Catwoman / D4C

[Bill76]

Hello guys,

Best wishes for everyone for this Happy New Year !

It's nice to be back on this forum after some personnal events. My father passed away a few weeks ago and still quite hard to accept this fact but that's life and I just hope that now, he can rest in peace. So I dedicate this project to his memory. Thanks Dad for everything.

So, I decide to start my Caterpillar project after finishing a 1/32 Track Marshall ag crawler. Weathering that really first tracked tractor has given to me some experience in working on tracks. And thanks to Adam Wilder's displays, it's quite funny and the results can be very surprising.

This 1/32 scale kit is from Wespe Models. This supplier used to sell 1/35 and 1/50 units as military items. And some construction models as the french brand Poclain. Pretty nice as well.

This box contains a fully resin kit with a limited construction process indication but on a first overlook inspection, it's seems to me correct for the price (25 € / 30 $). Even if the box is noticed as beeing a D4E model, the kit represents a D4C that can be seen in the early 60'. Compared to the ones I used to know in France, a 1963 D4C could be a good comparaison.

The picture in the front side of the box is what the kit can offer, not very realistic so some more details will have to be added to make something correct.

So let's have a look on the differents parts : a cab can be fitted or not, a ajustable blade but no rear implement except a hitch for a trailed implement (usually a disc harrow).

The tracks are a four pieces fitting and I prefer to buy a extra kit from Scaledown Models (UK) to increase the realistic effect.

Georges.

[marc_reusser]

Sorry to hear about yuor father. My condolences.

This looks like it will be a very intersting build. I cant wait to see how you go about this build, and all the wonderful scratchbuilt details you create.

Marc

[Bill76]

@Marc : thanks a lot for your support. You need to be patient : ''Tout vient à point à qui c'est attendre !''.

My first overall impression when I opened the box a few months ago was that it looked quite easy and a fully complete assembly. But after looking at the pictures joined (I will add them), several questions happened as ''How can it be mounted ''. And I really don't still really know how can the kit be esily mounted ''directly from the box''. Hmmm, impossible or OK but not for a realistic purpose.

Even if the shape of the bonnet or the chassis seem to be quite well casted, a lot of work has to be done as I decided not to fit the cab even if the cab is very nice. This cab has been made from a european supplier, I suppose, after finding some pictures from UK. They were usually made with fiber glass and the main aim was to protect from the sun/ rain / dust / wind but not from the NOISE. I know a Caterpillar D8 with such a cab : wow !!! It's more that a Metallica's concert on Creeping Death ...

So, no cab on the D4C.

The different parts are well casted and the details are on them but too soft so everything will have to be reconsidered. The operating levers are available as the exhaust pipe and the air filter. None of them will be keeped.

At least, I keep the chassis, the bonnet, the track system, the fuel tank, the blade and the seat.

Unfortunatly, the worth part are the tracks. I can't imagine that such a disgusting units can be fitted. I prefer to by some new white metal new plates in addition to give an usual shape.
The only good thing was the fact that all the bolts were represented on the tracks compared to the white metal plates where they aren't !!! Four bolts per plate, 36 plates per track, two tracks per one D4C ... I'm glad to have bought last year my Punch and Die !!!!!

The blade delivered is an adjustable blade that can turned on the left / right side depending the type or work. A central axle on the front U frame allows the rotation of the blade just by moving two small pins.
It is left by two hydraulic rams and two triangle arms for a good lifting hight or depth when operating. This fitting was common on the early Caterpillar D4. Even in France or Europe.
Finally, some pictures of the Caterpillar in the way it should be ... The way it won't be ! At all ...

Georges.

[Ray Dunakin]

My condolences on the loss of your father.

It should be interesting to see how you assemble and improve this kit.

[Bill76]

@Ray : thanks for your comment and for following this project.

This kit is the my first resin experience as far I used to work on white metal before. Lot of sanding operations to do on the parts and to ''reshape'' some of them. The geardrive is really ''suggested'' and poorly detailled, the back of the main chassis as well. So, many extra details will be fitted from Evergreen and plastic sheet.

