 | | Small Caterpillar branded box. |  |  | | Tipping front bucket works well. |  | | Some chassis detailing. |  | | Unpainted silver rivets spoil the backhoe a bit. |  | | Parked up. |
|  Comment on this model.
The Caterpillar 450E Backhoe Loader weighs around 11 tonnes and is the largest such machine in the Caterpillar range at the time of writing. It can dig to a depth of 5.3m.
Packaging
The model comes in a small Caterpillar box style with windows on two sides and even though it is a tiny model it is fixed to the plastic base with five tightly wound ties.
The review model had no missing parts or defects.
The box has no information about the real machine, but some of the features of the model are described. It says the model has working steering but it does not.
Detail
Underneath, the chassis has some detail within the casting. The rubber tyres have a good tread pattern and they are mounted on decent wheels.
The cab is good having regard for the scale and includes 'Cat' printed on the seat back, and nice lights and a windscreen wiper.
The backhoe is large and mirrors the real machine and the bucket has decent teeth. However the silver rivets are large and obtrusive and a touch of paint would have made a big difference. The stabilisers look fine for the scale but they cannot be posed retracted far enough in transport mode.
The engine cover is metal and the radiator grille is good and there is a nice graphic on top. The loader arm is also good although there are more over-large silver rivets, and the bucket is nice and is complete with non-functioning forks. However it was not quite level on the review model.
Features
The wheels roll freely and each pair shares a common axle.
At the rear the stabiliser pads can be lowered and will support the model off its rear wheels, but will not retract fully probably because the cylinder jackets are too long.
The range of movement of the backhoe is reasonable for the scale.
The front bucket raises to a good height and tilts well.
Quality
It is mainly a metal model and has a good finish except for the silver rivets.
The small graphics are sharp.
Price
It is moderate value given the small size.
Overall
In some respects this is a nice model in 1:87 scale and the modelling compromises for the small size are reasonable. It would have looked far better if the silver rivets were painted and some collectors will be tempted to rectify the issue directly.
Footnotes
The model was shown at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2012 and was available from November 2012.
|
| |
|  | | Front bucket is not quite level. |  | | |  | | Pads down and digging. |  | | Range of movement front and back is ok. |  | | Profile view. |  | | It's not that Cranes Etc guys are big men.... |
|
