The product "Jaguar": UAZ, who learned to swim

The Project for defense

The Birth of the product under the designation "Jaguar" or the UAZ-3907 was connected with the desire of the Ministry of defense of the USSR in the early 70-ies to a range of light amphibians. One of them was to become a machine project "River" of which Under the heading "corps of engineers and transport". This "waterfowl" was developed on the Volga automobile plant and was, in fact, almost the only major defense project of the company. While VAZ engineers received an order to develop amphibians on the basis of "Niva" in 1972, and on the Oise a similar order came only at the end of 1976. Although the concept was similar – a floating car a confident feel on the road, and the roads heavy, but the weight categories were different. VAZ 2122 "River" took on Board 4 people, while the technical specification demanded from the UAZ-3907 accommodate 7 fighters. Evgeny Kochnev's book, "cars of the Soviet Army," writes even about the regular 11 passengers – although it is likely to "record" achieved in the tests. It is noteworthy that both projects were in strict secrecy, and the developers from Ulyanovsk and Togliatti did not know about the existence of similar amphibians of each other. And when the miser began to leak rumors about the tests, have long believed that the Ministry of defence had a kind of competition between plants for the best representation of the floating machine. In the end, as we know, none of these cars never saw military service. And for the civil service a potential market, even with the international scale (including all compliance with all certification standards), would not be able to recoup part of the cost of development and production. So the machines projects "River" and "Jaguar" was designed exclusively for the military, only by-products could be amphibious for hunters and fishermen.

The Official birthday of floating the River can be considered on 16 December 1976, when the USSR Council of Ministers along with the Central Committee of the CPSU issued the decree №1043-361 in which sufficient detailed requirements for future amphibious. From the very beginning it was clear that "Jaguar" will adapt a proven and reliable platform UAZ-469 (3151). The "target audience" what's new in the army has appointed air assault division, reconnaissance Marines and special forces. In addition, was planning to use the Jaguar as machine control and communication.


For such amphibian in its payload with the driver about 600 pounds standard motor UMZ-414 (75 HP) was not enough, the need for engine power from 90 to 100 HP On this engine at Ulyanovsk engine plant was already in operation, is received index UMZ-421 and in the early 80-ies had to stand up for the first time on the car "Jaguar". But all this is in the plans amphibious in most instances, released was equipped with outdated and weak 414-m engine 75 HP Besides the engine, the task was described requirements for the unification of the gearbox with other vazovskie models and the development of a new transfer case.

Jaguar gets on paws

Despite the beautiful name of the ROC "Jaguar", which refers to a South American predator, and the legendary British company, the amphibian from Ulyanovsk has turned unsightly. First, it is much more like a boat on wheels than Tolyatti "the River", which also can hardly be called elegant. It was dictated by the requirements for buoyancy-loaded machines and resistance to excitement on the water surface. In the plans, as already stated above, there was a UAZ vehicle floating marine units, and this meant that the car could plow the coastal zone of marine waters with waves up to two points. Second, the appearance was spoiled by a long hood, which also worsened the visibility zone of the driver, and short the base of UAZ-469, which amphibians were impressive overhangs.

It is possible that, due to the characteristic appearance would get in the army machine fair the nickname of "Crocodile". And, by the way, "Jaguar" from the beginning, the official name wazowski amphibians was not – it was only a cipher OCD. Speaking of animals, not to mention the only modification amphibians under the symbol 39071, which gave the name "Cormorant". It is unknown whether this was the official name of the future production car or just a cipher OCD, but amphibian was developed under the order of KGB Border troops. Then there was a kind of bureaucratic delay which prevented the development of amphibians using one order had to organize a separate OCD from the defense Ministry and the KGB. "Baklan" was different from "Jaguar" only the nuances of the equipment – arcs for six pairs of skis, radio stations "Quince-A" and R-143-04, a radar near reconnaissance 1РЛ-136, cage service dog mounts and RPK-74, AK-74, night vision device 1ПН-50. As the work on the "Cormorant" was organized later run OCD "Jaguar", the amphibian has received a more powerful motor in the 92 HP


A Key feature of the UAZ-3907 steel propellers, located immediately behind the front axle.It was a rather unusual layout decision, motivated primarily by concern about accessibility. Two big four-bladed screw, with a water wheel in the tail seriously complicated the descent of amphibian in the water. Therefore, the screws were fastened to a three-shaft the PTO, which was also set in motion, according to one version, a pump for pumping sea water (again, Eugene Kochneva one of the shafts of the box is responsible for the drive of the winch is likely closer to the truth). On the first version of "Jaguar" water wheel is still present, but it was located in a very vulnerable place, why often break off. And then one of moments tests of the machine with a missing wheel went into the water, but did not lose maneuverability. The point was that the wheel rotated synchronously with wheels, arches through which the screws were driven streams of water, turning the nose of the amphibian. That was enough, and it was decided to leave Jaguar without ship rudder underneath. The result was a unique design, not tested. By the way, propellers are allowed to refuse a special "waterfowl" wheels developed cleats, to which had to resort to the Vase engineers in the development of the project "River".








I Must say that after thirteen years of development (which, unfortunately, was a common practice technique development in Soviet times), the designers almost did not encounter difficulties to the test. Unlike Togliatti, amphibious vehicle VAZ-2122, which has long been plagued by overheating of the motor, even had the body to reshape. Floating Oise the problem of overheating of the motor is decided by the reversal of the air flow backwards. The fence was made from a folding windscreen, and edge of the hood, which was also hinged and has performed the function of balneotreatment. Long hood amphibians although spoiled a little appearance, allowed freer to place the power unit, providing a place for flow of cooling air. Tolyatti "the River" that luxury was denied. And the rest of the Jaguar was more suited to water procedures – speed afloat up to 9 km/h vs 4 km/h in VAZ-2122, and the resistance to waves allowed to swim confidently windy in the Volga. In the tests of UAZ-3907 was a crew on the great river from Ulyanovsk to Astrakhan, since the reserve on the water in the 300 hours allowed to do it. In this case, "Jaguar" was quite useful on land. He accelerated to 110 km/h could tow a trailer up to 750 kg and quite a bit behind on the roads from their ancestors – UAZ-469 and -3151.


The product "Jaguar" and "the River", in addition to the ability to swim there is still one thing in common – none of them have adopted. In Ulyanovsk has released a total of 14 vehicles, of which survived no more than 5-6. UAZ was not even taken, in contrast to the Vase, attempts to make amphibious civilian consumer. Too military she was from the beginning.