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The box sets a
new record for length at over 1.1m. |
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On the skyline. |
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The 'Vision'
cab and walkways are all very detailed. |
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Mast sections are
excellent with no plastic at all. Ladders have safety
cages. |
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Distinctive Potain
styling is replicated perfectly. |
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An achievement
of the model is the very straight jib. First class
model engineering. |
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Mast sections make
a good haulage load on a
Talbert
Trailer. |
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Mast sections include
modelled connecting pins in holders for joining sections.
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'I feel perfectly
safe - it's only a model after all'. |
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Exceptional detailing
continues through into the tube of the cab mast with a ladder
and a cabling. |
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Jib sections are
screwed together at the bottom but riveted at the top.
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Just a great model.
Here the hook is rigged with two falls of rope. |
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The Potain MDT 178 is a medium size
tower crane with a jib of up to 60m length at which a 1.5t
load can be lifted. The maximum capacity of the crane
is 8t. It is a 'topless' tower crane and has
a distinctive style and profile. To see photos of the real
crane click
here.
This model was the first large mass-produced tower crane
model in this scale. It is provided as a scaled 50m
jib version standing on thirteen 2mx2m tower sections giving
a scaled under hook height of around 67m.
Packaging
A 1:50 scale tower crane was always going to be big and
so unsurprisingly the box is very large measuring over 1.1m
(44 inches). An outer plain cardboard box encloses
an inner picture box which has picture of the model occupying
its entire length. Opening the box reveals two huge
expanded polystyrene trays, one of which is the lid and
the second holds all the model parts. The box offers
good protection to the model and although the outer cardboard
box of the review model had seen some rough handling, the
model was undamaged.
A manual in English is provided in the form of a brochure.
The first few pages contain data sheets for the real crane
and the rest has a very clear 11 step guide to assembling
the model. A Potain branded screwdriver is provided
with the model as the screw sizes used are very small.
Assembly is not difficult, with the only real skill required
being the handling of the very small screws used to join
the pieces up. It is possible to build the model fully
in comfortably less than an hour. The model is fully
reeved inside the box so there no stringing up to do which
will be a plus point for many collectors.
Detail
Initial impressions on getting the crane out of the box
are that TWH have produced a very detailed model on behalf
of Potain.
The base of the crane consists of a large heavy base plate
on which the cross-shaped support structure is mounted.
It includes a short piece of ladder which provides access
to the mast even though this becomes largely obscured by
the ballast blocks provided and this indicates the level
of attention to detail throughout the model.
There are 16 ballast blocks which interlock to form the
base ballast which may not represent a common arrangement
on a real crane but they are much less vulnerable to being
knocked off at model scale. They are textured to resemble
concrete and two have the Potain insignia. Overall a very
heavy base results and this provides robust stability for
the model.
The mast sections are excellent including detailed lattice
work, and jacking points for a climbing frame. The
ladders set a new standard as they are complete with a safety
cage. The intermediate platforms are of fine mesh
and there are even pin holders to hold the mast pins for
joining the sections together. Thirteen mast sections
are supplied with the model. The only detail missing
on the mast is a capacity board which is a pity as this
would have looked good in this scale.
At the top of the mast is a reducer section which reduces
the mast from a scaled 2m square to 1.6m square. It
also includes the connections for the climbing frame.
There is a short section of ladder which is fitted to provide
access to the cab mast.
The cab mast section is a superb piece of modelling in 1:50
scale. There is a heavy toothed slewing ring which
sits on a support section which is modelled in a simplified
way compared to the original. The cab has good internal
detail including a footrest, and the windows have windscreen
wipers as well as subtle sun shading. There are two
opening doors one of which is an equipment cupboard and
includes electrical wiring. On the inside of the access
door to the cab there is a tiny printed load chart.
Outside the cab, the access platform has a mesh floor and
realistic handrails and a host of detailed electrical cabinets
and wiring. There are also two excellent slewing motors.
The detailing continues into the tube mast section with
a ladder and wiring visible internally. Above the
tube mast the structure concludes with a derrick and the
model includes the auxiliary winch which is an option on
the real crane. Strangely the 'A' sections
at the top of the crane miss out a horizontal member, but
on one side only. Icing on the cake here would have
been the addition of a model anemometer for measuring wind
speeds.
The counter jib holds a fine auxiliary winch with associated
wiring, and has mesh flooring and hand railing extending
to the rear. At the back the counterweights are copies
of the arrangement on the real crane and are textured to
represent concrete. Each weight has a couple of lifting
eyes modelled. On the rear platform the Potain name
is perfectly rendered in metal.
The construction of the main jib is interesting. It
is formed of six separate lengths rather than the eight
of the original for a jib of this length. The separate
sections are joined by screws on the underside but surprisingly
rivets are used for the top connections which means the
sections are not easily split. The skilled collector
will be able to carefully drill out the rivets and replace
with small screws and nuts in order to vary the jib length,
or to display pieces as transport loads. Each section
itself is not a single casting but is made up of two pieces.
