| Colourful box. | | | Safety chain at the boom head. | | Nice details at the rear. | | Profile view. | | Detailed chassis. Steering angle is minimal. | | Tilting cab. | | Opening flap at the side. Hinge connections show a bit. | | The suspended load is a Tadano Faun ingot. | | The offset angle is controlled by a cylinder which tends to bleed. A latch would have been better. | | Convincing profile. |
| Comment on this model.
The Tadano Faun HK 70 is a crane mounted on a truck chassis. The chassis is a five axle 10x4 DAF CF. The maximum capacity of the crane is 70 tonnes and it can lift to a maximum height of 61m with the boom extension.
This version of the model is in the colours of Dutch lifting and transport company Baetsen.
Packaging
The model comes in a Tadano branded box which encloses a pair of expanded polystyrene trays.
There were no defects or missing parts on the review model.
There is some information about the real crane on the box although it references a Mercedes-Benz Actros chassis rather than the DAF CF of this model. There are no instructions for the model.
Detail
The truck chassis is very detailed. The suspension and transmission are modelled to a high standard and various tanks are modelled too. The wheels have good treaded tyres on detailed hubs, with the fifth axle having larger diameter tyres.
The DAF cab has beacon lights on the roof, and the 'Transport Exceptionnel' sign and chevron graphics look convincing. The lights have plastic lenses so they look authentic. A small loop is provided at the front to attach the hook during transport. Behind the cab the equipment is modelled in plastic.
The outriggers are really good. They have detailed metal beams and dual pistons on each leg which do not show a screw thread. There are adjustable pads which are pinned, and a set of plastic spreader plates are also included.
The carrier deck has diamond plating and various storage boxes are detailed down each side. At the rear there is a non-removable ladder and a towing hitch which even includes a tiny winding handle.
The crane cab has metal grab rails on the outside and windscreen wipers. Inside the detailing is very good with a computer console and joysticks modelled and there is even an absolutely tiny graphic representing 'Faun' on the seat headrest.
Detail on the crane body is great with a mass of hydraulic cabling running to the various motors and cylinders. The only minor blemish is the silver pin used as the boom pivot which is a bit obtrusive and would have looked better painted. The counterweight is made up of five plates like the real crane. The engine has also been modelled and this is revealed by lifting two opening side panels.
The five stage telescopic boom is metal and the bottom section has a spool, a pair of lights and holders for the extension boom, one of which is articulated. The main boom cylinder is plastic with a reasonable colour match to the painted metal parts. At the boom head the main pulleys appear to be a single piece and they are silver rather than painted as on the original.
The extension boom is metal and is cast well, and it has a pop out guide pulley. There is a hydraulic cylinder which controls the angle of this boom.
The hook is metal and has two pulleys and comes ready reeved. It is less useful on the extension boom however where either a single line hook or a hook block with an odd number of pulleys would have been better. A safety cut-out chain hangs from the boom top and it and the hoist rope connector are pinned so they can be transferred to the extension boom, although they do not fit well into the holes on it.
A metal ingot bearing the name 'Tadano Faun' is supplied as a display load.
Features
The steering of the front two axles and the rear axle are linked and a very small amount of movement is possible to obtain a more interesting pose.
The truck cab tilts to give access to the engine block.
At the rear the pin in the towing hitch can be removed.
The rear outrigger beams extend out, and the front ones fold out and can extend a little, and the pads can be lowered and will support the crane.
The crane body has two opening panels to provide access to the crane engine.
The counterweight is detachable and can be either stowed on the carrier deck or attached to the crane.
The crane functions work well with the hoist operated by a supplied key. The boom sections lock into place when extended, and as the extension boom is pinned to the main boom side when not in use it does not fall off when the boom is raised. The boom cylinder is not particularly stiff and bleeds down over time so a pin is provided to insert through a hole in the cylinder jacket.
The extension boom can be attached and also has a fold out section so two lengths can be chosen. The angle of the boom is controlled by a cylinder rather than a latch.
Quality
It is a high quality model which is mostly metal with appropriate use of plastic, and the paintwork and graphics are excellent.
Price
The model is good value for the quality and detail offered.
Overall
This is a very good model of a truck-mounted crane. The features and details are very good and it looks nice in the colours of Baetsen. It is easy to highly recommend.
Footnotes
The model was first shown in Tadano Faun blue and white at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in February 2010, and appeared for sale in May 2010. This DAF version in Baetsen colours first appeared in March 2014.
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| | The parts out of the box. | | Impressive looking machine. | | Counterweight stowed in the middle to balance the axle loads when on the road. | | Boom extension is pinned securely during transport. | | Twin piston outrigger. | | Detailed cab. | | Lots of hydraulic hoses on the crane. | | Set up and ready to lift. | | Detailed extension boom. | | Boom has a smooth bend under load. |
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