Caterpillar D10T2 Track-Type Tractor

Presented here is the 1:24th scale Caterpillar D10T2 from Classic Construction Models. This model shares many of the same components as the D10T2 Coal Blade version with a different blade and rear ripper assembly so for this review; I will only highlight the differences starting with the blade which is of a semi-U design with a slotted upper spill guard which looks good. The two-tone yellow and black colours are authentically applied with all pin heads painted over.

The main cylinders allow height adjustment of the blade with tilting motion also possible from the small cylinders mounted to the blade arms. The three ripper shanks are separate in the box and slide into the recesses in the ripper frame where they are secured with a metal pin. There are two height options for the shanks and not all of them need to be fitted. The lift and tilt cylinders on the ripper are fairly stiff and have all the flexible hydraulic lines added.

As a large model, the packaging has to be strong enough to protect the model during transport and while the box was solidly constructed and undamaged, I was unlucky with my purchase as it arrived with a broken main lift cylinder along with several loose parts rattling around inside the box.

The loose parts were easy enough to glue back in place but for the cylinder, this required more work to fix, starting with an email to CCM to request a new cylinder part which was quickly dispatched. I have to admit that messing with an expensive model was not something I was looking forward to, and after struggling to remove the broken cylinder, I started to wonder why I was doing this. After over an hour fiddling with the model, the new cylinder was finally in place and everything resolved, but this shows just how well engineered and robust the model is. It is still hard for me to choose a favourite between the ripper and coal blade versions, but if I was pushed to select one, it would be the ripper version reviewed here.