight dollars. (A considerable sum for those times, by the way.)
In 1868, older brothers Henry and Clement founded a carriage shop in South Bend, and were later joined by younger brothers John Moller, Peter and Jacob.
Studebaker factory 1874.
In February 1902, they built the first electric car, two years later they began producing gasoline passenger cars on the Garford chassis, and in 1911 they founded the Studebaker Corporation.
In 1902, Studebakers released their first electric car and entered the world of auto manufacturing. By the way, the design of electrical equipment for the first Studebaker was developed by Thomas Edison himself.
Despite Edison's undoubted genius, the idea of an electric car turned out to be premature - the problem of autonomous electric propulsion has not yet been really solved. Studebakers had no experience in producing gasoline engines. Then the brothers turned to the Garford automobile company for help, and already in 1903 their joint brainchild was born - an 8-horsepower Studebaker Garford-A with a two-cylinder engine. In 1904, the newly minted automakers released a signature 4-horsepower engine, and then a car with an internal combustion engine: a two-cylinder 16-horsepower gran turismo car. However, this car did not bring much success to the brothers. Then everyone grabbed the motor carts and not everyone managed to stand out in this crowd.
In 1910, EMF and Studebaker formed a joint venture, Studebaker Corporation, to produce passenger cars, some of which were supplied to Garford. Studebaker Corporation produced EMF 30, Flanders 20, Studebaker-Garford 40.
Studebaker-Garford 1908.
In 1912, they were replaced by self-developed models with 4-cylinder (AA and SA series) and 6-cylinder engines (E series), now under the Studebaker brand. The Studebaker AA had a 35 hp engine. With. Its cost ranged from $850 to $1,200. It was the cheapest car in the US at the time. By the way, the AA series became the first American model to be exported to Europe. Over two years (1912 and 1913), 10 thousand cars were produced.
The AA-35 model was equipped with the largest four-cylinder engine at that time with a capacity of 35 horsepower and was offered to customers in three body types - sedan, phaeton and coupe.
These were the cheapest and best-selling cars in America, costing from $850 to $1,290. They marked the beginning of the model range of the Studebaker brothers. Studebaker became the third largest automaker in America, behind Ford and Overland.
In 1914 they were replaced by a four-cylinder SC version with 25 horsepower. Unlike the basic AA model, the fuel tank on it was moved to a safer place - under the driver's seat, and to increase export supplies, the steering wheel was moved from the right side to the left. So back in the day, right-hand drive cars were made in America too! Demand for a new left-hand drive model, which was also cheaper than the previous ones, increased even more (in its simplest version, the Studebaker SC series cost $1,050). It was a huge success for such a young car company.
The Studebaker SD model was produced until 1919. Every year it was improved: the engine displacement and its power changed, eventually bringing it to 44 horsepower. In addition, there was a gradual simplification of the design - standardization in mass production had an impact. The romance of hand-made piece assembly was forgotten.
Since 1920, the company began to produce only six-cylinder passenger cars. Studebaker cars produced in the late 20s and early 30s bore names like "Big Six", "Light Six", "Standard Six" (Big Six, Special Six, Light Six, Standard Six), but With the release of a new model line in 1927, traditional technical names were replaced by more representative ones such as “President”, “Commander” and “Dictator” (President, Commander, Dictator).
Studebaker Dictator.
Studebaker President.
In 1928, Studebaker bought the New York luxury car manufacturer Pierce-Arrow and became one of the leaders in American auto production. However, having failed to navigate the market situation during the Great Depression that gripped the country, Studebaker President Erskine continued to produce luxury, expensive models and by 1933 brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy. The bulk of the production had to be sold for debts. And never again could Studebaker regain the position it occupied in 1929.
In 1934, Studebaker introduced several models with improved body designs, including the Land Cruiser, a car whose smooth and streamlined shape was borrowed from the famous Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow show cars.
Now this name is strongly associated with the Japanese SUV, but once upon a time it was an American car! Subsequently, the brand names Land Cruiser and Cruiser were assigned to various Studebaker models produced from 1934 to 1966.
Back in the 30s, Studebaker made an attempt to gain a foothold in the commercial truck market. In 1936, he introduced a new line of trucks with a cab located directly above the engine, and in 1937, the round-sided Coupe-Express pickup truck.
Production of trucks under the Studebaker brand continued until the end of 1963. Among them were various specialized vehicles, chassis for buses and fire engines. It is thanks to the powerful and reliable American trucks that were supplied under Lend-Lease to the USSR during the Second World War that this brand is well known in our country. The famous Katyusha and Andryusha guard mortars, various tractors, cranes, and engineering vehicles were created on the basis of the Studebaker truck chassis. Soviet modifications of Studebaker were assembled at the Moscow and Gorky ZIS automobile plants, as well as at a specialized enterprise in Minsk. In the USSR, "students" became a real symbol of a military vehicle.
In 1925, Studebaker produced 107 thousand cars - a record figure for the company. Thanks to this, in 1927 it became possible to release a new series of inexpensive Erskine cars, and in 1928 the Pierce-Arrow company, which was going through hard times, was acquired.
Studebaker Erskine 1928.
Also in 1928, Barney Roos, the new chief of the design department, created an 8-cylinder engine. It was intended for a representative car of the “President” modification. Cars with 6-cylinder engines were called “Dictator” (produced 1925-37) and “Commander” (produced 1927-52), and in 1929 they also began to be equipped with 8-cylinder engines.
Commander 1927
Dictator 1929
By the way, Studebaker cars participated in the prestigious 500-mile race in Indianapolis. The best result was achieved in 1932, when third, sixth and thirteenth places were taken.
