Hitachi ZX225US-7 Tracked Excavator

The Hitachi ZX225US-7 is a welcome addition to the model fleet, produced in 1:50th scale by Replicars. The model has a tracked undercarriage with linked trackpads that have a triple grouser design and rotate well. The compact body has been convincingly modelled with printing used to good effect for realism. An opening upper panel allows the modelled interior of the engine bay to be seen, and this is a nice touch. The cabin has a fully modelled interior which is visible through the clearly glazed windows. Surprisingly, the cabin door does not open, like on other Hitachi excavator models and the digging equipment has a more simplistic implementation with the hydraulic lines cast into the boom. The short radius design of equipment is becoming more widely modelled, and it is great to see the ZX225US-7 appear in model form, replacing an earlier release.