MAN TGS LX 8x2 with Palfinger PK100002-SH Knuckle Boom Crane
Presented here is the 1:50th scale MAN TGS LX 4-axle truck with Palfinger PK100002-SH knuckle boom crane in the Wiesbauer company livery from Conrad.
The front detailing of the cab and grill has been accurately produced with the chromed MAN logo prominently displayed along with the Wiesbauer company detailing across the front and on the sides of the cab. Holes have been incorporated into the casting for the rear view mirrors and radio aerial to be fitted.
The front surfaces of the mirror housings have been painted to match the body colour and both sides of the cab have the Wiesbauer logo design crisply printed with tiny printing of the depot contact numbers.
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The cab has been nicely captured with crisp body panel detailing and roof mounted amber beacons with a black plastic roof panel. A black sun visor is fitted above the windscreen with white printing. The tilting cab reveals the engine block at the heart of the chassis with a chromed exhaust stack rising up behind the cab. The front axles have linked steering with a good amount of steering movement while a replicated drivetrain is added to the rear driven axle. |
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Conrad have ensured that the model is correct to the original where ever possible including the configuration of the chassis. The single driven axle is joined by a rear-most tag axle which offers a limited range of steering movement along with the ability to raise and lock the axle off the ground using clever engineering of the suspension frame which is a welcome addition to the model.
Transparent plastic lenses have been integrated into the lower bumper which is also fitted with a frame housing a pair of auxiliary jacks for added support during lifting operations, matching the details found on the full sized truck in use with the Wiesbauer company.
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The ballast box features a ball and socket connection allowing it to be easily removed as required, which is now found on the latest truck models from Conrad instead of using the fifth wheel coupling to secure the platform. The printing around the outer sides of the ballast box are very crisp, providing the contact details for the different depots along with the Wiesbauer logos and website details. |
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The chassis frame has a covered upper surface where the fully functional fifth wheel coupling has been added, allowing the tractor to be coupled with the full range of Conrad trailer models available.
The rear of the chassis has two-stage extending outriggers with screw down pads with plastic wheel chocks and a pintle hitch also fitted. The rear bumper has painted reversing, brake and indicator lights with plastic wheel guards fitted over the rear wheels.
It is obvious that Conrad have put a lot of effort into the model to capture all the functional details of the full sized Palfinger crane which is testament to the engineering excellence. While the crane does look a touch overscale, this is not really noticed when considering all the functional aspects of the crane. Great touches include the fixed and winch mounted hooks that can be connected to the two outermost boom sections. The heavy weight and feel of the model is typically Conrad with accurate and smooth movement of the boom hydraulics.
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The crane structure has some good detailing, including the large hydraulic fluid tank along with several panels fitted to the main rotating frame of the crane. |
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The front stabilizers are hinged, allowing the jack leg to rotate through 180 degrees to allow the two stage telescopically extending arms to fit within the profile of the truck chassis. When fully extended, they provide added stability to the model, especially when the boom is at maximum range. The geometry of the boom movement has been captured well and folds neatly behind the cab when in a transport configuration. When extended, the hydraulics are stiff enough to allow the boom to be positioned as required, without being too stiff to risk causing damage. |
One of the great features on the boom is that each telescoping section is connected to a functional hydraulic cylinder which give the model a very realistic appearance. The boom sections are plastic and fit snugly which allows them to slide smoothly and remain in the position chosen.
The Wiesbauer model fleet has been growing rapidly over the last year or two and the MAN TGS with Palfinger is an excellent addition, shown below alongside the limited edition Liebherr LTR1100 crawler crane which is also decorated in Wiesbauer livery