The Great Depression affected Studebaker's activities with some delay, but in 1932 the company went bankrupt. The new owners did the following: firstly, they stopped producing the “President”, secondly, they introduced two new inexpensive models with 6-cylinder engines (they were previously used on the popular and inexpensive “Rockne” car), and thirdly, gave independence to the Pierce-Arrow company.
By 1935, Studebaker's production had stabilized, thanks in no small part to its leadership, Paul Hoffman and Harold Vance.
In an effort to make its products competitive, to give the cars grace and elegance, the company invited the famous stylist Raymond Loewy as a consultant. And so, in 1938, an attractive “Champion” car appeared (produced 1939-52) with a 6-cylinder engine of 2687 cm3. Thanks to this small car, sales increased to 100 thousand cars per year.
In military service.
The first to enter the American army in 1907 were 30-horsepower sports models N, which were used for the delivery of urgent dispatches. During the First World War, the armed forces used mainly Studebaker passenger cars. In 1917, Captain Arthur Crossman, using a 24-horsepower SF chassis, manufactured high-speed machine-gun carts that reached a speed of 96 km/h. To work in the warehouses of US naval ports in 1908-14. Studebaker electric trucks were used with a payload of 750 kg to 5 tons and a chain drive of the rear wheels, capable of moving at speeds of up to 13 km/h. This was the only case in history of widespread use of electric vehicles in the armed forces. It is worth adding that in 1918, one of the world's first tanks was built at Studebaker.
During the interwar period, the company was still content with supplying the army with its serial products. These were mainly passenger cars, on the extended chassis of which, since 1928, at the orders of large hospitals, spacious Metropolitan ambulance bodies were installed. In 1939, 90-horsepower Commander cars were used for them. The cargo range, which consisted in the 30s. from the S, T and K series, did not undergo any changes at all when supplied to the army. The only special military vehicle in 1933 was the T5 machine-gun armored car built on a passenger chassis for cavalry escort. With the outbreak of World War II, the largest contract came from France, which ordered 2,000 commercial 2.5-ton K25 vehicles with an 86-horsepower Hercules JXK (Hercules) engine and a 5-speed gearbox, which differed from the serial ones only in a protective radiator grille.
The expansion of the military conflict in Europe forced the management of Studebaker to take up the creation of all-wheel drive army vehicles.
In the pre-war years, attempts to somehow standardize the multi-brand vehicle fleet of the American army did not bring noticeable success. And only at the height of the Second World War, in 1940, the main classes of vehicles were determined - 2.5-ton, three-axle, with all drive wheels. Due to various bureaucratic delays, their production began only a year later.
International Harverster began building vehicles of this type for the Navy and Marine Corps. And the largest order - equipping the ground forces - went to the General Motors Corporation (abbreviated as GMC). She was entrusted with the production of triaxes. Car production began in January 1941. They were based on components and assemblies of GMC commercial trucks and were designated as the COE type (short for Cabine over engine). Soon the demand for such cars far exceeded the company's production capabilities. We had to place orders for military trucks to other manufacturers. The choice fell on the famous Studebaker company.
In February 1940, the first army 1.5-ton K15F (4x4) truck appeared, unified with the civilian K25 series and equipped with Timken drive axles.
On its basis, by simply adding a third drive axle, a 2.5-ton version of the K25S (6x6) was created, for which an order for 4,724 vehicles was received from the War Department at the beginning of 1941.
Studebaker K25S, 6x6, 1940
At the same time, the company was offered to organize the assembly of a more advanced 2.5-ton army vehicle CCKW (6x6), developed by General Motors Corporation, but by that time Studebaker had already created its own 2.5-ton based on the K25S model. US6 ton truck (6x6) with a flat military grille, rectangular front fenders and a wood-metal body with a canopy and folding benches for 16 seats.
Having tested it, the US Army Quartermaster Corps decided to organize mass production of the simplified US6 range on Studebaker for lend-lease deliveries to countries with a poorly developed road network, meaning the USSR, China and Australia. Production of the US6 series began in January 1942, and by the end of the year, Studebaker was producing 4 thousand cars a month.
The first assembled Studebaker US6.
From a technical point of view, the Studebaker US6 was a standard and absolutely ordinary American car, almost unknown in the USA and Western European countries, and remained in the second echelon of automotive equipment during the Second World War. It had a classic layout and traditional design, its carrying capacity on the highway was 5 tons, on the ground - 2.5 tons (in the USSR it was estimated at 4 tons). The car was equipped with an in-line 6-cylinder petrol engine "Hercules JXD" (5243 cm3, 87 hp), a dry single-plate clutch "Brown-Lipe", a manual 5-speed gearbox "Warner" and 2- stepped transfer case, individual cardan drive of Timken axles with a split housing, rear spring-balancer suspension, 2-seat all-metal cab (since 1943 - open with a soft top), 6-volt electrical equipment and tires size 7.50-20.
They were produced in South Bend until the end of 1944. It was these vehicles that made up the bulk of the 152 thousand Studebaker trucks that arrived under Lend-Lease to the USSR through Murmansk, Iran and Alaska. In the USA, they were also produced by the company RIO (REO), partly the vehicles were assembled by three temporary TAK (Truck Assembly Plant) enterprises in Iran, the Moscow ZIS plant and the future MAZ. Studebaker also produced the US6.U5 tanker with a capacity of 2850 liters, the US6.U9 chassis with cab and a series of short-wheelbase dump trucks - US6.U10 with rear unloading (US6.U11 with a winch) and US6.U12/U13 with side unloading
In 1942-44, the company produced a 5-ton 6x6 series, which included the US6.U7 and US6.U8 flatbed trucks with a winch and the US6.U6 short-wheelbase truck tractor. US6 series cars weighed 3670-4850 kg, had an official gross weight of 8.6 tons, ground clearance of 250 mm, range of up to 400 km, a speed of 72 km/h and an average consumption of 38 liters of fuel per 100 km. They were widely used for mounting various bodies and weapons. In the USSR, since 1943, 6x6 and 6x6 chassis served for the normalized 16-round multiple launch rocket systems BM-13N and BM-13SN, the famous Katyushas, as well as BM-8-48 and BM-31-12 installations. They were in service with the Soviet army until the mid-50s. In total, Studebaker produced 197,678 US6 series cars.
