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| The model is well protected when it comes out of the box. The moving mast (lying flat on top) is already reeved. |
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| Tracks are excellent and are complete with lifting chains on the frames. |
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| Cab detail is top notch with a sliding door and the name printed onto the operator's seat. |
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| At the back, ballast weights are very good and hand railing and walkways are first class. |
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| 'I'm surrounded by Manitowoc robots!'. The crane body jacks slot into the body, but cannot lift the crane. |
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| Boom section looks good on the Talbert Trailer. |
TWH 005 - Manitowoc 18000 Crawler Crane
Model Review February 2006
Detail
This model is very detailed - much more so than the equivalent Conrad models. The undercarriage and crane body are permanently assembled as one piece and although an experienced modeller might want to have a go at taking it to pieces, it is obviously not intended for this.
The tracks are metal, and excellent, and one end of each frame is spring-loaded to maintain the tension. The frames are finely detailed with rivets and include a couple of chains with hooks. Metal steps and handrails rise up to the turntable platform and these are perhaps the best yet seen on a crane model with the walking surfaces consisting of fine mesh grilles. This is a feature which runs throughout the model. Black counterweight slabs fit into trays slung from the under frame. These are well made and are complete with lifting eyes.
The operator's cab is fully detailed with windscreen wipers and grab handles. There is also a door mirror but sadly this is not silvered. The door to the cab is delicate and slides open to reveal a detailed interior complete with the 'Manitowoc' logo printed on the back of the seat. At the rear of the cab various notices are replicated with microscopic writing.
At the front of the crane body two fine slewing motors are modelled complete with power cables appearing from their tops. Above these are some connection points for hydraulic hosing which is provided on the boom sections and runs from the winch drums.
Moving on around to the side opposite to the operator's cab, there is a hydraulic jack (one of four) which is used to jack the crane body up when installing the under frame. These are modelled here in the usual way with a screw thread and a metal pad foot. Each jack is provided as a separate item which slots into lugs on the crane body. Excellent walkways are provided on each side of the crane.
At the rear of the crane body the crane body counterweight trays hang off each side. They have one slab permanently fixed in each tray which seems a strange modelling decision. The slabs here also include step irons to replicate the ladder formed to allow slinging and unslinging of the slabs.
Looking inside the crane body from above, the level of detail continues. An engine block is present complete with a fan inside a radiator assembly. Remarkably, the fan rotates on the review model. Hydraulic oil and fuel tanks are also modelled and it is here that some of the few plastic parts are found in the shape of exhaust pipes and pipe work.
The boom and jib sections of the crane are hand made of brass. They have a good feel about them with the members being genuine tubes rather than being squared off internally as a result of a die casting process. There is a down side to the hand made pieces however and it is that they are not geometrically perfect. It would seem that the main longitudinal members were set up in a jig and then the bracing attached. It appears that either through not setting the jig up accurately, or because of subsequent cooling, that some slight deformation or kinking is present in some of the sections. This appears when laying sections on a flat surface. On the review model these distortions were present to a degree but the overall effect is slight. However by the nature of hand made work it could be that some collectors will find that jibs or booms have visual twists or bends which might be unsightly. The worst example of this on the review model (and seems to be common in photos of other models) is the whip line extension at the end of the luffing jib. This shows a clear twist (see photo).
In all other respects the lattice sections are very good indeed. The connections are positive screw joints so there is no fear of the model collapsing. Included detail such as winches are very good and are complete with hydraulic hosing which connects through into the main crane body. Pulleys on the model are first rate as they have spokes and turn freely on their axles. The boom head sports plastic 'Manitowoc' sign boards.
Two hooks are supplied. The main block is large piece with 15 pulleys and a very good swivelling double hook. The whip line is a single metal piece.
The last part of the model is the MAX-ER attachment which is the counterweight trailer. It comes as a single item and continues the first class level of detail of the rest of the model.
Walkways and handrails are excellent and the step irons up the frame to the pendant connection point are also impressive. There is some very good hydraulic hosing detail on the legs and the tyres are very good heavy rubber versions. The hydraulic rams for lifting the frame up have metal pistons and pads.
The numerous counterweight slabs provided are the same high quality as those used on the crane body.