Kobelco CKE 2500G Lattice Crawler Crane

Presented here is the 1:50th scale Kobelco CKE 2500G lattice boom crawler crane which has been produced by Tonkin Replicas and finished in the Mammoet company colours. The CKE 2500G has a lifting capacity of 250 ton at 4.6 metre and is powered by a Hino P11C-VC 6-cylinder engine developing 360hp.

The model is presented in a number of parts which make an ideal load for a road transport set, carried on suitably decorated Mammoet trucks & trailers.

The undercarriage has four rotating arms with pivoting jacks allowing self assembly of the track frames which bolt into place.

There are locations on the undercarriage to connect a pair of ballast trays which hold one additional ballast plate. On the sample reviewed here, these were almost impossible to secure as the holes for the small pins do not line up perfectly. It is also very difficult to bolt the ballast plates into position on the trays using the tools provided.

For the main mast, there are three 12 metre sections and two 6 metre sections, each fitted with mesh walkways running along the top of the section and black painted ends

They fit together using tiny bolts and this is easy to assemble. The pennant lines are also bolted together and come in different lengths and allow different height configurations to be realised, as shown here with only a single 6 metre section used.

The A-frame is controlled by a dual winch which is pre-rigged and when fully extended, the left and right sides of the A-frame were of different lengths, something which is easy to rectify with a spot of glue. Once fixed, both sides of the A-frame rigging remained taut through the full range of movement.

The rear of the crane houses a ballast plate which is again pinned into place. The diagrams show insertion of the pins from the inside however, it is very tricky to achieve so I inserted the locking pins from the outside.

Each of the ballast plates has the ability to be locked to each other with a multitude of bolts and small metal links. This is easy to connect up but does take time to insert and tighten up all the nuts and bolts. The end result is very nice indeed and there is no worry of the ballast plates falling off the model.

Three different hook blocks are included in the box, a 70t and 35t conventional hook and a ball hook while two metal plates with rope attached and the Mammoet logo printed across them can be used as loads to keep the main lifting rope lines taut. Winch operation is by inserting a winding key into the winch housings and these are cleverly hidden behind detachable panels.

The box includes a full set of parts for a luffing jib, further extending the posing possibilities of the model and once again, the instructions explain, with diagrams, the full process of attaching the jib.

Once the configuration is complete, a number of detailing parts need to be added including metal walkways on both sides of the upper carriage and metal safety railings around the upper housing.

Two ladders are included and fit mid way along the sides while four sets of access steps fit onto the track frames.

For their first crane, Tonkin Replicas have done a superb job on the engineering and despite a few small issues during assembly, the end results are well worth the effort.

The documentation supplied in the box is comprehensive with stunning step-by-step assembly guides which are very easy to follow with every bag of parts clearly labelled, a very nice touch indeed. Additional material includes a machine brochure and specification booklet detailing the capabilities of the full sized unit.