Crawler 1/35 scale freelance design with a touch of the Holt about it!

[Gordon Ferguson]

I guess like many when Tamiya brought out their 1/48 bulldozer last year I thought great I can use it to build some of the crawlers I had always wanted to model over the years.
The problem area of tracks and side frames could be solved by using/modifying the kit parts and away we go. Bearing in mind I was mainly modelling in 1/24 I sure you will understand my disappointment when the kit arrived and I realised how small it was! Thus it was swiftly dispatched to the spares bin and there it languished until a meeting with Stuart, AKA Barney a few weeks ago.

Admiring his superb models I mentioned my stash of un-built Tamiya dozers and how far I had thrown them in disappointment, he then quietly informed me that the side frames were just about spot on dimensionally for the small Holt/Caterpillar crawlers in 1/35 scale, I know I can be a bit stupid at times but this just proved it, never even thought about that option.

So back home from our meeting, straight up to the loft to dig out the kits and the CD of photographs of Holt 2 ton crawlers, which Rick Marty kindly sent me last year Barney was spot on, dimensionally everything was great. However there were lots of significant differences which I will not bore you with and I was going to give up again when Barney reminded me we were not counting rivets and let's see what you can do with it.

So here it is a free-lance 1/35 2 ton crawler, 1920's vintage











Just in case you are not aware of how small these crawlers were ,here is a real Caterpillar 2 tonner.



I had made a promise to myself not to post anymore models here until they were painted but thought it might be useful to someone to see the model in the raw so that you can see what bits were used from the original kit.
It has proved to be a useful learning curve and has given me a handle on how to sort out the tracks, etc so hopefully I will have another go in the future to model a more accurate  model of a Holt 2 tonner

[Barney]

Inspiration and a suburb bit of "Freelance Prototype" with artistic licence engineering
Did I read it wright PAINT & COMPLETION !!
Barney

[shropshire lad]

Gordon ,

  It's alright ( one grade higher than satisfactory) but I can't see any LEGO blocks , and you know that it can't be a proper scratchbuilt job unless you use at least one piece of LEGO .

  Looking forward to seeing it finished and primed . I guess it would be too much to ask to see it completely finished and painted .

   Nick

[Gordon Ferguson]

Gordon ,

  It's alright ( one grade higher than satisfactory) but I can't see any LEGO blocks , and you know that it can't be a proper scratchbuilt job unless you use at least one piece of LEGO .

     Nick

Very tempted to just lie and say there is a lego block in there but but I won't.

  I guess it would be too much to ask to see it completely finished and painted .

   Nick

There is a touch of the insult & sarcasm hidden in this comment, however there may well be an element of truth in there as well so this time I will forgive you

[shropshire lad]

Gordon ,

  It's alright ( one grade higher than satisfactory) but I can't see any LEGO blocks , and you know that it can't be a proper scratchbuilt job unless you use at least one piece of LEGO .

     Nick

Very tempted to just lie and say there is a lego block in there but but I won't.

  I guess it would be too much to ask to see it completely finished and painted .

   Nick

There is a touch of the insult & sarcasm hidden in this comment, however there may well be an element of truth in there as well so this time I will forgive you

   Hidden ? I thought it very obvious !

   I know how it is though , you get so far and are wary of finishing the model for fear of mucking it up . Go on , bite the bullet ,

   Nick

[Malachi Constant]

I had made a promise to myself not to post anymore models here until they were painted but thought it might be useful to someone to see the model in the raw so that you can see what bits were used from the original kit.

I vote in favor of construction shots!  Of course, if you do bother to finish it, those photos might be nice too. 

Cheers,
Dallas

[Ray Dunakin]

Very cool! Thanks for posting it.

Did you make resin castings for the track pieces, or build them all from styrene?

[marc_reusser]

Send it to me....I'll paint it for you. 

M

[Gordon Ferguson]

Ray,

the track was sort of assembly line built from strip , rod, etc will dig out some photos and post tomorrow.

Marc,

if it wasn't for the "grin" and that you are "busy" to December I would be tempted to take you up on the offer  ............ especially after the evening I have had with primer!

Nick,

go on bite the bullet ...........and muck it up

[NORCALLOGGER]

Gordon,
Very nice, I like it.
Did you get the lettering cast?
Rick

[Mr Potato Head]

At first glance I pulled my kit out and started to pair it up with the plans I had. Then when I looked at yours I noticed that you removed the Tamiya treads and replaced them with? Can you tell us more of what you did to yours please?
Thanks
Gil

[Gordon Ferguson]

At first glance I pulled my kit out and started to pair it up with the plans I had. Then when I looked at yours I noticed that you removed the Tamiya treads and replaced them with? Can you tell us more of what you did to yours please?
Thanks
Gil

You have plans ? Please Post Details!!

I have never found any, made my own rough ones from a 2d card model and looking at lots of photos.


Will put together a few notes and photos of track construction later

[Scratchman]

Gordon, that is a nice looking model. I like the way you modified the tracks. Will there be some added  detail to the dash? Add some kind of wagon or cart and the model will become even more interesting. Photos of Unpainted models are worth a thousand words.  

Gordon Birrell

   http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[Gordon Ferguson]

Gordon,
Very nice, I like it.
Did you get the lettering cast?
Rick

Not yet Rick, but hadn't forgotten ............ I put them on hold when I went/still going thro' my changing scales period. Have now got the correct widths  for 2,5 and 10 ton so will be getting the wavy Caterpillar logo  done in 1/35, 1/24 & 1/16

Will keep you updated

[Gordon Ferguson]

Will there be some added  detail to the dash? Add some kind of wagon or cart and the model will become even more interesting. Photos of Unpainted models are worth a thousand words.  

Gordon Birrell

   http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

Thanks Gordon

"dash" didn't have one, no instruments as far as I know ... just the back of the fuel tank



If, if I ever do finish it think it should have a figure included to give idea of scale and maybe just towing/pulling a log/stump out of the ground