Trumpeter 1/35 BTM-3 High Speed Trench Digger - completed

[The Smythe Meister]

Late seeing this,
That really does look excellent Dave!
Very nice indeed

 

[Dave Ward]

Are they actually supposed to pick up the spoil though Dave? They may be designed to simply break up the ground so it is loose enough that the plough arrangement at the back can push it up and aside, so forming the trench and parapet?

I'd thought that, Tim, but surely the plough would be angled to either side from the centre? Watching the videos doesn't really help, there's too much drt flying around!
Dave

 

[Jakko]

It seems to work well enough in dry soil:

I’m more wondering what it would do in heavy, wet clay now

Aha, you can sort of work out how it works in this video, from where it starts here if you hit play:

The chains are much longer than I had the impression: I thought they formed a sort of mesh floor to the buckets, but they actually make a much larger “pocket” that retains the soil until they get to the top part, where the soil then falls out so it can be kicked to the sides by the rotor thingies.

 

[JayCee]

Fantastic build, Dave. Great finish too.
John.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I'd thought that, Tim, but surely the plough would be angled to either side from the centre? Watching the videos doesn't really help, there's too much drt flying around!
Dave

Looks like Jakko has aced it with those videos Dave. The “plough” obviously just keeps the depth consistent. Still think a straight line isn’t ideal for a defensive trench though, it needs zig zags……Wonder what the wear rate on the various components is as well
As a complete digression, something like this, making slightly thinner and deeper trenches would be a quick and easy way for electricity companies to bury rural power lines

 

[adt70hk]

Dave

As others have said a simply brilliant build that has been most interesting to follow.

Very well done indeed for preserving.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Dave Ward]

Looks like Jakko has aced it with those videos Dave. The “plough” obviously just keeps the depth consistent. Still think a straight line isn’t ideal for a defensive trench though, it needs zig zags……Wonder what the wear rate on the various components is as well
As a complete digression, something like this, making slightly thinner and deeper trenches would be a quick and easy way for electricity companies to bury rural power lines

Tim,
there is a pipe/cable laying machine around it's called 'trencheless' laying & uses a plough to part the soil

There is also a bigger version that can lay drainage pipes

The whole apparatus seems to be pulled by a winch on a power vehicle - not seen on te above piccies, but can be seen in this entertaining video

- I've actually seen one of these working locally, laying fibre-optics, I'm told
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Wow, great stuff. Why are they not in wider use to bury rural power lines I wonder……
Looks like an update of this hundred year old technology doesn’t it…..

 

[Gern]

This thing clearly works with loose soil but I have no idea how! If I wanted to build a sandcastle on the beach, my weapons of choice would be a bucket and spade - not a bucket and fork!

 

[Graeme C.]

Cracking build Dave, very complex, but you managed to conquer it.

 

[dave]

Cracking job, last time I painted one of these it was only 1/300th

 

[David Lovell]

Great job Dave, made sticking with it well worth it ,where next you'll have a job to top this one in the wish I'd never started it league, still it would be nice to see you start on some of the Japanese navy ,no doubt your pull out another far removed from your last build wich is what I always enjoy keep em coming. Dave

 

[yak face]

Excellent work dave , it looks fantastic . Full marks for persevering with those tracks and all the fiddly bits , it was worth it . Cheers tony