 | | Conrad box. |  |  | | The MAN cab detailing is very good, but no number plate. |  | | Tower looks fine. Additional towing hitch fitted at the rear. |  | | Lights at the rear have lenses. |  | | Landing legs keep the gooseneck up. |  | | Proportional steering. Axles 1 and 2 can be clipped out of service. |  | | Loading ramps are stored under the deck. |  | | Trailer is extendible. |  | | Loaded with a heavy beam. |  | | Loading a Volvo A40D. |
| The Goldhofer STZ-H6 Semi Trailer was introduced in 2008 and has an axle load of 11.2 tons.
The model is in the colours of H N Krane, a German crane and heavy haulage company headquartered near Rostock, and the tractor is a MAN TGA 8x4.
Packaging
The model comes in the typical quality Conrad branded box with black foam rubber protecting the model. There were no defects or missing parts on the review model.
There is no information provided about the real machine or instructions for the model. Assembly is simple, being limited to fitting door mirrors and aerials to the tractor.
Detail
The tractor is an 8x4 MAN TGA 41.540. It is relatively heavy reflecting the metal content. The chassis is detailed with the rear differentials present but no prop shaft to the engine because of the functional steering components. The tyres all have the same tread pattern, with wider tyres on the steering axles.
The cab detailing is very good with a light bar, beacon lights and air horns. Strangely the roof aerials of the review model are of a design which lies flat rather standing up. The lights have lenses and the door mirrors are colour coded. Decoration is very good and the H N Krane livery looks really nice, although it misses out on the number plate. Under the cab is a plastic engine.
Behind the cab the equipment tower has tanks and boxes, the exhaust stack looks good and there is a textured walkway. The wheel arches are plastic with lenses for the rear lights.
The trailer is almost all metal. Detail underneath is fairly simple with the structure represented well, and with hydraulic tanks for the self-raising axles. At the front end there are two plastic landing legs, and there is a further pair at the back for use in conjunction with a pair of loading ramps. The ramps are stored inside a holder forward of the first axle. There is also a pair of pull-out width markers under the gooseneck.
The gooseneck has a metal headboard arrangement and a spare wheel and there is a simplified console arrangement. The main trailer deck is all metal with the wood insert panels painted on. Various tie down points are represented within the casting but are not useable.
Deck width extenders are provided along each side, and deck posts can be fitted if desired.
Features
The tractor has linked steering on the front two axles, and the range of movement is good although the wheels are fouled by the wheel arches. The rear axles have a degree of tilt side to side to represent suspension.
The cab tilts forward and holds the pose, and a detailed engine block is revealed.
An additional towing hitch can be fitted at the rear of the tractor.
The landing legs on the trailer can be pulled out and lowered at both the front and the back. The width markers under the gooseneck can be pulled out and retracted.
A pair of ramps is stored within a holder and they are accessed by an opening flap on each side of the trailer. The ramps can be inserted into grooves at the rear for loading mobile equipment.
The gooseneck can be angled using the very stiff hydraulic cylinders modelled. The trailer is extendible, and there is a travelling transverse beam which can be positioned to support a load. Pull out deck width extenders are provided but there are no spanning deck sections supplied with the model.
Counting from the front, axle 1 steers independently, and axles 3 to 6 have linked steering which acts proportionally. All axles have a degree of vertical movement as suspension, and axles 1 and 2 can be raised and clipped out of service although the range of movement is small.
Quality
It is strong with most parts made of metal. The paintwork is very good and the livery is reproduced well with sharp graphics.
Price
The price reflects the limited edition of the H N Krane livery and is good value.
Overall
This model has good functionality and looks great in H N Krane colours which makes it highly recommended to anyone wanting to own a limited edition model.
Footnotes
The ten axle version in Goldhofer colours was reviewed here. This version was commissioned by Heavy Transport Models and appeared in November 2011 in a limited run of 100 models.
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|  | | Nice foam rubber packing. |  | | Deck posts fitted. |  | | Smart looking wheel hubs. |  | | Chassis is typical Conrad standard. |  | | Tilting cab. |  | | Good structure detail. |  | | Width markers pulled out. |  | | Deck extenders pulled out. |  | | Ready for the road with a Sprinter escort vehicle. |  | | H N livery looks great. |  | | Who knows why a crane company is hauling dirt gear. |
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