Little-known military vehicles from this company include experimental low-profile vehicles built in 1941-43. and unified with the US6 family. The most original was the 1.5-ton LC (4x4) variant, which resembled more of a trailer than a car. It was a self-propelled platform with a forward central control post and two longitudinal benches along the entire length of the open body, under which a 109-horsepower Hercules JXD engine was installed longitudinally on the right, and a fuel tank, radiator and tool box on the left. An improvised driver's cabin was created by a body awning with celluloid glass.
Lightweight, low-profile LA and LB (6x6) vehicles were distinguished by the location of spare wheels and the driver's seat - next to the engine or in the far left corner of the body. This made it possible to increase the area of the cargo platform, reduce its own weight and overall height to 1.9 m.
The three-ton LD version was equipped with a lowered loading platform and single-ply tires. Work on heavy turret armored vehicles never left the experimental stage. The most notable were the T21 armored car (6x6) with a 112-horsepower Hercules engine, known as the T43 self-propelled artillery mount, and the T27 (8x8) variant with a 110-horsepower Cadillac V8 engine, hydromechanical transmission, independent torsion bar suspension , first, second and fourth driving axles. Their speed reached 98 km/h. The company also manufactured Weasle tracked transporters.
as well as engines for B17 bombers.
Studebakers in the USSR.
A huge, incredible number of Studebakers were delivered to the USSR - about 200 thousand units. If we put them all bumper to bumper, the chain would stretch from Brest to Stalingrad. This purely everyday detail is also noteworthy: each “student” (that’s what trucks began to be called in the USSR), along with a beautiful set of wrenches, was supplied as special clothing with a beautiful waterproof driver’s jacket made of sealskin, but this luxury was immediately confiscated by military leaders and quartermasters - to the Soviet driver and a padded jacket will do.
Column of Studebaker US6s towing Zis-3 guns. Kharkov direction, 1943.
To the front.
Post-war history of the brand.
Although Studebaker was able to sell its older models for several years, a new car was introduced in April 1946, the drawings of which were made by Virgil Exner. It was a car sold as a Champion, Commander or Land Cruiser.
The car had six-cylinder engines. The Champion model had a 2.8-liter power unit producing 80 hp. s, while the other two models had 3.7-liter engines producing 94 hp. With. The Champion model was the smallest of the three with a wheelbase of 2840 mm, the Commander had a wheelbase of 3020 mm, and the Land Cruiser had a wheelbase of 3120 mm.
The Champion and Commander series was supplemented by the famous 1950 model. The Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe is known for its original front end.
In 1953, Studebaker launched a new car known as the Champion or Commander, which was designed by Raymond Loewy, the famous creator of the Coca-Cola bottle. These were excellent models, unusually low for that time - only 1420 mm.
The sports versions of these models were Starlight and Starliner with coupe-hard-top bodies. In 1955, Studebaker reintroduced the pre-war President name in the high-end version of the Champion and Commander models. A three-color version appeared, known as the President Speedster.
When compact cars became fashionable in Detroit, Studebaker released the Lark with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 engines. Sort of like a “Zaporozhets” in American style. In 1954, the management of Studebaker and Packard agreed to cooperate to confront the Big Three from Detroit, but, unfortunately, nothing came of it.
The failure occurred despite the fact that Loewy designed the Avanti car in record time in 1962. The model had an attractive fiberglass body and offered a large selection of V8 engines. There was even a version with two Pextoi turbochargers, the engine of which developed a power of more than 330 hp. With.
In a last-ditch attempt to save Studebaker from financial ruin, production was moved to Hamilton, Canada, where all 1964 cars were assembled. But there were too few of them. In 1964, only 29,969 copies were sold.
Studebaker's response was to discontinue production of the GT Hawk, but sales continued to decline, eventually selling just 17,000 units. Stocks of large engines were exhausted, and since they could not be manufactured in Canada, engines were purchased from General Motors. These 3,186 cc six-cylinder power units from the Chevrolet Chevy II and 4,637 cc V8 engines found their way into the Studebaker Lark cars, which were renamed Challenger, Commander, Daytona and Cruiser in 1964.
In 1966, the company's prospects were bleaker, so on March 17 the final decision was made to close the company. The last car to leave
plant on that day, is kept in a collection dedicated to the history of the Studebaker company.
Until now, no one has had the desire to purchase a “famous brand”.
The Studebaker company formally exists, but somehow virtually. It produces more electric generators, small batches of small tractors, and kitchen equipment.
There is also an offspring of Studebaker - Avanti Motor Corp.
In Canada, this company produces remakes of its favorites for private orders. At least the same Avanti in the amount of 150 pieces per year. And before... Yes, previously successful Studebaker models were sold at 250 thousand a year.
Afterword.
A very strange situation with the Katyusha monuments. Mostly on the pedestals there are “ZiS-5”, on which they were not placed at all (in fact, “ZiS-6” were used and in relatively small quantities) and “ZiS-150”, which was generally produced after the war! This is a strange attitude towards Studebakers. The number of monuments dedicated to Studebakers in the USSR (Russia) can be counted on one hand.
