 | | NZG historic model box. |  |  | | The parts out of the box. |  | | The Scania tractor unit is a good match for the crane. |  | | If you do not have space for the crane, you may have space for this pose. |  | | Some kind of clip-on light cluster or sign at the rear would have been good for transport. |  | | Good, simple and clean lines. |  | | A small wheelbarrow provides a load and therefore tension for the hoist rope. |
| The Form 6 was one of the very early cranes produced around 1950 by the Liebherr company and represents the heritage from which it has since grown.
This is one of the series of historic models produced by NZG. The set consists of the crane and a Scania L60 tractor unit. Both models are available separately.
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 and truck are contained in a pair of conventional expanded polystyrene trays. The review models were 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. Given the historical significance of the real crane perhaps it is a pity that information about it was not provided to compliment the model.
Detail
The Scania L60 Tractor is a pleasing and well made vehicle. The chassis has a detailed prop shaft and exhaust pipe and the wheels have nice metal hubs and tyres. At the front the bumper and wheel arches are metal and the lights have small plastic lenses which give a quality feel and this is continued by the windscreen wipers and wing mirrors.
The bodywork is cast very well with hinges and handles present. Moving to the rear, the fuel tank, wheel arches and rear bumper are metal. A plastic section representing a wooden deck sits over the centre of the chassis.
A simple separate axle unit allows the crane to be transported, towed by the Scania. 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 counterweight which provides stability for the crane. The ballast block detail continues through into the crane itself where the bulk of the counterweight is loaded. The 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
The Scania L60 has working steering which works well although cannot it produce a very hard lock without fouling the wheel arches. The fifth wheel permits any suitable trailer to be attached.
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 Scania L60 is a well made model with a very good paint finish. The quality of the manufacture in the crane is very good with all castings having good detail where appropriate. Paintwork and markings are also very good and add to the impression that this is a high quality model.
Price
The price of the set is reasonable.
Overall
For anyone interested in historic models of this type, this set is a desirable pairing to own, and the quality of the models means that there is no disappointment for the collector. As a historic model some more information on the original machines would have been a good addition. The set 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 set comprises of two models. Each model was also sold separately. Model 646 is the crane only and the Scania L60 tractor unit is model 639.
|
| |
|  | | The model is well packed. |  | | Contents of the bag. |  | | Underneath, the Scania is detailed. |  | | The model looks good in transport configuration. |  | | The crane being erected. As shown the crane is just at the tipping point. |  | | Good detail with the counterweight made to look like separate individual blocks. |  | | The jib is fully triangulated and is actually made of two lengthways pieces. |
|
