 | | Liebherr branded box. |  |  | | The bottom tray. |  | | The boom sections are perfectly straight and the jib sections fit inside the boom sections for transport efficiency. |  | | The crane body on a low loader. |  | | The crane can attach its own tracks. The Cranes Etc team really need to be sent on a rigging course rather than letting them lift a track assembly by running chains under the tracks. |  | | Getting ready to load the counterweight using the self erecting cylinders. |  | | Hydraulic lines run from the boom winch to the body. |  | | This shows the alterations needed to remove the luffing jib. Obviously making these alterations is at the collector's risk. |  | | Fully rigged, the crane is around 1.85m tall. |  | | Dolly wheels at the top of the luffing jib. |  | | Boom and jib are very straight. |
| The Liebherr LR 1300 has a maximum capacity of 300t, and can lift to heights of over 170m when rigged with a main boom and luffing jib, and is particularly suited to wind turbine work. An optional derrick attachment is also available, and the model has it available as an optional kit also.
Packaging
The crane comes in a large box which is in the standard Liebherr packaging style. The many parts of the model are packed into two expanded polystyrene trays, and many are wrapped in soft tissue which gives a quality feel.
The review model had a part which was incorrectly made in the factory, and this was efficiently replaced by NZG.
There is no information provided about the real machine, but a large instruction sheet is provided to help assembly of the model. This has good photos and diagrams, indentifies the main parts, and is in English and German. However it does have some omissions. The opening doors on the body are not shown and so the working of the winches is not described. Also the reeving of the 100t 3 sheave hook is not described in detail. Assembly is straight forward however, and the main A-frame is reeved in the factory so this is a help, and overall a couple of hours is needed to build the model up.
Three tools are provided with the model, as well as plenty of tiny brass nuts and bolts and also a few spare track links which is a nice touch.
Detail
The tracks are metal and they have good detail on the pads, and they are mounted on heavy frames which have working rollers. Four heavy 14t counterweight slabs fit between the track frames.
The operator’s cab is finely detailed with mirrors, wipers, lights, grab rails and aerials, and the interior detail is good too. Around the body various panel doors are modelled, and the roof has a textured walking surface. The winches look realistic and the black metal sheaves of the boom luffing gear are excellent. The A-frame includes a lifting cylinder for use during self erection.
At the rear the counterweight assembly is a very nice piece of modelling. The ballast weights are beautifully cast and painted, and include lifting points so it is possible to pose them being lifted into place. The counterweigh is accurately made up of a 14.5t base plate, and 5t and 10t weights. The self erecting cylinders and chains are also modelled and this area looks very authentic. A clip is used to secure each pile of counterweight and this works well, although this is not mentioned in the instructions.
Turning to the boom and jib sections, these are very nicely made with internal bracing on the larger sections, and thin metal pendants. The parts are joined with tiny brass nuts and bolts which provide an effective connection and thankfully special tools are provided with the model to tighten these up.
One strange modelling decision which has been made is to permanently connect the boom head and luffing jib foot section. The effect of this is to mean that the model has to be displayed with the luffing jib and this means the model is inevitably large. Skilled collectors will be able to drill out or pop the connections to allow the crane to be displayed with the main boom only, but it is pity this was not provided for in the design of the model in order to improve display flexibility.
The boom luffing stops on the body are metal but are permanently pinned on the boom foot so they do not function in the same way as those on the real machine.
Two hooks are supplied, a single line 16t hook and a 3 sheave hook which would be a 100t block on the real crane. Both parts are metal and the hook swivels on the three sheave block.
Features
The tracks roll well, and the idlers are spring loaded to enable the tracks to be removed from the frames easily. It is also possible to remove the track frames from the undercarriage so the parts can be posed in a transport condition. Four working jacks enable the crane body to lift itself off of a transport vehicle.
The operator's cab can be tilted to provide easy viewing of a load at height and it can also be positioned 'tucked in' for transport.
The body has three opening doors and these provide access to the winches. Special tools are used to operate each winch by pushing in against a spring and releasing a brake. This means that they can hold any reasonable load applied. The boom and jib are relatively heavy and this does mean that the model is only really stable with the boom and jib at a reasonably steep angle.
The design of the model means that it is good for displaying as either transport loads or during erection. A variety of boom and jib length configurations are possible, but as mentioned previously removing the jib from the boom requires surgery on the model.
Quality
This is a high quality model with accurately made parts that fit together well. The paintwork and graphics are very sharp.
Price
The model represents reasonable value overall considering its size and the engineering involved.
Overall
NZG have produced another high quality model for Liebherr. Fully erected, it stands 1.85m high and is very impressive whether displayed at home or in an office. It is a pity the luffing jib is not readily removable, but in all other respects many display options are possible. It is easy to highly recommend this crane model.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2010. An add-on derrick kit is available which is NZG model 7881.
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|  | | The top tray. |  | | With a suitable haulage fleet it is possible to make an interesting display of the crane being transported. Here the following Nooteboom vehicles are being used: Euro-99-24 Low Loader, OSDS 3-axle, Telestep, OVB-102-06 Ballast Trailer and OSDS 4-axle. |  | | The boom foot is another good transport load. |  | | At the job site, the crane jacks itself up and the low loader drives away. |  | | Nice track details, and opening doors into the body. Cab details are good too. |  | | Attaching the boom foot. |  | | Tilting cab. |  | | Excellent metal pulleys. The luffing jib is permanently riveted to the boom head so it has to be drilled out to remove it. |  | | The metal pendants are accurately made and share the tension fairly well. |  | | Overall profile is realistic and impressive. |
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