# PZInż 222

The PZInż 222 was a prototype Polish armored personnel carrier (APC) developed in the late 1930s by Państwowe Zakłady Inżynieryjne (PZInż) as part of Poland’s efforts to modernize its military. Designed to provide mobility and protection for infantry units, the vehicle featured a fully enclosed, armored body mounted on a 6×4 chassis, offering increased survivability on the battlefield.
Intended for use by the Polish Army, the PZInż 222 was equipped with a machine gun for self-defense and had the capacity to transport troops under armored protection. However, due to the outbreak of World War II and the rapid invasion of Poland in 1939, the project did not advance beyond the prototype stage, and no mass production occurred.
Although the PZInż 222 was never deployed in combat, it represented an early attempt at mechanized infantry transport in Poland and contributed to later armored vehicle designs.

## History

In 1938, in the PZInż. Studies Office, engineer Edward Habich developed a project for a light, half-tracked armored personnel carrier. The new vehicle was to be created using elements of the Polski Fiat 618 car. A prototype designated as PZInż 222 was built based on the project. At the end of 1938, it was subjected to laboratory and field tests, which the vehicle passed positively. Production was planned to begin in mid-1939.
The basic version of the PZInż 222 vehicle was a half-tracked infantry carrier. There were also plans to create vehicles in specialized versions - e.g. a reconnaissance vehicle, a telephone vehicle and an artillery tractor (for towing light guns and Goertz's listening devices).
It is estimated that by the beginning of the war, in addition to the prototype, 12 basic version of the carriers had been produced. In the summer of 1939, these vehicles were undergoing final tests in the 10th Cavalry Brigade and it is likely that this unit used them during the September Campaign.

## Design

The vehicle design was based on the Polski Fiat 618 semi-truck. This was possible thanks to the extensive unification of components with the mass-produced semi-truck. The main differences were the use of a crawler bogie, and thus moving the rear axle forward. The vehicle was equipped with a PZInż. 357 (Polski Fiat 118A) carbureted, 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine placed in the front, a gearbox with four forward gears (3 and 4 synchronized) and one reverse, and a reduction gear for off-road driving. Dry, single-disc clutch. The structure was made of steel, covered with a tarpaulin cover stretched on a folding frame. The PZInż. 222 had an automatic axle locking mechanism that was activated when the rotational speeds of the right and left wheels had too much difference. Properly selected reduction ratios and main gear ratios meant that the transporter could overcome 49° slopes with a full load. The drive was transmitted to single-comb pin tracks with rubber cushions. This type of track was designed specifically for this model and proved to be a very successful design; during tests after covering 13,000 km, the tracks wore out only to a small extent. PZInż. used Polish Stomil 7.50 x 20" tires.
PZInż. 222 had suspension on semi-elliptical leaf springs arranged longitudinally, and hydraulic arm shock absorbers. Drum main brakes on the front wheels and the wheels driving the tracks. The handbrake, mechanical, operated on the drive shaft. The PZInż. 222 transporter had a load capacity in off-road conditions of 1150 kg and could pull a trailer weighing up to 1000 kg.
The vehicle had a complete 12V electrical installation, powered by a 100W generator, a 60Ah battery.