Tomica – Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank "日本石油"


Scale model of a tank truck, the Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank "日本石油" ¹, made by Tomica. This example is reference 11, included in the "Tomica Domestic" series. It is made in Japan, presumably in the 1970s. Tractor with a cream-painted metal body; unpainted metal base. Cab windows represented in transparent green tinted plastic. Cab with no interior details. Trailer with a cream-colored plastic top, combined with a blue-painted metal bottom. "日本石油" stickers on the sides of the tank. Plastic wheels with "chrome" details simulating the rims. No suspension. The trailer attaches to the tractor via an "L"-shaped spigot. License plate "HINO". The nominal scale is 1:102 and the overall length is approximately 3.1 in. About 1.8 oz. This model represents an articulated tank truck, operated by Nippon Oil. The tractor is presumably based on the 1973 Hino HE. The Hino HE was offered only as a tractor and could be equipped with different diesel engines, such as the Hino ED 100 "L6", with 260 hp (191 kW), the EF 100 "V8", with 280/350 hp (206/257 kW), or the EG 100 "V8", with 305 hp (224 kW).

As a kid, this model intrigued me. I couldn't tell if it was a realistic design operated by Nippon Oil or just a virtuoso attempt to fit a nice-looking truck into a small package. Furthermore, due to the tractor's very short wheelbase, it wasn't easy to drive. Even so, it achieved extraordinary success among kids, remaining in the Tomica catalog, in various versions, for almost thirty years, between 1975 and 2003. The casting is excellent, very detailed, and duly enhanced by the paintwork (in this example, compromised by my unfortunate brushstrokes). Judging from the photographs, the cab, with tinted windows and no interior details, reproduces that of the Hino HE very well and almost makes us forget the caricatured wheelbase. The trailer is lovely. In truth, if at first glance the proportions seem strange, they become familiar and the whole thing ends up being peculiarly harmonious. The wheels are well molded and finished and fulfill their function well. In terms of play value, the kids could hitch and unhitch the tanker and perform extremely tight maneuvers in the refinery yard due to the dimensions and articulation of the tractor-trailer assembly. Cool! But, on the roads leading to the gas stations, maintaining a straight line at a good speed was always a challenge. As for the Hino HE tractors (or HH, with three axles), information is scarce. For all intents and purposes, I don't remember seeing them in Portugal, and after so many years I still don't understand if this model was a realistic combination operated by Nippon Oil or just a virtuous attempt to fit a nice-looking truck into a small package. Be that as it may, it worked perfectly. ●


Modelo à escala de um camião cisterna, o Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank "日本石油" ¹, feito pela Tomica. Este exemplar é a referência 11, incluída na série "Tomica Domestic". É feito no Japão, presumivelmente nos anos setenta. Tractor com carroçaria em metal pintada de creme; base em metal sem pintura. Vidros da cabina representados em plástico transparente com tonalidade verde. Cabina sem detalhes interiores. Atrelado com a parte superior em plástico creme, combinada com a parte inferior em metal pintada de azul. Autocolantes "日本石油" nas laterais da cisterna. Rodas em plástico com detalhes "cromados" a simular as jantes. Sem suspensão. O atrelado encaixa no tractor por meio de um espigão em forma de "L". Matrícula "HINO". A escala nominal é 1:102 e o comprimento total é de aproximadamente 79 mm. Cerca de 52 g. Este modelo representa um camião-cisterna articulado, operado pela Nippon Oil. O tractor baseia-se presumivelmente no Hino HE de 1973. O Hino HE era proposto apenas como tractor e podia ser equipado com distintos motores diesel, como o Hino ED 100 "L6", de 260 hp (191 kW), EF 100 "V8", de 280/350 hp (206/257 kW), ou o EG 100 "V8", de 305 hp (224 kW).

