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BTR-60 Armored Personnel Carrier Series

Bulgarian BTR-60PB

Specifications

Country of Origin/Used by:	Soviet Union/Russia and over 70 other users
First Produced/Service Dates:	1960
Manufactured by:	Gorky Automotive Plant
Crew:	Early Vehicles: 2+12; Late Vehicles: 3+8
Armament:	BTR-60PB= Main: 14.5mm Heavy Machine Gun (KPVT; Co-axial: 7.62mm MG (PKTM)
Engine:	(2) 6-Cylinder Gasoline (Early Vehicles: GAZ-40P & Later Vehicles: GAZ-49B)
Miscellaneous Info:	The BTR-60P series of armored personnel carriers (APC) succeeded the BTR-40 Scout Car & BTR-152 APC Series, and were fully amphibious  BTR is the acronym for "Bronetransporter", translated from Russian as 'armored transporter'. The first main version in the series, the BTR-60P (GAZ49) was open-topped and mounted up to three (3) 7.62mm SG-43 machine guns.  The second main production variant, the BTR-60A (AKA: GAZ-49A or BTR-60PK), went into production in 1963. The most noticeable change was the addition of a covered roof. This change required a reduction in passengers to eight (8).  Also, the main weapon carried was changed to a 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun (DShK) but could still mount two (2) secondary 7.62mm machine guns. The third main version produced was the BTR-60PB beginning in 1966. The PB finally added a turret, which mounted the 14.5mm Heavy MG and co-axial 7.62mm gun. This was the last of the APC's of this series and was later replaced by the BTR-70 APC. As a side note, the BTR-60PZ was a version mounting the later BTR-70 turret as it allowed it to fire at higher elevations than the PB. In addition to the above versions, a large number of BTR-60 variants were built including (but not limited to) an assortment of Command Vehicles (i.e. BTR-60PBK, 1V18/1V19 "Klyon", PU-12, R-145BM "Chaika" & R-149BM), the BTR-60MBP Base Security Vehicle, various Communications/Signals Vehicles (i.e. BTR-60MS, R-975, R-140BM & R-156BTR), MTP-2 Technical Support Vehicle (with crane), and MTR-2 Repair Vehicle. Also, the Romanians built a local-copy named the TAB-71 APC.
Data Sheet Available:	None Available

Photos

Reference	Source/Provider
BTR-60P APC Photos	The Massimo Foti Collection
BTR-60P APC Photos	"From Salekhard"
BTR-60P APC Photo	U.S. Department of Defense
BTR-60PA APC Photos	Vitaly Kuzmin - Moscow, Russia
BTR-60PB APC Photos	The Massimo Foti Collection
BTR-60PB APC Photos	"From Salekhard"
BTR-60PB APC Photo (Taken at IDF History Museum)	Rob Goldman - Kfir Saba, Israel
BTR-60PB APC (Photo Taken at Patton Museum)	Erik Johansen - South Shields, Tyne & Wear, UK
BTR-60PB APC Photos	U.S. Department of Defense
BTR-60PB APC Photo	U.S. Department of Defense via the David Haugh Collection
BTR-60PB APC Photos (Bulgaria)	U.S. Army
BTR-60PB APC Photos (Mali)	The David Haugh Collection
BTR-60PB APC Interior Photos	Rob van Kan - Tilburg, Holland
BTR-60PBK Company Commander Vehicle Photos	Vitaly Kuzmin
BTR-60PU-12 Air-Defense Command Vehicle Photo	Lt. Colonel James Loop Collection via the David Haugh Collection
BTR-60 PU-12 Air-Defense Command Vehicle Photos	Duncan Nicholson - Tanks for Sale
BTR-60PU-12 Air-Defense Command Vehicle Photo (Ukraine)	Ukrainian Ministry of Defense
BTR-60PZ APC Photos	Vitaly Kuzmin
BTR-60R-145BM "Chaika" Command Vehicle Photos	The Massimo Foti Collection
BTR-60R-145BM "Chaika" Command Vehicle Photos (Ukraine)	Ukrainian Ministry of Defense
TAB-71 APC Photo (Romania)	U.S. Army

References Available

Online

Printed

Hobby Modeling

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Model Photos