Meng US M911 C-HET (8x6) & M747 Heavy Equipment Semi-Trailer (SS013) 1:35

[Mike]

US M911 C-HET (8x6) & M747 Heavy Equipment Semi-Trailer (SS013)

1:35 Meng Model

 

 

Any army requires transporters for their heavy equipment, and in the US this is abbreviated to HET, which stands for Heavy Equipment Transport, so you hear the use of the phrase applied to a number of heavy-haulers.  Tank transport is particularly heavy, with your average M1 Abrams weighing in around 60 tons.  The M911 tractor unit was a product of the 70s and was initially paired with a trailer that had previously been used with the M746 that the M911 replaced.  During the Gulf War the M911 saw extensive use pulling Abrams tanks from battle to battle, which exposed weaknesses in the tractor's mechanicals that led to its replacement by the M1070, from the same Oshkosh stable.   The easiest way of telling them apart is the more streamlined grille of the M1070, versus the square shape of the M911.

 

 

The Kit

This is a completely new tooling from Meng, and given their reputation for detail this is a god thing.  It arrives in a large box that possibly could have stood a slightly thicker cardboard stock, and once you open it up, you're greeted by a pretty comprehensive package:

 

• 15 sprues in sand coloured styrene
• 1 sprue in clear styrene
• 2 frets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass
• 2 sprues of poly-caps
• 13 flexible styrene tractor tyres (large)
• 17 flexible styrene semi-trailer tyres (small)
• 6 flexible styrene pneumatic shock-absorbers
• 1 sheet of reflective foil for mirrors
• 1 sheet of pre-cut masks
• 4 metal axles (long)
• 2 metal axles (short)
• 1 red insulated wire
• 1 blue insulated wire
• 2 braided cable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's still a little room in the box for stashing any aftermarket you might buy, but it's a well-rounded complement.  The detail is of course excellent throughout, and there are lots of clever techniques used in the build, as well as the moulding of the kit.  Construction starts with the ladder chassis of the tractor, which consists of two outer rails/i-beams onto which the cross-members and transmission equipment are added, along with a number of tanks for the pneumatic systems.  Once the frame becomes a ladder, you can use the jig that is built into the runners of sprue C (see below), but go easy with the glue if you're not taking off the parts first, as you might accidentally drip and mar the surface of them.  A chunky-looking transmission box and short drive-shaft are fitted at about the half-way point, with the seriously large leaf-springs and their twin axles added next, linked by more drive-shafts, as every wheel on the tractor is driven.  The front springs are only slightly less beefy, and these are also joined by their axle and drive-shaft in due course.  In between the front axle and the twin rear axles is a pneumatically-operated fourth axle that can be raised or lowered to spread the weight further.  This is referred to as the Pusher Axle, and uses the included flexible shock-absorbers during construction.  At this point you choose whether to have this up or down, as the construction process is different for each option.  Steering gear for the front axle plus a host of ancillaries throughout the other axles are added, followed by the lower part of the V8 92TA-90 diesel powered engine, and its transmission.  If the lower half isn't good enough for you because you wanted to open up the hood/bonnet, then Meng also have you covered with their resin upgrade set SPS-055 (reviewed here), which unsurprisingly gives you the full engine and CLBT-150 transmission.  In common with almost everything about this kit, the fuel tanks are massive, with one large one on one side, and a smaller one on the other – a description that can also be applied to the stowage boxes that hang off the ladder chassis. 

 

 

 

Now for some wheels!  Each hub is constructed from the main hub, separate flange, and a poly-cap hidden behind a central boss, that is then (once dry and possibly painted) fitted to the flexible styrene tyre, which should be of the large variety, as the smaller tyres are for the trailer wheels.  The rear axles have double tyres, which are constructed differently, with two poly-caps hidden between the two inner faces of the hub.  The pusher and the front axles are single tyres, and all wheels can be removed at will thanks to the inclusion of the poly-caps, which makes painting and weathering much easier.  The winch station is built up next on a trapezoid base that installs over the front-most of the twin rear axles, and has a pair of cable drums that have the braided cable wound around them during assembly.  A plastic eyelet is added to the end of the cable, and the twin motors and control wires are fitted pointing aft.  The hydraulics box sits forward of the cable drums, which doubles as a spare tyre bracket, and has a small drive-shaft to take off power from the transmission, as well as pipes and corrugates hoses to transfer the fluid.  The winch control box fits between these two assemblies with lots of old-fashioned levers sat atop the box, with a PE front panel, and some decals for stencils near the controls.

 

Turning briefly to the engine again, the large front-mounted radiator and side-mounted air intake and filter are fitted first, and then left while the 5th wheel/9th wheel and its guide plates are fitted to the rear.  A pair of pneumatic hoses are wound round a narrow rod to give the impression of the flexible connectors that are typically fitted for quick-disconnect of trailers, with a scrap diagram showing where they should be routed.  The large branded mudguards are glued to the ends of the i-beams, and on the side the spare wheel is sited on the bracket on the hydraulic tank.

