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DT-75 1:35 Scale Red-Iron-Models

C

Captain Cook

Member
It recently occurred to me that I have been a forum member for about a year now and have not really contributed much. My threads come as slow as my model builds these days!

So I had documented and completed this little resin tractor kit from Red Iron Models.

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The kit offers the option of the farm tractor configuration, or a bulldozer. It seems that there are far more in service as farm machines, so that what I opted to build.

Out of the box, a lot of resin, and a lot of thick mounted blocks to extricate them from.

DT75 start by Jason, on Flickr

For roughing out the heavy stuff I break out the Dremel with the diamond wheel. It makes quick work of the heavy stuff, but I don't dare do it indoors...it's a MESSY affair. And if you know resin, the dust is toxic *cough...cough*

DT75 start by Jason, on Flickr

After some careful schnitzeling with the Dremel, and saws and files, the frame came together.

DT75 start by Jason, on Flickr

Tracks. Somewhere between Russia and New Jersey, one section of track evaporated. Thankfully, Red Iron was quick and courteous to respond with a new replacement section. This was additionally good, as it gave me a sample part to test how I was going to get them off the thick block. This is one time where I think individual links might have been a more welcome solution. The final track were super delicate...

DT75 start by Jason, on Flickr

DT-75 tracks by Jason, on Flickr

The profile nearly disappeared into the block in some spots.

DT-75 tracks by Jason, on Flickr

So I used a fine pencil to trace out the edges...where there actually were edges.

DT-75 tracks by Jason, on Flickr

Some spots were less defined

DT-75 tracks by Jason, on Flickr

So first the block was hacked off with a back saw (sample shown here was my failed sample...glad I had an extra!)
DT-75 tracks by Jason, on Flickr

A razor saw to trim in the "square" sides

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Nippers for the off-angle sides
Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

And after some file work... we have some very delicate tracks.

DT-75 tracks by Jason, on Flickr

I added small sections of styrene rod on the cut ends to simulate the connecting pins (hard to see here)

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Under magnification you can see that the parts were 3D printed. I wish they cleaned the masters better before moulding them in resin. I tried to clean this up as much as I could...

DT75 under magnification by Jason, on Flickr

The basic guts after extraction from the resin blocks:
Untitled by Jason, on Flickr
 
Part two:

The engine gets the treatment...extrication and assembly. The block on this was enormous!

12-7-16 engine work by Jason, on Flickr

12-7-16 engine work by Jason, on Flickr

Then a dry fit in the frame, with the hood

12-7-16 engine work by Jason, on Flickr

12-7-16 engine work by Jason, on Flickr

The linkage is also a delicate affair. Here it is built and dry fitted
12-5-16 progress report by Jason, on Flickr

The cab is a multi part assembly. Lots of big windows to trim here....

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The hot-knife made quick work of a delicate situation..

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The door was ill-fitted to the cab. A bit big. So the cab was cut to fit the door. (There was too much detail on the door to trim it) So I used magic marker like Dye-Chem, so I could scribe out my cut area.

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

After much careful schnitzeling, the door fit nicely into place. A small obstacle.

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

At the same time I was whittling the fuel tank free from its captive block...

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The seat gets some P.E. for a suspension set-up

Seat by Jason, on Flickr

The dash has a grab handle and the gauges were drilled out...

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The steering lever handles were drilled into the P.E. rods to ensure good location..Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Shift rods and control levers were formed and drilled into tiny resin knobs supplied with the kit..

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The roof section was missing a section of rain gutter, which was re-constructed with styrene
Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The side of the seat mounted to the block had no detail, so the brackets wre replicated in styrene and added...

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The cab was captive to a block as well...
Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

A rather sparse interior is embellished. Window handle and wall panel was added...

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The driver position comes together nicely

DT75 interior dry fit by Jason, on Flickr

In situ, it doesn't look bad. Hockey-stick tape makes up a floor mat.

DT75 interior dry fit by Jason, on Flickr

DT75 interior dry fit by Jason, on Flickr

DT75 interior dry fit by Jason, on Flickr

An added grab handle inside the door is also just visible here..

DT75 interior dry fit by Jason, on Flickr
 
Part 3

Bogies get drilled and pinned with styrene rod

Bogie rollers 1:35 Dt-75 by Jason, on Flickr

Bogie rollers 1:35 Dt-75 by Jason, on Flickr

Mounted up for the paint shop

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The dash gets the first rough treatment. Paint was mixed to match the photos I had. There seems to be a wide range of colors, so I had some lee way

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

The base coat of rust and nasty is applied first

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr


Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Then a coat of dull-coat lacquer. Thats an important barrier.
Then a hairspray & top coat, immediately followed by the 'subtractive' approach using a diluted windex (as initially mastered and demonstrated by John Tolcher and illustrated in books and online)

Hood. Paint progress step-2 by Jason, on Flickr

Hood. Paint progress step-2 by Jason, on Flickr

Progress report 3.20 by Jason, on Flickr

Progress report 3.20 by Jason, on Flickr

Progress report 3.20 by Jason, on Flickr

Progress report 3.20 by Jason, on Flickr

Progress report 3.20 by Jason, on Flickr

Running gear dusted up with washes and pigments

Running gear by Jason, on Flickr
 
Part 4

The seat needed to be a little worn. I tried the technique of applying tissue paper with PA glue. The result is here. Not great close up, but in real life it looks OK

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Some scale trash to throw around in the cab

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr
Progress report 3.20 by Jason, on Flickr

The drive sprockets get standard treatments of paint, washes and some pigment burnished onto the worn edges

Progress report 3.20 by Jason, on Flickr

Running gear by Jason, on Flickr

Dry fitting and tiny details added to the engine including wires and hoses

3-26 Sunday morning progress by Jason, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

Untitled by Jason, on Flickr

TRASHED ! Windows were installed and the interior was junked up a bit...

June progress report by Jason, on Flickr

June progress report by Jason, on Flickr

June progress report by Jason, on Flickr

Test fitting tracks:

June progress report by Jason, on Flickr
 
Finale

Red Iron Models has a photo gallery they share of real-life examples. So they had a DT-75 like this that looked like it was used in a logging camp. It looked thrashed, but had some interesting elements I tried to emulate. The cable hanging on the rear linkage was one item. The door, missing the window and handle, with paint worn through to shiny silver steel was another. It was fun build overall of a subject rarely known in New Jersey!

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr

Finished DT75 by Jason, on Flickr
 
Iron Mike said:
Lots of cool detail. (y)
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yeah, the kit came nicely supplied. I try to add little extras where I can. The engine was the hardest. There isn't much reference to go on. I don't speak Russian, so navigating photo resource pages are a challenge! (I'm sure I'm on some gummint watch list now!!)
 
Wow , this is a killer vehicle and well finished subject (y)

Not sure you made a list . My experience ( very limited ) with Russian subjects is that the modelers seem to be too busy arguing over what might have been to notice a gawker :rotf

Cheers, Christian B)
 
Thanks for this! I now regret not pulling the trigger when I had the disposable funds!

Regards,
 
Wow what a read, great thread! I would have thrown the towel in over those tracks. My first thought when I saw that seat was that's just too nice for a work tractor, you put the fix to that very well!

Thanks for sharing with us Jason (y)
 
That turned out as a well worn old tractor! Resin kits can be quite a task but when done right are very unique. Really nice!

I_LIKE_IT.jpg
 
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