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Armory
MAZ-537 VI-202 type wheels correction set
Armory 1:35 Set #AC 3501
Review by Terry Ashley

TrumpeterTrumpeter
The Set:

Armory from the Ukraine have released this set of resin replacement wheels for the MAZ-537G Tractor designed for the two Trumpeter kits of the MAZ-537G Intermediate type (kit #00211) and MAZ-537G Late Production type (kit #00212).

The wheel rim/hub and tyres in the set are more applicable to the Late Production MAZ more than the Intermediate type but you could use the wheels on a later Intermediate, if that makes sense?

This set consists of the 17 parts cast in a light cream resin with the standard of resin casdting being good overall but there are a few small (and occasional larger) air hole to be filled but there is vertually no other cleanup needed. The remnants of the tyre tread casting scar can be positioned at the ground contact to hide any blemishes remaining.

8 Tractor wheels and 1 spare plus 8 wheel hubs
Armory
Close-up of the wheel parts
Armory

The wheel dimensions match those in the Tankograd MAZ-537 book 1:35 plans in both the overall diameter (give or take a fraction) and the wheel rim/hub size. The width if the tyre is fractionally on the narrow side but so minor it wouldn't be noticed in most situations and the tread pattern matches nicely to the inter/late style tread pattern.

The tyre sections have very fine sidewall embossing on one side which you can actually read with a magnifier and the tread pattern has nice deep definition with just the occasional bit of excess resin to clean out from between the tread chunks. The side tread chevrons extend around the shoulder onto the wheel sidewalls but there is an issue with the number of chevrons on the wheels.

The actual Intermediate/Late wheels have 22 shoulder tread chevrons but the resin wheels only have 19 chevrons which means they are spaced at more than they should be, but that's something you may not even notice when the wheels are all fitted.

As mentioned the wheel rims represent the later style with smooth outer rims while the earlier type has ridges around the rim as depicted on the Trumpeter kit rims. The central hub is the correct diameter and extends out from the rim the correct distance but there are some smaller details missing from the hub. There should be three small rivets located around the central 'star' on the hub as well as a larger grease nipple on the outer edge of the hub, see the images below of the real wheels.

Main Tractor wheel details, the outer diameter and the wheel hub is correctly sized
but there are only 19 shoulder tread chevrons when there should be 22.
Also note no sidewall embossing on the inside of the tyre.

Armory
Image of real wheels showing the central hub size, note different outer rim details
on the wheels with those on the left representing the resin wheels in this set.
Also note only 22 tread chevrons around the shoulder which is applicable to the Intermetiate and late
wheels while the Armory wheels only have 19 chevrons.

Tank Workshop

The inner rim/hub is designed to fit inside the outer tyre section and on some of the wheels there was a bit of a gap between the rim and tyre while others had a more snug fit. Any gaps should be able to be filled with thicker cyanoacrylate during assembly, see the images above for examples of the different gaps around the rims.

There is no inner rim provided for the spare wheel and as there is no inner tyre detail either this looks rather plain if added to the model as it comes. Unfortunately you can't use the spare rim from the Trumpeter kits as these have the rim with outer ridges and not the correct smooth outer rim for the Late Production kit.

There is another issue with the wheel/tread pattern that again may not be an issue as it's not really noticeable unless you are are the observant type. The actual MAZ wheels have handed tread patterns, that is the tread chevrons face the same direction on both the left and right wheels when viewed from the front or from behind.

If you fit the resin wheels with the sidewall embossing facing out on both sides of the kit the tread pattern will not be handed as it should, (see left image below).

If you want the tread pattern on your kit to be correctly handed you will have to fit the wheels with the sidewall embossing on the outside of the right wheels and on the inside of the left wheels, which is probably not a big deal and I simply mention this for those that want to know. (see right image below)

Note the left and right sides are usually taken from when you are standing next to the vehicle looking forward, not standing in front looking back, this applies to all vehicles, tanks included when the left and right sides are mentioned.

Tread pattern is not handed correcly if you fit the wheels with the sidewall embossing
facing out on both the left and rigth sides of the kit.
When handed correctly the outer tread chevron should curve downward on both sides
when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

Armory

Fitting the resin wheels to the kits is very straightforward as the resin hubs have locating recesses that fit directly onto the kit wheel mounting plates (parts D20, D53) without any alterations required.

Conclusion:

Overall this is a nice set of later pattern wheels and tyres to update the incorrect wheels in the Trumpeter Late Production kit. The standard of casting is good although there were a few minor blemishes such as some air holes and a bit of excess resin but nothing dramatic.

A couple of the issues are easily fixed such as adding the small wheel hub details missing and positing the wheels for the correctly handed tread pattern but the incorrect number of shoulder tread chevrons is something you will have to live with as there is little you can do to fix this.

But despite these issues this set offers nice improvements over the kit wheels not least giving you the correct style rims for the Late Production kit.

Recommended

References:
Soviet Tank-Transporter and Heavy-Duty Truck MAZ-535 and MAZ-537
Tankograd Special No.02
book
Soviet Tank-Transporter and Heavy-Duty Truck MAZ-535 and MAZ-537
Tankograd Special No.2004
book
Soviet Tank-Transporter
MAZ-535G with MAZ/ChMZAP-
524G Semitrailer

Tankograd Special No.2005
book

Thanks to Armory for the review set.




Page created October 1, 2009