Monument to "Katyusha" on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow.
The Studebers had more luck in domestic cinema. The list of films about the war, where real Studebakers appear, is large, and the most famous:
"Zhenya, Zhenechka and Katyusha," "The meeting place cannot be changed,"
PS. And finally, a couple more rare chassis for the M13 - Katyusha. And also Lend-Lease.
The Lend-Lease Fordson W.O.T.8 (30-cwt (1½-ton), 4x4) is used as a chassis - a number of such vehicles arrived in the USSR from Canada at the end of 1941 - beginning of 1942. Presumably, due to their all-terrain qualities, they were mainly used for Katyusha.
BM-13, which is a Katyusha on the chassis of a Lend-Lease all-wheel drive Ford Marmon HH6-COE4 truck. Apparently, most of the 500 trucks delivered to the USSR were used precisely to install BM-13 launchers on them, so they cannot be called piecemeal, but they are also known...
The American truck Studebaker US 6 was loved and respected in the USSR. During the Great Patriotic War, it was a loyal ally of front-line drivers, and designers used it as a base when developing Soviet all-wheel drive trucks. This success can be easily explained: meticulous Americans with German roots took on the creation of the car, who carefully worked out every detail.
History of the truck
The creators of the legendary truck were representatives of the Stutenbäcker family. Oddly enough, but the machines for the war with Germany were created by the Germans. In 1736, the Stutenbackers settled in America, changed their surname slightly, and founded the company in 1852. It all started with passenger cars; there were some not entirely successful experiments with electric cars. Despite this, production flourished: children replaced their fathers and worked hard on the brainchild of their ancestors.
In 1936, Studebaker began creating trucks. When hostilities began in Europe, the company had to join the production of military vehicles. And among other units, the Studebaker United States 6 (government six-wheeled vehicle), or US6 for short, was created. Until 1945, the company intensively produced these trucks, including in various modifications, and in 1943 the REO Motor Car company joined it. After the end of the war, Studebaker returned to producing passenger cars.
Studebaker United States 6
Technically, the Studebaker US6 was a typical American car, with a standard design and classic layout. Despite this, almost nothing has been heard about these models in the United States and Western European countries. The American army was also almost never equipped with them: the fact is that US6 engines did not meet the standards accepted at that time. Therefore, it was decided to send most of the cars to other countries under the Lend-Lease program.
Studebaker US6 in the USSR
The USSR Army first became acquainted with Studebaker US6 trucks in the fall of 1941. Then military tests began: from July 1942 to May 1943, the Technical Committee of the GAU of the Red Army tested 11 vehicles. As a result, operating brochures and load capacity recommendations were born. In Soviet style, the cars were dubbed “Studebakers” or “Studers”.
For Soviet drivers, foreign trucks were quite advanced technology. Both maintenance and operation were not easy. Of course, the technical illiteracy of the soldiers also influenced this: they had no time to engage in education, so they had to literally learn everything “on the go.”
Interesting! Each “Studer” was equipped by default with a set of wrenches and a waterproof driver’s jacket made of sealskin. The keys remained included, and the jackets never reached ordinary drivers. They were confiscated by the quartermasters, convinced that they needed warm clothes more.
Description and technical specifications
Externally, the Studebaker was noticeably different from Soviet trucks of that time. Firstly, the absence of angular shapes, and secondly, all-wheel drive and the presence of three axles. The “American” had high L-shaped fenders and a wide front bumper. Despite its recognizable appearance, from afar the Studer was sometimes confused with GMC trucks.
As for the technical characteristics, everything here is quite contradictory: some are similar to the Soviet ones, others are radically different from them. But when studying the features of the machine, one thing becomes clear: the creators paid a lot of attention to the little things.
Cabin
The cabin is all-metal, the inside looks very ascetic and extremely simple. The windshields could be raised at an angle of 90 degrees, like on Soviet post-war trucks. There is plenty of space in the cabin: even a large 2-meter driver felt quite comfortable. And to turn the huge steering wheel, you had to lean forward almost completely and “hug” the steering wheel with both hands.
The floor tunnel is equipped with 5 levers:
- gear shifting;
- activation of the front axle;
- transfer case control;
- winch control;
- parking brake.
The brake and clutch pedals are not square, like on Soviet trucks, but round. The starter was started with the foot: you had to press the button located under the clutch pedal. Thus, when starting the engine, the clutch is guaranteed to be disengaged. Also near the left foot is the headlight switch. The ignition switch was marked ON and OFF, and cars from the latest releases had a rotary lever instead of a key.
The starter button is pressed by the clutch pedal
Dashboard
It was especially different from its Soviet counterparts - the shield consisted of 5 “windows”. It was attended by:
- speedometer showing daily mileage in miles;
- ammeter;
- electric fuel level indicator;
- a pressure gauge that measures the pressure in the lubrication system in pounds per square meter. inch;
- remote water temperature thermometer.
For Soviet drivers, such variety was new. After all, on ZiSs only oil pressure was controlled, but on GAZs it wasn’t even there.
Studebaker US 6 dashboard
Under the dash there are two buttons labeled: Choke for carburetor choke control and Throttle for manual throttle control (manual throttle), cruise control from the 40s.
Body
The body once again makes one wonder how attentively the Americans paid attention to small details. For example, under the left side immediately behind the cabin there are two canisters: one for fuel, the other for water. The containers even have different necks so that the driver does not accidentally confuse them.
