Minggu, 03 Juni 2012

1:50 Scale Model MERCEDES-BENZ Titan 8x4 tractor with NOOTEBOOM Boom Transporter

The Liebherr LTM11200-9.1 Mobile Crane is rated at a maximum 1200t capacity and at the time of the review is the largest mobile crane manufactured.  Because of its size, the boom cannot be transported on the carrier with the rest of the crane so separate transport is needed.  It can be carried on standard heavy haulage transport, but Nooteboom developed this special trailer which was derived from the NLD-70 self-tracking dollies used for windmill transport.
This version of the model is in Liebherr yellow to match the factory coloured version of the crane model produced by NZG.

Packaging
The model comes in a typical WSI Collectibles branded box which has a window allowing the model to be seen.  There were no defects or missing parts on the review model.
There is no information on the real machine included, and no instructions for the model.  Various pins are supplied to secure the boom to the trailer and the tractor, and there are also parts to fit on the front and rear towing hitches of the tractor.  Fitting the boom to the model is best done with the boom upside down as it makes it easier to fit the pinned connections.  Fitting the pins is tough, and it is necessary to ease the parts carefully to make the connections properly.  NZG and WSI obviously co-operated during the production of their respective models and it is good to see the model fit together, even if it is not easy and smooth.

Detail
The tractor is a Mercedes Benz Titan 8x4 and it looks like a heavy piece of kit, even as a scale model.  The cab has the unique Nooteboom reference number for this model which is T-008.  The chassis detail is typically high for WSI with the suspension and transmission realistically modelled with perhaps a bit more metal than usual.  The wheel hubs are excellent and detailed with the tyres having realistic treads.
 
At the front, the cab details are rendered strongly with a nice chevron-marked bumper and tow hitch, and a number plate.  A separate protector can be fixed to the towing hitch with a pin.  The lights, mirrors and wipers are fine and there are air horns and very good beacon lights on the roof.  Behind the cab, various ancillaries are mounted, and although these are plastic, they look very good.  Between the rear axles is high quality diamond plated walkway and plastic wheel arches.  At the rear the lights have plastic lenses and the towing hitch has a guide chute which can be pinned to the hitch.
 The trailer is based on a Mega Windmill Transporter dolly as used on earlier WSI models.  The detailing of the axles is very good with the suspension and steering elements finely made and small rubber tyres are mounted on detailed hubs with plastic mudguards covering each wheel.  The structure of the trailer is cast well and some of the detailing on it is first class with air tanks and lines running through its length.  There are excellent tiny graphics along the trailer edges including the unique reference number for the trailer which is OPL-006.
  The trailer has a cradle which carries the boom and this has a hydraulic steering mechanism.  The adaptor on the tractor's fifth wheel has an air tank and equipment box.  The tow bar is fixed to the rear of the trailer and is not designed to be removed.  In fact it can be gently prised from its fitting but it is plastic so there is a risk of breakage and it is therefore to the collector's risk if removal is attempted.  The tow bar does not fit the towing hitch on the tractor and there is no connection for it on the trailer, however the model can be posed in a way to give the appearance that the tow bar is connected.
 

Features
The steering of the two linked front axles wheels on the tractor works, but as usual for WSI models they have a very limited range of movement.
 The cab tilts forward by about 45° to provide access to the engine.
 
 The trailer has spring loaded suspension on the axles, and the front and rear groups of three axles have linked steering.  These have a good range of movement, and are proportional in nature.

Although the model is not designed to be shown in a configuration using the tow bar it can be imitated if a collector wants to take the risk removing the tow bar from the trailer.  In reality the tow bar is used for low speed shunting of the trailer under or out from the jacked up boom, rather than for road transport.

Quality
The model is of typically high quality just like other WSI truck models, and plastic is carefully used to enhance detail.  The paintwork and graphics are very good quality. 

Price
The model is a little expensive but it is high quality and therefore reasonable value.

Overall
This is a model is to WSI's usual high standards of detail and it is a great match for the NZG crane model, even if it is a little unusual to see a truck in Liebherr colours.  It is highly recommended to owners of the crane model.

