Behind the Scenes - Cat 349E L first shot parts

We are so excited about our 1:48 scale Cat 349E L model that we couldn't help but share some images of the project's progress. Here is a rare look at the first test castings out of the tooling, commonly known as the first shot.

Important to keep in mind is that these pieces have not yet been cleaned and polished for painting or had any prep for assembly. Most are still on the mold trees, which are the channels through which the molten metal or plastic runs when the parts are cast. These parts will be assembled into the test shot models that will allow us to see how the finished product will look and move. It's never perfect on the first go, and changes and adjustments will usually be made.

We know you wait patiently for our models to come to completion, but we feel sharing some of the process will make the wait worth all the more.