The height of the car without an awning is 224 cm, with an awning - 270 cm. The height of the side can be adjusted using benches that are hidden inside the body: when raised, they become an extension of the sides. A safety belt was secured at the level of the top boards in the rear of the body. Due to the chains, the tailgate was held horizontally when tilted and turned into an extension of the platform.
Reflectors
The structure of the reflectors is also very well thought out. They are placed in deep frames, so the enemy could not notice the reflections either from above or from the sides. A mandatory element was side lights that illuminated the path for the trucks following. Studebaker also made it possible to connect the trailer’s electrics (this was not the case on Soviet cars).
Access to the engine compartment
If the engine on the trucks failed, the side parts of the engine compartment had to be removed to gain full access to it. Even here, the engineers showed their ingenuity: the sidewalls are held in place by “wings” rather than bolts, so they can be easily and quickly removed without wrenches.
Load capacity
The manufacturer declared the vehicle's carrying capacity to be 2.5 tons (less than the Soviet ZiS-5), but after testing in the USSR this figure was increased to 4 tons. In 1945, the loading rate was lowered again, this time to 3.5 tons. However, the drivers claimed that the car successfully transported 5 tons of cargo: in front-line conditions there was no time to think about standards. But when loading more than 6 tons, the springs could sag and even burst.
Engine
The Studebaker US6 was equipped with 6-cylinder Hercules carburetor engines. Such engines were not new to the USSR: in 1928–1932 they were installed on Yaroslavl trucks. In addition, the Hercules was very similar to the engine of the ZiS-150, even the cylinder dimensions were identical - 101.6 mm. But the piston stroke of the Studer was slightly different - by 1⁄4 inches. The remaining characteristics of the engine from the “American” look like this:
- engine type: 4-stroke, carburetor, bottom valves;
- cylinders: 6 pieces, arranged vertically in 1 row;
- piston stroke: 107.95 mm;
- engine capacity: 5.24 l;
- compression ratio: 5.82 (ZiS - 6);
- maximum power: 95 hp at 2500 rpm;
- speed: maximum - 72 km/h, average with load - 30 km/h, average without load - 40 km/h; gasoline consumption: 38 l per 100 km;
- Power reserve: 400 km.
The Studebaker engine is adapted for gasoline with an octane rating of 70–72, while the ZiS-150 worked perfectly on A-66 fuel. As for the other liquids, 7.5 liters of oil were poured into the American engine, and 18.5 liters of water were poured into the cooling system.
The engine started perfectly in the harsh Russian winter, which distinguished it favorably from the GMC CCKW truck with an overhead valve engine.
Carburetor
The Studer's power system is represented by a carburetor from the Carter company. This company was familiar to Soviet citizens: the first Moskvich cars were equipped with its carburetors. The unit is quite standard and has pneumatic fuel braking. But even here there is a difference with the Soviet representatives - the ZiS-5 and ZiS-150 in those days had compensation-type carburetors. In addition, in the Studebaker US6 this part was complemented by a maximum engine speed controller set at 2620 rpm.
Chassis, transmission and steering
The wheelbase type of most Studebakers is 6x6 with a driven front axle. 6x4 modifications also appeared, but there were very few such cars. The bridges of all variations of the “Studer” are of the split (collapsible) type. They are very reminiscent of the bridges on GAZ-51 cars. The length of the axle shafts, as well as the location of the jet hose brackets and the final drive housing on the middle and rear axles were different. The type of gear oil used depended on the time of year:
- in winter - SAE-80;
- in summer - SAE-90.
The suspension is standard for all three-axle vehicles - longitudinal semi-elliptical springs. The front suspension was equipped with double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers.
Transmission
The Studebaker has the same unit as the ZiS-150 with a similar gear shift scheme. This is a 5-speed manual transmission, complemented by an overdrive transmission. Usually, in order to move away, the driver engaged second gear. The first was used only off-road.
Steering
This mechanism is not entirely standard: in Studebaker it is represented by a screw and a crank with two fingers. The screw had an uneven thread, so the gear ratio was inconsistent and varied in the range of 18–22. It reached its peak while moving in a straight line. There was no power steering on the cars.
Brake system
It is represented by a shoe brake with a hydraulic drive and a vacuum servo mechanism for all wheels. As for the hydraulic drive, it was an unusual solution for Soviet drivers. In those years, domestic cars were produced with mechanical brakes. There was also a manual belt-type brake with mechanics, which acted on the driveshaft of the rear axle.
The vacuum amplifier was essentially a vacuum-mechanical one. For the USSR, this was quite common: vacuum-mechanical amplifiers appeared here back in 1929. They were equipped with Yaroslavl trucks with mechanical brakes. ZiSam did not require amplifiers. In general, the design of the brakes on the Studers was quite standard and was no different from the same system on the GAZ-51. The same can be said about the wheels: 7.5x20 tires were similar to GAZ-51 wheels.
Video: Studebaker US6
Use of "Studers" in the war and post-war period
The legendary Studebaker US6 trucks greatly helped the transport supply of the Soviet Union both during the Great Patriotic War and after it. For some peoples of the Far North, they generally became the first machines.
The main achievements of the “Students” can be divided into 3 periods:
- Into the war. Trucks were actively used to transport military personnel, provisions and weapons. The Studers also worked as tractors for trailers or artillery systems weighing up to 2.25 tons. Thanks to the high location of water-sensitive parts, the truck became the main means of transportation for Katyushas, the most powerful rocket launchers of the time. Drivers spoke of Studebakers as reliable and durable cars with high cross-country ability.