 

 

The cab is next, and operations begin with the front bulkhead/firewall, which has the windscreen aperture moulded-in, to which you fit the clear part.  There are two quarter-lights that also have glazing panels, and inside you fit the dashboard with decals for the dials and sun visors on each side.  The driver gets a separate seat, while the other two crew have to share a similarly upholstered bench seat, which fits into the rear part of the cab, with moulded-in anti-slip ribbing to the floor, which angles up at the front to accept the pedal box, the steering column and other drive controls, which a few nice decals for stencils here and there.  At the rear there are three small rear glazing panels added, then the front bulkhead is mated to the rear to form the major part of the cab, to which the support structure is added under the floor.  The doors are made up of inner and outer skins that sandwich the clear part between them, and inside a couple of stencils can be added plus the handles and window winders.  The right door also has a glazed "cat flap" in the bottom, presumably for judging kerbs etc.  The big cowling at the front of the cab is a single part if you ignore the badge at the front of the top, and to the very front you have the radiator grille, which is PE, and needs to be folded.  Fret not however, as Meng have thoughtfully provided a two-part jig that will do all the heavy-lifting for you.  You position the flat PE grille on the bottom part of the jig, with a lug in each corner locating in corresponding grille holes, then you apply the top part and press down firmly and evenly.  This slides down on four turrets so that it doesn't go out of line, and the edges apply pressure to the grille, resulting in nicely curved corners.  You mate the finished part to the cowling with some super glue and then add the doors (open or closed) and the roof, remembering to paint it before you do.  Another jig is supplied to roll the exhaust's perforated heat-shield, which is then glued on around the styrene muffler, with its feeder pipe leading into the engine cowling past the cab door.  With a couple of vents and lights for the roof you can glue the cab onto the chassis, then add the protected bull-bars that also incorporate the front light clusters.  The wing mirrors are attached to a frame that goes over the roof, with braces against the cab sides, another pair that are separate, and most interestingly, a set of self-adhesive mirror stickers that you can apply after completion to give a realistic reflection to the viewer.  Air horns, rear lamps, towing shackles and another mirror on the front of the engine cowling with its own foil sticker finish off the tractor unit.

 

The semi-trailer is begun by putting together the frame that sits at the rear between the main I-beams of the trailer's chassis, supporting the rear axles.  A number of cross-beams are fitted before the undersurface of the trailer can be installed, which has the goose-neck and fifth-wheel attachment point moulded-in, which is strengthened by a sub-assembly of beams, while fillets are added along the length of the chassis to provide additional width to the flat-bed.  A stowage are is fabricated on the top of the A-frame by adding a number of panels, with pioneer tools fitted to the exterior, and at the rear, the aft bulkhead is made up, with a large pulley attached inside, and a pair of outrigger beams back at the front of the bed.  The flat-bed is fitted with stiffeners along its edges before attachment, and an additional section is then fitted to the goose-neck and A-frame, then the assembly is flipped over to install a number of distinctly Toblerone-like parts under the bed.  More parts are fitted to the edges, and a set of large air tanks are made up and fitted into the forward underside of the trailer, with a scrap diagram showing their correct location and orientation.  Bump-stops and flexible pneumatic shock absorbers are installed under the bed in anticipation of the rear axle pair, which is made up from straight axles with brakes and massive supports, dropping onto the shock-absorbers to give it some flex.  The second pair of axles are fitted to a single-point rocker and clipped around short beams that were glued in place earlier, and have hubs attached to each end, with all axles then getting a pair of wheels apiece, using the same pair of poly-caps trapped between the hubs.  The flexible wheels slip over the hubs, and before long you have 16 (more) wheels on your wagon.

 

 

The trailer's front steadies are able to be fitted extended or retracted by varying the point at which you clip them into the frame parts, which are all PE, so may not stand up to constant changing of stance. It would be wise to pick up or down and stick with it to avoid disappointment when they break from fatigue.  Fitting the skids to the pivot point finishes those off, and then attention turns back to the rear for the assembly and fitting of the big loading ramps.  Each one is a mirror image, so uses some different parts, so take care to keep track of which is left and right, although it should become obvious when it comes to fitting them, as they'll only fit one way.  They are secured in transit by chains, which are styrene in this case, and the diagram shows the correct hooking point for these delicate parts, and some may wish to replace the plastic with real micro-chain which is available in suitable sizes online.  The spare wheel and various "greeblies" are fitted to the A-frame along with some hand-holds, with load handling equipment such as stoppers, jack pads, spacers and even a jack fitted into the spaces between the frames.  Linking the trailer to the fifth-wheel socket and connecting up the two curly "pneumatic" wires completes the build phase.

 

 

Markings

Despite this being a big model, it has a teeny-tiny decal sheet, mainly because AFVs and softskins seldom have many markings other than number plate, unit and theatre markings, plus the occasional stencil.  You get two options from the box, one in generic NATO tricolour green/brown/black camo, the other in desert sand with markings for Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, January 1991.  Colour call-outs are in AK Interactive colours, and the schemes are shown in five-view colour profiles printed on glossy paper, separately from the main instructions.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

Awesome!  It's not a pocket-money kit by any stretch of the imagination, but the effort, attention to detail and care that has gone into the design makes it a worthy addition to your stash.  Even if you don't do the obvious this and plonk an Abrams on top, you've still got a very impressive model.  It's a shame Meng haven't yet done an early Abrams that would be suitable for this period, but their M1A2 SEP with TUSK I/II is still worth drooling over as an aside.  Just perfect for that long narrow space in your cabinet.

 

 

Very highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[stalal]

This looks like a very nice kit. Meng has set a good benchmark in quality. 

 

This kit reminds me of Tamiya's FAMO kit with trailer. Its a fabulous kit and did not think its quality will be matched by any other. Meng's kit looks close to that quality. 

 

http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/famoandsdah116reviewbg_1.htm