 | | Liebherr branded box. |  |  | | Folded with the tracks retracted in. The auger is not removable from the kelly bar, but the leader sledge can be removed from the leader. |  | | Crisp detailing around the cab. |  | | Track frames have rollers. |  | | Textured panels on the body roof. |  | | All winches have rope although only the bottom two can be operated. |  | | Plenty of hydraulic lines. |  | | Driving the casing. |  | | Leader is finely detailed. Auxiliary winch hook is too light to apply much tension on the rope. |  | | With suitable models a mini diorama is possible. The Liebherr HS 855, DAF CF 85 and Liebherr R313 assist. |  | | Loading onto a Goldhofer low loader. |  | | Easy does it. |
| The Liebherr LB28 is a rotary drilling rig. It can drill to a maximum depth of 70m and can handle pile diameters up to 2.5m.
This version of the model is in the colours of Soletanche Bachy, the foundation engineering company within the VINCI Group.
Packaging
The model comes in a large Liebherr-style box and it is packed well within two expanded polystyrene trays and the main parts are wrapped in soft paper. No information is included about the real machine or Soletanche Bachy.
A large clear instruction leaflet is provided which is in English and German. It is straightforward to assemble the model and it is only a little strange that the instructions do not describe the working of the winches, although most people will work this out easily. Two keys are provided to operate the winches.
Detail
The metal tracks are delicately detailed, and it is good that NZG have included some spare track links in the box. They are mounted on very good track frames which have numerous small rollers.
The body has a high standard of detail. The cab has a plastic grab rail and it is adorned with a mirror, lights and aerial. Inside there are controls and a computer console. Around the body the casting includes small details such as door panels, and the roof has an exhaust and textured walking surface. The Soletanche Bachy colour scheme looks very crisp and it is a striking livery.
The structural support to the leader is very good with the friction rivet being barely visible. Some of the hydraulic lines are modelled in the casting and painted silver to highlight them and this looks really good. The leader is an all metal part and the structure is authentically represented, including various perforations. A particularly well detailed area is the winches, and a mass of hydraulic lines run to them from the body, and the protective truss looks great. Hydraulic lines run the length of the leader to the top. At the top there is an auxiliary winch with hook, although the hook is small and light so it is not able to keep the winch line tight. The rope crowd system is reeved in the factory and adds to the overall realism of the model and the crowd rope tensioning cylinder is modelled too. The black pulleys used are metal.
The leader sledge has more hydraulic lines and the rotary drive mounts onto it. This is another excellent part with the shock absorber springs represented in the casting details, and the casing driver looks authentic. The kelly bar is metal and has a first class metal auger attached at the end. The kelly bar is not telescopic, and it is a pity that the auger is not removable such that alternative tools could be fitted.
A plastic textured base is included and the model poses well on it. Also included is a short piece of metal casing and a plastic adaptor to join it to the casing driver.
Features
The tracks were a little stiff on the review model and did not roll willingly., The track frames are spring loaded for easy removal of the tracks. They also retractable so the model can be posed in either transport or working configuration.
The leader can be posed in transport position, and the leader top can be folded down to lower the overall transport height. It would have been even better if the model had a foldable bottom leader section and a removable counterweight. When raised, the leader mechanism is flexible enough to enable it to be angled as desired. The model is quite large and stands nearly 500mm tall when the leader is erected.
Two working winches enable the kelly bar and auxiliary hook to be lowered and raised. The rope crowd is not functional however, although the leader sledge can be positioned manually and screws tightened to hold it in place.
Quality
This is a high quality model with very good paintwork and graphics. Much of it is metal, and where plastic is used it is very good quality so the look of the model is not impaired.
Price
This version of the LB28 is good value for money given the limited edition nature of the colour scheme.
Overall
This is a complex model which is made well by NZG. It poses well and is excellent as a transport load or in a diorama with other models, and the Soletanche Bachy colour scheme is particularly good. It is highly recommended.
Footnotes
The model first appeared in Liebherr colours in 2010. This version first appeared in late 2011 and was made in a limited run of 300 models.
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|  | | Profile view. |  | | Distinctive colour scheme. |  | | Top of the leader has metal pulleys. |  | | Close up of some of the complexity. |  | | Very smart graphics. |  | | Strong support for the leader and auger drive. |  | | Excellent auger. |  | | Mass of hydraulic lines. |  | | The casing driver and casing are interlocked with a plastic spacer. |  | | A couple of Eurovia figures come to have a look. |  | | Off to the next worksite. The top of the leader is folded over. |
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