Caterpillar 336D Tracked Excavator

Presented here is the 1:50th scale Caterpillar 336D tracked excavator with S365C scrap shear from Norscot. This is an update to the standard version of the 336D with the stick and bucket removed and replaced with the Caterpillar branded S365C scrap shear.

The undercarriage has individually linked metal tracks with sprung loaded idler wheels and triple grouser pad detailing with a fairly detailed undercarriage and track frame casting. The body casting has cooling grill textured panels on the sides, complete with door handle detailing.

The cab features clear windows with detailed interior, rear view mirrors and scaled hand rails. Mirrors have also been added to the opposite side of the body along with hand rails and steps up to the top of the engine. The upper engine cover moulding has very intricate grill detailing which looks very authentic.

The shear has some nice surface detailing with the cutting blades showing the bolt fixings and a 360 degree rotating body and operable jaw which unfortunately does not fully close. While the shear looks good, the assembly is rather poor with a very loose fit resulting in the shear being very wobbly. On close inspection, this is not something that can easily be fixed.

The model has been produced at a different factory to the original 336D and the casting and paint finish are of a very high standard. The assembly of the sample reviewed here is a little off, with the upper body loose to the undercarriage, something that can easily be fixed by removing the plate on the underside of the undercarriage and tightening up the screw securing the two sections. This could just be a one off with the sample model but even so, the collector should not have to start taking the model apart to fix it.

The model packaging is done the same way as the original 336D with the model secured to a clear plastic holder using wire. This is then inserted into a printed cardboard box with several open areas allowing the model to be seen within. While not everyone likes this style of packaging, the model is fairly well protected.