Beyond The Sprues

Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Land => Topic started by: Antonio Sobral on April 25, 2015, 03:03:54 AM

Title: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Antonio Sobral on April 25, 2015, 03:03:54 AM
Hi guys

Here we go again :)

Probably everybody knows by now that Meng issued this kit in plastic a couple of years ago.

But before that, this resin kit from Vajra was the only chance of building a 1/35 replica of
the famous bulldozer in the military version.  At a very steep price, to be honest.

But this one didn't cost me a nickel...because it is not mine :)
I am building it for a friend of mine, for his Iraq diorama, just like I did with the FAV.

Here are the goods:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-001.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-002.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-004.jpg)


LOTS of parts that need much love and care to be ready to be glued and painted.
But that is the challenge :)

Putting some parts together we can have a fairly goo idea how the final model will look like :)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-005.jpg)


And the working link-by-link tracks:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-006.jpg)

Which, after cleaned-up and assembled, which took me some hours, ended up looking like this:
(lousy fit, by the way)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-007.jpg)


And some resin issues I will have to deal with later one:


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-008.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-009.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-010.jpg)


And that's all for now.
May the Resin Gods be with me :)
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version - 1/35 Vajra resin kit
Post by: Steve Blazo on April 25, 2015, 03:16:54 AM
Will be watching with great interest, I have the Meng kit in line next on the work bench. Also have two PE sets (detail and slat armor) and metal tracks for the monster.
Good luck !!
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version - 1/35 Vajra resin kit
Post by: Kerick on April 25, 2015, 03:59:38 AM
That is a monster! Looking forward to this!
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version - 1/35 Vajra resin kit
Post by: Antonio Sobral on April 29, 2015, 02:23:43 AM
Hi guys

Thanks for the interest!

In the meanwhile the work of preparing the various parts continue.
Just plain old boring resin part cleanup and repairing the damages, with lots of dry-fitting from time to time ;)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-012.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-013.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-015.jpg)


Now that I have everything nice and pretty, let's mess things up a little bit...

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-016.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-017.jpg)

Much better now :)
Be careful with this operation, because it has the potential to ruin parts very easily!!!!

A few more parts...

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-018.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-019.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-020.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-021.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-022.jpg)


And finally this is how the beast will, more or less, look like:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-023.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-024.jpg)


But the work is far from finished. Now is time to rectify all the little details...

But until that happens, I picked up this fine reading material at my local library:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/book-02.jpg)

A WW2 book is always interesting....and thick ;D

Thanks for watching!
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Antonio Sobral on May 03, 2015, 07:48:21 PM
Or not! ;)

Anyway, the work continues...

The tracks are the classical RPITA design:
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-025.jpg)


When in place will look something like this:
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-026.jpg)


And after painted will look like this:
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-029.jpg)


After taking care of the tracks, it is time for the interior design. Lots of cleanup to do.
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-027.jpg)


Choosing the primer is always important. And since a picture is worth a thousand words...
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-028.jpg)


After that, the rest is simple...so to speak :)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-030.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-031.jpg)


And that's all for now!

Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: GTX_Admin on May 04, 2015, 02:14:12 AM
That's a serious hunk of resin.
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Steve Blazo on May 04, 2015, 11:56:18 AM
Heavy !!  Nice start !!
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Jeffry Fontaine on May 06, 2015, 03:18:46 AM
Good work so far Antonio.  A friend of mine built that same Varja kit several years ago and he had no kind words to describe it.  So my hat is off to you in taking on this project.  Good luck!  :)
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Antonio Sobral on May 10, 2015, 06:06:19 AM
Hi guys

Thanks for the comments!

This is indeed a fairly large piece of resin, and many details could be better.

Fortunately I like working with resin, so things are not that bad :)

And finally I started to paint something...

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-032.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-033.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-034.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-035.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-036.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-037.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-038.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-039.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-040.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-041.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-042.jpg)


And just to give an idea of the size, here is the D9 pushing a Panzer I A :)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-043.jpg)


But the work is far from finished...
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: GTX_Admin on May 10, 2015, 06:09:31 AM
Quote from: Antonio Sobral on May 10, 2015, 06:06:19 AM

And just to give an idea of the size, here is the D9 pushing a Panzer I A :)

([url]http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-043.jpg[/url])



Hmmm...that image gives me ideas...
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Antonio Sobral on May 13, 2015, 03:28:05 PM
Good ideas, I hope! :)

A few more advances with the painting...

