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| Flying the flag - the Manitowoc 555. |
TWH 015 - Manitowoc 555 Crawler Crane
Model Review August 2008
Page 1 2 3 Return to TWH Reviews Index Cranes Etc Home Page
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| Flying the flag - the Manitowoc 555. |
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| Manitowoc box. |
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The upper layer of the box including the new boom design. |
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| The lower layer with the older boom and crane body. |
The Manitowoc 555 is a 150 US ton (136 tonnes) capacity crawler crane which can be rigged in a variety of ways to provide up to 390ft (100m) under hook height. This model version has a main boom with a No. 134 fixed fly jib.
The model is a re-work of an earlier version by CCM (see review here) and includes both the previous version of the boom and a new version. It is made by TWH in China and is 1:50 scale.
Packaging
The box is in a Manitowoc style and contains two polystyrene trays which hold the new boom sections in the top part and the crane and older boom parts in the lower part. The review model had no defects or missing parts. A comprehensive product guide brochure is provided which includes full information on the real machine and excellent assembly instructions. These only cover the new boom design however although most collectors will prefer this arrangement anyway.
Assembly is straightforward and an hour and a half should see it done, with the most time spent on reeving the main hook block.
Detail
The undercarriage, body and first jib section are all permanently assembled as one piece. The tracks are metal and very good looking. The track frames are well detailed, and walkway plates span the track frames to provide a wide platform.
The body accurately models the open design of the original. The exterior panels are plain except for the handle details. 'Manitowoc' is cast into body on both sides. On the left hand side the panel opens and there is also a metal ladder and a radiator grille. At the back the ballast boxes are modelled, but as a single casting rather than separate pieces. The cab is excellent with walkways, grab bars, wipers, a mirror and a beacon light. The internal cab details are good. Within the body, three winches are provided which are already pre-strung. The engine is modelled and although it is plastic it looks good. The same cannot be said for the exhaust pipe which looks cheaper than the rest of the model. The pulleys on the body and the luffing frame are metal and are very good. Helpfully, the luffing gear is already reeved so saving the collector the usual fiddly job.
There is a slight difference between this and the earlier reviewed version of the model in the casting of the body at the rear of the crane. See the photo on page 3 to see this difference. However this was presumably a change made by CCM as the TWH changes are focussed on the boom design.
