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Strato50 -> RE: Mk VIII "Indiana Jones" Tank - Questions & Build Thread (11/30/2012 3:20 PM)
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Some updates! :) My donor Panzer 3 came in the mail today so it quickly succumbed to my tools for its parts! I cut the roadwheel axles out of 7/32" brass tube, CA-glued the roadwheels together & mounted them onto the hull. This baby has no suspension... this baby DON'T NEED no suspension! ;) I used a piece of .050" aircraft grade aluminum to mount the gearboxes, and bolted them down, to avoid over stressing the plastic hull. They still require some bracing. Most of the remaining cosmetic work will involve shaping a cover for the rear deck & rear hull, so I have easy access to the gears. This tank uses exactly 2 full sets of Panzer 3 tracks, and they just so happened to fit PERFECTLY on the first try, without adding or removing any links. What a miracle! No return rollers, yet... If I can remove the set on the donor tank without damaging them, I may install them, but as things are the track goes around the hull very smoothly. I used some steel washers, 2 sizes of brass tube that interlock, and some .025" piano wire to coil 4 springs for the "tensioner" system, as pictured. This allows the front idler wheel (actually a P3 drive sprocket) to push outwards, keeping some tension on the track. It works well, and also allows me an easy method of removing the track.
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