During the existence of the USSR, the Likhachev plant produced executive class cars. During Stalin's leadership, these were heavy and armored ZiS limousines, created on the basis of American Packard cars.

In Khrushchev's times, a lighter one appeared, made in the then popular “aerostyle”. With the coming to power of Brezhnev, several more ZIL models appeared in the government fleet, the distinguishing feature of which was a more strict “angular” design. And the top of this line was the hero of this article - ZIL-4104, which in 1978 replaced the previous models.

History of creation

In the 60s of the 20th century, another change of fashion was outlined in the global automotive industry: so the fin style popular in the 50s began to give way to more angular and strict outlines in the appearance of the car. And these changes affected not only American and European industry, but also the design bureau of the Soviet ZIL plant.

The previously produced government limousine ZIL-111 began to become morally obsolete, and it was necessary to develop a replacement. And it was not only an outdated appearance - the technical component also needed to be improved in order to ensure maximum comfort for the movement of Soviet dignitaries.

One way or another, in the early 1960s, the ZiL design bureau began work on the creation of a new limousine, which received the designation ZiL-114.

The design of the car has undergone major changes compared to its predecessors - the shape of the limousine has become angular and clearer, the body design has become more strict.

But progress does not stand still, and in the mid-70s, the main government car again needed modernization, although not so drastic.

It was decided to make a new ZIL limousine based on the 114th model, having improved the appearance for the most part and improving the car's transmission. Work on it began in the early 70s, in 1974 a plasticine model was ready, and in 1978 new limousines were already in production. Initially, the new model bore the ZIL-115 index, but went into the series under the index 4104.

Design and technical characteristics of ZIL 4104

The new ZIL-4104 limousine, first of all, underwent changes in appearance - although it remained the same angular as that of the 114th, the appearance of the car became different.

ZIL-4104 dimensions:

• Length: 6300 mm.
• Overall width: 2080 mm.
• Wheelbase width: 1643 mm.
• Height: 1500 mm.

The main change is the radiator grill, it has become more massive and elongated, like American cars of that time. In front, the position of the lighting devices has changed, the bumper has become different. Chrome moldings appeared on the sides of the ZIL-4104 car, new mirrors were installed. The rear lights and bumper have also been redesigned. In general, the car began to look more spectacular due to the large radiator grille and more chrome elements, but at the same time it did not lose its severity.

The interior of the ZIL-4104 car deserves special attention, because it was made for the first persons of the state. Interior manufacturing materials are chic - velor interior with wood inserts. True, the front seats are more modest - from the usual black leather. And the front seats themselves are not very comfortable: there is little legroom and the steering wheel interferes with getting out of the car - the driver has to recline it. But this car was not made for front passengers, so why should they relax.

Dashboard on ZIL-4104 plastic with natural wood inserts. Devices are ordinary switches, there is nothing special at first glance. The driver and passenger are separated by a wide tunnel, in which the gearbox selector is located. From the additional equipment there was a radio, a tape recorder, a clock, power windows and wind deflectors.

In the rear part of the ZIL-4104 cabin, the manufacturing materials are the same, only the seats here are already velor, to match the interior.

The floor carpet is made with an unusual pattern of yellow spots - and there is a reason for this: it was originally gray, but was soon replaced, as it often got dirty with good passenger shoes - they left yellow spots on it.

The passenger seats of the ZIL-4104 limousine are quite spacious, with a wide armrest in the center. They are also adjustable in tilt angle - passengers can ride in a reclining position. There are 2 more folding seats in front of the rear sofa, increasing the number of seats to 7, but when they are unfolded, the rear passengers have less space, but usually 7 people did not drive in such cars.

In the rear there is also an additional radio control panel - it is located in the armrest of the right passenger and is connected to the front receiver, that is, if the rear passenger switches the wave or volume, this also happens on the front receiver. There is a telephone in the armrest of the left passenger of the ZIL-4104 limousine. There are also electric windows and partitions, there is also a clock in the center of the cabin.

The heart of the ZIL-4104 limousine was a V-shaped 8-cylinder engine with a capacity of 315 hp and a volume of 7.7 liters. The engine is capable of developing 608 N * m of torque, thanks to which ZIL has good acceleration dynamics.

The power supply system of the ZIL-4104 engine consists of a 4-chamber K-259 carburetor, made on the basis of American designs. For greater reliability and safety, many duplicate units have been introduced into the engine - the electrical circuit of the ignition system has been duplicated, 2 fuel pumps and 2 batteries have been installed.

The ZIL-4104 engine is powered by AI-95 gasoline - in the Soviet Union it was called "Extra" and was not available for free sale. The engine consumption is considerable - 20-30 liters per hundred, depending on the driving style.

The ZIL-4104 limousine is equipped with an automatic three-speed planetary gearbox.

Although the gearbox has only three steps, the third gear is set to a wide range of speeds, and there is no discomfort at high speeds.

The body of the ZIL-4104 stands on a powerful welded frame of an unusual shape - the front of the frame is flat, and the rear is curved and raised relative to the ground. The front suspension is independent with wishbones and telescopic shock absorbers. Rear axle suspension - spring.

The brake system on the ZIL-4104 is hydraulic, with two independent circuits, each of which is connected to all wheels. Because of this feature, two calipers are installed on the ZIL-4104 brake disc. The brakes themselves are disc brakes on all wheels.

The wheels of the ZIL-4104 limousine with welded discs of the 16th radius. Tires - 245 / 75R16 "Granite" of a special design, these tires withstood up to seven punctures. This was achieved due to the rigid sidewall - being depressurized, the tire did not sag and withstand the weight of the car. Also, to increase bullet resistance, the tires were pumped with a special gel.

Modifications ZIL 4104

Despite the small circulation of this car, quite a lot of modifications were created on its basis. This is due to various government needs that the usual ZIL-4104 limousine could not cope with.

ZIL-41041 - a shortened version of the limousine, intended for escort, in fact - the heir to the 117th ZIL.

ZIL-41042. Station wagon medical modification designed to transport important passengers to the hospital. Such modifications were already on the ZIL-114 chassis, but updating the basic model also required new medical vehicles. It is worth noting that this modification was used for its intended purpose not so rarely, due to the fact that the average age of senior political workers in the union has long exceeded 60.

ZIL-41043. This car was carrying a mobile radiotelephone system for negotiations with various command facilities and other services.

ZIL-41044. The parade version of the car with a chaise-type body. This ZIL had a shortened base, 2 doors instead of four, and a pedestal with a handrail was installed instead of a seat. Such limousines were painted in gray, corresponding to the shade of the general's overcoat.

ZIL-41045. This is, in fact, a restyling of the usual 4104. The changes in it are mostly external: the radiator grille has changed, square headlights have been installed instead of round headlights, side moldings have been moved, and a few other minor changes. An updated limousine was produced from 1983 to 1985.

ZIL-41046. Another special communications vehicle. An improved communication system "Caucasus" was installed on it.

ZIL-41047. Another update of the classic ZiL, which appeared in 1985. The headlights and the grille were again changed in the limousine, the triangular windows were removed from the front windows, the shape of the mirrors changed.

ZIL-41072. Intended for government protection. The changes affected only the interior: handrails appeared for convenient firing, and a sunroof was also equipped. Since 1989, 8 such ZiL limousines have been assembled.

