1/43 MAZ-200 Family

Egi vandor · January 17, 2019

First, a little history
The history of the MAZ-200 began in 1943, when the constructors of Yaroslavl Automobile Plant (Yaroslavlskiy Avtomobilniy Zavod - YaAZ) began to design a unified two-axle and three-axle truck family. They were to become the first Soviet diesel trucks, produced in series. Before the war YaAZ was preparing to begin production of diesel engines of their own design and equip with them trucks of the new YaG-7 family, but war prevented these plans. During the war, a batch of GMC 4-71 diesel engines was delivered under the Lend-Lease, which were installed on artillery towers Ya-12, which were produced in Yaroslavl. According to the results of the operation of American engines, it was decided to license the production of the GMC engine family in USSR, and GMC was to supply and install equipment for the plant and train personnel. However, the outbreak of the Cold War did not allow these plans to be implemented, and only production of GMC 4-71 and 6-71 engines, designated YaAZ-204 and YaAZ-206, respectively, was managed. However, this was later, as long as in 1944 the first prototypes of a YaAZ-200 truck with a load capacity of 7 tons were built. They were equipped with a cabin and fenders from the 1940 Mack L

Serial production began in 1947. Serial machines received a wooden cabin - the metallurgical industry could not provide a sufficient amount of sheet metal. In addition to the flatbed truck, the YaAZ-205 dump truck and the YaAZ-200V truck tractor were developed.
As soon as the first serial YAZ-200 came off the assembly line, it was decided to transfer the production of two-axle trucks to Minsk to enable the Yaroslavl plant to focus on the production of three-axle trucks of the YaAZ-210 family. The assembly of the vital for the war-torn country dump trucks from Yaroslavl vehicle sets began in 1947, when the construction of the Minsk Automobile Plant (Minskiy Avtomobilniy Zavod – MAZ) was not yet complete. Minsk trucks differed from their Yaroslavl ancestors by a grille with vertical rods instead of horizontal ones, and the Yaroslavl bear mascot on the hood was changed to bas-reliefs in the form of bison on the sidewalls of the hood. Since 1949, on the basis of the chassis of the dump truck, the MAZ-205A truck tractor was produced. Soon, the truck cab received a metal trim.
In late 1950, when the second conveyor was launched, the production of the onboard MAZ-200 began, after which the assembly of the YaAZ-200 in Yaroslavl was discontinued. The production of MAZ-200V tractors also began, which made it possible to finish the production of the «ersatz» MAZ-205A.

Throughout the 1950s, the MAZ-200 were the most numerous heavy vehicles in the USSR. The production volumes of the three-axle YaAZ-210 family, and then the YaAZ-219 remained relatively small, imported Skoda-706R and later 706RT were also supplied in small quantities. Surely, MAZs of the 200th family helped to restore the industry destroyed by the war and participated in all great buildings of the 50s. Of course, the MAZ-200 had a lot of flaws. The two-stroke diesel engine was voracious, noisy, was prone to uncontrolled growth of power followed by self-destruction, and its power even after modernization remained insufficient. Therefore, MAZ was rather slow, especially if its load exceeded the passport, (it was the rule rather than the exception). The cabin was very cold due to the lack of a heater; therefore, in the northern regions, a stove was often installed, which was heated with wood, or the cabin heating by exhaust system was made. Only a physically strong person could work on the MAZ-200 - not everyone could turn the steering wheel. However, in spite of everything, MAZs honestly worked throughout the 50s, 60s, and many in the 70s and even the 80s.

In 1958, the first prototypes of the new cabover MAZ-500 family were built in Minsk. Road of MAZ-500 to the conveyor was long and winding, and only in 1961 the first pilot batch was assembled for state tests. Therefore, the plant continued to produce the good old MAZ-200. However, the new six-cylinder V-shaped four-cycle diesel engine YaMZ-236, designed for the MAZ-500, was already in serial production, which made it possible to modernize the MAZ-200. Since 1961, about half of the produced trucks and tractors have received a new engine and a new designation, MAZ-200P and MAZ-200M, respectively. Since 1963, in parallel with the MAZ-200, the MAZ-500 began to descend from the main conveyor, and at the end of 1965, the production of the MAZ-200 was discontinued.

On the photo my MAZ-200 models. They are from SSM (two tractors), AIST (yellow Aeroflot TZ-200), ALG magazine serie and three built from AVD kits. In fact, all they are from the same manufacturer: SSM is top brand, AIST is simpler and cheaper, ALG is more simplified for DeAgostini magazine and AVD is for those, who wants to build his own model as he likes. I also added MAZ-504 - a member on new MAZ-500 family.

Edited January 17, 2019 by Egi vandor

Egi vandor · January 17, 2019

Now about current build.

MAZ-200M was produced from 1961 to 1965. It was a combination of MAZ-200V chassis with YaMZ-236 direct injection 11,150 cc (680 cu in) V6 diesel engine with 180 PS (132 kW) at 2100 rpm, that was developed for new cabover MAZ-500 truck. When new engine became available in significant numbers, MAZ-200P (perehodniy - transitional) and MAZ-200M tractor were produced. It was planed, that they will be only temporal decision, and serial production of MAZ-500 will begin soon. But numerous revisions and improvementstook too much time, and only in 1963 MAZ-500 appeared on conveyor, so MAZ-200M was in production until 1965.

Visually MAZ-200M could be distinguished from very late production MAZ-200V only by incline of steering column: if steering wheel on 200's with YaAZ-204 engine was almost vertical, on V6 equiped ones it was nearly horizontal.

Of course it would be easier to built MAZ-200M from kit, but AVD announced MAZ-200V with different semitrailers only for 2019, so i bought AIST MAZ-200V and disassembled it.

While SSM/AIST model represents late-mid production MAZ-200V, some conversion work was made.

Trapezial steps with battery boxes were cut off and changed on rectangular with instrument box on right one from MAZ-200 kit. They will later be used to build MAZ-200G army truck.