1:50th Scale Liebherr HS855HD Crawler Crane
The HS855 duty cycle crane can perform a number of different tasks from lifting to material handling, demolition, soil compaction and foundation applications with diaphragm wall grabs or casing oscillators. The crane is powered by a 600hp diesel engine with an operational weight of 84.4 ton and a maximum lift capacity of 90 ton. The maintenance free Liebherr free-fall winches with integrated drive and disc brakes are powerful and robust with electro-hydraulic control systems allowing smooth and precise control whilst the removable track frames and ballast systems allow easy transport to the work site and the 1:50th scale model presented here from NZG has authentically captured all the details and functionality of the full sized machine.
The box is full of parts allowing the model to be erected in several different configurations which is a very nice touch from NZG. In the lift configuration, three boom sections are used along with the jib head and two hook blocks.
The main body of the model features opening side doors which give access to the winding mechanisms fitted to the winches. The two main lift winches are actually geared with the supplied winding keys being needed to release the drum locks before turning to wind the rope. This is a very nice piece of engineering on the model and the winches work will once pressure is applied.
The rear counterweight system has been accurately captured and is fully functional with the ability to connect the four lift chains to the main ballast section. The hydraulic pistons can be raised, lifting the ballast into position before it is secured with a pin. There are ten smaller ballast stones that can be used (up to five each side) and they are held steady with the use of metal pins, of which three sizes are supplied allowing three, four or the full complement of five ballast stones per side.
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The A-Frame has metal pulleys which line up with the pulleys at the rear of the upper structure and this is relatively easy to reeve from the rear most winch.
The body casting is very crisp with lots of detail including diamond plate floor panels, access ladder at the rear and the exhaust stack can be folded down to reduce the height for transport which is another nice touch. |
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The track frames have small rollers along the bottom edge with the Liebherr name cast into the drive sprockets. |
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The track frames can be extended to provide a larger footprint and the four square panels on the front surfaces can be removed to access the fixing screws, allowing the track frames to be removed from the undercarriage to reduce transport weight. This is another great touch on the model and four jacks are connected to the undercarriage allowing it to be authentically posed with the track frames removed.
The tracks are tensioned with individually linked metal track pads, complete with triple grouser surface detailing. The undercarriage H-section has cast slots on one end, similar to the undercarriage on the LRB255 model and this would allow a casing oscillator attachment to be connected to the HS855.
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The three main boom sections are connected to each other with the use of tiny threaded bolts with matching nuts. Even a tool for easy assembly is supplied in the box.
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There are different pulleys supplied with the model to allow the boom head to be accurately configured depending on the chosen setup. |
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The pennant lines have been made from actual metal rope with crimped loops at each end which connect with the small metal connecting pieces (above) which really does add to the realistic look of the model.
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When configured for lifting, the boom head requires six pulleys to be pinned into place. Several sizes of pin are supplied allowing the small, fixed angle jib to be connected or omitted as required.
The A-Frame connects to the boom head with the metal pennant lines which, on the model reviewed here are all the exact same length so there is no slack on one side to the other. The metal frame connected to the A-Frame is pinned allowing it to pivot slightly and during erection, the model can be authentically posed with the A-Frame connected to the boom foot, again demonstrating the level of engineering and thought that has gone into the production of the model. |
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Even the tag line winch has been modeled on the side of the boom foot which is a nice addition. |
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The cab has large glazed windows allowing the detailed interior to be seen, complete with contoured seat, joystick controls and control console. The cab tilts up to about 30 degrees and has a roof window protection screen with integrated work lights. A rear view mirror and windscreen wiper have been added with silver painted walkways located along both sides of the upper structure and around the cab frame.
The main load block has a single pulley with chevron safety markings whilst the headache ball hook can be used with the small, fixed jib as pictured above.
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The highly detailed drag bucket has small chains connected to the front and rear with lots of small drain holes on both sides, matching the type of bucket used for dredging. The casting is exceptionally detailed with large teeth and frame re-enforcement structure all accurately captured.
The pull line from the front winch is fed through the centre of the fairlead which requires bolting onto the boom and this has free rolling pulleys and rollers, just like the full sized machine. The tagline support has also been supplied and while not used in the configurations, its inclusion suggests that additional accessories, including a clamshell grab or foundation equipment may be produced at a later date. |
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When the model is erected as a dragline, the boom head is changed to use the single pulleys and smaller pins. |
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The model is an exceptional release with a host of posing possibilities. The castings are crisp with great paintwork, accurate markings and some very good internal engineering. The level of detail found throughout the model shows the extra level that NZG have gone to in producing another exceptional addition to the Liebherr model range.