Armored modifications of the ZiL were also produced. Such machines were built on the basis of models 4104, 41045 and 41047, and were an armored capsule, around which the car was then assembled. The glasses of such a car were replaced with stronger ones, and a new gas tank was also installed, which could tighten bullet holes to prevent fire.

A total of 14 armored vehicles were assembled in various bodies.

Also in the 90s, they tried to install imported hinged armor at the ZiL plant, but due to its severity, the limousine suspension quickly failed, and this idea was abandoned.

Comparison with analogues

Let's compare ZIL 4104 with competing limousines used at that time in the USA and Great Britain. Since 1983, US President Ronald Reagan has traveled in a special version of the Cadillac Fleetwood limousine. The Queen of Great Britain at that time moved in a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI limousine, released especially for her in 1978.

	ZIL 4104	Cadillac Fleetwood (1983)	Rolls-Royce Phantom VI (1978)
Engine	V8, 7.7 l., 315 hp	V8, 350-400hp (according to various sources)	V8, 6.2 liters, 200-220 hp (exact data not available)
Acceleration to 100 km/h	13 seconds	there is no data	13.5 seconds
Transmission	automatic transmission three-speed	Automatic transmission four-speed	Automatic transmission four-speed
Length	6.3 m	6.2 m	6.7 m

As can be seen from the table, the ZIL-4104 is inferior to the Cadillac in terms of engine power, but significantly outperforms the Rolls-Royce. All limousines have automatic transmissions, but Western counterparts have one step more. In terms of dimensions, the Rolls-Royce is in the lead, which has been greatly expanded for the comfort of the queen.

ZIL-4104 in service

During the use of ZIL-4104 limousines in the Special Purpose Garage, this car carried many high-ranking officials, and first of all they were the general secretaries of the CPSU Central Committee. The first general secretary who moved to the new ZIL was Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev - from 1978 until the end of his tenure, he moved on the ZIL-4104 model.

Following Brezhnev, Yu.V. heads of state.

The first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, initially also used a domestic limousine, it was an armored ZiL-41052, but later he changed it to an armored Mercedes-Benz Pullman limousine, produced on special order based on the W140 generation sedan.

In addition to the general secretaries, ZIL-4104 limousines also transported various important officials, party workers, and ministers.

Also, they moved and security, accompanying important people. ZiL was also actively used in parades.

The appearance of a new line of ZIL-4104 limousines could also be influenced by the new party secretary general - Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, who was famous for his passion for cars, and by the time he took office had a large collection of foreign cars.

An interesting fact about the body panels of the ZIL-4104 limousine is that they were made using lead fusion technology: after welding, a layer of lead alloy was deposited on them, which was then straightened with a special tool. Some articles write that this was done to protect against radioactive radiation - but this is just a delusion, in fact, the body was melted with lead only to give the surface an ideal appearance and eliminate defects.

Especially for L.I. Brezhnev, the interior of the ZIL-4104 limousine was made with red velor and gilded handles. For this, the car body was even taken to England, since there were no such technologies in the USSR. But for the most part, all ZiL salons were of the same type - this was done to simplify the replacement of a car with another for some reason. So passengers generally could not notice that the car is different.

It is noteworthy that the front version of the ZIL-41044 limousine was painted only in the gray color of the general's overcoat. According to the recollections of the workers, the general who received the cars personally applied the sleeve of his overcoat to the car and compared the shade. The salon in the front ZIL was made of yellow-red leather - this was decided by the Minister of Defense D.F. Ustinov.

The ZIL-4104 limousine faithfully served the country of the Soviets until its sunset, after which it was undeservedly forgotten - the officials of the "new" world preferred foreign Mercedes and Rolls-Royces, rather than domestic cars.

But for some time the plant continued to produce limousines of the ZiL-4104 series for private individuals, and in 2010 the already half-empty plant received an order for new government convertibles for parades - they were assembled from the remaining bodies.

In 2013, production at the plant had Likhachev stopped completely. Now the plant is almost completely destroyed, but the limousine assembly shop has been preserved and has become a separate company MSC-6 AMO ZIL LLC - it continues to assemble and repair limousines from the remaining spare parts.

I would like to believe that the production of government cars in it will resume, but most likely ZIL limousines will soon finally go down in history, becoming another monument of the automotive industry of an irretrievably bygone era.

Video

Exactly one hundred years ago, on August 2 (July 20, according to the old style), 1916, a solemn prayer service and the laying of the AMO automobile plant (Moscow Automobile Society), which in 1931 was renamed ZIS (Stalin Plant), and in 1956 - in ZIL (Plant named after Likhachev). To this day, the enterprise, consider, did not survive: the last truck was assembled here “on the knee” in 2014, and the conveyor got up much earlier. Many buildings have been destroyed: on the site of a gigantic industrial complex (with an area of ​​​​more than three hundred hectares!) For three years now, residential buildings, offices, museums and a sports complex have been located.

The Moscow government remains the main owner of the former enterprise, but it apparently preferred not to remember the anniversary of the country's oldest automobile plant, because the festive event that took place today in the park near the ZIL Palace of Culture was organized by former factory workers and enthusiasts, headed by Deputy Chief Designer Vladimir Grigoryevich Mazepa.

Veterans of ZIL are cheerful and happy to meet, but almost all topics in conversations come down to the mediocre death of the plant. Everything is the same as everywhere else: to impose on the current developers, walk along Luzhkov and warmly recall the stable times of stagnation of the seventies. Although the plant fell not under the onslaught of elite housing and luxurious offices, but from impotence in a market economy and almost zero production flexibility.

The modest anniversary exposition consisted mainly of private cars. Many of them are already known from exhibitions of retro technology, but they are no less interesting for that.

Fire truck on the AMO-4 chassis, 1932 release. The "Four" is a long-wheelbase modification of the AMO-3 truck, which was produced from 1931 to 1933 and gave way to the much more famous ZIS-5 model. The “Fire” stood on a pedestal for a long time and this saved it from destruction, and in our time the monument was abolished and the car moved to a private collection, where it was restored.

ZIS-33 is a variant of the ZIS-5 truck with the ability to quickly convert to a half-track to overcome off-road conditions. From 1939 to 1940, about four thousand of these machines were made.

ZIS-42 is a further development of the ZIS-33 model: the tracks are already installed on a “permanent basis”, the transition to wheel travel is excluded, and removable skis are provided for winter. From 1942 to 1944, 6372 cars were produced.

This UralZIS is still waiting for restoration. The history of the Miass Ural plant began with the assembly of such ZIS-5 trucks during World War II.

ZIL-130? But no! Judging by the nameplate in the cabin, we have a ZIL-431610. On January 1, 1986, in accordance with the new standard, the plant switched to a different model indexing system and cars of the "one hundred and thirty" family received six-digit names. Behind the index 431610 is a ZIL-138 with a gas engine. Although over the years of operation by the "emergency gang" the car lost its gas cylinders.

Of particular interest are ZIL cars, which were produced in small runs, or even in single copies.

ZIS-101A Sport

ZIS-101A Sport

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Roadster ZIS-101A Sport - alas, not original. In 1939, such a car was created for record races, but it has not survived to this day. This example was built a few years ago in the Molotov Garage workshop.

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Another snag: this is not the ZIS-110, but the rarest ZIS-115 - the first mass-produced domestic passenger car with armor protection. Only a trained eye can distinguish it from the base model - by different wheels and window frames. The glass thickness is 70-75 mm, while the possibility of lowering them is preserved, and the triangular vents in the front doors turn! "One hundred and fifteenth" weighing 4.2 tons was created primarily for Stalin, from 1947 to 1958 32 copies were assembled.

