Tat you beat me to it on posting this announcement.

An interesting quasi "non-military" use of Trumpeter's great MAZ 8x8 Scud chassis. Also available are several conversion possibilities with this prototype for both the smaller and large variants of this fire fighting vehicle.

I was thinking you'd be the first interested on this

The following comment IS and IS NOT on topic: Trumpeter has now blessed us with a number of variants of this well done and beautifully detailed MAZ 8x8 chassis: Coastal Battery, Missile Launcher(s), Radar Unit and now this latest offering, the Fire Truck. And I am sure there will be even more versions coming in the very near future - which is a good thing! However at the same time Trumpeter has yet to upgrade their lowly MAZ-537 (3 versions - early & late semi-tractors plus an airport tug) even though the 537 semi-tractor, in reality uses THE EXACT SAME CHASSIS AND DRIVELINE as the Fire Truck. ** (Engine placement and radiators are different yes, but everything else is the same.) Unfortunately the driveline in the older model semi-tractors, as provided in the kit, is downright WRONG and very poorly modeled. Sadly this incorrect and poorly detailed driveline is quite visible due to the vehicle being an open frame semi-tractor with fifth wheel. Personally I would suggest pulling the very nice, AND CORRECT drive line out of this fire truck and should you possibly have an old 537 tractor languishing in your stash somewhere, apply it there! And take the abomination of a driveline you will have left over from the your old 537 semi and HIDE IT here, totally out of sight, in this fire truck under that huge water tank! Problem solved! "Don't mince words Jim, what do you really feel?" - Doctor Leonard McCoy; Chief Medical Officer; USS Enterprise - NCC 1701 ** Unfortunately it would appear the much newer KZKT tractor suffers the same driveline faults having been built on the old molds of the 537 with the simple addition of a new cab.

More info on MAZ-537 and the correct driveline for all these vehicle can be found at: LINK

Front of vehicle is to upper right.

That sure was a lot of info on a cool vehicle that I personally will doubtlessly never get around to. Still, what an interesting use of existing parts.

...And a truly kickass firetruck!