 |
| Small Conrad box.
|
 |
 |
| H N Krane
livery is reasonably crisp, but no number plate. |
 |
| Underneath view
with the steering at the maximum.
|
 |
| Opening rear
doors. |
 |
| Hazard sign on
display. |
 |
| Ready to escort
a H N Krane Goldhofer. |
 |
| Just in time to
sneak a ride in the back. |
|
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter BF3 is a support vehicle used
to escort heavy haulage vehicles or large cranes.
This model is an exclusive by Heavy Transport
Models (HTM) and is made for them by Conrad. It is
in the colours of
H N Krane, a German crane and heavy haulage company
headquartered near Rostock.
Packaging
The model comes in a small 'Conrad Collection' box
with the model held inside a foam rubber wrapper.
The review model had no defects or missing parts,
although the rear doors were prone to detaching after a
number of uses.
The only parts to fit are door mirrors and the warning
sign. It is straightforward to assemble.
There is no information supplied about H N Krane or the real
vehicle.
Detail
The chassis and bottom of the van is a single metal
casting with the transmission and spare wheel holder
detailed, and the rear axle is plastic. The wheels
have decent small tyres on plastic hubs.
At the front the Mercedes-Benz emblem stands out and the main
headlights have plastic lenses but the number plate is
missing which is a pity for a model representing a real
vehicle.
The doors have nicely detailed handles and the interior
detail inside the cab is reasonable, with the interior
of the load area being plain. The sides and roof have
casting details to represent the lines of the real van
and these look good, and the applied graphics are sharp.
The rear doors have reasonably discreet hinges given the
scale and there is a good little Mercedes-Benz badge.
On the roof the four beacon lights look good. The
roof mounted hazard warning sign is all plastic and the
colour match is fine.
Features
The steering can be posed at a realistic angle without
being fouled by the wheel arches.
The side sliding door opens by a clever switch on the
underside and it works well without impacting on the
look and realism of the model with unsightly hinges.
The two rear doors can be opened as well although the
hinges seem delicate and one door on the review model
did not close fully flat.
The hazard warning sign holder on the roof can be posed opened
or closed. Three different warning signs are
supplied and they easily drop into the holder.
Quality
This is a well made small model up to Conrad's usual
standards. The paintwork and graphics are applied
to a good finish.
Price
The model is a limited edition and it is therefore
reasonable value.
Overall
A support vehicle such as this is a good addition to
pose with a suitable large crane or heavy haulage
vehicle and it has been implemented well. As a limited
edition model it is recommended to anyone
wanting the H N Krane livery.
Footnotes
This H N Krane liveried model appeared in November 2011
and supports other haulage and crane models in the same
livery which have been commissioned by Heavy Transport
models. It was made in a limited run of 100
models.
|
|
|
|
 |
| The model is
packed inside a foam rubber insert. |
 |
|
Profile view. |
 |
| Rear door just
not quite shutting properly on the review model.
|
 |
| Sliding door
shuts snugly. |
 |
| Sliding side
door. |
 |
| Different
hazard warning signs. |
|
