Kommunar (tractor)

ХПЗ имени Коминтерна
Illustration of a Kommunar (before 1931)
Communar
Manufacturer:	ChPS imeni Kominterna
Sales designation:	Коммунар
Production period:	1924-1931 / 36
Engines:	Gasoline and petroleum engines
Length:	5150 mm
Width:	2060 mm
Height:	2460 mm
Standard tires:	Chain drive
Top speed:	7.0-15.2 km / h
Maximum permissible total mass:	10,500 kg
Empty weight:	8500 kg
Previous model:	Hanomag WD-50
Successor:	Comintern

The Kommunar ( Russian Коммунар , named after the members of the Paris Commune ) one was Soviet heavy chain tractor , which from 1924 in Kharkov locomotive plant called Comintern (Russian Харьковский паровозостроительный завод имени Коминтерна, mostly short ХПЗ имени Коминтерна or transcribed CHPS imeni Kominterna ) produced was . It was one of the first Soviet track tractors and a copy of the German Hanomag WD-50 . Up to 1931 or 1936, depending on the source, between 2000 and 4000 vehicles were built, after which production was switched to the Comintern chain tractor .

Most of the tractors were used for civilian purposes, but the Red Army also received almost 1,000 copies and used them as artillery tractors .

Vehicle history

The prototype, a Hanomag WD-50, in Hungary (1943).
Behind is a Stalinez 65

The preserved Hanomag WD-50 in the Technikmuseum Sinsheim (2009)

In the early 1920s, Soviet agencies in western countries procured various tractors from different manufacturers. In this way both agriculture should be mechanized and possible types for future tractor production in the Soviet Union should be found. For example, machines from Holt or Caterpillar (built later as Stalinez-60 ), International Harvester (model for the SChTS-15/30 ) and Fordson (Soviet counterpart: Fordson-Putilowez ) came into the country. In 1922, the German company Hanomag also supplied a WD-50 chain tractor for testing purposes .

The first prototypes from Soviet production emerged in 1923. The plan was to produce 1200 tugs of the new type. Series production began in April 1924 with the Kommunar G-50 model , which was powered by a petroleum engine with a rated output of 50 hp. The operating principle of these engines is based on Otto engines . In order to be able to burn the heavier petroleum, however, some special features are necessary. They are started with light fuels such as gasoline and brought to operating temperature. Only then is the preheated petroleum used. Petroleum was significantly cheaper than gasoline, especially in the USA, and was therefore used.

Various changes have been made to the Kommunar compared to the Hanomag model. Most noticeable is the extended crawler chassis. It became necessary because the entire construction had become significantly heavier than the original due to a more massive frame and the use of various cast parts . Overall, the design was reminiscent of the construction of the tanks of the First World War . Even at the start of series production, the vehicle was technically so outdated that it aroused astonishment among western visitors. The name "Kommunar" goes back to the Paris Commune , whose members were called Communards . It is not an indication of the place of production, although several places in Russia also bear this name.

In the course of series production, the engine was exchanged for another make twice. Gasoline engines with 75 PS (55 kW) for the Kommunar G-75 and 90 PS (66 kW) for the Kommunar S-90 were used.

Most of the vehicles came into civil use, e.g. B. in the Soviet forestry. It was not intended for agriculture. In addition, the Red Army received a maximum of 1000 copies of the two more powerfully motorized versions. They were used as artillery tractors for guns that were too heavy to be transported by horses . In 1932, twelve prototypes were built for military use, including an armored vehicle with a 7.62 cm cannon and a trench plow. A snow plow was also designed for civilian use.

Similar to other tractors of the time, experiments were carried out with a wood gas drive . However, the project did not get beyond a test sample.

How many tractors of this type were ultimately manufactured is not certain. The last year of construction is also not entirely clear. Some sources speak of 2000 pieces by 1931, others of 3700 copies by 1935 and still others from around 3900 to 1936. It is known that the successor to the Comintern was built from 1935 onwards. The following production figures by year of construction can be found in the literature:

Construction year	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930	1931	1932-1936	total
number	30th	50	70	150	300	700	850	1550	approx. 200	~ 3900

In contrast, the individual model variants are indicated as follows:

model	G-50	G-75	S-90	total
number	850	1100	1750	3700

There are no indications as to whether a Kommunar has survived to this day. A preserved Hanomag WD-50 is in the Auto and Technology Museum in Sinsheim .

Technical specifications

Only a few technical data have survived for the Kommunar. In particular, no further information is known about the exact structure of the engine.

Engine: initially petroleum engine, later petrol powered gasoline engine
for models with a petroleum engine (model G-50):
- Continuous power: 50 HP (37 kW) at 840 min ^-1
- Maximum power: 60 PS (44 kW)
for specimens with a gasoline engine :
- Model G-75: 75 HP (55 kW)
- Model S-90: 90 HP (66 kW)
Transmission: manual transmission, 3 forward gears, 1 reverse gear
Speed:
- G-50: 1.8-7.0 km / h
- G-75: 2.4-9.2 km / h
- S-90: 3.9-15.2 km / h
Range: 150 km
specific ground pressure : 0.5 kg / cm²

Dimensions and weights

Length: 5150 mm
Width: 2060 mm
Height: 2460 mm
Weight, ready for use: 8.5 t
Payload: 2.0 t
permissible total weight: 10.5 t
maximum trailer load: 6 t
Seats: 2

literature

Uwe Siemer: Tractors from the Soviet Union. A chronicle from the beginning to 1990 . TRAKULA, Rastede. Without ISBN, around 2015.
Jochen Vollert: TYAGATSHI - Soviet Full-tracked artillery tractors of World War II . Tankograd Publishing, Erlangen 2005 (German and English).
Alain Dupouy: Tracteurs et engins spéciaux chenillés soviétiques, tome II. Les Remorqueurs et transports chenillés. In: Véhicules de l'URSS. 1986, ISSN 0296-2357 (French).

Web links

Commons : Kommunar - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Uwe Siemer: Tractors from the Soviet Union. A chronicle from the beginning to 1990 . P. 11; P. 76.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Jochen Vollert: TYAGATSHI - Soviet Full-tracked artillery tractors of World War II . P. 28 f.
↑ The peculiarities of petroleum engines. Association for historical vehicles and equipment Unterriexingen. (PDF document)
↑ ^a ^b ^c Alain Dupouy: Tracteurs et engins spéciaux chenillés soviétiques, tome II. Les Remorqueurs et transports chenillés. P. 54 ff.
↑ «Трактор Коммунар» on www.bronetehnika.narod.ru (Russian)

[Siemer-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Uwe Siemer: Tractors from the Soviet Union. A chronicle from the beginning to 1990 . P. 11; P. 76.

[Tankograd-2] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Jochen Vollert: TYAGATSHI - Soviet Full-tracked artillery tractors of World War II . P. 28 f.

[3] The peculiarities of petroleum engines. Association for historical vehicles and equipment Unterriexingen. (PDF document)

[Frankreich-4] Alain Dupouy: Tracteurs et engins spéciaux chenillés soviétiques, tome II. Les Remorqueurs et transports chenillés. P. 54 ff.

[Webseite-5] «Трактор Коммунар» on www.bronetehnika.narod.ru (Russian)