Airtech Claw Rig
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This set builds a fairly large main model (over 40cm long) and is the only Technic set I know to
include a compressor driven by an electric motor as part of the pneumatics system. It is built
from black, grey and yellow LEGO with a flash of red provided by the three seats.
There are two levers on each side of the rig that are used to route the air supply to the
cylinders that rotate the claw cab, raise/lower the arm, extend/retract the arm and open/close
the claw. The system works reasonable well although things tend to move very slowly and the motor
driving the compressor always sounds very over worked. Other features include a six-cylinder engine
driven from the rear wheels and the usual centrally controlled front wheel steering. The overall
design looks a little dated and not quite as flash as some of the later models (
8880
and
8460
) and horror of horrors, it doesn't even have a dummy steering wheel in the drivers cab :(
I think this is the most challenging Technic set I have yet constructed and, although I had no
problems putting it together (what a genius :), I do wonder whether the pneumatic system may have
been a little too tricky for the average kid moving up from standard LEGO.
This really is a very good set but it hasn't clicked with me as well as some of my other sets.
If I had half marks, then I would have given it an 8 1/2 but since I don't...
Score:
  8/10
Pieces: 957
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