- The last years of the war. At the end of the war, the workers' and peasants' Red Army was replenished with modernized Studebakers with a power take-off. They were based on the US6-U9 chassis and were mobile workshops equipped inside typical wood-metal van bodies. These were the mechanical workshops M16A and M16B, the metalworking and mechanical workshop M8A, the forging and welding workshop M12 and the electrical repair workshop M18. They were used to restore armored tanks, motor vehicles and other equipment, as well as to repair light weapons.
- After the war. The “students,” which Soviet soldiers managed to save from being returned to the United States under Lend-Lease, were used for domestic needs. They calmly drove through the streets with their cargo. They even tried to convert some modifications into buses, but there were few such copies. In addition, after the war, the Soviet Crystal radar station was based on the Studebaker chassis. Soon it was supplemented with Pechora long-range detection stations.
In the post-war period, “Students” turned into indispensable assistants in everyday life. About 350 trucks remained in Poland where they were used as fire engines. You can still see Studebaker fire engines in Polish museums. Trucks were also used in high mountain areas for logging, but on mountain serpentine roads many vehicles died due to failure of the braking system.
Interesting! The main problem with using Studers in the post-war period was the lack of spare parts. Finding a suitable replacement was a great success. In Poland and Czechoslovakia, small workshops even began to operate to produce some parts for the Studebaker US6, but their quality left much to be desired.
Modifications of Studebakers
The original variation of the “Students” was repeatedly subject to changes and additions. From 1941 to 1945, about 15 modifications of trucks were produced, starting with the U1 model and ending with the U13. Thus, the U6, U7 and US cars were equipped with a non-driving front axle, unlike other all-wheel drive variations. There were examples with both a long (412 cm) and a short (376 cm) wheelbase. Some were supplemented with winches, others - with a wooden platform instead of a metal one. Truck tractors, dump trucks and tanks also appeared.
| Catalog code | Wheelbase, cm | Variation | Year of issue |
| U1 | 375,9 | Typical airborne | 1941 |
| U2 | 375,9 | Onboard with winch | 1941 |
| U3 | 411,5 | Typical airborne | 1941–1945 |
| U4 | 411,5 | Onboard with winch | 1941–1945 |
| U5 | 411,5 | Fuel tank | 1941–1945 |
| U6 | 375,9 | Truck tractor | 1942–1945 |
| U7 | 411,5 | Typical airborne | 1942–1945 |
| U8 | 411,5 | Onboard with winch | 1942–1945 |
| U9 | 411,5 | Chassis for vans and workshops | 1942–1945 |
| U10 | 375,9 | Dump truck with winch and rear unloading | 1943 |
| U11 | 375,9 | Dump truck without winch with rear unloading | 1943 |
| U12 | 375,9 | Dump truck with winch and side unloading | 1943 |
| U13 | 375,9 | Dump truck without winch and side unloading | 1943 |
Lend-Lease Studebaker US 6
Lend-Lease was the name of the government program under which the United States sent equipment, ammunition and provisions to its allies in World War II. The program for the supply of Studebakers to the USSR began in 1942, and every year the number of imported cars increased:
- 1942 - 3,800 vehicles;
- 1943 - 34,800 vehicles;
- 1944 - 56,700 vehicles.
All other deliveries occurred in 1945. According to the directory of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Trade, during the war years the state received 179,459 cars of this brand under Lend-Lease. Of these, 171,635 arrived in Soviet territories directly through Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, 4,334 were delivered through Iran, and another 3,490 were lost along the way. Another 1,136 copies were purchased for cash, of which 154 cars were lost during delivery.
Studebaker US 6 on the march
According to the terms of the Lend-Lease agreement, the USSR, after the end of the war, had to return all surviving equipment to America. The cars were sent in small batches to collection points in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, where the Americans meticulously inspected the units and sent them to press. Already in the form of scrap metal, the former Studebakers were sent to the United States.
Looking at such barbarity, Soviet citizens decided to save at least some of the cars. For a dilapidated country, such equipment was vitally needed. As a result, more than 100,000 cars were destroyed, and 60,000 copies remained on the balance sheet of the USSR. The vehicles were regularly in service with the Soviet Army and took part in the restoration of destroyed cities, working for 15 years or more.
Interesting! After the war, the preserved Studebakers actively traveled around Moscow and other large Soviet cities, even in full view of the Americans, but they showed no interest in the cars. Apparently, they didn’t want to create scandals about this.
Video: Lend-Lease cars in the USSR
The legendary Studebaker US6 was the most popular truck supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease. It was loved for its reliability, strength, endurance and high level of comfort in wartime times. Now it seems ancient and awkward, but in those years it was a faithful friend for the Soviet army on the path to victory.
Let us warn you in advance: there will be many comparisons with domestic technology, so orthodox patriots should immediately stock up on valerian. So, let's go!
What's in a name?..
“Who is Studebaker? Is this your Studebaker cousin? Is your dad a Studebaker? – the hot-tempered Ostap Bender once asked the unfortunate young man. It’s not in vain that we quote this quote; pay attention to the spelling of the title. In English - “Studebaker”, Ilf and Petrov wrote the name as “Studebaker”, without the “a” and with a “kk”. Why is that? No one knows. The name could be pronounced as “Studebaker”, “Studibaker” and a dozen other ways. But this is how it has stuck with us: “Studebaker” or simply “Studer”.
But the truck could have been called differently: the founders of the company, by a strange coincidence, were Germans with the surname Stutenbäcker. After the family settled in America, they slightly changed the surname, altering it for easier pronunciation. Back in 1750, the head of the family built the first wagon with a capacity of one or two horses (as many can be harnessed), thereby laying the foundation for his company.
