KrAZ 255B | timber truck

This time, we will talk about KrAZ-255B (Latin writing of KpA3 225b) - an off-road 6x6 heavy truck.

KpA3 (Кременчуцький Aвтомобільний 3авод) is a factory that produces trucks and other special-purpose vehicles in Kremenchug; Ukraine.

KrAZ factory starts its production in 1946. The production was mainly based on agricultural vehicles and machinery. In 1959, as a decision of the government, the production lines from YaAZ factory (Latin writing of ЯA3 - Ярославский Автомобильный 3авод) were transferred to KrAZ. The production of the entire truck line YaAZ 6x4 - 219, 221, 222 and YaAZ 6x6 – 214, starts in the KrAZ factory, the trucks being rebranded as KrAZ.

The new KrAZ 214, a copy / paste of the YaAZ 214 will become soon, the base truck of the Soviet Army.

In 1967, KrA3 214 was replaced by 255, a new 6x6 all - terrain heavy truck. Being able to transport 7.5 tones and having a top speed of 114 km/h, the new 255 replaced successfully the old 214 as military truck.

The power unit of the 255 is a V8 diesel engine 14 886 cmc / 240 hp / 883 Nm.

Dimensionally, the truck is huge:

Length: 8645 mm;

Wide: 2750 mm;

Wheel base: 4600 mm + 1400 mm;

Track width: 2160 mm.

The conversion I made has as base a 1/43rd scale model made by Nash Avtoprom (Нaш Автопром). The timber bed is 1oo% scratch as you can see in the photos. As general look I tried to give the impression of a heavy used truck, but not a rusted wreck! So the weathering I made is some apparent rust, dust or dirt. Mainly I reproduced this by using Tamiya product as well as some acrylic rust colour paints (some different shades of rust)

The wheels were weathered by using mud colour acrylics paint, and Tamiya dust shade.

Hoping you will like it, as least as I do, I let you enjoy the ride:

IFA W 5o | rake stance

IFA - Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau ('Industrial Association for Vehicle Construction'), was a union of companies for vehicle construction in East Germany (Deutsche Demokratische Republik - DDR).

All East German manufacturers were part of IFA! Interesting, isn't it?

But I don't intend to evoke the IFA facts. We will talk about the stance! An spectacular stance is the rake. Is not appropriate for modern cars in my opinion, but it fits as a glove on the old timers, or hot-rods or something like this.

What does it means a Raked Stance? The definition is very simple: the front is lower than the rear of the car. But, even it sound so simple, it is not easy to achieve a good and real Rake. Why? Because a correct rake it means that the rocker panel/side skirt is not parallel with the ground. And it still not enough! The eye of an "connaiseur" will judge the distance between the top of the rim lip and the top of the wheel arch. So, wile the side skirt is lower on the front side but the distance between the rim and fender (as defined previously) is bigger on the front comparing with rear, we will not see the car being raked.

Being short and clear: to archive a real and clean rake the car must be lower in front than in the rear and the front wheels must go deeper in the fenders than the rear ones, when we are looking at the car from side.

This time I get an IFA W5o from Atlas Collection of DDR Trucks and I raked it. Other modifications are the weathering, decals (german flag from an afterrmaket ITALERI Kit), interior detailing and other little thing.

But I wroete enaugh. Please, enjoy the ride.