by Jason Hasert

Three New Boxed Sets From Ertl:  CaseIH, AGCO and John Deere

Ertl has been busy producing new self-propelled sprayers in 2004. In July the new CaseIH 4410 sprayer was released in 1/64 scale. In August the long awaited John Deere 4920 sprayer brought out in 1/64. These new sprayers offer a new level of detail not offered on past sprayers.

In 1996 Ertl introduced the first 1/64 sprayer with the John Deere 4700. In its day the 4700 was a big step forward for the 1/64 scale. It offered a great display potential with its 60ft boom. That means it can cover two passes by a 12 row corn planter. Before the mid-1990’s big row crop sprayers were often only used by custom applicators and co-op services. Sprayers like the 4700 made big sprayers a much more common on large farms.

In 2000 John Deere upgraded the 4700 sprayer to the 4710. The real 4710 improvements over the 4700. The engine grew from 185 hp to 200 hp, the fuel tank from 85 gallons to 95 gallons and the chemical tank was increased from 750 gallons to 800 gallons. The 4710’s modifications were minor enough to allow Ertl to redecal the 1/64 4700 replica as a 4710.

The 4700/4710 model was a big surprise and popular farm toy farm Ertl. The only thing that bothered collectors was the booms. Most 1/64 collectors are always looking for big folding implements because 1/64 is the only scale in the hobby that affords the space for large farm machinery. The John Deere 4700/4710 replica offered a single 60ft boom, while the real machines offered a double folding boom that allow for a 60 or 80 ft spray width or a deluxe package of a 60/90 split.

1/64 John Deere 4710

In the December 2000 Ertl answered the 1/64 collector wish list with a big new self-propelled sprayer. The Ag-Chem 1254 Row-Gator debuted in 1/64 scale offering a double folding 60/90 boom and 1200 gallon chemical tank. The boom offered more casting detail than the 4700/4710 sprayer and collectors really liked that the big boom raised and lowered on the sprayers frame. Ag-Chem is probably the best known chemical application name in the farm equipment industry and the Row-Gator the most popular sprayer.

The 1254 is an interesting model in farm toy history because it was one of the first toy news scoops by Toy Tractor Show.com in August 2000. TTS reported on the 1254 four months ahead of its release. The 1/64 1254 was one of the items that put Toy Tractor Show.com on the Farm Toy News map. Collectors clamored for the 1254 on Toy Talk for months. Once it was released farm toy enthusiasts were very pleased. Although one thing that has changed in the dot com era of the hobby, as soon as one big new model is out collectors are ready for the next surprise. This is especially true in 1/64.

1/64 Ag-Chem 1254 Row Gator

Replicas in 1/64 have a short shelf life because the internet has kept many collectors well informed on what is on the market. A prime example is the self-propelled sprayer. The John Deere 4700 was offered for five years. It was released in 1996 but many collectors may not have found about it for a few years because there area only had one toy show a year. Once sites like Toy Tractor Show.com and on-line toy dealers started a collector knew all the farm toy news and could order new toys right away with out waiting months or years to find out about new toys. The Ag-Chem 1254 was the number one 1/64 surprise of 2000 but soon it would be passed by in the year 2001.

2001 1/64 CaseIH SPX 4260

Ertl’s detail and toy turn around really took off in the year 2000 when Racing Champions became involved. Detail was paid attention too. Hand rails, lights, clear windows became an important part of 1/64 farm toys.. This detail showed up on the CaseIH/Patriot SPX 4260 sprayer in February 2001. The new SPX sprayer offered improved detail over the Ag-Chem Row Gator with a clear window cab, adjustable ladder, raise able booms, double fold 60/90 booms with foam markers. The foam markers were the one other detail missing from the Ag-Chem and John Deeere sprayers. CaseIH places foam markers at the 60 ft and 90 ft splits. The SPX 4420 has a 1200 gallon chemical tank. If you think the cab on the CaseIH sprayer looks like the STX Steiger cab you are right. CaseIH uses the STX Surveyor cab on many of its chemical application models.

CaseIH Surveyor Cab used on STX Steiger 4wds and SPX Sprayers

New 2004 CaseIH SPX 4410

The SPX 4260 was updated by CaseIH to the SPX 4410 model. Ertl has followed suite in July 2004 releasing a new SPX 4410 in 1/64 scale. Like the John Deere 4700 upgrade to the 4710 their a minor improvements mechanically and it allowed Ertl to retain the same tooling. The new 4410 is not just a redecal. Ertl added a gps beacon to the roof to replicas CaseIH’s ASM guidance system. The front hood was also modified to reflect changes on the real 4410. One interesting change Ertl made was inside the STX Surveyor Cab. On the 2001 SPX 4260 the steering wheel was a detailed spoke wheel. On the new 4410 the steering wheel was changed to a non-descript disk. The new 1/64 CaseIH STX 500 Steiger 4wds that use the same cab and were released along with the 4410 retained the detailed spoke steering wheel. The 4410 offers an interesting variation for collectors like our own 1/64 Variations author Dan Adamson.

This August brought the largest and most detailed 1/64 sprayer to market. Ertl has produced the new John Deere 4920 sprayer. This monster machine offer a triple folding 120 foot spray boom with a 1200 gallon chemical tank. The detail on the 4920 is excellent. Detail. The booms fold out in three parts, have a foam marker, show chemical tubing and nozzle detail. The boom folds out to the width of two 4700/4710 replicas. It raises and lowers just like the Ag-Chem and CaseIH sprayer. The cab is clear windowed , the roof has the Greenstar beacon, flood lights and has interior detail. This cab is  similar to the new clear window cab on the Waterloo Works 1/64 collectors edition 9620 and 9620T tractors. One other interesting feature is the steps to the cab. The steps swing up for field and road travel.  The chemical tank is detailed with a measuring decal. 

All new 1/64 John Deere 4920 Sprayer with common John Deere Cab.  Look for this cab on the new 9620 4wd

John Deere 4920 unfolding: Step 1

John Deere 4920 unfolding: Step 2

John Deere 4920 unfolding: Step 3

The 4920's replica 120ft boom spans the distance of the 4700 and 4710 booms'

John Deere also offers the 4920 with a dry fertilizer option with a New Leader spreader box.  The spreader can be switched out with the sprayer in about five hours on the real machine.  There is now strong speculation that Ertl has the fertile]izer spreader version of the 4920 in the works.  In a picture of the new 1/16 John Deere 6030 posted by Bill Walters from Ertl on Toy Tractor Show.com the 1/64 4920 with the New Leader fertilizer box appears in the far left corner.  More good things on the way???????

Potential 1/64 John Deere 4920 with New Leader Fertilzer

Actual 4920 with fertilizer option

Over the past four years Ertl has stepped up its level of detail on self-propelled machine is 1/64. Combines, the self-propelled forage harvester and the new sprayers show an attention to detail that was only found on custom toys in the 1980’s and 90’s. The new John Deere 4920 and CaseIH SPX 4410 are impressive replicas of large modern machines.