It's not as if all of my tank projects are completely done up to the nth degree.

I've been wanting one of these, a 1/10 scale Kaelble Z6W2A 130 heavy towing truck; the model first brought out by Jochen Maier about 24 years ago
and continued to this day by the fellow who purchased his company, Jürgen Stehr. Jürgen carries on the exceptional level of quality I've come to expect
from this firm. Maier.Stehr models are not common place items here in the US and this one is no exception. I know of one other person who has one of
these albeit a complete 'fully loaded' example. Over the years the price of a completed model has risen far beyond what I can justify so when I had the opportunity ro
purchase examples of these as either incomplete or 'static' models I jumped at it.

Kaelble the company built and supplied heavy moving trucks to the German Railway and during the war to the German Army. Using the 'Gotha' tyep trailer/ 'lowboy'
(Schwerlast Anhänger Typ R 80 II) The Germans were able to move some of their heaviest armored vehicles up to the JagdTiger. As the German designation implies
that trailer had a capacity of 80 metric tons. (I've read that examples of this thing were used into the 1980s.) There's isn't an enormous amount of info on the Kaelble
trucks on line but there were a few variants of the Z6W2A. I believe there were several hundred supplied during the army contract.

The model is aluminum and steel, designed with a simulated 6 cylinder diesel engine which houses 2 530 type motors geared to a common shaft; either a 5 or 10 speed
transmission and twin rear axles with locking differentials and planetary geared output shafts. A winch capable of pulling 80 pounds is available. The truck fully equpped
weighs 50 pounds.

Also available is a fully articulated, steerable Anhänger Typ R 80 II of which I am fortunate to have a fully built example.

I've included a photo of two of my trucks. I have made a number of repairs already to the first which is my most complete as well as building the entire rear super structure.
The second also requires a rear body, in progress; it needs a transmission however I have already built the simulated diesel and I had had Jürgen build out the axles.
These machine are wonderful things, somewhat rare and certainly unusual.

There is much yet to be done with these, a very pleasant break from tanks.

Jerry