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| NZG historic model
box. |
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| The parts out of
the box. |
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| The
Liebherr Form 6. |
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| The crane travels
on a simple axle. |
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| Good detail with
the counterweight made to look like separate individual
blocks. |
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| The jib is fully
triangulated and is actually made of two lengthways pieces.
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| Contents of the
bag when the crane is supplied as model 664. |
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The Form 6 was one of the very early
cranes produced by the Liebherr company in 1953 and
represents the heritage from which it has since grown. This
is one of the series of historic models produced by NZG.
Packaging
Unusually for a Liebherr model it is not packed in the typical
house style picture box. Instead it is contained in
one of NZG's historic series box with a drawing of the
model on the outer sleeve. Inside, the crane is contained
in a pair of conventional expanded polystyrene trays.
At one of the box it lists the 'Baujahr' as 1950 when in
fact it was 1953.
The review model was well packed and undamaged.
An instruction sheet is provided which has clear pictures,
but the text is all in German. A separate sheet has
English, French, Italian and Spanish translations.
The model is fully strung out of the box so there is no
work to do here. Given the historical significance
of the real crane perhaps it is a pity that a short brochure
of information was not provided to compliment the model.
Detail
For the crane a short section of metal trackwork is provided
and this has nicely rendered wooden sleepers (ties) with
the rail spikes detailed also.
The undercarriage of the Form 6 is a single cast piece and
has nicely modelled ballast blocks to simulate the weight
which provides stability for the crane. The level
of detail continues through into the crane itself where
the bulk of the counterweight is loaded. T he casting of
the structure at the base is of fine quality with beam sections
having flange and web features. The winch drums have
toothed gear wheels representing the original drive mechanism
and the pinion for the hoist is also modelled. Small
warning notices complete the detail.
The main structure is a metal tube which has a very good
plastic ladder and safety cage attached. These lead
to the cab which copies the spartan qualities of the original.
The plastic used in the windows is fine although it is a
solid piece horizontally just at the level of the bottom
of the windows and in some conditions it reflects and makes
the inside of the cab not seem quite right. Adding
to the detail there is also a small capacity board on the
front of the mast.
The jib is a pleasing piece which replicates the lattice
work of the original effectively. It is actually made
of two castings with the underside being a discrete section
attached to the top two sides. There are some nice
metal pulleys at the mast end of the jib. At the jib
tip there is a hoist cut-out bar.
The hook is nicely modelled and comes with a set of lifting
chains. Also provided is small metal barrow which
provides a load for the crane.
Features
All the normal functions of the crane work. It moves
along the tracks and rotates easily. The two winches
can be operated by the supplied keys and they work smoothly
although the hoist winch really needs a load on the hook
to lower properly.
The crane can be posed in transport mode with the travelling
axle fixed. As an alternative pose the erection of
the crane can be simulated but only to a degree as the model
is not particularly stable except when the mast is close
to vertical.
Quality
The quality of the manufacture in the crane is very good
with all castings having good detail where appropriate.
Paintwork and graphics are also very good and add to the
impression that this is a high quality model.
Price
The price of the crane is reasonable.
Overall
For anyone interested in historic models of this type, this
crane is a desirable model to own, and the quality of the
model means that there is no disappointment for the collector.
As a historic model some more information on the original
machine would have been a good addition. The crane
offers a variety of poses either in transport or operating
modes.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February
2007. This crane is also sold as a set with the Scania
L60 Truck as model 664.
The model was issued in revised packaging in 2024 to
commemorate the 75th anniversary of Liebherr. It
included a special poster.
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| The model is well
packed. When sold as model 646 the Scania L60 Truck
is not included. |
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| The crane being
transported. The Scania L60 is included when the model
is sold as a set as model number 664. |
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| The crane being
erected. As shown the crane is just at the tipping
point. |
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| Good, simple and
clean lines. |
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| A small wheelbarrow
provides a load and therefore tension for the hoist rope.
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