Then the Civil War began, the need for wagons increased, and now the time had come to work closely on wagons for movement across the occupied territory taken from the Apaches, Kiowas, Navajos and others. To some, and to these enterprising Americans of German origin, the war is truly a mother, and not a stepmother. However, today this no longer matters: a son is not responsible for his parents, and even more so for his grandparents.
Four and a half tons of small items
Externally, the “Studer” is very different from the Soviet wartime trucks. No angular shapes typical of our ZiSams and lorries. And if you put them side by side, you will certainly notice the difference in the dimensions of the cars, and only Basilio the cat will not notice the main design difference - the “American” has three axles. The wheel arrangement is 6x6, and there is no doubt that the front axle is driven: the crankcase is clearly visible from under the high cabin of the car. There was also a 6x4 modification, but such vehicles are much less common. However, you are not spoiling your eyesight just to read about the same characteristics for the hundredth time. We'd rather look at what others haven't seen.
What familiar wheels! Aren't these the same tires that were on our ZiSs? You guessed it. Because things haven’t always gone smoothly with tires, and especially during the war. Almost half of the car tires came to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease, and it is not surprising that our cars were shod in Western “shoes”. Let's go further in circles. Immediately behind the cabin, under the left side, there are two cans: one for water, the other for gasoline. Meticulous Americans even made the necks different: you can’t confuse them. The board itself changes its height depending on the position of the folding benches in the body. If you lift them, they become an extension of the side.
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The food again makes us rejoice at the attention paid to the little things by the producers. The reflectors (reflectors, reflectors - call them what you want) are installed in deep frames: no Luftwaffe aces from above will notice the reflections, and those who need to will see them in time. There is also a connector for connecting trailer electrics. We didn't have those. Of course, side lights are also installed for those who follow in the column. But the massive fenders under the body had to be dismantled in case of towing a gun: they significantly reduced the turning angle.
In case of engine repairs, it was necessary to remove the sides of the engine compartment, which prevented full access. But even here, Western engineers took care of the convenience of the operation: they are attached under the wings of the cabin not with bolts, but with “wings,” so you can get to the power unit quickly and without the help of wrenches. We won’t check this ourselves, but will immediately take the driver’s seat of the Studer.
Driving a Studebaker
It’s not difficult to feel like a chicken in a shell: if nature has blessed you with good height, then all you have to do is put on a thick knitted sweater, a sheepskin coat, cotton pants, a hat with earflaps and sit in the Oka. It is much more difficult to experience the sensations of Gulliver in the land of giants. Driving the Studebaker, I felt like a little boy. And it doesn’t matter that the height is one meter eighty, that the physique, to put it mildly, is far from graceful... There are plenty of places! At the same time, so much so that when you turn the steering wheel fully, your arms are not long enough to turn it, you have to lean forward very much and pretend that you are grasping the globe.
The owner of the car, Peter, from his height (ninety-five meters) confirms: there is a lot of space in the Studer’s cabin. He has another ten centimeters above his head to the ceiling of the cabin, his legs in the passenger seat are fully extended. I mentally tried to imagine the designer of the car. At what height did he do this? I will deal with the problem of lack of height again a little later, but for now you can enjoy (yes, this is the most appropriate verb!) The instrument panel and controls of the car. Many people know that Americans love instructions. But how you can leave so many instructions and tips on the dashboard is amazing! The devices are located in the center, but we will look at everything in order, from left to right.
The steering wheel, with its four gracefully curved spokes, barely obscures the first plaque. Let's look at the gear shift diagram. To hell with logic! Left and forward - second, left and backward - third, forward - fifth, backward - fourth, right and forward - rear, right and backward - first. What's it like? But the idea is simple and expedient, like the design of the old Logan: when driving, first gear is not used, it is only needed when maneuvering or in case of driving in very difficult road conditions with a load (read: with a double overload on the roads after rain). Therefore, getting going will be easy and familiar: the second gear will immediately take the place of the first one. The following information is about how to drain the water from the cooling system, the last section of the plate indicates the speeds at which the speeds should be changed. Everything is accessible, understandable, but in English. I wonder what percentage of Soviet military drivers spoke this language?
The flag of the central light switch is equipped with a safety rod-stopper; you cannot turn it accidentally. This is another “foolproof” protection, which this car simply abounds in. The next such “option” is located at the feet: the starter button under the clutch pedal. To start the engine, the pedal must be literally pressed to the floor. The clutch is thus always disengaged when the engine starts.
The instruments themselves are located in the central part of the panel: oil pressure gauge, water temperature gauge in the cooling system, speedometer, fuel level gauge and ammeter. Of course, in English, and the temperature is in degrees Fahrenheit, and the speed is in miles per hour. Probably, the average owner of a foreign car from the 80s would have understood the instrument readings and the purpose of the controls faster than the average driver of the forties who moved here from a ZiS-5. The instrument lighting is also made in an original way, using two lamps in shades protruding from the panel directly above the indicators. They are turned on using a handle similar to the central light switch in the Volga. The only thing that has been slightly modified on this car is the ignition switch. The original simply does not have it, there is a handle that turns on the ignition. In a country where there are many people who like to ride a Studebaker for free, this option is simply unacceptable. There are still a couple of handles left. One of them is a throttle valve drive (a choke, if anyone remembers such a device), the second is a fixed gas, which essentially duplicates the function of the accelerator pedal. A kind of cruise control from the 40s.
Directly in front of the passenger is a metal glove compartment with a set of necessary technical small items. And in front of the passenger’s nose is another sign. By the way, the delivery date of our car is indicated there: 1945.
