 | | The box. |  | | The bottom tray. |  |  | | Luffing pivot on board. |  | | The parts loaded on a truck make a good display. |  | | Cranes set up to be rigged. |  | | Reeving the hook. |  | | Rigged with a short luffing jib. |  | | The full length jib is massive. |
| The Terex AC 500-2 is a 500 tonne capacity mobile crane. The model in Felbermayr's colours was reviewed here. To see photos of the real machine click here.
This accessory set is the luffing fly jib which extends the height and reach of the crane.
Packaging
The kit comes in a plain box with just a sticker indicating that it contains a luffing jib. The parts are packed within the two parts of the tray. The review set had no defects or missing parts.
A colour instruction sheet in German and English is supplied although it does not cover all the possible configurations.
Detail
The lattice sections are well made and fit together using Conrad's preferred plastic bolt system. Detailing of the parts is simple. Ten additional counterweight slabs are also included, five for each side, which makes ten on each side when added to those supplied with the crane model. However the maximum used by the real crane is only eight on each side.
The pendants are plastic and are adequate for the purpose although metal or an alternative design providing straighter alignments would be better. With the jib at the maximum length the angles of the luffing gear do not look right suggesting that overall length of the pendants supplied with the kit is too short. The luffing bridle and pulleys are plastic and higher precision parts would give more confidence given the loads applied to the jib when erected.
A nice rubber tyred wheel is provided at the jib head to allow the end of a luffing configured jib to be supported as it is pulled forward whilst raising it after being assembled on the ground.
Features
The great feature of the kit is that many configurations of jib can be assembled right up to the massively long full jib, with the crane some 3m high with the main boom fully telescoped out.
Fixed (non luffing) jib configurations are also possible.
The various sections also make excellent transport loads.
Quality
All of the metal parts are of a robust quality and are painted well. The plastic elements are functional.
Price
The price is reasonable given the large amount of parts provided.
Overall
This kit adds to the base model to produce a huge and magnificent display. However care is needed during the assembly as the loads on the model are significant. It is a recommended kit to anyone wanting to create a really impressive model.
Footnotes
The kit was first seen at the BAUMA exhibition in 2001. This version in Felbermayr colours appeared in 2011 and was the final run of this kit. The crane in Felbermayr colours was Conrad model 2098. |
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|  | | The lid. |  | | A load for a Doll Trailer. |  | | Jib sections and ballast blocks as a load. |  | | Smaller jib sections can be carried inside larger ones to reduce the transport required. |  | | Rigger with a short fixed jib. |  | | With the short luffing jib the model's complexity becomes clear. |  | | Excellent straight jib. |
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