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-044.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-045.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-047.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-048.jpg)


And now it's time to start "weathering" this little monster!

Thanks for watching!

Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Buzzbomb on May 18, 2015, 06:33:02 AM
What a terrific job Antonio.
Any of those shortish run Resin kits offer up a challenge but that looked pretty much OK and what you have done is first class
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Antonio Sobral on May 19, 2015, 05:15:51 AM
Thanks mate!

It is indeed a challenge, but fortunately the worst part is now over!

The painting / weathering continues:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-049.jpg)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-050.jpg)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-051.jpg)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-052.jpg)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-053.jpg)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-054.jpg)

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-055.jpg)


A little test to produce mud:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-058_zps9a6b2a42.jpg)


And that's it for now. Thanks for watching!
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: GTX_Admin on May 19, 2015, 05:21:56 AM
Quote from: Antonio Sobral on May 13, 2015, 03:28:05 PM
Good ideas, I hope! :)


Just thinking a Char B1 with big dozer blade (instead of hull mounted 75mm gun) busing small panzers out of the way...
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Claymore on May 19, 2015, 05:38:03 AM
Wow! Beautiful work and the weathering is simply outstanding.  Can't wait to see the finished job.  :)
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: elmayerle on May 19, 2015, 08:05:19 AM
Quote from: GTX_Admin on May 10, 2015, 06:09:31 AM
Quote from: Antonio Sobral on May 10, 2015, 06:06:19 AM

And just to give an idea of the size, here is the D9 pushing a Panzer I A :)

([url]http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-043.jpg[/url])



Hmmm...that image gives me ideas...

Me, too.  I can think of all sorts of captions for the tank's commander, none of them particularly pleasant.
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: The Big Gimper on May 19, 2015, 10:01:49 AM
A land based reboot of Final Countdown using a squadron of D9s in 1939?

I'll be heading over to Toy-R-Us to pick my pre-painted toys.
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Antonio Sobral on May 22, 2015, 03:54:48 PM
Itīs the Final Countdown :)

Well not yet, but close. Some more advances on the weathering process:

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-059_zps54869b7a.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-060_zpsa4597fd3.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-061_zps2846e56e.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-062_zps21e6d01d.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-063_zpsb7936b08.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-064_zps8b7be9a9.jpg)


The blade and tracks are pretty much finished.  The rest of the body still needs pigments.

Almost! :)
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Antonio Sobral on May 24, 2015, 04:58:54 PM
Done!

(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-071_zpsf8f33177.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-072_zps5f7a1d72.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-073_zpsfa08a861.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-074_zps0b763796.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-075_zps516c514e.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-076_zpsd75eb9d8.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-077_zps05d89bb4.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-078_zpsf48d5226.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-079_zpsf945cd0f.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-080_zps78d44b47.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-081_zpsc19c8e24.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-082_zpscd84280f.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-083_zpsefa9967f.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-084_zps34ef1ad7.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-085_zps486885eb.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-086_zps83628551.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-087_zps2c7c5861.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-088_zpsf3224436.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-089_zpsb3024713.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-090_zps1775c6ea.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-091_zpsf7481005.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-092_zps9a62caf2.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-093_zps2906b8ac.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-094_zps3e2cdadd.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-095_zpsd730dbe9.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-096_zpse25ac852.jpg)


(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz158/AARSOBRAL/D-9/D9-097_zps8386c9da.jpg)


Thanks for watching!


Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: GTX_Admin on May 24, 2015, 05:30:35 PM
Extremely realistic.  Well done! :)
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Old Wombat on May 24, 2015, 11:15:54 PM
I sit in stunned awe of what you have done with the paint job & weathering. :icon_surprised:

Stunning! Simply stunning! :) 8)
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: The Big Gimper on May 24, 2015, 11:35:41 PM
Have you considered sending some pictures of your build to the Caterpillar Corporate HQ? They maybe they are looking for a in-house model builder?  Get the job and travel the world looking at well-used Caterpillar products.
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: elmayerle on May 25, 2015, 04:42:07 AM
Damn, that truly looks real.  Beautiful work!
Title: Re: Caterpillar D9 Military Version Bulldozer - Vajra 1/35
Post by: Madhatter on May 25, 2015, 06:45:52 AM
Wow - words are failing me. Never thought I'd get that feeling when I look at a bulldozer but damn!- that is so amazingly beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing this. Your friend is a very lucky man to be receiving this. Well done Antonio