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ZIL-111D - a convertible based on the 111G limousine, only eight copies were produced, which were used mainly for meetings of astronauts and foreign delegations. V8 engine with a volume of 6.0 liters and a power of 200 hp, a two-stage "automatic" with a push-button control panel (it is located to the left of the steering wheel) and a roof folding servo.

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The ZIL-117 sedan is a shortened version of the ZIL-114 limousine, although its length still exceeds 5.7 m. Officially, such cars were intended for candidates for members of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee and members of the USSR Government, but Brezhnev himself, who loved drive powerful cars. The V8 7.0 engine developed 300 hp. About seventy of these sedans were made from 1971 to 1977.

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The famous "armored capsule" ZIL-41051. The rarest car, because the design of these armored cars was considered a state secret, and therefore, according to the rules, limousines that have served their purpose should be disposed of. In total, ten such members were made in 1984-1985 with the appearance of the base ZIL-41045 limousine, but six of them were later converted directly at the factory into model 41052 with external design from the later ZIL-41047 limousine.

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But just ZIL-41047 - the last serial limousine of the plant, the production of which began in 1986. Until 2002, about 150 cars were built. After that, the cars were assembled in piece quantities to order, and the last one left the stocks in 2008. The construction of parade convertibles saw the light of day and several sedans, and the snow-white car in the photographs was completed in 2015 and has serial number 26. It has many modern components and parts (fuel injection system, audio system, power window buttons, etc.), but in general this is the same ZIL as in the eighties.

So far, MSC6 AMOSIL operates within the walls of its “passenger” shop, but the lease ends in the fall and the new owners will have to look for new premises. Formally, even a white “remake” sedan cannot carry the ZIL brand and logo, because they remained the property of the Moscow government, but this is a topic for a separate discussion. In addition, it is worth rejoicing that the "passenger" production is generally preserved, albeit in private hands, because the "big ZIL" did not live up to its century at all.

The ZIL-41047 car, designed to serve official events with the participation of the country's top leadership, was considered the "last limousine" of the Soviet era. This model was the third generation of the ZIL-4104 family. Initially, before the change in the numbering order of automobile brands of the USSR, this family of government passenger cars was to be called ZIL-115.

The Moscow production association "AvtoZiL" began production of ZIL-41047 in 1986, and continued their production already in Russian times, until the beginning of 2003. During all this time, about two hundred copies were made, including various special versions.

History of creation

The task of developing a new model of the USSR government car for specialists from the Likhachev plant was due to several important considerations that had nothing to do with the technical side of the matter. In addition to the need to maintain the tradition that had developed by this time of updating the lineup once every decade, an additional political factor arose.

The most important post of general secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU in 1985 was taken by a new young leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, who proclaimed a policy of "restructuring" the entire Soviet Union.

The significantly renewed leadership of the USSR increased its activity many times over in terms of trips around the country and international contacts. Thus, the role of their representative vehicles acquired an important semantic load as part of the overall political "image" designed to symbolize the new course of the country's development.

As a result, the new model, in technical terms, was completely based on the previous, well-proven, ZIL-41045. All major changes in the design of the government transport novelty focused exclusively on design solutions, which in the future will be called "restyling".

The design update successfully gave the appearance of the new model elements of modernity, while maintaining the overall impressive "imperial" look, as well as the excellent dynamic characteristics of its predecessors. The engine, gearbox, transmission, that is, almost the entire chassis were completely inherited from the previous model of the Zilovsky development, the same applied to the armored capsule and the general layout of the cabin.

ZIL-41047 was equipped with the latest tire design at that time, which was assigned a special brand "Granite". Such tires provided the vehicle with the ability to continue moving even if they were repeatedly punctured. This possibility was achieved by giving maximum rigidity to the sidewalls of the tire and placing a special gel inside it.

Specifications

The result of the work of the ZIL-41047 developers in terms of technical characteristics was a machine recognized for its class as the longest and most massive in the world of all serial models produced at that time. In the traditional version, the car was a 4-door 7-seat limousine with a wheelbase of 3880 millimeters.

Dimensions and weight

In length, the Soviet ZIL limousine was only seven millimeters behind the world record holder in the entire history of designs of this type - the American Cadillac Series 75, which was produced in the mid-1970s. Overall parameters (length, width, height in millimeters) amounted to 6339x2086x1500, respectively.

The curb weight of the car is 3335 kilograms. The maximum allowable (full) weight of a conventional sample (without an armored capsule) was 3860 kg, at which up to 1793 kg fell on the front axle, and 2067 kg on the rear axle. The weight of specially armored VIP units usually exceeded 5 tons.

Engine

The limousine received under the hood a ZIL-4104 V8 carburetor engine (V-shaped, 8-cylinder, 16-valve), tested for almost a decade, with a volume of 7.695 liters. Thus, the combustion chamber of each cylinder was almost a liter in volume, and the compression ratio was 9.3. Aluminum was used as the material for the cylinder block.

The power of such a power plant was 315 horsepower (232 kW), which made it possible to develop engine speeds up to 4600 per minute. Peak torque was 608 N/m in the 2500-2700 rpm range.

The propulsion system was powered by a 4-chamber carburetor. An important element of modernization in relation to its predecessors has become a non-contact ignition system.

Transmission and suspension

In the design of the previous developments, a three-stage hydromechanical transmission and a drive exclusively to the rear axle were preserved.

At the same time, the types of suspension differed: independent (with a lever-torsion stabilization scheme) for the front and dependent (with a spring-traction scheme) for the rear.

The springs reached one and a half meters in length. They were additionally laid with polymer inserts between the sheets.

The peculiarity of this design allowed the "luxury" car to be distinguished by increased smoothness. In addition, the car performed well on gravel. At the same time, ground clearances were quite small: from 17 to 19.5 centimeters.

Gearbox and brakes

Three-speed automatic transmission belonged to the planetary type. The transformation ratio of this device had a value of 2.0. A mechanical stop made it possible to effectively hold the car when driving uphill.

The brake system was of the disc type and was dual-circuit. Moreover, any of these circuits could independently work on all 4 wheels. The parking brake was activated with a foot pedal.

Fuel consumption per 100 km

The average estimated fuel consumption per hundred kilometers was 22-23 liters. Such a car was not calculated for a long-term trip without refueling, since the capacity of the gas tank was limited to 120 liters of AI-95 fuel.

Max Speed

The car, when driving along the highway, was able to develop a maximum speed of 190-200 kilometers per hour (for various modifications). At the same time, a heavy limousine could pick up acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h in 12-13 seconds.

Appearance Features

The ZiL automobile plant produced production cars of a representative class following the example of shipbuilding technology, using a slipway instead of a conveyor assembly. The duration of such a process was about 5-6 months, and on average, the plant produced no more than one and a half to two dozen finished copies per year.

In the manufacture of body panels, manual operations were widely used: the fitting of parts was carried out for the intended purpose for a specific instance. Since there were differences related to the future use of the ordered cars, they differed in the configuration of a number of units, the quality of the finishing materials.

When painting the body, a nitro enamel of a dark metallic shade was used. It was applied sequentially up to 15 layers in a row, and in the intervals between these operations, polishing was performed each time.

