 | | Colourful picture box. |  |  | | As it comes out of the box. |  | | All wheel steering means the model poses well. Here the outrigger boxes are not attached. |  | | Excellent outrigger pads. The small black clip locks the outrigger box in place. |  | | Excellent details - grab handles. |  | | 'I've pinned the fly, now go and get the hook'. |  | | Two piece fly jib looks great. |
| This is a 3-axle 100-ton (US) capacity rough terrain crane and a particular feature is the removable outrigger boxes which reduce the weight and width of the crane for transport purposes.
Packaging
The model is packed inside a pair of expanded polystyrene trays contained within a picture box. Inside, the smaller pieces are individually wrapped and the model is protected well with no damage having occurred to the review model.
There are no instructions included which is a pity as these would be a help to the novice collector. With that said the model is not difficult to assemble and the winch drums are pre wound so there is a minimum of fiddly work required to display the model. The box lists the model specifications although these are not accurate. It states the fly jib is off settable (which it is not) and mentions two hooks (only one is provided). It also refers to front steerable wheels when in fact all axles steer.
Detail
The carrier has little detail underneath the deck however the tyres, with their deep tread, and metal wheel hubs look very good. There are some very fine details on the carrier deck. Access steps and grab rails are excellent and there are small mirrors at each corner. At the front and back there are painted light clusters to allow the crane to travel on the road. These are located so that they are visible when the outrigger boxes are attached.
The outriggers are contained within a pair of separate boxes which can be attached to the carrier deck. The boxes are finely cast and contain sliding metal outrigger beams. The outrigger beams are the usual screw variety with excellent metal pads. A pair of step ladders is provided to clip onto each outrigger box although they are easily dislodged.
Moving to the crane itself, the cab is a first class piece of modelling with very finely detailed grab rails, a mirror, lights, windscreen wipers and a catwalk outside. The glass is slightly tinted and inside the cab the usual seat and operator controls are modelled. Behind the cab the high standard of detailing continues with the casting of both side panels including many small details such as hinges and latches. There is a very good fuel tank, together with an exhaust pipe and air intake, and an excellent radiator grille.
The boom is a five section telescope and the first section includes a control spool, and other detail within the casting. At the boom head the pulleys are metal and roll free very nicely. The fly jib is a very nice casting, again with metal pulleys throughout. A single hook is provided and it is a heavy headache ball type which keeps a good tension in the supplied rope.
Features
All axles steer with the rear pair being linked together. Both normal and crab steering are possible with the model. The outrigger boxes are separate pieces which slide into place onto lugs on the carrier deck and are locked by small clips underneath so the model could be posed to be clear of the ground sitting on the outriggers if desired. However the screws are a little on the thin side to give confidence about taking the load.
The counterweight comes as two separate slabs which are pinned together and get pinned in turn to the crane body. It is possible to display the crane with either no slabs attached, or one or two.
The cab features an excellent sliding door and this makes for more interesting posing opportunities.
All the usual crane functions can be replicated. Two winches are provided, both with rope, and it is a pity that the model only comes with the one hook and not a multi line hook block as well.
The fly jib consists of two pieces, a main lattice section and a folding section. The two pieces are easily disconnected so the model does not have to be displayed with the smaller section. The real fly jib can be offset at different angles and the model would have been better if it could have replicated this functionality.
Quality
This model is another very high quality release from NZG. Some of the finer details are delicate so this is not a model to be handled roughly and similar care is needed to ensure that some of the smaller parts do not slip off the model and get lost. The use of plastic is kept to a minimum. Even the pulleys are metal which give a quality feel although perversely on the real machine they are nylon. The paintwork and graphics are very fine too.
Price
The model is relatively expensive for a three axle mobile crane but this is compensated for by the quality and detail within the model.
Overall
This is one of the best small crane models available at the time of the review. The standard of detailing is excellent and the model is very faithful to the real machine. The very high standard of modelling makes the model good to look at both at a distance and close up. It also provides a variety of posing options. The few minor gripes are minor indeed and do not detract from what is a high class effort from NZG.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 2006. It appeared at retailers in August 2006. A revised version of the model appeared in 2010 as model number NZG 660.
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|  | | Securely packed in expanded polystyrene. |  | | In the bag there are a variety of small pieces including two winding handles. |  | | Excellent details on the cab, and the door slides open. |  | | Two counterweight slabs pin together. |  | | It makes a great low loader combination. |  | | Model poses very well. |
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