Crisp details at the back.
The trailer loaded with the LTM11200-9.1 boom.
An impressive looking vehicle and load.
The size of the boom on the transporter is dramatic. 
A definition of heavy haulage.
It makes a great combination display when paired with the crane.
At the job site, the boom lifts itself off the transporter.
Plenty of clearance to get the trailer out.
With the tow bar connected the tractor pulls the trailer away.
Footnotes
The model was first shown in Liebherr yellow at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 2010, and appeared for sale in April 2010.  A version was also produced in Mammoet colours with a MAN TGX Tractor

To see the photos of this model, please click here

Source: Cranes ETC

1:50 Scale Model 54m Luffing Jib dan 36m Jib Extension for Liebherr LTM11200-9.1 Telescopic Mobile Crane Review

Presented here are the 54m luffing jib and 36m extension sets for the Liebherr LTM11200-9.1 mobile crane from NZG. Attention to detail is very high throughout with some very nice touches usually associated with aftermarket suppliers.
 54 meter Luffing Jib Set
The components are supplied in a two section polystyrene carton with printed outer box. 
 36 meter Jib Extension
 The 36m extension set contains all the parts needed to increase the length of the jib appropriately, with a single mast section in two different sizes and two small sections to extend the tip of the jib. Also supplied are printed assembly instructions, tools to aid in assemply, the hardware to fix the jib sections and two wire ropes.
The 54m luffing jib set contains a number of parts, all of which need to be assembled. The pennant lines are pre-assembled out of the box although the bolts are loose and need tightening up a little.
The upper section contains the small parts, jib tip and metal pennant lines along with a bag of nuts, bolts and screws. 
The lower section contains the large sections for the 54m luffing jib.

In order to construct the jib as detailed, it is neccesary to take apart the short lattice jib section supplied with the crane. This is then utilised between the base mounting and main jib frame.  
A nice addition in the set is a plastic cover which fits over the end of the boom when the sections are removed. The base adapter section has alternative connection posts for the superlift connection allowing different combinations to be realised although these are not detailed in the assembly instructions so reference to the specification documents from the Liebherr website can be used for reference.
It is recommended to remove the inner three telescopic sections from the boom although this is not essential as the adapter frame is shaped and can be fitted with the full boom in place. 
A winch housing is supplied which screws into place on the rear of the super structure. Once in place, the pulley block swings up and has some nice casting detail along with access platforms and safety railings running along both sides of the housing. Rope is pre-wound onto the main winch drum with excess rope wound onto a second drum. This is needed to allow the crane to be rigged and completely functional at full extension of the boom.
 Detailed rigging details are supplied showing the path of the rope through the pulleys and while this stage looks fairly simple to achieve, there are a number of small bars fitted to the frame holding the pulleys and guiding the rope around these is very time consuming. Once finished, the rope winds smoothly and there is a braking system on the housing, requiring pressure on the winding key before the winch will rotate.
While no additional counterweights are supplied, once fully rigged, the model is surprisingly stable although it is best to take the weight of the jib with one hand while winding the rope to make it easier to turn. One issue I see with the rigging is that there is more rope supplied than would actually wind onto the winch drum. This is to ensure the model can be functional at full extension of the telescopic boom.
The detail on the main frame is very impressive with photo-etched walyways and metal pulleys all used to increase the level of realism. The holes cast into the ends of the frame are a good fit for the supplied bolts and once tightened, there is no movement between each section.
Holes are drilled in the mast section where the safety railings need to be fitted. The fit is very tight on the sample reviewed here so each part stays in place with friction. There is a small tube of superglue supplied in the box for those who want to keep the safety railings secured permanently.
The adapter sections are solid with the tapered angle converting the dimensions of the lattice mast sections. The base section has a ladder installed and hook shaped ends where the frame connects with the top of the telescopic boom. The two different sizes of main mast section will fit into each other, allowing them to be authentically used in a transport configuration.
 The model can be configured with a choice of end sections. The intermediate tip (pictured above) is pre-assembled with the reduction frame to extend the jib further where the smaller jib tip can be utilised. Safety railings are glued in place. The small jib tip (pictured below) has a shaped end which intersects with a set of bogie wheels to ease in erecting the jib.
The safety railings have a detailed base which extends out slightly from the A-frame. This detail is a good addition to the model and is something usually seen in add-on aftermarket kits, particularly the walkways with their intricate mesh pattern.
The jib has the full range of movement observed on the real crane and the additional weight is quite impressive, and yet the crane is fully stable with the ourgiggers fully extended. The paint finish is very good throughout and, while a number of the sections are bolted together, some of the parts are connected with friction fit pins so it should be relatively easy to fully dismantle the jib components in order to repaint it in a company colour.
 The main jib frame makes a good load for a trailer, as pictured below loaded onto the deck of the 5-axle Nooteboom trailer in Van Der Toll colours from Conrad.