The different parts need to be ajust due to the casting molds. I've been working on this for a white even if I'm not very fond of this kind of job. As my little kitchen bench ...

As I decide not to use the cab, the fuel tank has to be reshaped with plastic and putty to give it a round shape. The back of the seat is rebuilt by the same time. Lots of bolts will be added with a new hitch. The hitch from the box was so unsuable that I prefer to design a local one to fit a drawbar.

Concerning the seat, I was expecting to give some effect as a old crakled leather so I try this with, barefold ??. In fact, this is a very thin sheet of silver glued and applied with a soft brush. It gives a nicely cracked effect. That was the first time that I use this product and it needs some control to put it straigh away. Not bad for a first using.

I keep in place the spring system on the front side of the chassis because it was enough detailled. Just need some sand paper work on it.

Georges.

[Bill76]

A view of the back.

[Krusty]

The tracks are a four pieces fitting and I prefer to buy a extra kit from Scaledown Models (UK) to increase the realistic effect.

Georges

If Scaledown tracks are an improvement, the Wespe ones must be really, really bad! I'm looking forward very much to seeing what you do with this.

[Bill76]

@krusty : I respect Wespe Models for all the work they do and I respect a lot this brand but the tracks are really bad because they're not articulated.
Concerning the Scaledown ones, they are not as perfect as Friul plates but I found nothing else for this D4C at the 1/32 scale.
Of course, I have to add 288 bolts on them but it works.

Do you have some good / bad experience with Scaledown kits before ?

Georges.  

[marc_reusser]

Would the Trumpeter Stalinets S-65 possibly be useable? I know it's a different scale, but maybe it's a bigger machine...so the tracks might "scale" up OK.

Marc

[Bill76]

@Marc : good advice. I have tried some other tracks before but even if the difference between 1/32 and 1/35 seems to be rather the same, the difference is unfortunatly really important and you can't make any mistake between each scale.
It's easy to find tracks at the 1/35 scale but as there is a very low demand for 1/32 items, finding any extra details for 1/32 is always a crusade ! Same problem for the figures on dioramas ... Hélas !

Anyway, the Caterpillar is already on its tracks.  Georges.

[Krusty]

Do you have some good / bad experience with Scaledown kits before ?

I started assembling their E27N with the DG6 halftracks several years ago, but eventually decided there were less frustrating ways to pass the time. A friend assembled one of their Counties and there was more flash than casting on the tracks. Their kits for the more modern rubber-tyred tractors aren't too bad, but those with tracks or the older machines on steels need a lot of work.

[Bill76]

Hi guys,

Lot of work on the tracks to get the 288 bolts. More than two hours have been useful on the Punch en Die ! About the same time to built the tracks because almost all of the holes have to be drilled again because a bad casting. I spent rather six hours to fix all the bolts on the plates but it worth. The plates are mounted with a brass pin and it's quite easy to bend it and to cut it very shortly not to be seen.

[Bill76]

The track system is pretty good and many blots as well have to fix. Big papersanding operation around the axle. I add a U reinforcement for the blade spring on the back of the tractor to be sure of the strenghness of it when painting.

All adddionnal parts are made with styrene and Evergreen.

Georges.

[Bill76]

Some more details on the hood : all the bolts casted have been cut and I add a lot of styrene bolts, capsfor the different tanks (hydraulic system and cooler system). The hydraulic valves for the front blade are included in the oil tank. A shaver mesh is fitted on the front side of the hood as I add the inside part of the air cooling system as well. Same work on the engine with injectors details and the front propeller that is missing in the original kit.

Two fittings take place for the two front lights.

The exhaust pipe is new and made with a 3 mm brass tube : the cap is made with styrene and a piece of metal sheet. This one can be shut or open. The air filter is coming from my boite à rabiot.

The different panels are engraved to give a very neat effect when painting and weathering.

No more words, just pictures.

Georges

[Bill76]

The exhaust pipe and the air filter are on the right place.

Next step : the blade.