The MAZ-7410 is a series tractor unit of the Minsk Automobile Plant, a four-axle all-wheel-drive machine of high cross-country ability with two steered front axles and two separate cabs. It was designed from 1970 to replace the MAZ-537 and MAZ-543 and became the basis of the Oplot family of heavy transport trains.
MAZ-7410 at a glance
| Maker | Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ), Belarus |
|---|---|
| Design work began | 1970, in the SKB-1 design office |
| Prototypes | six machines of five basic types, built 1973–1974 |
| State trials | 1974–1975 at the 21st research institute |
| Family name | Oplot |
| Layout | 8×8 tractor unit, two steered front axles |
| Cabs | two separate cabs, the driver in the left one |
| Airport refueller | ATZ-60-8685 with a 60,000 litre tanker on a ChMZAP-8685 semi-trailer |
| Powered semi-trailer | MAZ-7410-9989 Oplot-B with the MAZ-9989 |
| Heavy tractors | MAZ-74101 Oplot-T for trains of up to 93.3 tonnes |
| Radar tractor | MAZ-74106 for the 64N6 radar of the S-300 |
The MAZ-7410 is covered only by the Russian Wikipedia article, which is short and based on Yevgeny Kochnev’s books on Soviet Army vehicles; this page is based on that one source.
History of the MAZ-7410
Designing a replacement
Design of a special tractor unit to replace the MAZ-537 and MAZ-543 began in 1970 at the SKB-1 office of the Minsk Automobile Plant. The first six prototypes of the five basic machines of the Oplot family were assembled in 1973 and 1974 and went through state acceptance trials at the 21st research institute during 1974 and 1975.
Construction
The MAZ-7410 is a four-axle frame tractor unit with all-wheel drive and a diesel engine, made for high cross-country ability, with two steered front axles and two separate cabs; the driver’s position is in the left cab.
With tankers and tanks
One of its jobs was the ATZ-60-8685 airfield refueller, a train of the MAZ-7410 tractor and a 60,000 litre tank for aviation fuel on a ChMZAP-8685 semi-trailer. The MAZ-7410-9989 Oplot-B paired the tractor with the MAZ-9989 powered semi-trailer, whose four single driven wheels had a hydrostatic drive system; on that base an experimental ATZ-30-9989 airfield refueller was built with a 30 m³ tank and refuelling equipment.
Oplot-T and the radar tractor
The MAZ-74101 Oplot-T was a tractor on a short-wheelbase chassis with a permitted load on the coupling of 23 tonnes, for semi-trailer systems of up to 70 tonnes and trains weighing up to 93.3 tonnes on hard roads. Its standard semi-trailers were the low-bed MAZ-796, MAZ-5247G and MAZ-9990 for tanks and other heavy armoured vehicles of up to 52 tonnes, and it had a third cab on the right for the crew. The MAZ-74102 was an experimental tractor with a single left-hand cab. The ATZ-90-8685c refueller combined the MAZ-74103 tractor with two articulated tanks on ChMZAP-8685 semi-trailers. The MAZ-74106 was used to tow the antenna post of the 64N6 radar of the S-300PS and S-300PM systems.
Design and features
- Oplot family: a new generation of heavy tractors designed from 1970 to replace the MAZ-537 and MAZ-543.
- Two cabs: the driver sat in the left cab, and the MAZ-74101 added a third cab on the right for the crew.
- Powered trailer: the MAZ-9989 semi-trailer drove its own four wheels hydrostatically.
- Heavy trains: the MAZ-74101 took trains of up to 93.3 tonnes and tanks of up to 52 tonnes.
- Radar work: the MAZ-74106 towed the antenna post of the S-300’s 64N6 radar.
MAZ-7410 versions
- MAZ-7410: the base series tractor unit.
- MAZ-7410-9989 Oplot-B: train with the powered MAZ-9989 semi-trailer.
- MAZ-74101 Oplot-T: short-wheelbase tractor for trains of up to 93.3 tonnes, with a third cab.
- MAZ-74102: experimental tractor with one left-hand cab.
- MAZ-74103: tractor of the ATZ-90-8685c refueller with two tankers.
- MAZ-74106: tractor for the 64N6 radar antenna post.
The MAZ-7410 replaced the MAZ-537 and the MAZ-7310 in the heavy transport role. More are in the MAZ collection.
Sources
- MAZ-7410, Russian Wikipedia: design history, construction, tanker and tractor versions
