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Liebherr LTM 1250-5.1 Mobile Crane - Felbermayr

Maker:  NZG
Model No:  959/07
Scale:  1:50
Review Date:  February 2019


NZG Index
Mobile Crane Index

Cranes Etc Model Rating
Packaging   (max 10) 8
Detail   (max 30) 26
Features   (max 20) 17
Quality   (max 25) 21
Price   (max 15) 10
Overall   (max 100) 82%

Footnotes



Liebherr LTM 1250-5.1 Mobile Crane - Felbermayr Video.  [Youku Video]
Liebherr-style box.
The bottom tray has the crane and some fly jib pieces.
On the road.
The hook tie-on is improvised.
Underneath.
 
Tiny graphics.
Counterweight posed in the 'compact' position.
VarioBallast set with ballast positioned out.
Rigged and ready.
Lifting a tower crane section.
Fly jib at an offset angle.



The Liebherr LTM 1250-5.1 Mobile Crane is a 5-axle crane with a maximum capacity of 250 tonnes.

This model is in the colours of the Austrian company Felbermayr.

Packaging

The model comes in a Liebherr-styled box, and the model is securely contained within two expanded polystyrene trays.  It is very protected well in the box with most parts wrapped in soft paper. 

There were no defects on the review model. A missing part was supplied separately.

A coloured instruction manual is provided, and this is in German and English.  This describes the assembly and most of the features of the model.  It has a parts list and reeving diagrams, and assembly is straightforward although it can be tricky installing nuts and bolts in some locations.

This version of the model required the mirrors and beacon lights to be fixed.  Included with the model is a numbered Certificate of Authenticity which adds value to the collectability of the model.

There is no information about the real crane.

Detail

The model is heavy, and the chassis has the transmission detailed although the drive shafts do not join adjacent axles.  There are tanks modelled also.   The wheels have nice tyres and the wheel hubs vary for driven and non-driven axles. 

The outrigger beams are two-stage metal, with very good details within the casting, although they do not look accurate to the real crane.  The outrigger pistons are smooth and look realistic, with pads which on the bottom. The pads have a pinning system so they can be adjusted for transport and operational modes.

At the front, the driving cab has decent details although the hitch at the front for tying on a hook block is solid making it more difficult to pose the model with a hook in transport mode. The Felbermayr garaphics and colour look great, and there is a number plate.  Behind the cab, there is a good exhaust arrangement and other equipment, and tiny graphics give the model a realistic look.  Textured surfaces cover most of the carrier, and a nice touch is the soft rubber skirts that sit above the wheel arches.

The crane body sits on a large toothed slewing ring and the operator's cab is nicely modelled with the grab rails being plastic. 

The crane body is simple reflecting the real crane, and the fact that it is a single engine machine.   The hand rails are metal and there are small beacon lights on the Varioballast tabs. 

The counterweight is complex being made up of a number of different metal plates and parts, each with usable lifting lugs.   One piece has the Liebherr name embossed on it, and there are sharp chevron graphics applied.

The main boom ram has a plastic jacket with an excellent colour match and some hydraulics detailing. 

The boom has some nice detailing and at the boom head axles act as connection points for the fly jib and this represents the fixing points of the real crane.  However they are loose and can go out of position sideways easily.

The telescope sections are engineered very well and they have very realistic looking collars at the top of each section.

The fly jib comes in three parts and each one is metal.  They are nicely modelled and they connect with tiny brass nuts and bolts for which tools are supplied.  

All sheaves on the model are metal.

Two hooks are supplied.  One is a single line block and the other is multi sheave for heavy lifting.  They are very nicely made.

Features

Each axle on the carrier can be independently steered to a good angle and so any of the steering modes of the real crane can be reproduced.  They also have working suspension which provides a good range of movement on each wheel.

The outriggers pull out, and the pistons screw down. The range of travel is such that to support the model spreader plates are required and it would have been nicer if a set was included.

The crane rotates well.

The counterweight system is excellent and replicates the VarioBallast system of the real crane.  During self-ballasting the counterweight can be placed in two positions on the carrier deck and small moving plastic markers indicate the inner position.   Moving tabs on the crane allow the counterweight to be fixed in an inner position where space is tight, or the outer position for maximum capacity.

Attaching the counterweight is done by screwing down and interlocking two rams, which can then be screwed back up to raise the counterweight.  Different configurations of counterweight can be displayed but part loads of plates can only be hung by careful balancing. 

The boom ram has some stiffness but it also has a locking system using a grub screw and key.  It appears that is designed to be operated only at certain extensions as the piston has indentations.  It all works well enough but is not as good as systems with metal jackets.

The boom has three locking points on each telescopic section.

The fly jib can be carried on the side of the boom or attached to the boom head.  It has a ratchet system allowing two offset angles to be set in addition to straight.

The operator's cab can tilt.

Quality

This a heavy and well made model by NZG, with a high metal content

The paintwork is excellent and the applied graphics are very sharp.

Price

It is fully priced for a five axle crane.

Overall

This is a beautiful looking crane model in the colours of Felbermayr.   It really deserves to have some spreader plates to counteract the short travel on the outrigger pistons. Nevertheless it is a well presented high quality model, in valued limited edition colours.

Footnotes

The model first appeared in prototype at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2017.  This limited edition version appeared in December 2018 and was made in a run of 250 models.

 
The top tray includes the counterweight and other parts.
The manual and Certificate of Authenticity.
Very good steering.
Sharp graphics and fine detailing on the boom.
Felbermayr colours are attractive.
 
Complex counterweight. The spreader plates are NZG #787 and are not included with the model.
Tilting cab.
Nice graphics on the boom sections.
Excellent boom profile.
Fly jib adds significant height.