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a little while back in a facebook model car group there was a guy looking to trade some models. One of them was a model bulldozer. black2002ls tagged me in the ad and challenged me to build a model killdozer. I was instantly in on the idea, and started talking to the guy with the kit. We went back and forth on trade options, and after all those deals failed I tried to outright buy it from him. But this guy refused cash, he only wanted to deal in trades. Eventually he ghosted me, so I just said F it and found one on ebay.
Those of you who know me know that I used to obsessively build model cars, but stopped when I discovered RC planes. I haven't messed with models in years. I thought I'd start building the killdozer right away when I got it. I was exited, and motivated. I bought paints, I bought glue, I bought sheet plastic and rods to build this kit right. Then I put it on a shelf and totally forgot about it. Until yesterday that is. As I've stated several times of late, I've been a little overwhelmed with life recently and haven't had time for any of my hobbies that I use to re center myself. I'm either at work or running like a chicken with my head cut off trying to keep up with parental duties (read: free uber driver). Stress has been piling up and I've had no way to bring it back down. Once the plague hit and started shutting everything down I thought at least I'll have some creative free time. Then I proceeded to sit on the couch and watch tv for days. I'm still working, so I'm gone most of the day. But there's no more "after school activities" and since they halved my salary my boss shortened my hours. So now I get off at 4pm. Even though I finally have time again, I've felt as if I had a mental wall blocking me from the desire to get up and start something. Well my mental wall finally crumbled yesterday evening, and I grabbed the Kill dozer. So get ready, and watch out... because I'm inspired!
This kit is incredibly detailed and has a really high part count. I don't think its the exact model that killdozer was built out of but it's damn close. It was molded in yellow, so I hit it with a light dusting of primer. I'm going to build the model then come back with the airbrush and and washes to get it looking right.
even though the engine really can't be seen with the armor on, I'm still putting it in there, it can be seen from the bottom and also it just doesn't fee right leaving it out or un-detailed. I may end up making some of the panels removable so details inside can be seen.
this was an early test fit of the engine in the frame before I realized I had it backwards. lol The directions on this kit are genuinely awful. the directions have numbers, yet the parts tree's don't. there's very little in the way of text on the directions, and the pictures are sometimes vague as to where things actually go and in what order the go. I find myself test fitting several steps ahead before I glue anything.
more test fitting
Next up was the tracks and drive system. Holy hell is there a lot of pieces to this this part!!! I spent most of the night test fitting and re test fitting. finally I figured it out. I had no idea that the tracks where functional and hell even the suspension articulates on this rig! you see later but the tracks are individual links that snap together. Even if I wasn't turning this into the killdozer, it would still be a really cool model.
This is where I stopped last night. Took me till after midnight to get this far.
Plan is to get it to the point where the bulldozer itself is mostly complete, then start measuring and planning out the mods that Marvin Heemeyer did. I'm going for as scale as possible, I've gathered up every picture of the machine as I can. The town officials scrapped it as quickly as they could in fear that it would become a shrine for like minded people and those who would follow his lead. I have enough reference material... I think. I'm foing to use light card board (cereal box) to make templates and mock up the armor, then I'll trace it out and cut it from styrene sheet. I'm really exited about this, which is refreshing. I haven't been excited about much lately. I'll keep y'all posted.
Those of you who know me know that I used to obsessively build model cars, but stopped when I discovered RC planes. I haven't messed with models in years. I thought I'd start building the killdozer right away when I got it. I was exited, and motivated. I bought paints, I bought glue, I bought sheet plastic and rods to build this kit right. Then I put it on a shelf and totally forgot about it. Until yesterday that is. As I've stated several times of late, I've been a little overwhelmed with life recently and haven't had time for any of my hobbies that I use to re center myself. I'm either at work or running like a chicken with my head cut off trying to keep up with parental duties (read: free uber driver). Stress has been piling up and I've had no way to bring it back down. Once the plague hit and started shutting everything down I thought at least I'll have some creative free time. Then I proceeded to sit on the couch and watch tv for days. I'm still working, so I'm gone most of the day. But there's no more "after school activities" and since they halved my salary my boss shortened my hours. So now I get off at 4pm. Even though I finally have time again, I've felt as if I had a mental wall blocking me from the desire to get up and start something. Well my mental wall finally crumbled yesterday evening, and I grabbed the Kill dozer. So get ready, and watch out... because I'm inspired!
This kit is incredibly detailed and has a really high part count. I don't think its the exact model that killdozer was built out of but it's damn close. It was molded in yellow, so I hit it with a light dusting of primer. I'm going to build the model then come back with the airbrush and and washes to get it looking right.
even though the engine really can't be seen with the armor on, I'm still putting it in there, it can be seen from the bottom and also it just doesn't fee right leaving it out or un-detailed. I may end up making some of the panels removable so details inside can be seen.
this was an early test fit of the engine in the frame before I realized I had it backwards. lol The directions on this kit are genuinely awful. the directions have numbers, yet the parts tree's don't. there's very little in the way of text on the directions, and the pictures are sometimes vague as to where things actually go and in what order the go. I find myself test fitting several steps ahead before I glue anything.
more test fitting
Next up was the tracks and drive system. Holy hell is there a lot of pieces to this this part!!! I spent most of the night test fitting and re test fitting. finally I figured it out. I had no idea that the tracks where functional and hell even the suspension articulates on this rig! you see later but the tracks are individual links that snap together. Even if I wasn't turning this into the killdozer, it would still be a really cool model.
This is where I stopped last night. Took me till after midnight to get this far.
Plan is to get it to the point where the bulldozer itself is mostly complete, then start measuring and planning out the mods that Marvin Heemeyer did. I'm going for as scale as possible, I've gathered up every picture of the machine as I can. The town officials scrapped it as quickly as they could in fear that it would become a shrine for like minded people and those who would follow his lead. I have enough reference material... I think. I'm foing to use light card board (cereal box) to make templates and mock up the armor, then I'll trace it out and cut it from styrene sheet. I'm really exited about this, which is refreshing. I haven't been excited about much lately. I'll keep y'all posted.
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