 |
| Transport
Series branded
box. |
 |
 |
| Shown with the
traight exhaust stack fitted. |
 |
|
Chromed wheels look smart. |
|
|
 |
| Fire
extinguisher. |
 |
| Opening cab
door and detailed interior. |
 |
| Outrigger
extended. |
 |
| Nice lift
height. |
 |
| Basket is all
plastic. |
|
The
Altec AA55 is an aerial lift with a maximum height of
55ft to the bottom of the basket. It is mounted on a
Peterbilt Model 356 truck.
Packaging
The model was delivered in an outer shipping carton.
Inside there is a box decorated in Diecast Master's
Transport Series style. The model sits in a
pull-out box section.
The review model had no defects or missing parts.
There is some information about the real truck on one
side of the box. Two designs of exhaust stack are
included, although they are rather loose fitting.
Detail
The truck is a Peterbilt Model 356. It and the
moderate detailed underneath,
with a number of parts modelled in plastic.
The wheels are nicely detailed, and the tyres are the same on
all axles. There are soft mud flaps behind the rear
wheels.
The cab has lights on the roof and at the front the
Peterbilt grille is modelled well and the headlights
look good.
There is no number plate as this is a generic model.
The cab interior detail is very good, with a detailed
console.
The outriggers are metal with hinged pads. Outrigger spreader plates
are modelled, but they are fixed in position.
There are detailed graphics around the model and the truck deck has
nice texturing. Other details include a fire
extinguisher, barrel and hose reel.
The aerial lift has a metal boom and it has
detailing within the casting.
The basket is plastic and it looks it because it is
slightly off colour. There is also a winch
modelled in plastic. The small hook does not have
enough weight to cause the rope to hang vertically so a
more pliable rope would have looked better.
Features
The model rolls very well and has a shallow steering
angle.
The cab doors open and shut.
The hood opens to reveal engine detail.
The outriggers extend, although they are non-load
bearing.
The boom sections are controlled by rams which rely on
friction to hold a pose, and they work well.
The aerial lift rotates smoothly.
The basket can be rotated to keep a level position.
The winch boom can be telescoped a little but the winch
is non-functional.
Quality
Plastic is used in a number of places, and the
colour match is sometimes off meaning that the use of
plastic shows. Build quality is
very good.
The paintwork and graphics are also very good.
Price
It is moderately priced.
Overall
This is another interesting expansion of
Diecast Masters model range, this time in the larger
scale of 1:32. It is a good model overall.
Footnotes
It first appeared in October 2022.
|
|
|
|
 |
| Nice Peterbilt
front end. |
 |
| Profile view. |
 |
| Winch rope is
fixed in length. |
 |
| Underneath. |
 |
| Detailed
graphics. |
|
|
 |
| Chrome work is
reflective. |
 |
| At work. |
 |
| |
 |
| Winch boom
extends a little, but the rope does not hang
realistically. |
|
