Universal (tractor)

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Красный путиловец, ВТЗ
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R90251, Rehfelde, Traktoristin.jpg

Universal U-2 in Rehfelde (1949)

Universal
Manufacturer: Zavod Krasny Putilowez , later
Vladimirsky Traktorny Zavod
Sales designation: Универсал У-1 to У-4
Production period: 1934-1940
1944-1955
Engines: Four cylinder petroleum engine
Length: 3500 mm
Width: 1560 mm
Height: 1669 mm
Wheelbase: 2108 mm
Gauge: front: 1390 mm, rear: 1340 mm
Standard tires: Steel wheels, later with pneumatic tires
Top speed: 8.1 km / h
Empty weight: 2108 kg
Previous model: Fordson-Putilovets
Successor: DT-24

Under the name Universal ( Russian Универсал ) a total of four very similar tractor models were built in the Soviet Union from 1934. Until 1940 it produced the Zavod Krasny Putilowez , from 1944 to 1955 the Wladimirski Traktorny Zavod (short WTS or ВТЗ) from Vladimir .

Vehicle history

Universal U-2 in a vehicle museum in Tolyatti , Russia (2008)

The development of a new tractor model to replace the Fordson-Putilowez produced the Universal U-1 and Universal U-2 models in 1934 . The Soviet designers took their bearings from the US Farmall 20, a tractor model from International Harvester . At first there were two different versions. The Universal U-1 with a shortened front axle and a distance between the front wheels of only a few centimeters was intended for fields with tall plants at special distances, as is the case with cotton, for example. In this way, the plants are not kinked when driving through a low front axle. The Universal U-2 had an ordinary front axle.

Series production began in 1934 and was discontinued in 1940 without a successor. It was not until 1962 that the factory presented a tractor again with the well-known Kirovets K-700 .

From 1944 the Wladimirski Traktorny Sawod manufactured the tractors. The Universal U-3 and Universal U-4 models were added there by 1955 , both of which were special versions for cotton growing. The Universal U-4 was the only one that had pneumatic tires, all other models had steel tires. In addition, the U-4 already had a single headlight.

A total of 211,500 universal tractors were built, some of which are still preserved today as museums or as memorials. From 1955 the Wladimirski Traktorny Sawod manufactured a successor for the vehicle with the DT-24 .

In mid-1949 the Soviet Union delivered 506 Universal U-2s to the Soviet occupation zone , which later that year became the GDR . Since the vehicles proved to be unreliable, they were only used for a few years and then scrapped.

Technical specifications

For the Universal U-2 model, if known.

  • Engine: four-cylinder four-stroke petroleum engine (start the engine with petrol and switch to petroleum when the cooling water temperature reaches 80 - 90 degrees).
  • Power: 22 HP (16 kW)
  • Displacement: 3600 cm³
  • Bore: 95 mm
  • Stroke: 127 mm
  • Transmission: mechanical, 3 forward gears, 1 reverse gear
  • Driving range: 3.9–8.1 km / h
  • Drive formula : 4 × 2
  • Number of units: 211,500
  • Construction period: 1934–1940 and 1944–1955

Dimensions and weights

  • Length: 3500 mm
  • Width: 1560 mm
  • Height: 1669 mm
  • Front track: 1390 mm
  • Rear track: 1340 mm
  • Weight: 2108 kg

literature

  • Horst Hintersdorf: Type compass tractors and agricultural machinery: GDR imports from the Comecon countries . 1st edition. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 978-3-613-02646-9 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Note on the relationship with the Farmall 20 and illustration of a Universal U-1 (Russian)
  2. ↑ Manufacturer website of today's Kirowwerk (Russian)
  3. ↑ History of various Soviet tractors (Russian)
  4. ↑ a b Photo collection for all models, including the U-4 with pneumatic tires and headlights (Russian)
  5. ↑ a b Technical data and number of items (Russian)
  6. ^ A b Horst Hintersdorf: Type compass tractors and agricultural machines: GDR imports from the Comecon countries. Page 8 ff.
  7. ↑ Website of a museum with Universal U-2 as an exhibit (Russian)

Web links

Commons : Universal Tractors  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files