Salon and body

In relation to the previous models of the ZIL-4104 family, the general arrangement of the cabin has not fundamentally changed. In the standard 7-seater version of the limousine, the middle of the three structurally embedded lines of seats was straponten, retractable into a special partition between the two compartments of the cabin.

Both seats in the front row were upholstered in natural leather, and the two seats of the "main passengers" were upholstered in the highest quality velor. For lining the inner surface of doors, window frames and some other parts of the interior, elements of valuable wood species, usually Karelian birch, were used.

The microclimate inside the cabin was provided by separate air conditioning units for the first and VIP compartments. Armrests served high-ranking passengers as a place to place controls for electric lifts for external windows and a partition separating the spaces of the two compartments. Also from the rear seats it was possible to control the audio system or air conditioning. Separate niches in the rear of the body were intended to accommodate special communications subscriber devices.

The exterior of the body has undergone a significant design update. First of all, it touched optics. Dual headlights from traditional round ones have been replaced by a more modern "square" design. The front turn signals have changed their location, becoming a continuation of the headlight pairs at the corners, and the signal lights on the stern have also changed their appearance.

In addition, ZiL designers made the radiator lining more expressive. The rear-view mirrors were built into the new frame. They were not attached to the door plane, but directly to the body. The window vents at the side windows, familiar to previous decades, were eliminated.

Booking

Special armor protection of the ZIL-4104 family began to be used since 1983 under model 41045. The Kurgan Machine-Building Plant, which specializes in the production of infantry fighting vehicles, produced 20 special armored capsules in a few years, on the basis of which representative armored limousines were then built. This version was called ZIL-4105.

At the same time, the weight of such structures increased markedly, amounting to more than 5.5 tons. But tests of the ZIL-4105 showed that its armor protection calmly reflects armor-piercing bullets fired from a 7.62-mm machine gun and a Dragunov sniper rifle. The armored capsule turned out to be impenetrable for grenades, even when they were blown up directly at the gas tank.

This possibility was achieved through the use of the highest quality of domestic brands of armor steel, which was rightfully considered the best in the world. At the same time, the thickness of the reservation was relatively small: it varied between 4-10 millimeters.

The side windows of the passenger compartment were also distinguished by reliability and could contain a single hit of an armor-piercing incendiary bullet. Ultimately, the degree of protection of the ZIL-4105 exceeded all foreign samples then available.

With the exception of a few test samples, armored vehicles based on the ZIL-41045 were designated as ZIL-41051, and since 1987, ZIL-41052 armored limousines began to be produced on the ZIL-41047 chassis. At the same time, six copies of the new assemblies used armored capsules from the machines of the previous generation, in which the mileage had reached the maximum allowable value.

In the 1990s, for the sake of experiment, three standard ZIL-41047s were tried to be armored using Western technology using Kevlar and carbon fiber. This order was carried out by the German company Trasco Bremen, leaving one of the machines as a test sample at its test site. Two finished copies had to be modified again by ZiL, since the chassis no longer corresponded to the increased mass of the car. The two armored limousines obtained in this way were given the name ZiL-41053.

Modifications

In most cases, modified versions of the ZiL 41047 were specialized cortege vehicles designed to accompany the "first persons". At the same time, the external similarity of security and special communications vehicles with a VIP limousine served as a factor that further enhances its security.

Modifications	Peculiarities	Release years	Number of cars
ZIL-41041	Escort car with a 5-seater body "sedan" with a base cut to 3300 mm. Due to the shorter length (5750 mm) and weight (3.2 tons), dynamic data has increased	1986-2000	26
ZIL-41042 "Black Doctor"	A medical vehicle with a station wagon body. The aft door went up. Weight - 3.9 tons. It did not have the functions of an ambulance, being limited to transportation for subsequent hospitalization under the supervision of a crew of 3 doctors.	1986-2000	3
ZIL-41049 "Friendship"	Vehicle of special communication with equipment of the "Kavkaz" type	2000	2
ZIL-41052	Modification based on a special armored capsule	1987-1999	14
ZIL-41053	Option supplemented by the traditional way of booking	1993-1995	2
ZIL-4107	Special communication vehicle with Disk-type equipment	1988-1999	There is no data
ZIL-41071	Special communications vehicle with Depeche-type equipment	1988-1999	There is no data
ZIL-41072 "Scorpion"	Motor vehicle of exit protection of a special purpose. It is equipped with wide footboards, long handrails along the edges of the hull and inside it, as well as a large hatch on the roof, which allows circular firing. The aft window of the cabin had the ability to quickly open. Equipped with radio-electronic complexes "Perseus", "Veil"	1988-1999	8
ZIL-410441	A car for military parades with a cabriolet body. Was not accepted by the customer (Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation)	2009	2

Unlike station wagons, almost all sedan modifications were made from 1997 to 2000. The “front cabriolet” was made on the basis of the “backlogs” of previous years after the actual cessation of the assembly of ZIL-41047 vehicles after 2002.

Machine Application

The main customer and operator of the cars was the Special Purpose Garage (GON), which provided the top management of the Soviet Union, and then Russia, with specialized transport. Up to the present time, GON is a structural subdivision of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.

Government limousines were used to ensure the safe movement of the country's top officials, including their work during official international events. In particular, the leaders of most foreign states visiting the USSR and Russia were transported by domestic representative cars.

The final copy of the serial ZiL-41047 built by the plant was the presidential limousine for official events under the order of the administration of the head of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. By 2009, there was an attempt to resume the piece assembly of cars. A copy of modification 410441 (“cabriolet”) unclaimed by the customer was sold to the fourth president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych for his personal garage, from which, since 2014, he moved as an exhibit to the Ukrainian Museum of Corruption in Mezhyhirya.

In Soviet times, endowing any of the representatives of the highest party and state leadership with a car of the ZIL-4104 family as a service-personal vehicle was extremely prestigious, emphasizing that this person belonged to the circle of bearers of supreme power. But after the collapse of the USSR, for the leadership of Russia that gained “independence”, such considerations completely lost their relevance over time. Nevertheless, the operation of the ZIL-41047 GON continued until 2008.

An important detail should be noted: the mileage of each of the government vehicles had a clearly marked limit - 100 thousand kilometers. Upon reaching this indicator, the speedometers of the car went “for write-off”, accompanied by their complete dismantling. For this reason, a car of this class has survived so little to date.

Advantages and disadvantages

The undoubted advantages of the "last limousine of the USSR" include:

1. Modern exterior for those years;
2. The highest security standard;
3. Excellent stability on the road;
4. Heavy duty motor;
5. Hydraulic booster and steering column adjustment;
6. High-quality assembly and expensive finishes;
7. Multi-layer body painting;
8. Excellent sound insulation;
9. Efficient climate control;
10. Roomy luggage compartment.

However, experts note the following shortcomings:

1. Large dimensions;
2. High fuel consumption;
3. Limited gas tank capacity;
4. Significant increase in cost due to many manual operations in production;
5. Inconvenient transmission tunnel inside the cabin.

The car not only provided an increased level of comfort to its "main passengers", but also had a number of essential amenities for the driver, which was actually a rarity for the Soviet automobile industry.

Summing up, we can state that the cars of the ZIL-41047 series as government executive cars turned out to be at a very decent world level for their time.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

ZIL-41047 - a representative class of a car in a limousine-type body. This model is the final machine produced in the USSR, which was created without any material and technological limit. The position of a public government limousine gave the design staff the right to ignore the situation in the automotive market and the concept of "profitability". The start of production fell on 1985 and continued until 2002. All .