One is the top two sides and the other is the horizontal
underside, and the two pieces are joined together. The main
jib has the hoist and trolley motors together with access
platforms and are all modelled very well, and the mesh walkways
extend for nearly half the length of the jib. Both
motors have electric cable running back to the cab area.
Various pulleys are present for either the hoist or trolley
wire.
The trolley is all metal and allows for four falls of rope
to the hook. It also has a fine basket attached with
railings and a mesh floor. The hook is also metal
and accurately represents that of the real machine.
A further accessory is provided with the model and this
is a concrete bucket which provides interest as a load for
the crane. This is no makeweight part of the package
however. It is a fully detailed bucket, all in metal
and has a working chute mechanism which works very well.
The only issue is that it appears on the large size scaling
at over 2m high. If a set of lifting chains had been provided
this would also have complimented the model well.
Features
Any tower crane model depends on being able to stand straight
and be strong enough to withstand a degree of handing when
erected. The screwed connections on the Potain mean
that a strong model results and combined with the heavy
base weight it feels very stable. To help get the
mast precisely vertical the pads on the cross-shaped base
are adjustable.
The mast height can be set at any combination up to the
maximum of 13 sections that are supplied. The mast
sections are all identical except the topmost one which
has a slightly different arrangement of ladders into the
reducer section.
All the main tower crane functions can be operated.
The crane turns, and the hoist, trolley and derrick can
all be worked by using the supplied key, and they work well.
Operation of the hoist can be on two falls or four falls
of rope and this is set by using a pin in the hook block.
Other features include the opening doors on the cab platform,
and the concrete skip.
Much of the model can be split down for transport like the
real crane although this requires some adjustment to the
model in terms of the rivets on the main jib mentioned earlier.
The cab mast cannot fully fold for transport as per the
original and the counterweights can only be displayed in
the full configuration because of the support system employed.
It would have been better if each counterweight was supported
separately on the counter jib such that a part loaded configuration
was possible along with a shorter main jib. The counter
jib also does not have the ability to fold for transport
like the original.
Quality
By comparison with other 1:50 scale models reviewed by Cranes
Etc there is very little to complain about with this model.
The level of detailing is very good, and the quality of
the castings and model engineering matches the best of modern
standards.
The paintwork and lettering are to the standard of the rest
of the model and the review model had no defects in this
regard. There is hardly any plastic used at all.
By any assessment this is a high quality model.
Price
As a fully fledged tower crane the model is large and this
combined with the high level detail means that the cost
is a significant investment for the average collector.
However it is very good value for money when it is considered
what is offered.
Overall
TWH have produced an exceptionally fine model which combines
first class model engineering with excellent detailing to
produce something which is almost indistinguishable from
the real crane. The addition of a separately available
climbing frame will enhance it further.
The crane is easy for the novice collector to assemble and
the whole philosophy applied to the model reflects this.
The model is easy to assemble out of the box and requires
no reeving. For the experienced collector this means
that a compromise has been made in that the crane is not
fully flexible in how it can be configured or split down
as transport loads. Although the jib sections cannot
be readily split down to form transport loads a skilled
collector will be able to achieve this by small modifications
to the model.
The size of the model is such that anyone who sees it will
be impressed as it is over 1.3m long end to end and 1.4m
high if all sections are used. It is a first class
model and is very highly recommended.
Footnotes
The model was displayed at the Bauma Equipment Exhibition
in February 2007 as a pre-production prototype. Deliveries
to customers commenced in December 2007. The model
is distributed by TWH in the USA and outside the USA distribution
is by NZG and it appears in their catalogue as model 690.
A separate climbing frame accessory was produced (TWH
047A; NZG 6909). Two versions were initially produced:
Potain yellow in a run of 1000 models and Manitowoc red
in a run of 1500 models In February 2008 a version
in red and white was announced in a run of 475. The
concrete bucket was also sold separately in Potain and Gar
Bro liveries (TWH 047B;
NZG model number 738). In May 2008 a version in Arcomet
colours (orange and blue) was announced in a run of 525.
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Inside the box
it becomes clear why it is so long. The main jib is
fully assembled and reeved. |
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Some of the other
parts. A manual, concrete skip, ladder section, winch
key, Potain screwdriver and screws. |
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Mast head details
are faithful to the original. |
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It is hard to distinguish
the model from the real machine. |
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Trolley and trolley
motor. The hook is rigged with four falls of rope
out of the box. |
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The base is fixed
onto a substantial plinth with heavy blocks as ballast.
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If you have the
space, tower crane erection can be posed. Here it
is posed with the big
Grove GMK7450,
the Grove GMK3055 and
a Talbert
Trailer. |
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Counterweight slabs
all have lifting eyes. |
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Opening doors to
the cab and electrical cupboard. |
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Skip provides a
load to keep ropes taut. |
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'It's very
high'. A large concrete bucket comes with the
model. It features a working chute - here shown open
with the handle pulled down. See separate review
here. |
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