View source for Star 266

{{Short description|Polish 6x6 truck}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Star 266
| image = STAR 266.jpg
| manufacturer = [[FSC Star]]
| production = 1973 - 2000
| assembly = [[Poland]]
| predecessor = [[Star 660]]
| successor = [[Star 1466]]
| class = 6x6 Truck
| engine = [[STAR 359/359M]] 6-cylinder diesel 150 hp
| transmission = S5-45 5-speed
| weight = 7.35 tonnes
| related = [[Star 200]], [[Star 244]]
| sp = us
| width = 2500 mm
| length = 6820 mm
| height = 2660 mm - 3155 mm
}}

The '''Star 266''' is a Polish 6x6 truck designed for transport of cargo and personnel. Created by [[Starachowice]]-based [[FSC Star]], it was the basic transport truck used by the [[Polish Army]]. It was also available to the civilian market. A successor to the highly successful [[Star 660]] series of trucks, the Star 266 shared many components with earlier models, including [[Star 200]] and [[Star 244]] multi-purpose medium-capacity trucks.

The truck could transport up to 3500 [[kilogram]]s (7716 lbs) cross-country and up to 5000&nbsp;kg (11023 lbs) on paved roads. It could also tow trailers of up to 4000&nbsp;kg (8818 lbs). As a truck designed primarily with military service in mind, it can ford rivers and mud of between 120 and 180 [[centimetre]]s of depth. It was initially equipped with a 6-cylinder [[S359]] diesel engine (6842&nbsp;cm³, 150 [[horsepower|HP]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Surgiel |first=Maciej |date=2022-07-13 |title=STAR 266 - Legenda STARa |url=https://legendastara.pl/star-266/ |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=legendastara.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref>

The design works started in 1968. The following year the first prototypes were ready. Between 1970 and 1973 the vehicle was prepared to enter serial production which it did in 1973. It remained in production until 2000, when it was replaced by [[Star 1466]].

==Usage==

[[File:Star266 Wersja Paryz-Dakar.jpg|thumb|left|One of the two Star 266 trucks used for the [[1988 Dakar Rally]] in Nature and Technology Museum in [[Starachowice]].]]

Star 266 was first all adopted as a basic military tactical truck, but was also used as civilian truck, especially for services needing high mobility, like a mobile workshop for energetics. It also served as a basis for several civilian vehicles including [[fire engine]]s and [[truck-mounted crane]]s. Fire Engines and Energetic Services still use this truck because of its durability and ease of repairs in poor weather and terrain conditions.

Two specially modified Star 266 trucks took part in the [[1988 Dakar Rally]]. One crew included Tomasz Sikora and Jerzy Franek, the second crew consisted of Jerzy Mazur and Julian Obornicki. Both trucks reached the finish line in [[Senegal]] but they went over the delay limit and were therefore disqualified.<ref name="STAR & JELCZ w rajdzie DAKAR">[http://www.wagaciezka.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=5635&sid=a2e82e9cb69b6f52de86e6a5da8dc1c8 STAR & JELCZ w rajdzie DAKAR]</ref> One of the trucks is currently in ''Muzeum Przyrody i Techniki'' (Nature and Technology Museum) in [[Starachowice]], the hometown of the truck.
[[File:Star 266 d.jpg|thumb|Fire Engine used by Volunteer Fire Brigade. Somewhere in the 70's or 80's]][[File:Star 266M Wroclaw.jpg|thumb|Modernised Star 228M during Wroclaw flood of 2010]]
Star 266 is a basic medium-capacity transport vehicle of the [[Polish Armed Forces]] and as such is used for a number of different tasks. Polish Army also uses the modernized variant of Star 266 known as Star 266M. Star 266 also served as basis for a number of different vehicles including CD-5 tanker trucks which are used for transport of liquid fuel by supply platoons of tank and mechanized battalions, GD-2 smokescreen generation vehicles, truck-mounted cranes, [[excavator]]s, WUS-3 and IRS special vehicles used for disinfection and chemical recon, deactivation and decontamination of vehicles, terrain, equipment and buildings, ADK-11 command vehicles as well as Star-266 AP-64 and Star-266 BP-64 special transport vehicles used for transporting the elements of the [[PP-64 Wstęga]] [[pontoon bridge]].<ref name="Militarium.net" /><ref name="softland" /><ref name="Vademecum Militarne" />

==Variants==
[[File:Hibneryt 453 5180.jpg|thumb|right|Hibneryt self-propelled anti-aircraft gun on a firing position.]]
[[File:Adk-11.jpg|thumb|right|ADK-11 command and staff vehicle with a [[KUNG]] shelter of the Polish Land Forces during MSPO 2006.]]