Car history

After Stalin died, armored cars fell into oblivion. New developments were not carried out and such cars were not used by the leadership of the party and the country. When Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev came to power, armored vehicles were stored in various garages and places of previous deployment. Another share of such models was decided to be destroyed due to non-use.

After the change in politics, the cars that political people used also changed. Today there is an opinion that Nikita Sergeevich adhered to democratic views, when compared with Stalin, therefore, the same “democratic” vehicles were well suited to his image. However, time made it clear that armored versions should not be written off even in a fairly calm socialist hour.

As confirmation, one terrorist attempt on Brezhnev's life in 1969 can be cited, when suddenly, during ceremonial events with astronauts, he opened fire on 2 government vehicles. Although the head of state himself was not injured, since he was not driving at the beginning of the column, the driver of the first car was killed and some members of the motorcade were injured. One of the safest cars in the world was the Russian version called ZIL-4105 ("Armored Capsule").

The car had three modifications that differed in the front body kit - ZIL-4105, ZIL-41051 and ZIL-41052. Before perestroika, the American secret services could not solve this secret. When the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics collapsed they initially decided to purchase an old ZIL and explore it.

In fact, the whole mystery of the armored sedan was quite ordinary. Given the standard armor technology, it is assumed that the standard structure will be reinforced with armor components. It is no secret that Western countries armor their vehicles by installing sheets of Kevlar under the skin, which has good strength when opening fire from small-caliber weapons and counteracts the blast wave quite well. But Kevlar cannot provide good protection against a more substantial weapon.

Experts have calculated that the price of one such car is 600,000 US dollars, but as is known everywhere, officials never spare money for their safety.

The Russian design team chose a different path - they decided to weld an armored capsule, and then design a car around it! Such a device is completely unsuitable for mass production, in connection with this, only 25 such armored capsules were manufactured at the Kurgan enterprise. Of these, 5 designs were intended for fire tests. This unique machine of the Likhachev plant has the maximum degree of safety.

The designers made such a chassis structure that the car cannot be overturned. It should be noted that its own armor (68KhGSLMN steel with special additives) is the best in the world. The thickness of the armor is from 4-10 millimeters. The thickness of the bulletproof glass: front - 43 millimeters, located on the sides and rear - 47 millimeters.

What are the fuel tanks from a large number of layers, which during breakdowns could independently tighten the holes and were fire and explosion proof. Their development and construction was carried out in the pilot production of the Research Institute of Steel. The curb weight of the sedan, taking into account the purpose of the armored vehicle and the installed equipment, varied within 5,160-5,225 kilograms.

And when 1985 came, now the relatively young (according to the criteria of the Soviet past) M. Gorbachev became the general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and, accordingly, the leader of a huge country. Judging by the declared policy of restructuring, ZIL experts were inspired to modernize the state-owned ZIL-41045 limousine produced at that time.

The need for the current update was determined by more political motives than the technical part. The chassis, together with the power unit, was designed with a powerful constructive "reserve", which allowed for several more years not to change anything in the nodes and details. The bottom line was that Mikhail Sergeevich, when compared with past leaders, often visited foreign countries on official business and to a large extent traveled around the Union.

It is clear that the car of a young, energetic and decisive representative of the USSR should have had “greater meaning” than the solemn protocol cars of their predecessors. In the Soviet Union, the latest vehicle of the leader of the country, who proclaimed perestroika and reconstruction in all areas of the life of citizens, was supposed to represent certainty, the desire to move ahead and the irreversibility of reforms.

Abroad, a sedan was expected to be simple - so that the novelty "makes an impression." Therefore, already in 1986, the debut ZIL-41047 was released. Improvements have affected the exterior design to a greater extent. The grille lining began to look better, and instead of round headlights, they began to install square ones (Bosch).

They decided to return the turn signals to the corners of the wings located in front, and the stern lights occupied the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe rear. The front side windows no longer had vents, and the exterior mirrors got a new case and were installed not on the door part, but in the corner of the window.

As of 1986, the ZIL-41047 was the longest and heaviest small-scale "passenger car" in the world.

Such small changes were enough to win everyone's attention from the new model. The technical department also did not sit idly by, but carried out individual improvements to the systems of the presidential sedan. The ZIL-4104 engine, which was a V-type, eight-cylinder, with two camshafts in the block heads, was decided to be modernized and a contactless ignition system used.

With the onset of 1988, the hydromechanical transmission, which was “inherited” from the previous version 41045, was also improved. The update affected the freewheel device and a number of adjacent elements, which made it possible to increase the strength of the device. In addition, the novelty had wheels with a diameter of 16 inches.

As tires, a special-purpose version of the "Granite" was used, which had a system that facilitated movement in case of violation of the sealing of the wheel. This was possible with the help of stronger sidewalls of the tire and a special gel located in the middle. Such a tire withstood up to 7 bullet penetrations.

Given the importance of the president's new car, no one even thought of a possible manufacturing or design flaw. Unsurpassed quality was one of the most important requirements and it was possible to achieve it through careful production by hand, a large number of checks on certain components and each machine in general.

Such vehicles were assembled individually, according to the slipway method: it was not the car that followed the conveyor from master to master, but the employees of one or another department, if necessary, came to the car themselves. Assembly time lasted about five and a half months. In one year, no more than 15-20 presidential sedans were produced. Body panels were made from oak templates by hand.

After that, they were installed on the vehicle, fitted in place, straightened and leveled with a tin alloy. Everywhere used manual work and individual adjustment of elements. Since the models were aimed at a specific "buyer", sedans stood out in terms of filling, the arrangement of certain nodes and the basis of decoration.

For staining, the presence of nitro enamel coated in 9-15 layers was used. Intermediate drying and polishing of each layer was applied. The final layer was applied and polished only when the model passed the running tests. Interestingly, any car after such a test could have a mileage of up to 2,000 kilometers.

Appearance

As is already clear from the photographs, the appearance of the presidential car is quite unusual. If you look at the photos, you immediately catch the eye of a 1.5-meter elongated aft overhang, a large hood and luggage compartment. After that, you can notice the presence of a deep body color.

The wheelbase received 3,880 millimeters, and it is so large that even the Mercedes S-class W140 and the new Mercedes W222 look small compared to the domestic model. As mentioned above, the front square headlights were produced by Bosch, and in addition to the nozzles, they had small “wipers”.

It is noteworthy that the external mirrors placed in the corner of the glass were equipped with an electric drive. Unusually, the previous Mercedes (W140) with the W126 body indicator had no mirror on the right side at all. If you take the president's car with the index 41047, then the novelty did not receive rotary windows in the front doors.

A detailed examination of the new Soviet vehicle, you can see the rubber plugs in the wings located in front. Such holes are intended for special pins, which are called flagpoles. They are intended for installation of a flag and a similar detail is available only for cars of the Likhachev plant. GAZ 14 Seagull does not provide for such equipment.

The desire to add integrity to the body is also noticeable in the gas tank neck covered behind the rear number. The tank itself received a volume of 120 liters. The label mounted on the hood is safety and hides when you press it. The ride height does not fall below 170 millimeters.

