D9R – ‘Major Overhaul’ Diorama – Stage 2
Ok. Here we go, again,guys. The diorama. It looks complete but it is not. I still have to include the overhead crane, a couple more details, corrugated sidings at both ends with some details, and a welder figure. But so far, things are looking good. What do you think? Lots of photos. I wanted to get all the details, as to get a real feel of the diorama in its entirety.
Now, the idea for this diorama is, the armor version was sold to a private owner, who decides to a major overhaul on it, after being used heavily for a long period of time. The owner is a fan of the original CAT bulldozer and always wanted this version for himself. He made a sweet deal with the army, who had one lying around, dilapidated, due for major heavy repairs. So now, he has decided with the help of a private heavy machinery workshop, to put some life back into this beast. It's a very costly effort, but if you have the money and a big collector, then it is worth the cash, instead of buying one, which this version, I doubt, is not readily available to civilians.
So that is the back story. Hope it makes since. The Basic version of the D9R bulldozer, does not have the second seat. These were first modified by the Israeli army. Then the U. S. bought a version with small alterations to the exterior.
Damm busy looking for sure, you got it down pretty good so far. I like the rolled-up and wired-up tracks, that's exactly how it was done. Rollers getting replaced, cylinders rebuilt, all realistic. Only thing I see missing is the air lines, compressor and impact guns. We never did anything with hand wrenches except the small stuff. And maybe some more oil on the ground, that got ALL over. Why is the ROPS off? What are they fixing under there?
Appreciate the load of work going into this.
Hi Bill. Like I mentioned in the description. I am still working on the diorama. As for the other things you mentioned, I cannot placed everything on the diorama as I do not want it to seem cluttered. Certain items I mimic as off-line. Meaning they are there, by protruding wire going off stage to represent that it is leading to something. This gives the illusion that a particular machine or mechanism finishes further off the board. Other smaller details, I can add, if they are available in that scale or I have to scratch build them, depending how much work I'm keen on doing. 😉 I really appreciate your expertise on this subject. I will do the best I can. BTW, what is (a) 'rops'?
Roll Over Protective Structure-a reinforced cab. There was also a Fall Over Protective Structure a FOPS. (Never quite got the difference.) Anyway I loved it when the manual used to say "ROPS-FOPS." Oh BTW you may wanna rip up those seats a bit. They were always ripped. A little thing.
Ahaaa! OK. Got it. Thanks. I wanted to show the interior better and what better way, than to have the cab removed. I got the idea after seeing photos of a Doobi cab removed and placed on the ground, like I have it in the photos. I loved the idea and incorporated into the diorama.
I Love it! Love the busyness of it, love the display of your talent for making plastic look like worn, beat, abused metal and the implied action you have managed to bring about with only three figures. Now over here though, in the US, we have these abusive organizations called OSHA and EPA and I am afraid they are going to see this and issue you some citations 😉 . First off you have a safety violation of a guy working under a ladder/scaffold a no-no and he also does not have a hard hat on. You have a guy moving a scaffold with tools and cans on it, another write up, as well as NONE of your men are wearing eye protection. You have a serious violation in not having any catch basins under your collection barrels for waste oil, a major violation.
All in good fun I really do love your work, and would agree with Bill, rip the seats...we don't have a forklift or cart on property that doesn't have ripped seats.
As for the rip seats, just consider that the seats have seat covering on them. 😉 But seriously, there are leather seats on construction machines that I've seen. I am assuming you are referring to the seats themselves.
Safety organizations do tend to pull up for surprised inspection at times. Just hope they don't appear all of a sudden. 🙂
Looks great - you always seem to get the weathering/rust/etc. just right
Thanks Greg. I do try my best buddy.
BY FAR, the most realistic diorama I've ever seen in 75 years of on-and-off modeling (100% ON since retiring in 1998). Wonderful work. Wonderful talent/shill. All good.
An auspicious response Bob. Thank you kindly. I am honored by your words.
Charles, this is outstanding! The more I look the more I want to look. Congratulations for the visualization and the execution.
Thank you kindly Spiros. I still have more work on it to be completed. Will post stage 3 in my next update. Thank you for supporting me.
Always a pleasure to see your dioramas.
Keep up the good work!
Tack UIf. Always a pleasure to hear from you. 🙂 Hope you are will in Stockholm.
Great work! Yiur imagination is endless, seems to me!
Hihi. Thanks Michel. I tend to go beyond my imagination at times. 🙂
This looks like a build that is turning into a lifetime project. The more you look, the more detail you see. Very cool.
Thank you George. I hope it is not a lifetime project. I got other builds planned. 🙂 Thank u kindly.
You've got the look down to a science, the mix of the original CAT color with the lift cylinders in another shade of yellow. Reminds me of the department that I worked for in the NYCTA. They'd take apart a beat up machine ,usually a pay loader, and rebuild it.
Cool to know that Robert. It makes my build even more believable. 🙂 Appreciate the this info.
I've been around a lot of heavily used heavy equipment. You capture the look & feel very well. Great work.
Great words of encouragement Dave. Thank you kindly.
I’m just blown away! I mean the wear on even the pallet jack is spot on! Obviously, you possess unbelievable observational skills. Even the wear on the rolled up tracks is amazing.
Jim, thank you kindly. Before I build anything pertaining to everyday subject matter, i always research them. I have photos upon photos of everything I ever built. I try and check out videos and ask questions before tackling a subject matter. Sometimes I get everything i need but at times i have to improvise on my own and use conductive thinking. 🙂
Thanks Maarten