DW20 Model Status

Hi,

Dave Tallon met with people from First Gear earlier in the week to review the progress on the DW20. The program is on schedule to have the models ready for shipment from First Gear in July. So it looks like we will be able to introduce them officially at the national show in Portland.

Here is a rapid prototype of the model to help us picture the model in its final form. You will have to use your imagination to picture the painted product.

The rapid prototype process uses a 3D computer model to generate the components which are then glued together to make the complete prototype. The 3D computer model is communicated to a computer controlled machining process which generates the component shapes from resin material. The prototype is in 1:25 scale which will be the same scale as the finished model.
Dave tells me that there were some details that need correcting, but we will use this "not quite right" model to give the model collectors a preview of the upcoming model.

Any comments on the detail and authenticity are welcome.

Regards,
Lee

Lee Sorbel-ACMOC Past President

The rapid prototyping process is incredible. Look on youtube to see the different methods in action.

It looks good!

Lee/Dave,

That is looking bang on so far and will be incredible in Hiway yellow, it,s such a tease that the bowl will come after the tractor!!!

Not sure if you guys have the New Zealand book "Kopuku"? This documents the relationship beetween Stephensons (contractor) Goughs (Cat dealer) and the Kopuku open cast site they were mining, they had the first DW20 & 21,s outside of the US and there are lots of excellent pics in the book, albeit in B & W. It is also noted in there that they at one time had the largest fleet of Caterpillar equipment in the southern hemisphere. A real good read and i would think a good source for some more info. It is available here http://www.catshop.co.nz/product_categories/accessories/_details/id_27/kopuku_book.html

I may be preempting things here but i would think an Athey wagon would also be a good option for the DW20 at some point down the track and fingers crossed a DW21 is an offspring aswell.

Anyway thanks for the update and getting this sort of info out there is a good way to build the momentum leading up to the release, gunna be an expensive model year!!