Interior

Arrangement and decoration of interior decoration has always been considered an important point during the development of representative niche vehicles. When comparing models with previous releases, the novelty in terms of equipment and aesthetics of the limousine interior has not changed much.

The developers provided 7 seats inside the presidential car with 3 rows of seats: the middle row was installed with straps that retracted into the partition between the VIP-cabin and the seats installed in front. The adjustable steering column can tilt up, which greatly simplifies the landing of the driver.

The rear-mounted sofa could be equipped with an electric drive, which made it possible to adjust the angle of the backrest and the position of each of the seats. When upholstering the front seats, only leather was used, and the back row received plush or velor upholstery. The classic two-spoke steering wheel is tilt-adjustable.

The driver's seat has various settings. It is adjustable in almost any way. When finishing the interior of ZIL-41047, inserts made of natural walnut wood, and in some cases, mahogany, were used. The climatic situation inside the presidential limousine is controlled by a climate control system, one on the passenger side and the other on the driver side.

The presence of dethermal three-layer glasses helps to maintain the required temperature. Interestingly, the first models of the Soviet executive sedan had Belgian glasses, all subsequent models had domestic ones. The interior lighting is individual, as there are separate shades on the ceiling and in the corners.

The lower edge of the door armrests was equipped with special lamps that light up when the doors are opened. Russian specialists rather non-standard decided to perform a "handbrake". To activate it, you need to use the foot pedal (the same principle applies to Mercedes).

The executive limousine ZIL-41047 has an excellent level of sound insulation, since the layer of material that provides it is superimposed with a thickness of 5 cm.

The controls for setting the partitions and power windows with electric drives are located on the upper plane of the armrests of the doors installed at the rear. The rear doors can be opened for both passengers and the driver from the straps. The buttons for setting the “musical” system and power windows were mounted in the armrest located on the right side.

The console, located in the center of the presidential limousine, has control units for air conditioning, a loudspeaker, an alarm system and a basic music system. The compartment for the special communication unit was placed between the seats installed in front. The speed sensor, together with the tachometer, was placed in round wells, covered with cone-shaped glasses, which completely prevents glare.

Specifications

power unit

Nowadays, a large number of motorists admire foreign vehicles, on board which have V8 power plants with a volume of 5.6 liters, however, when compared with the ZIL engine, foreign options look “toy”. The massive hood cover of the huge Soviet limousine hides a V-shaped, eight-cylinder, 16-valve, 7.7-liter engine.

Such an "engine" develops 315 horsepower, but that's not all! It produces 608 N/m of torque already at 2,500 rpm, which is higher than the Nissan GT-R and similar to the new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. The latest model stands out in the first place among most sports cars, leaving them behind.

Such a power unit is powered by a four-barrel carburetor and extracts a spark from the candles using contactless ignition. Timing mechanism drive type - OHC. The block is aluminum, and the engine received two camshafts.

Each cylinder has a combustion chamber volume of almost a liter. Such motors are installed on Toyota Yaris or. Such an “engine” allows a heavy limousine to accelerate to a speed mark of 100 km / h. in 13 seconds, and the maximum speed is 190 kilometers per hour.

Transmission

The torque from such a powerful engine was transmitted to the wheels by a three-speed hydraulic transmission on the “automatic” and a 3-speed gearbox of the planetary unit. Only the rear wheels were provided as a drive. The cardan shaft received an intermediate support.

The continuous rear axle was equipped with a hypoid main gear. The gear selector was installed on the transmission tunnel between the front seats. The gearbox has a mechanized stopper in order to keep the car on the rise. It turns off automatically as soon as the car moves off.

Chassis

Ahead of the Soviet model, they decided to install an independent, pivotless suspension, on wishbones, where there is also an anti-roll bar. In the role of an elastic part, a 28 mm torsion bar was used, installed along the frame, which acts on the lower arm.

At the rear, a dependent suspension was used, where there are longitudinal asymmetric semi-elliptical springs and jet thrust. The long leaf springs (1,550 millimeters) had a spacer between the sheets of polyethylene type. Both suspensions received telescopic shock absorbers.

Steering and braking system

In the role of the steering device, the experts decided to use a screw-ball nut with a gear sector. All this is complemented by a hydraulic power steering. The braking system has 292.2mm ventilated disc brakes at the front and 315.7mm at the rear.

The hydraulic drive is represented by a double-circuit type, each of which acts on the braking devices of 4 wheels. The parking brake has drum equipment. The drive is made by means of the left pedal.

Security

Armored models ZIL 41047 were produced only in the amount of 14 pieces. Such vehicles ensured the safety of all passengers. Some places of the government car have armor thickness of 8 centimeters! The thickness of the glasses is 8.5 centimeters! Even 7.62 caliber bullets with an armor-piercing hardened core cannot pass through them.

The car withstood a grenade explosion on the roof and even under the fuel tank. As mentioned above, the presidential limousine was not even afraid of tire punctures, which allowed him to leave the "dangerous place" as quickly as possible. It is also noteworthy that the Soviet car is almost impossible to turn over - this once again eloquently indicates a high level of safety.

Price and configuration

Today, the price of a Soviet limousine ZIL-41047 starts at 10,000,000 rubles. But it is worth noting right away that there are very few such offers on the secondary market. The basic equipment has a 7.7-liter 315-horsepower power unit, hydraulic power steering, separate "climate" system, air conditioning, velor interior, power windows front and rear windows, seat adjustment.

Modifications ZIL-41047

Modifications

	It is the base model with seven seats in the back of a limousine, wheelbase 3,880 millimeters (1985-2000)
ZIL-41041	Produced from 1986 to 2000. The model is made on the platform of a limousine (41047) and is an escort car in a 5-seat sedan body with a trimmed base of up to 3,300 millimeters. Due to the fact that the car has become not so long (5,750 millimeters) and not so heavy (up to 3,160 kilograms), its dynamic data has increased. Officially, the construction of such vehicles has not been completed, however, in reality they are not produced. A total of 26 models were produced.
ZIL-41042	Together with the design of the limousine, specialists were preparing for production its sanitary design - a car in a station wagon with the index 41042. To stand out from the background of the state column, such vehicles were painted black. Because of this, they were often referred to as the "Black Doctor". Despite popular opinion, the equipment of this modification did not fit the conditions of the reanimated car. ZIL-41042 was suitable for transporting influential patients with necessary hospitalization. The vehicle is provided for a crew of 3 doctors and one patient, for whom a bed is provided. The body length was increased, and an add-on was installed on top of the medical part of the interior. The aft door had 2 compartments: the one located at the top rose, and at the bottom it leaned back. The mass of the station wagon was 3.9 tons. The aft door, located on the left, was artificial, behind it was a "reserve" and a tool. Inside, the Soviet station wagon was able to finish very high quality, even the stretcher was made using genuine leather. Issued through time on the "cart" 41045 and 41047 medical station wagons had the same index - ZIL 41042. The built limousines on the "cart" 41047 were distinguished by the presence of a monolithic aft door that went up. A total of 4 ambulances were manufactured.
ZIL-41043	Represents a special communication vehicle, which was produced from 1980-1983 on the station wagon platform (41042). This design had a shielded electrical equipment system and a parabolic government communications antenna built into the roof.
ZIL-41044 Phaeton	With the onset of 1981, the Likhachev enterprise built a parade phaeton with the index 41044, which had an automatic folding top (the duration of lowering and raising did not exceed 20 seconds), and automatically hiding the side window frames. The differences from the standard version were as follows: the car received a pair of doors, the right seat was missing, and a pedestal with a handrail was installed in the center of the interior decoration. On top of that, the ZIL-41044 Phaeton was equipped with several microphones, as well as a radio station and antennas. A total of 3 similar "machines" were released.
ZIL-41045	This modification was made from 1983 to 1985. After the arrival of the next General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1983), the limousine underwent cosmetic restyling of the external plan. It was decided to dismantle the shiny lining from the wheel arches, and the molding that went along the threshold was placed higher - on the door. The radiator grill, along with the headlights, has been changed, the stern lights have received a slightly different design.
ZIL-41046	It served as a communication vehicle, produced on the ZIL-4104 "cart". From the outside, this performance did not stand out from the regular one. The 41046 version had shielded electrical wiring and special communication technology "Caucasus".
ZIL-41048	The car was produced in 1984 in the amount of one copy, which was distinguished by a kind of climate control.
ZIL-41049	Represents a special communications vehicle based on the 41047 platform. In total, only 2 copies were produced.
ZIL-4105 "Armored Capsule"	This armored version of the vehicle had 3 versions. As described above, the so-called armored capsule was taken as the structure. Already the body itself was built around it.
ZIL-41072 "Scorpion"	Represents a special purpose security vehicle built in 1989. This version was equipped with wide running boards, external and internal handrails on the sides of the vehicle and inside it. The sunroof is suitable for "contingencies". The Soviet modification had the design of a momentary opening of the aft window. The developers have provided a special interior layout with the help of swivel chairs. A total of 8 such machines were produced.

