AMT 1/25 Caterpillar D8H

[KevinCarroll]

This (very) old doggie armor and aircraft modeler can't keep up with you veteran trucker modelers. But I want you to know you are a great inspiration! So much so I pulled out this kit from my very large and varied stash - this particular D8H issue is circa 1976(?) - and with the addition of some Papy Models aftermarket, cobbled this together.

Kevin  

[yh70]

You did a great job..Alain and his son does produce some Awesome parts..

[Warren D]

Very well done!

[Jim B]

Great looking dozer.

[PappyD340]

AWESOME!!

[Dutzie]

Excellent build. 

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Looks great! I would love to see more pictures of it!

[KevinCarroll]

Thanks, gents, you're very generous. Those were my two most flattering photos....the others start to show all the warts!?  Here's one more.

Using the kit's original vinyl stickers, I did manage to make serviceable water slide "Caterpillar" decals for the front and rear, but the "D8H" logos on the side came out rather transparent; I went with them anyway.
 

[Toys4Don2]

Looks great. Just enough weathering. 

[happy grumpy]

Good looking old cat. great job putting it together.

[Daddyfink]

It looks great! I need to build one for the sake of my childhood. 

Back in the late 70's I found one of these kits at a thrift store for a $1! Bought it and then discovered that it has not Assembly Instructions! Yup, I assembled about 60 percent of it just using the images off the box and guessing, but I was unable to get it all together. But, I do have a current issue of it and it will be built!

 

[KevinCarroll]

On 3/9/2022 at 9:22 AM, Daddyfink said:

It looks great! I need to build one for the sake of my childhood. 

Back in the late 70's I found one of these kits at a thrift store for a $1! Bought it and then discovered that it has not Assembly Instructions! Yup, I assembled about 60 percent of it just using the images off the box and guessing, but I was unable to get it all together. But, I do have a current issue of it and it will be built!

 

Thank you. In a quick aside regarding this kit's instructions, like many an old fart, I tend to say 'things were way better back in the old days' - including kit instructions. Well, I got a quick come uppance using these instructions from the 1970s.......they're terrible. You were just as well off using the box art! ?

[Warren D]

Curious what you used for the grill, the originals came with stick on "decals".  I have a new kit and the photoetched grill, just trying to figure out how to do it.

[KevinCarroll]

1 hour ago, Warren D said:

Curious what you used for the grill, the originals came with stick on "decals".  I have a new kit and the photoetched grill, just trying to figure out how to do it.

Warren:

Not sure what PE grille you may have, but I used the one from Papy Hobbies. See: https://papyhobby.com/collections/scale-1-24/products/d8-phototech.   

I just centered the radiator grille on the solid plastic kit grille piece so it looked correct and then outlined it with a fine marker. I didn't worry about making the PE grille fit flush with the surrounding kit plastic. I left a fine kit plastic border all around. I then drilled a bunch of holes safely within that border and roughly nipped them out with a sprue cutter close - but not too close - to the outlined border. Use a rough sanding stick to straighten out the remainder. I left enough kit plastic along the border to super glue the PE grille to....nobody (well, most nobody) will notice that the perimeter PE is blocked by the kit plastic. A little weathering goes a long way! Similarly, use the fan safety grille the same way. It's not as noticeable as the front radiator grille, but it's easy and very self-satisfying! 

 

[Warren D]

1 hour ago, KevinCarroll said:

Warren:

Not sure what PE grille you may have, but I used the one from Papy Hobbies. See: https://papyhobby.com/collections/scale-1-24/products/d8-phototech.   

I just centered the radiator grille on the solid plastic kit grille piece so it looked correct and then outlined it with a fine marker. I didn't worry about making the PE grille fit flush with the surrounding kit plastic. I left a fine kit plastic border all around. I then drilled a bunch of holes safely within that border and roughly nipped them out with a sprue cutter close - but not too close - to the outlined border. Use a rough sanding stick to straighten out the remainder. I left enough kit plastic along the border to super glue the PE grille to....nobody (well, most nobody) will notice that the perimeter PE is blocked by the kit plastic. A little weathering goes a long way! Similarly, use the fan safety grille the same way. It's not as noticeable as the front radiator grille, but it's easy and very self-satisfying! 

 

Thanks, I have the same PE stuff and as you know, there are no instructions/suggestions.  The first D8 I made many years ago I applied the stick-on decal and then drilled out every hole with a small bit in a pin vise...all by hand!  This seems easier.....  FWIW, I have Cat decals, I recall I got them from Jerry at Model Truckin'

[Chariots of Fire]

LLLLOOOOOOOOOONNNG ago the D8 was the biggest dozer around.  Any construction outfit that has one of those had one of the big boys.  Now it is just dwarfed by what is out there in the mining industry.  A family friend had a D2 back in the 50's and did a lot of work with it.

[yh70]

7 hours ago, KevinCarroll said:

Warren:

Not sure what PE grille you may have, but I used the one from Papy Hobbies. See: https://papyhobby.com/collections/scale-1-24/products/d8-phototech.   

I just centered the radiator grille on the solid plastic kit grille piece so it looked correct and then outlined it with a fine marker. I didn't worry about making the PE grille fit flush with the surrounding kit plastic. I left a fine kit plastic border all around. I then drilled a bunch of holes safely within that border and roughly nipped them out with a sprue cutter close - but not too close - to the outlined border. Use a rough sanding stick to straighten out the remainder. I left enough kit plastic along the border to super glue the PE grille to....nobody (well, most nobody) will notice that the perimeter PE is blocked by the kit plastic. A little weathering goes a long way! Similarly, use the fan safety grille the same way. It's not as noticeable as the front radiator grille, but it's easy and very self-satisfying! 

 

the grill set your talking about Warren even tho Papy Hobby sells it, my friend Olivier SUDI is the man that had it printed years ago and sells it with his other parts around the world..great guy to deal with ..fast shipping..His Facebook page is ... Création O S ... or you can email him for a list at https://www.facebook.com/Création-OS-540158253075818/?__cft__[0]=AZXorG3x2fNxmjW8LSV2pPPYBNsNOW3jx5lE5NmJEY5uALk83FsEZa5q711Ywpk_4CCtlFPSvVoxU8q1gOFLak9yQEwF0C-HqJlL24rXHVwUGTTAK4EPpD56uLQ1LqOeBlQD9H2uP4nofu7CLIkzwWXNsyHt01YRzIRgcnH6GPHWcA&__tn__=-UC%2CP-y-R