Em miúdo, este modelo intrigava-me. Não compreendia se se tratava de uma combinação realista operada pela Nippon Oil ou apenas da virtuosa tentativa de colocar um bonito camião numa pequena embalagem. Para mais, devido ao curtíssimo entre eixos do tractor, não era nada fácil de conduzir. Ainda assim, obteve um sucesso extraordinário entre os miúdos, permanecendo no catálogo Tomica, em diversas versões, ao longo de quase trinta anos, entre 1975 e 2003. O molde é excelente, bem detalhado, e devidamente valorizado pela pintura (neste exemplar, comprometida pelas minhas infelizes pinceladas). A avaliar pelas fotografias, a cabina, com vidros fumados e sem detalhes interiores, reproduz muito bem a do Hino HE e quase nos faz esquecer o caricato entreeixos. O atrelado é encantador. Em boa verdade, se à primeira vista estranhamos as proporções, depois entranham-se e o conjunto acaba por se revelar peculiarmente harmonioso. As rodas são bem moldadas e acabadas e cumprem bem a sua função. Em termos de valor lúdico, os miúdos podiam atrelar e desatrelar a cisterna e executar manobras apertadíssimas no pátio da refinaria devido às dimensões e articulação do conjunto. Fixe! Mas, nas estradas a caminho das estações de serviço, manter uma linha recta em boa velocidade era sempre um desafio. Quanto aos tractores Hino HE (ou HH, com três eixos), a informação é escassa. Para todos os efeitos, não me lembro de os ver em Portugal e passados tantos anos continuo sem compreender se este modelo se tratava de uma combinação realista operada pela Nippon Oil ou apenas da virtuosa tentativa de colocar um bonito camião numa pequena embalagem. Seja como for, resultou perfeitamente. ● 


¹ "日野セミトレーラートランスポートタンク" and "Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank" on the package; "Hino Semi-Trailer Transport Tank", with hyphenated "semi-trailer", on the base of the model. ● "日野セミトレーラートランスポートタンク" e "Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank" na embalagem; "Hino Semi-Trailer Transport Tank", com "semi-reboque" hifenado, na base do modelo. 




Tomica "Domestic" 

The "Domestic" series comprises a varied selection of Japanese vehicles. ● A série "Domestic" (doméstica, nacional) compreende uma selecção variada de veículos japoneses. 

Item

Reference

Scale

Made

Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank "日本石油" ¹

Tank Truck

11 (11-2) 

1:102

1970s ²

¹ "日野セミトレーラートランスポートタンク" and "Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank" on the package; "Hino Semi-Trailer Transport Tank", with hyphenated "semi-trailer", on the base of the model. ● "日野セミトレーラートランスポートタンク" e "Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank" na embalagem; "Hino Semi-Trailer Transport Tank", com "semi-reboque" hifenado, na base do modelo. 
² This version. Considering all versions, 1975–2003.
 

  
11 Cream tractor, cream and blue trailer w/"日本石油" stickers, green tinted windows.


Hino HE Series

Version

Engine

cm³

Output

HE 335

ED 100 "L6", diesel

11581

260 hp (191 kW)

HE 345/345T 

EF 100 "V8", diesel

13804 

280/350 hp (206/257 kW)

HE 355 

EG 100 "V8", diesel

14886 

305 hp (224 kW)


References

Wikipedia | "Tomica"
Wiki | "Tomica"
Wiki | "No. 11 Hino Semi Trailer Transport Tank" 
Wikipedia | "Hino Motors"
Hino | "HE Truck Series" catalogs
10-4 Magazine | "The History of Hino" Norman Chapman 
Wikipedia | "Nippon Oil/ENEOS" 
Wikipedia | "Tank truck"
Wikipedia | "Semi-trailer" 

1 mm → 0.039 inch 
1 g → 0.035 oz 
1 kg → 2.205 lb avdp 
1 t (metric) – 2204.623 pound (lb) (avdp) 
1 kW → 1,360 hp (metric/PS)
1 kW → 1,341 hp
1 hp (metric/PS) → 0,986 hp
1 km → 0,621 mile (international)
1 l → 0.264 US gallon 
1 m → 3.281 ft 
1 cm³ → 0.0610237 ci/cu in


●  Check it out on this video, retrieved from Truck Tropia, some challenging aspects of tank trailers. Spoiler alert—way complex than one would expect. 





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