* '''Star 266''' - standard production model.
** '''Star 266M''' - modernized 266.
** '''Star 266''' based military truck-mounted crane with 5 tonnes capacity.
** '''Star 266''' based military excavator.
** '''GD-2''' - military smokescreen generation vehicle used for creating constant or temporary smokescreens with maximal dimensions of 1500x150 m. Also known as '''typ 528'''.<ref name="Militarium.net">[http://www.militarium.net/viewart.php?aid=179 Militarium.net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612162636/http://www.militarium.net/viewart.php?aid=179 |date=2010-06-12 }}</ref><ref name="Vademecum Militarne">[http://www.vm.aganet.pl/readarticle.php?article_id=88 Vademecum Militarne]</ref>
** '''CD-5''' - military tank truck used for transport of liquid fuel by supply platoons of tank and mechanized battalions. It's equipped with a 4500-liter tank and a pump. Also known as '''typ 520'''.<ref name="Militarium.net"/><ref name="softland">[http://softland.com.pl/aerojac/aaa/star266/star266.htm softland]</ref><ref name="Vademecum Militarne"/>
** '''[[Hibneryt]]''' - The Hibneryt is a Polish armored radar-directed [[self-propelled anti-aircraft gun]] system mounted on the Star 266 chassis.
** '''WUS-3''' - military special vehicle used for disinfection, deactivation and decontamination of vehicles, terrain, equipment and buildings.<ref name="Militarium.net"/><ref name="softland"/><ref name="Vademecum Militarne"/>
** '''IRS''' (IRS stands for ''Instalacja Sanitarno-Rozlewcza'') - military special vehicle used for disinfection, deactivation and decontamination of vehicles, terrain, equipment and buildings.<ref name="Militarium.net"/><ref name="softland"/><ref name="Vademecum Militarne"/>
** '''ADK-11''' - military command and staff vehicle used as a part of the Topaz artillery fire direction system.<ref name="Militarium.net"/><ref name="Vademecum Militarne"/>
** '''Star-266 AP-64''' - military special transport vehicle used for transporting the elements of the PP-64 Wstęga pontoon bridge.<ref name="Militarium.net"/><ref name="softland"/><ref name="Vademecum Militarne"/>
** '''Star-266 BP-64''' - military special transport vehicle used for transporting riverbank side pontoons of the PP-64 Wstęga pontoon bridge. Has an enlarged cabin with space for up to four soldiers.<ref name="Militarium.net"/><ref name="softland"/><ref name="Vademecum Militarne"/>

== Military operators ==
'''Current'''
* {{Flag|Poland}}: [[Polish Army]] – Produced and Used here.

* {{Flag|Angola}}: [[Angolan Armed Forces]] – 2785 (delivered between 1977 and 1981)<ref name=mod1>Brach, Jarosław (in Polish). ''Star 266 - projekty modernizacji. Część I'' in: „Nowa Technika Wojskowa” Nr. 4/2018, p. 49-50</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kij |first=Michał |date=2023-07-05 |title=Star 266. Najlepsza polska ciężarówka ma 50 lat |url=https://fleetlog.pl/warto-przeczytac/star-266-ma-50-lat/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=FleetLOG |language=pl-PL}}</ref>

* {{Flag|Myanmar}}: [[Tatmadaw|Burmese Armed Forces]] – 106 (1990)<ref name=mod1/>

* {{Flag|Hungary}}: [[Military of Hungary|Hungarian Defence Force]] – 174 (1986–1989)<ref name=mod1/> Given or Sold in terms of Technological exchange.

* {{Flag|Lithuania}}: [[Lithuanian Army]] – some Star 266 were donated by Poland<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.militis.pl/armie-owiata/sily-zbrojne-litwy-lotwy-i-estonii|title=Archiwa: Militaria}}</ref>

* {{Flag|Iraq}}: [[New Iraqi Army]] – Status unknown

* {{Flag|Yemen}}: [[Military of Yemen]] – 400 (1999–2000)<ref name=mod1/>

* {{Flag|Libya}}: [[Libyan Army (1951–2011)|Libyan Army]] – 650 (1986)<ref name=mod1/><ref name=":0" />

* {{Flag|Soviet Union}}: [[Soviet Army]] – 394 (1987–1989)<ref name=mod1/> Given to USSR by Polish Military in terms of technological exchange.

* {{Flag|RSA}}: [[South African Army]] – captured in Angola<ref name=mod1/>

* {{Flag|Ukraine}}: [[Ukrainian Ground Forces]] – donated after the 2022 [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-ukrainian.html|title=Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oryx |title=The Kielbasa Connection: Polish Military Aid To Ukraine |url=https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/08/the-kielbasa-connection-polish-military.html |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=Oryx}}</ref>
'''Former''' 
* {{flag|People's Republic of Angola|1975}} <ref name=":0" /> 

* {{flag|Hungarian People's Republic|1949}} <ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Banach |first=Michał |date=2021-02-20 |title=Star 266 - następca Starów 66 i 660 |url=https://www.smartage.pl/star-266-nastepca-starow-66-i-660/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=SmartAge.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref>  

* {{flag|Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya|1977}}<ref name=":1" />

* {{flag|Polish People's Republic|1952}}

* {{flagicon|Union of Burma}} [[State Peace and Development Council]] – (Union of Burma/Myanmar)

* {{flag|South Africa|1982}}<ref name=":1" />

==References==

{{commons category|Star 266}}

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Trucks]]
[[Category:Military vehicles introduced in the 1970s]]
[[Category:Cab over vehicles]]
[[Category:FSC Star vehicles]]
[[Category:Off-road vehicles]]