Hi Richard,
What a lovely model! I'm not very familiar with the French range, so I've never seen one before, hard to find in good condition I would have thought!
Chris Warr.

Hello Richard, if you don't mind I'll add the following provisional text and pictures below. Any more additions welcome, of course:

This levelling machine ('profileur' ​​or 'niveleuse') is again one of those exceptional, fantastic French Dinky (Super) toys. It is very large because it has the scale of 1/43 (length actual vehicle: 7720 mm, length model: 176 mm). This scale is customary for French passenger cars and the like, while the French commercial vehicles are usually designed at the 1/55 scale. The scale is definitely not larger than 1/43, as is suggested in the book 'Utilitaires Dinky Toys and Dinky Supertoys' by Redempt and Touillez. This generous scale has most probably been chosen in order to allow the model to function properly as a toy. With the three handles, provided with red plastic grips, the blade can be operated and adjusted, both horizontally and vertically (although not very smoothly). According to Roulet this Supertoy was not a very successful model. But even though the operating handles are very long and have a rather unrealistic looks, the two vertical ones are still more or less similar to the hydraulic arms of the real one. They have been made a little longer simply to increase the operability for a child. For the visible, bare engine unit in the rear, the colour finish is a contrasting dark green. In reality, we mostly see the yellow main colour maintained there. For the rest the model is very true to the original, as the comparative photo may show.

That the model of this 'profileur' ​​cannot have been a great success can be deduced from the relatively short life span of  a French model of this kind (1960-1965) and the price seems to have been reduced in the end, according to Roulet. The likewise yellow and red coloured counterpart, the Rouleau compressseur Richier (no. 90a / 830) lasted much longer, ten years, from 1959 to 1969.

The model is unique in that it is not based on a previous model and there are no variations as far as I’m aware of. We can see some characteristic parts for other French models that have been borrowed for this model. The wheels are the same as the front wheels of the contemporary Camion pétrolier saharien 'GBO' Berliet, nr. 888, as are the corresponding large 27 mm tyres. Later, in 1963, the large-scale Unic trucks with trailer, Nos. 803 and 887 (Unic MZ 125T Esterel) were also equipped with them.

We encountered an identical dark blue driver before, at the Grue 'Salev', no. 50/595.

Little noticeable, but still remarkable is the washer that holds the axle around which the rotatable blade rotates. That is in fact the half rim that normally holds a spare tyre for commercials etc.

The blue striped box has always remained unchanged. Three corrugated packing pieces keep the model immobile in its box, so that only two wheels on one side remain visible through two round recesses. On top of the lid, on the left of the model’s image is written in French: 'La lame peut prendre toutes les positions de travail de l'engin réel' (= The blade can take all the working positions of the real model). This French text is repeated twice in five foreign languages ​​on both one short side and one long side of the lid. The picture shows a different artistic style than that of the familiar Jean Massé. It is signed 'M.W.' Two oblong instruction sheets should be present as additions to the contents of the box. One for possibly lubricating the plastic gaskets around the rods, the other to explain the operation of the sliding blade mechanism.

In the 'Actualités Meccano' of April 1961 the details of the actual Profileur 100 Richier are listed, followed by more details of the model itself. The real one is as long as 7.72 meters and 4 meters high, with a total weight of 11 tons! The official publication date of the model reads: November 1960.

The company Richier had plants in Charlesville, Lyon-Vaise and Courbevoie and produced all kinds of tools for the construction of roads, etc., such as graders, rollers, asphalt pavers and concrete mixers.

Kind regards, Jan

A beautiful bright model that stands out for its length and beautiful bright yellow color. Beautifully photographed. Especially the first photo on a glass as a mirror is a nice piece of art. And do not forget the nice sharp close ups. Well done Jan. There has been a time when you often used a grey background. Personally, I also find a white background very beautiful and you can concentrate completely on the shapes and colors of the model without distraction from another color. I think you take into account the colors of the model to determine the background.

It is always fun and instructive to read some technical background information about a model. From the same company Richier I add a picture of my 90A Rouleau Compresseur Richier. Also a beautiful bright yellow model with an orange band and blue driver.

Jan Oldenhuis, 9 april 2018.