Advantages and disadvantages

Machine advantages

• Quite a pleasant appearance;
• High level of security;
• Excellent stability on the road;
• Powerful power unit;
• Solid dynamic characteristics, as for such a mass of the car;
• Quality assembly;
• There is a lot of free space inside;
• Large luggage compartment;
• Quality salon;
• Expensive finishing;
• High level of comfort;
• "Climatic installation";
• Hydraulic power steering;
• Various steering column and seat adjustments;
• Good soundproofing.

Cons of the car

• Large dimensions;
• Considerable consumption of gasoline;
• High cost due to small-scale production;
• The quality of the front panel plastic used leaves much to be desired;
• Inconvenient transmission tunnel.

Summing up

It is a pity, but the company could not find buyers for itself, so even small-scale production was stopped. Many officials today prefer eminent foreign cars rather than Soviet manufacturers. But despite all this, in its age, ZIL-41047 was one of the safest cars in many countries. The car has a good and pleasant appearance, a stylish front end and large dimensions.

An acceptable ride height allows the vehicle not to worry too much about the quality of the road surface. Once inside the car, at first you may get the feeling that you are in a foreign car and only the steering wheel emblem reminds you that this presidential limousine was built by the Likhachev plant.

By the way, the steering wheel received a hydraulic booster, which greatly facilitates the control of a bulky car, and the steering column can be adjusted to the preferences of any driver. Pleased with the presence of real wood and pleasant interior trim. It is also impossible not to notice comfortable and pleasant seats that have received various adjustments.

Inside, there is plenty of free space everywhere, especially on the second row. The doors are wide enough to make it easy to get in and out of the car. The luggage compartment also has a lot of usable volume. The technical side of the limousine received a powerful power plant, which allows such a large and heavy car to be dynamic.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the high degree of security, which was specifically aimed at the first persons of the state. For a long time there was simply no such car, as even special events were held where foreign experts tried to turn the limousine over, but they did not succeed. Thick metal and window armor made it possible to get out of the most difficult situations and save the lives of important passengers.

It is also important that on this platform a lot of various modifications of special machines were built, which were also often in motorcades or on special missions. Today, such machines can be found in the museum or in the garages of private collectors. Such a car will be remembered for a long time as a fast, comfortable, safe and prestigious limousine for government officials.

Video review

The name of Naum Eitingon until recently remained one of the most guarded secrets of the Soviet Union. This man was involved in events that influenced the course of world history.

The childhood of the legendary scout

Naum Eitingon was born on December 6, 1899, not far from Mogilev, in Belarus. His family was quite wealthy, his father, Isaac Eitingon, served as a clerk at a paper mill, and was a member of the board of the Shklov Savings and Loan Association. The mother raised the children, Naum had another brother and two sisters grew up. After graduating from the 7th grade of a commercial school, Eitingon got a job at the Mogilev city government, where he acted as an instructor in the statistics department. On the eve of the revolution of 1917, Naum becomes a member of the organization of the Left SRs. The leaders of this group staked on terrorist methods of struggle. The SR fighters had to be able to shoot well, understand mines and bombs, and also be in good physical shape. The militants used their knowledge and skills against the enemies of the party, among whom were the Bolsheviks.

1917 During the First World War, Mogilev was under the German occupiers, the city government was closed. Eitingon worked first at a concrete plant, then at a warehouse. In November 1918, the Germans left Mogilev and units of the Red Army entered the city. A new government has arrived. The idea of ​​a world revolution fascinated Naum Eitingon, and he joined the ranks of the Bolshevik Party. Soon he was able to prove himself - clashes began in the city between the White Guards and the Red Army, who had been factory workers yesterday. Only unlike them, Eitingon knew how to shoot, understood tactics and strategy - the Socialist-Revolutionary past affected. The rebellion was crushed, and the new authorities paid attention to the young man. Eitingon dreamed of serving the state.

At first, Eitingon was appointed a commissioner of the Gomel region, at the age of 19 he became a deputy of the Gomel Cheka. Nikolai Dolgopolov notes that Eitingon was a hard man. Dzerzhinsky liked this quality, and it is believed that Eitingon was summoned to Moscow at his suggestion.

In 1922, Eitingon was transferred to Moscow. He becomes an employee of the central apparatus of the OGPU, at the same time enters and studies at the eastern faculty of the Military Academy of the General Staff.

In Moscow, Eitingon met his future wife, Anna Shulman. In 1924, the couple's son, Vladimir, was born. But soon the young people broke up.

In 1925, after graduating, Naum Eitingon was enrolled in the staff of the foreign department of the OGPU - this department was engaged in collecting intelligence on the territory of foreign countries. In the autumn of 1925, Eitingon begins his first assignment. He leaves for China under a fictitious name - Leonid Naumov, this name he bore until 1940. In 1925, he meets Olga Zarubina, and the young couple realizes that they are perfect for each other. He adopts Zoya Zarubina, who will be grateful to him all her life.

The beginning of intelligence activities

In 1928, Chinese General Jang Zou Lin began secret negotiations with the Japanese. He wanted to create the Manchurian Republic on the border with Russia. Stalin only saw a threat in the negotiations. Eitingon received an order to destroy the general from Moscow. He prepared to blow up the train in which Zou Lin was riding. After returning to Moscow, Naum Eitingon was transferred to a special department of the OGPU - a department for especially important and top-secret assignments.

Spanish Civil War

In 1936, Eitingon leaves for another business trip. At the same time, a civil war began in Spain between the Republicans and Franco's pro-fascists. The USSR sent help to the Republicans, among whom was Naum Eitingon - he worked in Spain under the name of Leonid Kotov. He served as deputy head of the NKVD residence in Spain, and also led the Spanish partisans, for which the Spaniards respectfully spoke of him as "our general Kotov."

