Mt Arthur Liebherr R994B Tracked Face Shovel
Presented here is the Mt Arthur Coal version of the 1:50th scale Liebherr R994B tracked face shovel from NZG. There are a number of companies around the world who have their equipment painted in a corporate livery and in my opinion, one of the most striking colour combinations is the blue and white of Mt Arthur Coal. NZG have done a fantastic paint job on the Liebherr R994B which makes the model look amazing.
The picture above shows the amount of detail that has been added to the cab including sun screens, mirrors, full hand railing, roof mounted beacons and light clusters and even the addition of a fog horn. This has been previously unheard of from a mainstream manufacturer and is a feature normally only found on custom highly priced models from manufacturers like Peter Keim and OHS to name two. The contrasting blue paint scheme highlights more of the detail which is lost on the original model.
The rear deck of the model is highly detailed with reproduced fire suppressent equipment and fully reproduced walkways and hand railing. The hydraulic distribution system is present on the model with flexible pipework added bewteen the body and main boom. The access ladder can be rotated from the raised to lowered position just like the real machine.
When it comes to detail on a model, few are as highly detailed as the R994B and attention to detail has been followed right down to the panel on the underside of the rear body which houses the fuel and hydraulic fluid refuelling system which can be lowered revealing the hose connections.
The undercarriage is supperb, with sprung loaded idler wheels and individually linked metal tracks. This is another example of the detail that can be achieved on 1:50th scale models and spare track links are supplied in the box which is another nice touch.
One difference to the standard Liebherr version is the silver highlighting of the fixed hydraulic piping which really does add some extra realism into the model. The boom, stick and shovel are fully functional with a realistic range of movement allowing the model to be authentically posed.
The paint finish on the model is excellent throughout and once again, NZG have shown they are able to release a stunning, high quality and highly detailed model. If sales of the Mt Arthur shovel go well, there is every chance NZG may produce the backhoe version in the same decoration which would make a great pair. For information about the Mt Arthur Coal mine in New South Wales, Australia, visit the website.