Source: MINIATURE CONSTRUCTION WORLD

1:50 Scale Model LEBHERR LTM11200-9.1 Telescopic Mobile Crane Review

Liebherr-style hard carton box.
Presented here is the 1:50th scale Liebherr LTM11200-9.1 telescopic boom mobile crane NZG. 
The top tray includes the outrigger spreader plates and counterweight tray.
 The middle tray has the counterweights, jib sections and hooks.
 The bottom tray has the carrier and the boom.
In my opinion, this is without a doubt one of the best models NZG have ever produced with a level of detail and realism found in every aspect of the model, from the crane mats and choice of lattice boom heads to the fully functional boom support system, nothing has been missed.
 Each of the nine axles features spring loaded, pivoting suspension and functional steering with the angle of steering movement very respectable for such a large and heavy model. There are two different styles of silver wheel hubs with red highlighted centres which are fitted with Michelin branded rubber tyres that have an accurate tread pattern.
The main cab is low mounted at the front of the chassis and has a replicated interior with rear view mirrors, windscreen wipers and roof mounted amber beacons all fitted. The carrier's engine compartment is located behind the cab and has textured grill panels cast into the surfaces with silver exhaust and air coolers all present.
In transport configuration, the super structure can be positioned either forward or rearward and a nice touch are the white detailed wear strips on each of the outrigger arms where the large lift cylinders rest. 
The two main winches are housed centrally in the frame with the rear most floating so that it can rest lower during transport and raises once the counterweight tray is fitted. The winches are operated by inserting the supplied winding keys into the holes in the side of the super structure.
The crane cab is fitted to an arm mounted to the super structure which rotates almost 180 degrees with a parallel linkage allowing the cab to be lowered to the ground for added safety for the operator.
This is fully functional on the model with the ability to store the cab at the rear of the crane or above the front cab depending on the configuration of the 360 degree rotating super structure.
The cab tilts by about 30 degrees to give a better view of the work area and a small access platform with silver handrails is fitted to the side of the cab, which has an accurately replicated interior.
The rear deck has a silver finished access ladder and diamond plate textured panels with a non-opening storage box and cradle fitted to the inside of the arms.
The four outriggers extend out from the carrier into an X pattern with telescoping sections giving a large area for good stability. This is needed as the telescopic boom is incredibly heavy and the model is likely to tip over without the outriggers fully extended. The screw thread is hidden within so the jacks look very realistic with a smooth silver piston look as they are extended, added to by the use of ball joint tips that fit into the four pads and are locked into place with small pins which is a great touch on the model. 
The counterweight tray connects to the model utilising two screws which need to be secured on the underside of the super structure. This is not the easiest part to assemble and needs the screws to be firmly secured to hold the weight of the metal counterweight stones, sixteen of which are supplied.
As well as the four small pads for the stabilisers, NZG have also included four large metal crane mats which is a very welcome addition. There are also three different sized hook blocks and sixteen triangular shaped counterweight segments, each with small cast lugs allowing them to lock together. Small Liebherr logos are printed on each piece along with red and white chevron pattern on the tips.
The telescopic boom is exceptionally heavy, with almost everything made from metal. Just lifting it out of the box, you appreciate the fine detailing and functionality, from the fully modelled and working boom lift system to the detailed boom head and seven smoothly extending boom sections.
 Once all the packing material is removed, the four jacking legs swing out into place with the larger legs having small bars which lock them in place. The smaller legs click into place and the weight of the boom when resting on the legs prevents them from collapsing which is a nice touch.
The four jacks rotate to extend them and once you get them turning, they rotate smoothly with the screw thread hidden inside. The tips have a ball shape which fits snugly into the pads and small pins lock them in place. This again shows the fantastic level of detail NZG have engineered into the model. Two of the pads have simulated adjustment hydraulics which are used on the real crane to do fine positioning of the boom.
 Connecting the boom to the carrier is easier than it looks, although it is a good idea to remove the hydraulic connection screws from the boom before you start. Once the boom is positioned in place, two large metal pins can be inserted to secure the base of the boom with the super structure. There are small clips that can be used to lock the pins in place to prevent them falling out if required.
 The next step is to position the main lift hydraulics and re-insert the screws. The boom is now fully connected to the carrier and can be raised. The hydraulics are very stiff and have two sets of holes in them where a pin can be inserted to keep the boom raised. Without extending the boom, the hydraulics will just about hold the boom at a lower angle but probably not for long. Once the boom is secured, the four lifting jacks can be raised and the pads removed so they can be folded up against the side of the boom and out of the way. While not shown, the four lifting jack structures can be disconnected from the boom completely by removing the metal pins.
The main hook block has some good detailing with a pivoting and rotating doube sided hook. There is also a smaller hook block and headache ball.
The telescopic boom sections have been modelled to allow different configurations of the crane to be built, with the third section having the connection points to connect the heavy lift boom head.
A nice feature of this is that you don't have to remove the other boom sections when setting up in this configuration. 
The head of the seventh boom section has metal pulley shieves which rotate freely along with connection points for the lattice jib assembly supplied in the box. The lattice jib is already assembled with small nut and bolts holding the parts together. The two large hydraulic pistons allow the angle of the jib to be adjusted and these are quite stiff to adjust. There are also two support bars which fold out and connect to the tips of the rope guying system, just like on the full sized crane.
 The super structure has a number of safety rails which need adding along with the exhaust stack and side access ladders which fit well. A note of caution, the two small hand rails at the front can get damaged if they are fitted before the boom is raised if the Y guying arms are not extended out.
The Y guying system is fully working on the model with the large arms lifting and extending out hydraulically, with the hydraulics stiff enough for the arms to remain in position. Each arm has a small winch which is operated using the supplied winding key to adjust the rope to tension the boom when it is extended. The arms are connected to the base of the boom with a metal rope assembly which accurately simulates the actual metal strands fitted to the real machine.
  This model is fast becoming my favourite crane model, partly because of the excellent level of engineering to get everything to function like the full sized crane and partly because of the accessories allowing different configurations to be constructed. For those collectors with room, the model looks great with the boom fully extended and the Y guying system deployed.
 The paint finish is of a very high standard throughout with accurate placement of the Liebherr markings. The model is very well packed in a three section polystyrene carton holding everything secure which slides into a printed cardboard box.
  T3Y boom/jib configuration system
 T7YVEF/T7VVENZF boom/jib configuration system
 The crane carrier (left) and boom transporter (right)

