 |
| Attractive
sleeve.
|
 |
 |
| Convincing. |
 |
| Detailed
chassis. |
 |
| Boom and crane
ready to roll. There is a noticeable difference in the
white of the crane and the more modern Arocs support
truck (by WSI). |
 |
| Other parts
loaded on support transport. |
 |
| Unloading the
boom. |
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| Pendants
connected. |
 |
| Ready to lift. |
 |
| Opening cab
door. |
 |
| Bespoke fuel
tank.
|
 |
| Very detailed
engine. |
 |
| Boom telescoped
at 50%.
|
|
|
 |
| Excellent
profile. |
|
The Liebherr LTM 11000D
was an uprated version of the Liebherr LTM 1800, and it
could be rigged with a derrick to obtain a higher
lifting capacity.
This model is in the colours of the UK crane hire company
Baldwins, and it is a limited edition.
Packaging
The model comes in a heavy outer cardboard sleeve which
has a photo of the real crane rigged with a derrick,
although the derrick is not included.
The sleeve protects
expanded polystyrene trays, and inside the model
and the many parts are wrapped in soft paper.
The model is very detailed and delicate and has to be handled with care
as any pressure on small parts whilst lifting it may
damage them.
There were no missing parts on the review model, and a
few small parts had to be re-glued as they had come
loose in shipping.
A high quality brochure is included which has a
reprint of the original LTM 1800 machine specifications. The instructions
for the model are reasonable although they do not show
every part that has to be fitted.
Also included is a high quality collector plate
which is a reproduction of the original Liebherr plate
on the real crane, with information and
unique serial number for the model on the reverse.
Assembly is straightforward.
Detail
The underside of the carrier is very good with
transmission and suspension components detailed, and
only a silver screw and washer detracts from the look a
little.
The metal wheel hubs look very good, being of two types
as per the original, and mounted with excellent tyres bearing
the ‘Michelin’ logo on the outside.
The driving cab has very finely made
windscreen wipers and mirrors, and the towing hitch at
the front is of a realistic size. Steps to the cab have
a fine texture and there are excellent lights.
Interior detail is also very good.
Detail behind
the cab continues at an excellent level. Mesh grilles are present
and fans are visible underneath. The
metal exhaust is formed to have holes in the exhaust
pipes. More mesh work leads to the slewing ring and
here hydraulic cabling runs to the outrigger beams.
Alongside the body on both sides are small orange lights
which sit at the end of thin stalks. At the rear the
hydraulic details for the outrigger beams are present as
for the front pair, and there is a spare wheel with lifting
gantry. The light bars have nice plastic
lenses, and there is a realistic number plate.
The outrigger beams are beautifully made. The
inner sections have excellent hydraulic line details
within the castings and the two stage beams are metal
and feel very solid. At the end the smooth pistons
screw down to the transverse pad beams. The spreader beams and pads are first
class. They are all metal and very well detailed.
Better still, they contain magnets which allow the pads
to stick to the beams and the beams to stick to the
pistons which is an excellent design.
The high quality continues into the crane body. The
cab windows have fine seals and windscreen wipers.
Inside, the controls are clearly seen and there are
coloured graphics. Outside there
are excellent mesh walkways. Alongside
the body the panels have fine details within the casting
including hydraulic lines. Inside the body the winch
drums are well detailed.
The rope supplied with the model is good quality.
The sheaves used are metal and are painted
white to match the crane colour.
The boom gantry is raised by excellent metal three stage
cylinders which have ingenious magnet connections to the
gantry. At the gantry head there is a hydraulic lift
cylinder and top quality metal pendant connections.
Erection lifting straps for the derrick are also
modelled.
On each side of the body some access platforms
can be fitted when the crane is being used. These have
very good mesh floors, although the hand rails are
plastic and because they are thin, they are delicate.
These parts are a fairly loose press fit into holes in
the body which means they are easily knocked off if
handled, and may sag over time.
The counterweight tray has lifting points cast
in and the counterweight slabs have excellent lifting
points. Two sets of chains and associated clips and
pins are provided to enable the counterweight slabs to
be secured, and these add to the detail. A pair of
ladders is also provided which is a nice touch for posing the crane
in use.
The four stage telescopic boom is a heavy piece of
modelling reflecting the real crane. It has a great
profile with the
external locking pins of the real crane modelled, and
there are working roller bars throughout.
Metal handrails can be fitted for the erection phase,
and lifting chains for the boom assembly are modelled
too. At the boom head there are free-rolling metal
sheaves, and a lifting limiter on a very fine chain is
included.
Two sets of boom supports are provided for resting the
boom on a transporter or the ground.
Two different sizes of hook are supplied. These are all
metal and include excellent graphics and working safety
catches.
A fuel drum is provided in Baldwins colours. It is
plastic and very well detailed including very fine
useable lifting eyes.
Features
The steering on the carrier is reasonable with axles 1 to 4
linked proportionally although the mechanism is not
precise, and at the back axles
7 and 8 are linked. A reasonable lock
can be obtained although not as much as the real
crane can achieve.
The carrier cab has opening doors which are secured in
the closed position by tiny magnets.
Opening covers on the carrier deck reveal a very finely
detailed engine modelled after the engine used in this
version of the real crane.
The outrigger beams pull out sideways from the carrier
to form a star shape and can be telescoped out smoothly
to maximum extension or alternatively the model can be posed
with shortened outrigger beams like the original.
The pistons screw down smoothly to replicate a pinned bearing
connection on the transverse beams.
The crane cab is a swing away type which tucks
in at the front when in transport mode. It can also be
tilted to allow the operator comfort when the crane is
lifting at height. Separate windscreens allow the model
to be posed with an open or closed windscreen. The cab
door slides open and worked well on the review
model.
A working hydraulic hook is provided on the moving mast
but it is not stiff enough to hold the heavy boom.
The crane rotates smoothly, even under load.
The crane body has four winch drums and the rear two are accessed
by using removable magnetic side panels on the body. This excellent design feature allows
the model to be operated without having unsightly access
holes in the side of the body. Each winch is stiff
enough to hold any reasonable load, and they are can be
operated by using a special tool which has a screwdriver
connection at the end so it can be driven by a powered
screwdriver.
The boom can be posed on a transporter with the
handrails removed. It telescopes smoothly and each
section can be locked at the 50%, 92% or 100% positions
using screw in bolts modelled in the bolt positions of
the real crane.
The counterweight can be built in any configuration.
The hook blocks have rotating hooks and working spring-loaded
safety latches.
Quality
This is a very high quality beautifully presented model
which is mainly in metal.
The paintwork and graphics are excellent.
Price
The price reflects the
very high quality and limited edition
nature of the model.
Overall
YCC Models has a reputation for producing very authentic
models and this Baldwins version is no exception.
It is an excellent model and would look great with the
optional derrick and luffing fly jib.
Footnotes
This version was produced in a limited edition of 165 models, and it appeared in November 2019.
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
| Manual and
collector plate. |
 |
| Very nice
profile. |
 |
| Reasonable
steering angle. |
 |
| On the road. |
 |
| Boom is an
impressive load.
|
 |
| Large spreader
plates have excellent graphics. |
 |
| Impressive
rigging pose. |
 |
| Hook reeved
with a simple pattern.
|
|
|
 |
| Excellent
outriggers. |
 |
| Tilting cab
with sliding door. |
 |
| Graphics on
every section. |
 |
| Lifting a large
bridge beam. |
|