In the summer of 1938, the Spanish residency was headed by Naum Eitingon. The appointment coincided with a turning point in the course of the Spanish Civil War. The Francoists, with the combat support of parts of the German legion "Condor", occupied the capital of the Republicans, Barcelona. Nahum Eitingon had to urgently save the Republican government of Spain and members of the international brigades - and all this under the constant threat of attack from the Francoists and German saboteurs. Eitingon did the impossible - he helped to evacuate the Republicans, volunteers, Spanish gold, first to France, then to Mexico, where there was Spanish emigration.

Assassination of Leon Trotsky

Naum Eitingon returned to the USSR in 1939. At this time, the new People's Commissar of Internal Affairs, Lavrenty Beria, was getting rid of the supporters of his predecessor. Most of Eitingon's colleagues and acquaintances with whom he worked in Spain were arrested or shot. Almost all heads of the foreign department of the NKVD and about 70% of intelligence officers were repressed. Eitingon was also close to arrest. They wanted to charge him with "squandering" public funds and working for British intelligence. But instead of prison, the intelligence officer was given a new task - Eitingon was ordered to kill Leon Trotsky.

In 1929, Leon Trotsky left the USSR after losing to Stalin. Already abroad, he began to express his anti-Soviet views, spoke out against the five-year plan for the development of the economy, criticized the ideas of industrialization and the collectivization of agriculture. Trotsky predicted the defeat of the USSR in the war with Nazi Germany. Trotsky began to gather new supporters around him, including those abroad. Such vigorous activity of Trotsky irritated Stalin. And the leader decided to physically eliminate his political opponent.

After the arrest of the Siqueiros group, Naum Eitingon activated the second plan to eliminate Leon Trotsky. A lone killer entered the case; Eitingon chose Ramon Mercader for this role. This is a Spanish aristocrat recruited in 1937. In the winter of 1940, Mercader met Trotsky's personal secretary, Sylvia Agelov, under the personal influence of a wealthy playboy. Gallantry, manners of an aristocrat and wealth made the right impression on Sylvia. Ramon proposed to her and Sylvia agreed. So Mercader became a member of Trotsky's house as Sylvia's fiancé.

August 20, 1940 Ramon Mercader asked to evaluate his article for one of the newspapers. Together they went into the office, and when Trotsky bent over the papers, Mercader hit him on the head with a summer axe. Trotsky shouted, Trotsky's guards ran to the shout and started beating Mercader. Ramon's assailant was later handed over to the police. But the assassination attempt achieved its goal - the next day, Leon Trotsky died. Operation "duck" was successfully completed.

Activities during the Great Patriotic War

After the outbreak of the war, Naum Eitingon led the organization of the First Patriotic Special Forces detachments. On the basis of a special foreign intelligence group, a separate special-purpose motorized rifle brigade, OMSBON, was formed. In a short time, professional assassins and saboteurs were trained from scouts, athletes and members of foreign communist parties at the Dynamo stadium. They were prepared for being thrown into the rear of the Germans, to perform special tasks.

At first, in the rear of the Germans, because of the short time for preparation, poorly trained groups of saboteurs were thrown. Everyone knew about this - both the special forces soldiers and their teachers. Eitingon, as a professional, understood this, and before leaving, he invited the fighters to his home to give personal instructions and support them.

Despite the losses, the fighters of the special purpose brigade managed to complete most of the tasks assigned to them. Among the most high-profile victories is the kidnapping of the former Russian prince Lvov, who worked closely with the Nazis. He was taken by plane to Moscow and handed over to a military tribunal. Another high-profile operation - in the city of Rovno they kidnapped and destroyed Major General of the German army Igen.

Having completed the formation of a special forces brigade, Eitingon returned to his direct duties - collecting intelligence and carrying out targeted sabotage. The new task is the organization of sabotage in the Turkish Dardanelles. Eitingon's group included six people - experts in the field of explosives and radio operators. They settled in Turkey, under the guise of emigrants, and Naum Isaakovich arrived in Istanbul as the consul of the USSR Leonid Naumov. Muza Malinovskaya acted as his wife. Muse Malinovskaya is a famous "seven thousandth", a woman who jumped with a parachute from a height of 7 thousand meters. She made more than a hundred jumps, was a first-class radio operator. Muse Malinovskaya conquered Eitingon, after returning to Moscow they will begin to live together. In 1943, the couple had a son, Leonid, in 1946, a daughter, Muza.

On the morning of February 24, 1942, Ambassador Franz von Pappen and his wife were walking along Atatürk Boulevard in Ankara. Suddenly, an explosive device went off in the hands of a stranger. The terrorist died, the police decided that the deceased was a Soviet agent. Historians of the special services name Naum Eitingon as the organizer of the assassination attempt on Franz von Pappen. But there is no exact evidence, the archives are closed. It is known that six months later, Eitingon left Turkey, and in Moscow he received a promotion - he became deputy head of the 4th department of the NKVD.

In the new position of one of the leaders of the sabotage department, Eitingon was to organize the largest counterintelligence operation of the Great Patriotic War.

In the summer of 1944, east of Minsk, Soviet troops surrounded a 100,000-strong group of Germans. In Moscow, the idea arose to hold a "radio game" with the German Abwehr. It was decided to plant a legend to the Wehrmacht high command that a large German military unit was hiding in the Belarusian forests. This part is experiencing a shortage of weapons, food and medicine. Having deceived the Germans, the Soviet counterintelligence intended to inflict significant material damage on them. On August 18, disinformation was sent to the Germans by radio, and the Nazis believed in the existence of such a military unit.

The first German paratroopers arrived in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bLake Peschanoe, they were caught and included in the radio game. The main goal of Operation Berezino is to catch as many enemy saboteurs as possible. German planes regularly dropped money, weapons, medicines, campaign leaflets. On December 21, 1944, at the Berezino site, Soviet intelligence officers captured a group of six people - saboteurs from the personal team of Otto Skorzeny. Eitingon, during the operation, joined with the most famous saboteur of the Third Reich - and won this confrontation. Until the end of the war, Skorzeny believed in the existence of a German unit wandering in the Belarusian forests. Eitingon proved to be a brilliant counterintelligence officer.

A string of arrests

After the war, Naum Eitingon received another military rank of major general. About what he did for the next six years, his biography says briefly - he was engaged in the liquidation of Polish, Lithuanian and Uyghur nationalist formations.

A new era has begun, the “thaw”. The post of leader was taken by Nikita Khrushchev, who hated Stalin, Beria (who was shot) and everything connected with them. Eitingon was again under attack, because Beria freed him. In the summer of 1953, he was arrested as a member of the Beria conspiracy, allegedly to destroy the Soviet government. Eitingon was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The legendary scout was imprisoned in the Vladimir Central, Evgenia Alliluyeva, Konstantin Ordzhonikidze, Pavel Sudoplatov were in the neighboring cells.

In prison, a stomach ulcer worsened, Eitingon almost died. But the prison doctors performed an operation and saved Eitingon.

Naum Eitingon was released on March 20, 1964. Released from prison, deprived of awards and military rank. Requests for rehabilitation went unheeded. But his authority among colleagues remained very high, his merits were known and remembered. Thanks to the patronage of the KGB, Eitingon received a Moscow residence permit and an editorial position at the International Relations publishing house.

The legendary scout was rehabilitated only in 1992, 11 years after his death. "The last knight of Soviet intelligence" liked to repeat - "do what you must, and come what may."