To see the photos of this model, please click here
  • Scale : 1:50 
  • Length : 528mm 
  • Boom : 2160mm 
  • Luffing fly jib : 330mm max. 
  • Max. Height with heavy duty head : 1230mm
  • with luffing fly jib : 2490mm
A mobil crane of the superlatives: The first 1,200t mobil crane with 100m of telescope jib and with that the strongest telescope crane worldwide is the LTM 11200 of Liebherr. His eightpart telescope jib is 16m longer than the one of the previous world record-holder LTM 1500-8.1 whom Liebherr introduced in 1998. Moreover, the LTM 11200 offers another record, this with 100m of the longest telescope jib of the world. For even larger heights several different lattice mast extensions are available. The luffing fly jib can be built up with up to 126 m length and reaches at most 170m piston stroke height.
The nine axle LTM 11200 drives at 108t of total weight on the street including the four supports and the complete revolving stage with the two winches. The crane giant is 19.9m long, 4m high and 3m wide in the transportation condition. The maximum supporting base of the started up crane is 13 x 13m in size. The crane chassis is driven by a 500kW (680hp) powerful Liebherr engine, the crane superstructure of a Liebherr engine with 270kW (367hp) performance. The model corresponds to the version LTM 11200 T7YVEF with 100 m telescope jib and additional 12m top. All common functions are demonstrated, the crane operator cabine is lowerable and swivelling. The telescope jib is removable and as of the fourth element separably.

Source: MINIATURE CONSTRUCTION WORLD