 |
 |
| Various boxes
make up the full kit. |
 |
 |
| Two printed
manuals - English and German. |
 |
|
Metal platforms and handrails. |
 |
 |
| Crawler track
frames have working rollers added. |
 |
| Almost no RC
wiring visible. |
 |
| Cab has an
operator inside. The beacon light is an addition
of the lights package. |
 |
| One difference
to the standard Conrad model are the track motor
housings. |
 |
| Large bucket is
a nice casting. |
 |
| Profile view is
almost identical to the standard Conrad model. |
 |
| Lights are very
bright. |
|
 Comment on this model.
The Liebherr R 9100 is a mining excavator which has an
operating weight of 108.5 tonnes in backhoe
configuration. It is optimised for loading trucks
in the 50-100 tonne range and has a bucket capacity of
6.8m³.
This version of the standard Conrad model has been
converted to full radio control (RC) by
HK-FunktionsModellbau of Austria.
The model comes with the mechanical functions motorised,
and optional factory-installed extras include a lighting
package and a sound package. The review model had
both options fitted.
HK-Funktionsmodellbau provides a warranty on the model
of 2 years.
Packaging
The model set comes in number of boxes. The model
itself is the standard Liebherr branded box with a HK
label attached. Also included are the battery
charger for the model and the Spektrum DX10t
transmitter.
The review model had
no defects or missing parts.
Two instruction manuals are provided, one in German and
one in English. The manual is comprehensive
covering all the functions and operation for the model.
The only assembly required is that for the standard
Conrad model which is adding a mirror and ladder, and
any necessary charging of the batteries.
Detail
In terms of appearance and detail the model is almost
identical to the standard Conrad version.
The metal tracks are strong and have bolt heads just
visible on the pads. They are mounted on track frames
which are a good representation of the real machine and
an addition on this version there are working rollers
and metal drive sprockets and idlers which presumably are needed to assist smooth crawler track
operation. There are other differences underneath where
the body has a recharging point and an on/off button.
The operator's cab has darkly tinted windows however
some interior details are still visible, including an
operator which is included to provide a more realistic
appearance when the model is under RC control. The main
windscreen wiper consists of applied graphics and there
are lights on the front but no local mirrors.
On top of the cab is a beacon light which is an addition
on this version of the model. Outside the cab there is a nice mesh walkway with
realistic metal handrails. A plastic access
ladder fits to the side which is different to the ladder
arrangement usually seen on the real machine.
The body casting is good with some very nice grilles on
each side and the graphics are very sharp. A
couple of video cameras are modelled in plastic.
The inside of the body looks good with a mesh platform
and plastic hydraulics equipment, with just a hint of
electrical wiring for the RC functions. Hoses run to the
boom foot, and there are hoses and pipes on the main
boom rams. Lifting eye shapes are modelled on the
counterweight but without holes.
The gooseneck boom has some very good hydraulics
consisting of plastic pipe arrays and hoses but the
lifting eyes are not modelled. It
has lights and as they are working on this version of
the model there is some extremely thin wiring running to
them and the standard of the workmanship is very good.
The short stick is modelled well and includes lifting
eye shapes, but without holes.
The bucket is large and is a detailed single casting.
The teeth are good.
Features
All of the functions of the model have been motorised
and it will typically run for well over 1 hour on a full
charge. It is switched on by pressing the button
underneath, and on the review model it sometimes gives
an initial small twitch of movement, although this
will be eliminated on the next software release.
The Spektrum transmitter is impressive offering lots of
potential functionality, and it can be loaded with
profiles of different models, so one transmitter can
controller can operate different models, saving on the
expense.
The track movement is controlled by a pair of levers on
the transmitter or they can be assigned to one of the
joysticks. Each track is controlled independently
and a degree of fine movement can be obtained. The
limiting factor is really the grip between the track
shoes and the surface they are running on, as under
test, the model was able to track up a slope of 30º
so the motors are certainly powerful enough.
Rotation of the body is controlled by joystick and the
proportional control allows the speed to be varied.
Rotation is completely free in that the model is not
constrained to turn in only so many turns in one
direction or the other.
Movement of the boom, stick and bucket has a good range of movement
and the powered functionality is again proportional so
fine control of the movement is possible. The
hydraulic rams are motor driven with screw threads
inside the rams and they are powerful. The model
can easily be tilted up under power.
The model can be used to accurately replicate loading
and digging operations, but it is best to use a softer
material such as cork shreds rather than real sand or
stones. This avoids dust getting into the
mechanism and prevents the paint finish getting worn and
scratched.
The model takes skill and practice to drive properly and
that reflects how well the RC package has been
implemented.
The lighting package provides a light in the cab as an
indicator that the model is switched on. Also the
floodlights can be separately switched on or off, and
they are very bright so it looks impressive in eth dark.
The beacon light flashes when the tracks move.
The sound module can be switched on or off. It
consists of a horn and engine sounds recorded from a
real machine, and the sound varies depending on the
movement of the machine. There is an idling sound
when stationary, and the engine revs up when movement is
engaged. Also there is a movement horn which
sounds when the tracks move. Overall the sound
package is very good. It disguises the sound of
the internal motors and aligns well to the machine
movements. It is also quite loud, and the volume
is not adjustable.
A last feature is that as on the Conrad version of the
model the access ladder slides up and down.
Quality
As expected the base model from
Conrad is very solid with a high metal content.
The paintwork is good, and the applied graphics are very
sharp.
The implementation of the radio control is to a very
high standard with nothing detracting from the overall
appearance of the model.
Price
As a precision-engineered radio controlled
model it cannot be expected to be cheap, and the price
will be beyond the reach of many people who would be
interested in it.
Overall
On one hand this model looks the same as the
standard Conrad version of the model.
However in a way that reflects the true achievement of
the model which is to fit all the electronics and motors
required to provide full functionality within a 1:50
sized scale model. The engineering is excellent
and provides for a remarkable working model.
Footnotes
It was first available in July 2014. This
model was awarded Innovation of the Year for 2014 in the
Cranes Etc Review of the Year. |
|
|
|
 |
| Standard
Conrad Liebherr box with HK label. |
 |
| The Spektrum
controller. |
 |
| Model appears
almost identical to the static version. |
 |
|
Nice grilles and graphics. |
|
|
 |
| Underneath the
switch and recharging point are visible on the body. |
 |
| Extremely fine
and well concealed wiring to the light on the boom. |
 |
| Complex
electronics and motors inside the body. Here the
battery is removed. |
 |
| Posed loading
an off-highway truck.
Here the model is posed with real stones but these are
not recommended for RC use because of dust and wear. |
|
