 | | The box in the Mammoet corporate style. |  |  | | The parts out of the box. |  | | Rear view. |  | | Lots of detail underneath. |  | | Mudguards can be left off if desired. |  | | Excellent details on the gooseneck and folding ramps shown here partially folded. |  | | Axles at the rear. |  | | Lots of detail on the rear axles. |  | | Rear view. |  | | The flip axle raised. |
| The Kenworth Truck Company is an American truck builder that was founded in 1923 and operates three manufacturing plants. It specialises in medium and heavy trucks. Rogers Trailers has an even longer history, having been founded in 1905.
Packaging
The model is packed in a standard Mammoet style box and inside the model is contained within a couple of expanded polystyrene trays with polythene wrapping. The review model had no defects or missing parts.
Included in the box are small bags of parts to fit although there are no instructions. Fortunately it is fairly straightforward to see where the parts go. A Mammoet serial numbered certificate is included, as is a pointer tool to enable easy opening of the cab doors.
Detail
The tractor chassis is very detailed underneath and has prop shafts, differentials and replicated suspension details. The rear wheels have very good metal hubs with finely treaded tyres, and there are rubber mud flaps with the Kenworth name imprinted. Towards the front the underside of the engine is visible and the front wheels are on different metal hubs to those on the rear wheels. The tyres on the steering axle are also different to those on the rigid axles.
The front of the tractor has an imposing radiator grille with very fine bolt details and a distinctive badge. The Kenworth name is presented in a very small size in chrome on the sides of the hood and this is a very pleasing detail. At the rear, the optionally fitted wheel arches are plastic.
The cab detail maintains an excellent standard. On each side fuel tanks with very fine graphics are modelled, and the cab steps have nicely patterned treads. As is typical for an American truck there is lots of chrome work around the top of the cab with very good metal wing mirrors, lights and air horns, with the wing mirrors fitting better on this model compared to earlier models. The windows to the cab door are set at the half way position. Inside, the cab is also detailed and a particularly nice touch is the fan mounted at the top of the windscreen.
Behind the cab, there are three coiled airlines for connection to a trailer, sets of chains and a nice beacon light bar.
The trailer is also very good indeed. The gooseneck is well detailed with lines to the hydraulic cylinders and some very small graphics. Lines run the length of the trailer from the gooseneck to the rear axles. The bed has a wood effect plastic surface with the structure of the trailer in metal and having non slip surfaces. An excellent detail is the tying down points along the side of the trailer which are extremely small and fine. At the rear, the lights and mud flaps are very good.
Features
The front wheels on the tractor steer, with the steering mechanism being notched rather than smooth, but with the wheels set to maximum turn the hood is forced open slightly.
The second axle can be raised out of service and there is working suspension on both axles 1 and 2. Covers forming the steps to the cab can be removed and these reveal the batteries or a storage compartment. The mudguards to axles 2,3 and 4 are removable so the tractor can be configured to the collector's preference. A further choice is provided at the front where an 'oversize load' sign can be fitted, or a towing hitch.
The hood opens nicely and the cab doors can also be opened. The ‘fifth wheel’ on the tractor works and is operated with a spring loaded lever to secure a trailer in position. It also has a degree of longitudinal movement.
The trailer has neatly folding loading ramps at the front, and the width of the bed can be extended by using fold out support brackets and extension boards. It is detachable from the gooseneck to facilitate loading, and the gooseneck has working cylinders providing a range of movement to the connection to the trailer.
The rear axles all have working suspension, and to save wear on the tyres the last two axles can be raised out of service when the trailer travels unloaded. Axle 3 clips out in the raised position and axle 4 is a 'flip' axle which raises and rotates 180°.
Quality
As is usual with Sword models it is nearly all metal and the detail level is very high. The quality of the castings is very good and the paintwork and graphics are to a high standard.
Price
This is a precision model so is higher priced than similar models from other manufacturers, however it aims to be a higher quality model so it is justified.
Overall
Overall, this is a very good quality model and is easy to highly recommend. The functionality and detail is really good, and although the price of the model is not the cheapest, there is no denying the quality of the model provided for the money.
Footnotes
The model was released in 2009 and the following versions were produced: Colours tractor + trailer: Red - 375; White - 375; Yellow - 375; Black - 375. Separate tractors and trailers were produced in each of the above colours in a run of 125 each: Badged: Kokosing - 250 (DHS Preferred members); Mammoet - 750 (500 to Mammoet, 250 to DHS). The non-Mammoet version has the Sword Model number 3102.
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|  | | The model in the tray. |  | | Looking mean - the Kenworth T800. |  | | Opening hood and cab door. |  | | Removable step gives access to the batteries. |  | | At the front an 'oversize' sign can be fitted, or a towing hitch. |  | | Simulated wooden deck with width extensions. |  | | Underside view. |  | | The flip axle folds over, and axle 3 can be raised out of service. |  | | Fold out brackets to support the width extension. |  | | Unloading a Soilmec SR-70. |  | | Transporting a Kato SR-250R. |
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