 | | The box. |  |  | | The model and two leaflets. |  | | Excellent hoses abound. |  | | Underside view. |  | | Very good detail in the cab and engine. |  | | Colour match on the yellow hydraulic cylinder jackets is just slightly off. |  | | Posed on a Goldhofer low loader. |
| The Vermeer Manufacturing Company was founded in Iowa USA in 1948 and as the Vermeer Corporation it is now a manufacturer of agricultural and excavation equipment.
The T1255 Commander is a versatile machine and in this configuration is used for surface mining / excavating rock. It weighs up to 111 tonnes and with a 600 hp engine, can excavate to a depth 0.8m (32 inches).
Packaging
The box reflects the green, white and black corporate colours of Vermeer and has a photo of the real machine. Inside, the two expanded polystyrene trays and other soft packaging protect the model well. There are some delicate parts on the model and it therefore needs to be handled with respect. The review model had no defects or missing pieces.
Included are two small leaflets. One contains information about the real machine, and the second is a simple instruction sheet although no user assembly is required for this version of the T1255.
Detail
Beginning underneath, the chassis is fairly plain but the underside of the engine is clearly visible. The track frames have lots of detail within the casting with many rivets and plates reproduced, and there is a fine looking drive sprocket. The track pads are metal and detailed.
The operator's cab is a very good piece of modelling. On the outside there is an excellent thin grab rail, and electric cabling. At the bottom a fine mesh platform provides an entrance to the cab. Inside there is a superbly detailed console and an excellent chair. The whole cab can be elevated, and this in turn reveals another view into the body and there is a ton of electric cabling and other detail to be seen. Just behind the cab is a tiny red emergency hammer which is an excellent detail.
Further back, a set of mesh doors open to reveal the engine block complete with many electric and hydraulic lines. At the rear a large radiator block is beautifully rendered.
On the opposite side to the operator's cab is another excellent mesh door which, on opening, gives further access to the engine, and also contains an enclosure for a fan. The roof of the model is highly detailed with mesh screens and a wealth of tiny replica rivets as well as air intakes and an exhaust stack.
The front half of the main machine is symmetrical on both sides. The hydraulic cylinder jackets are plastic and although the colour match is not perfect to the painted metal, it is reasonably close. The terrain leveller attachment has some first class cabling and hoses leading to the drive motors. The cutting head is a tour de force with superbly detailed cutting teeth and an excellent wide drive belt. Much of this detail is visible from underneath, but in normal view it is somewhat hidden by the rubber skirt which surrounds the cutting head. Behind the head is a pair of legs with metal rollers. The top part of the legs is plastic however it is not obtrusive.
Features
The tracks roll freely on the frames, and one sprocket in the frame is spring loaded to facilitate track removal if required.
The operator's cab has an opening door and the whole cab is elevating and can be posed at any height as the mechanism is sufficiently stiff. The cab also features a sprung seat which rotates.
There are further opening doors on both sides of the main engine compartment.
The cutting head can be raised and lowered, although the cylinders could not maintain the head high for long without it bleeding down due to the weight. A small degree of side to side tilt can also be made and this reproduces the functionality of the real machine. The two support legs can be lowered to set the height of the cutting head.
The cutters can be turned and this is a considerable piece of model engineering as the wide drive belt is metal and turns also.
Quality
This is a very high quality, highly detailed model.. The paintwork and graphics are faultless and very little plastic is used with the only slight blemish being the colour match of the cylinder jackets.
Price
This model is very good value considering the detail and quality.
Overall
This is a very well executed model of a part of the mining and earthworks sector which has not been well represented previously. The quality of the model is such that it is easy to highly recommend it to collectors.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at dealers in October 2008. The run of the model is 4000 units. The model is distributed in Europe as NZG model 745.
|
| |
|  | | It occupies the same tray design as the Vermeer Trencher. |  | | The heavy rotary levelling unit. |  | | The terrain leveller cutting drum peeks below the rubber skirt. |  | | Hydraulic legs and rollers control the cutting head. |  | | Another door, more detail. |  | | 'You know you said you wanted something to clean the mud off the back yard'. |
|
