1:35 U.S.Army Bulldozer D7

The real subject

The D7 bulldozer is a tracked machine for heavy earthmoving, and the American army was using it as early as the Second World War. Engineer units pushed soil with it, built and repaired roads, leveled ground for field airstrips and recovered bogged-down vehicles. The track of such a machine has a different job from the track of a tank: it carries great weight at slow work, grinds against stone and mud, and it usually shows what it has been through. That is exactly why it is a rewarding place on a model for grime and traces of wear.

What the set contains

The set brings replacement tracks in 1:35 scale for a model of the D7 bulldozer. The number of links, the way they join and the kit the tracks are made for are given in the instructions enclosed with the set.

Building and painting tips

Fit the track dry first and check how it sits on the drive sprocket, the idler wheel and the rollers. On a working machine the tension of the track is different from that on a tank, and an exaggerated sag catches the eye at once. Cut the surplus material away with a sharp blade a little clear of the part and sand off the rest. Choose the glue according to the material of the parts given in the instructions. Wash and degrease the tracks before painting. It pays to paint them before they go on the model, because neither a nozzle nor a brush will reach in between the wheels afterwards. On the contact faces of the links the surface is rubbed bare, so a restrained lightening of the edges looks convincing.

Who it is for

The set suits modelers of engineer and support vehicles who want to replace the tracks from the kit on a D7 model with something more accurate. Paints, glue and tools are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.