On the ceiling are pneumatic drives for windshield wiper blades (each blade has its own mechanism). This system works on the same principle as the vacuum brake booster we are used to - due to the vacuum in the manifold, so the more you spin the engine, the more vigorously the wipers will run. Nearby are the “lambs” of the folding windshield frame. Unlike Russian cars, for example, the glass can be raised completely at a right angle. Another little thing from Studebaker, but the view is greatly improved by this: the edge of the glass does not loom before your eyes.
Go!
To start the car, I had to move my lower torso (you get the idea) to the very edge of the seat, otherwise I couldn't push the clutch pedal enough to press the starter button. The six-cylinder inline six growled under the long hood. The second speed (we remember that we hardly need the first?) turns on easily. The gears are generally switched clearly, even the movement of the lever, which you have to swing like a net when catching butterflies, is not confusing. Slowly release the clutch and go. It's simple. Too simple for a car from 1945. You can look down on any jeep and still see cars following it over its roof. It’s very convenient, I’ll tell you!
The forbidden fruit is known to be sweet. Let's turn on the first one. And then - only for a turn on the “patch”. The engine roars, and the car almost stands still. But the wise old man was right when he said that a car is good not for its liters of volume and horsepower, but for the correctly selected ratio of the parameters of the internal combustion engine and transmission.
The engine of our “Studer” produces only 95 hp, which, frankly, is not that much. But the volume of almost 5.5 liters in first gear made it possible to use the truck as a tractor. The fourth gear is direct, and the fifth speed on the plate is designated as “overdrive”. Strong words, considering the maximum speed of 70 km/h. The dimensions feel very good; the only inconvenience I experienced while driving was the very small rear view mirror. Thank you, of course, that it exists at all, but if you suddenly see a Studebaker on the road, know that you cannot be seen from behind.
It's nice to drive a car. Perhaps there is a feeling that all the little things listed above were created by designers for the convenience of the driver. This fact warms the soul, especially since there is nothing else to warm it with - there is no “stove” in the car. The front partition of the cabin, which heats up from the engine, helps out, providing at least some heat. However, there are no cracks for which wartime GAZs and ZiSs are so notorious, which again is quite good. But it’s still convenient to hold the steering wheel only at the bottom of the rim; it’s too big for me. Or I'm too small for this car. We turn it and press the brake. The car stops easily. Just at the end of the thirties, the Americans tried out the hydraulic system and dabbled with it, installing it anywhere. And again I remember the ZiS-5 with its mechanical drive...
An American who does good
The car, which Peter kindly provided us with for review, was assembled, by and large, from several cars. The engine and gearbox were imported from America. They worked on a tractor in a quarry, because these units are almost eternal and are practically used today. The original cabin was found at Lenfilm (it seems they have inexhaustible reserves, by God!), the body was brought from Norway, it was stored there. The chassis was found in the Tula region 6-7 years ago. The very idea of restoring this “Studer” began in 2011 with... a grille. A grill protecting the rear window in the cab was found. At first Peter didn’t understand what car it was from; he was restoring another car at the time. And then I found out the origin of this part, and it began...
The most time was required for the assembly: about a year was spent searching for units, restoring them or reassembling them. The assembly itself took only a month. During the work, it became obvious that the car has many absolutely identical parts with GAZ-51, 52, 53 and even GAZ-3310 Valdai. And not just the same, but exactly the same. Meanwhile, Valdai was developed in 2003. Makes you think, doesn't it? There was a time when Studebaker was a great help on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. It was a truck, a tractor, a base for Katyushas. It pleased with unheard-of comfort, cross-country ability, and reliability. Our lorry and three-ton ZiSs could not compete with the three-axle all-wheel drive truck of the Allies. And after the war, Studebakers worked in the Soviet Union for many years, helping to rebuild the country after a terrible tragedy. By the way, we recently wrote about the tricks of the post-war use of Lend-Lease equipment, which was actually supposed to be returned to America, in an article about the Diamond T 980 tank tractor
The construction of the car was carried out by people whose country was practically not affected by the war. They had all the resources to deal with those seemingly insignificant “tricks” that the military truck was so pleasantly surprised with. Engineers, accustomed to working exclusively with passenger cars, transferred their experience to the US6. Hence the embossed door upholstery and vents, familiar to us from domestic technology until the mid-90s, and a lack of understanding of the requirements of austerity under which Soviet developers worked. They had the opportunity to make a good car, and they did it.
Brief technical specifications of Studebaker US6
| Carrying capacity on rough terrain of vehicles used in the USSR | 4 tons (on the highway - 5 tons) |
| Total weight of the machine without cargo | 4505 kilograms |
| Maximum speed | 69 km/h |
| engine's type | carburetor six-cylinder four-stroke, with bottom valves |
| Cylinder arrangement | vertical single row |
| Working volume | 5243 cc cm |
| Compression ratio | 5,82 |
| Maximum power at 2500 rpm | 95 hp |
| Cooling system | water, forced water circulation |
| Fuel tank capacity | 150 liters |
| Fuel | gasoline 70-72 |
| Clutch | single disc dry |
| Transmission | mechanical, three-way, five-speed |
| Transfer case | mechanical, with two gears |
| Steering type | worm and thorns |
| Foot brake | shoe with hydraulic drive, on all wheels |
After the war, we also had captured German trucks at our disposal, but they were not so popular: they were capricious, complex, and you couldn’t find spare parts. You could ride them until the first breakdown, then it was easier to melt them down. Another thing is the hardy and reliable “Studer”. But in America they didn’t drive it. By that time they had more modern cars, for example, JMC. We can say quite definitely: Studebaker was a very good car, and it brought a lot of benefits. However, we paid for it until 2006. Oddly enough, just nine years ago our last payment under the Lend-Lease agreement went overseas.
