Detail photo showing rear fender arrangement on the forward 537E series tractor.





Trailer shown here is a missile fueling trailer just like the one seen in the distance on the far right..

(Photos above by Simon Bucan)

Click here to be transferred to Mr. Bucan's beautiful online portfolio of photography:

http://www.brajdo.com/blog/

More details on the E series forward Pull Tractor:

Best photo found to-date of left side of rear pusher tractor. This photo serves to illustrate both the E series as well as the F/A. However in the E series used for missile transport the fifth wheel mounting point is moved further to the rear to give additional clearence for the massive trailer gooseneck:

Anyone have an idea what the device stowed on the bottom running board step might be???

And here I foolishly thought the MAZ-537E and F/A missile transport combo was the biggest thing the Russians ever fielded - WRONG!





(Two Photos Above by DownHouse)



(Photo Above by RCforum.ru)

Other applications for the 537E:

VERY interessting photos here of a "Civilian" Topol Mobile Missile Launcher! WOW!

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/221692

Very classy looking!

Progressing build log on the new 1/72nd scale Topol mobile missile launcher from Zvezda at:

http://armorama.com/forums/220992

Another found internet photo of the active drive missile transporter inserting a ICBM into a silo:


Sorry the photo is not larger. I would very much like to view the many details under the trailer.

I just LUV these Soviet trucks!


Thanks for sharing guys!






Jeff

Detail photos of the generator deck on the MAZ-537E.

Close up of the connection fittings on the pusher strut. Both the front and rear tractors are equipped with aux generators and supply electrical power to the active drive trailer.




(Bottom photo by Simon Bucan)

Click here to be transferred to Mr. Bucan's beautiful online portfolio of photography:

http://www.brajdo.com/blog/

. . . and the receiver on the rear of the transport trailer:

Strut suspension equipment on the front of the pusher truck:

Finally getting started on this build - will try to keep it moving through the Holidays but I think I am off to a good start.

Wanted to do at least a rudimentary but correct drive line for this MAZ build. Not really sure how much will show once the generator deck is installed.


Number #1 and #2 axles with final drive gearbox installed.


Number #3 and #4 axles, final drive gearbox and transfer case with top mounted PTO.

Here is my simplified transmission and transfer case for this MAZ. There is a lot of bolt and cable/hose detail missing. I may be adding this detail back in later if parts of this mechanism show more than I suspect after construction of the load box and the generator deck.



If you should want to see a more fully detailed MAZ Transmission and Transfer Case on a fifth wheel semi-tractor check out the Armorama thread at:
http://armorama.com/forums/218845&ord=&page=2

looks good so far...

Graphic of correct driveline for this vehicle:

One easy piece of detail I like to add is a rubber floor mat to the cab. The Russians use every excuse to add additional insulation to the crew compartments of their vehicles so I doubt any MAZ-537 (except the one offered here by Trumpeter) is ever delivered without one.



I use a textured Evergreen Plastics product: #4031 Scribed Clapboard Sheeting w/.030" spacing. Just cut an appropriately sized rectangle and score the back side of the sheet to allow for the upward bend in the flooring where the floorboard meets the kickboard.

The finished effect can be seen below:

Note the extra cutouts I make in the engine pan area shown in the floor board photo above. I feel this creates a more realistic arrangement in the vehicle overall and leaves the option open for adding a full engine at a later date.

I bypassed the suspension and steering on the MAZ earlier so now I will take a small step backwards to show the stock suspension and how I altered it to allow for the front steering.

Steering the MAZ:
Posing the front wheels at an angle.




These are the CV (Constant Velocity) steering hubs on the front two axles. In the photo above we are looking straight down on the hubs from above. The hub on the left hand side has been modified. By grinding a small slant into either the front or rear edge of the hub you can reposition the wheels one way or the other to give the appearance of a steerable front end.

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Please Note: After watching a number of YouTube videos is was clear to me that on the MAZ the front axles steers at a sharper angle compared to the second axle. Therefore the front most axle has been posed accordingly.

Another detail missing from the Trumpeter kit would be the reenforcing brackets behind the front bumper.

I went to work building these for both my MAZ vehicles: