1:50th Scale Liebherr SR714 LGP Welding Tractor
Presented here is the 1:50th scale Liebherr SR714 LGP welding tractor from NZG. The MAATS pipeline specialists from Holland (www.maats.com) are known for using Liebherr equipment which is specially customised for pipeline duties, including a range of pipe layers and welding tractors. The pipe layer has been a favourite machine to produce in miniature scale with examples including the RL22 and RL52 from Conrad and the RL64 from NZG. The addition of the SR714 welding tractor to the model range highlights the popularity of this specialist sector.
Based on the PR714 LGP crawler tractor, the welding tractor has a rear housing containing the welding equipment, electrical generator and optional air compressor with a front platform holding gas bottles and a HIAB knuckle boom crane which is used to lift and position the welding tent.
The front platform has black printed lines on the upper surface simulating the anti-slip bands of the full sized unit with red and white chevron markings on the corners. Hydraulic and electric cabling is routed to the crane and this looks authentic.
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A cradle holding 8 gas bottles and a fully functional HIAB crane are fitted to the front platform. The crane can rotate through 360 degrees with three telescopic extending boom sections complete with working hydraulic cylinders and a flexible cable connection for the welding equipment fixed between holders on each of the boom sections. |
As the sections extend, the three cable hose bundle folds out and this looks very authentic on the model and is a good compromise to the large cable bundle found on the full sized crane. The yellow painted hook will rotate and pivot although there is no welding tent provided with the model. |
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The cab interior has been fully modelled with armrests, joystick controls, central console with integrated safety grab rail and a textured floor panel with foot controls visible. The cab exterior has a rear mounted air conditioning unit with safety railings fitted to the cab frame with windscreen wipers highlighted.
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The engine compartment has a fine printed grill pattern with tiny printed safety labels and caution markings while the side platforms have anti-slip stripes and a textured central area with safety handles on both sides doubling up as holders for the rear view mirrors. An external hydraulic fluid cooler housing is mounted on one side while, on the other side, a storage compartment is fitted
The track frames have nice detailing cast into the surfaces with integrated access steps on both sides while the wide linked tracks have authentic single grouser pads with tensioned idler wheels and six rotating bottom rollers. |
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The rear housing has door panel detailing with silver highlighted handles and a glass cover allowing the various dials and gauges to be seen on the inside panel. |
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The paint finish is of a very high standard throughout with an even coating allowing the cast detailing to show through. the markings are crisply applied with small safety labels located on the engine covers and the Maats details located on the sides of the platform. This makes the ideal companion to the previously released Liebherr RL64 pipe layer.
