Stock or mod?
09-23-2014, 08:35 AM
#1
Stock or mod?
Looking over my RC collection: Tiger I, Panther, JS-2, Pz IV and T-34/SU-100, I noticed that all but the JS-2 are heavily altered.
Tiger I was converted to an Initial with elimination of the escape hatch, storage bin (have a Pz IV bin to put on), Feifels, side skirts, track guards, tools and tow cable set up as well as changing the driver sights and engine deck. MG is animated too and it has a removable snow plow.
Panther is the Ersatz, so that $800 kit was cut to pieces before it even saw assembly.
Pz IV has zimmerit and Thoma Schurzen with functioning convoy and Notek.
T-34 76 and SU-100 are static kit conversions, the 76 has applique armor, the SU will be a Beute, possibly bedspring armor.
Even though the JS-2 is still the same, I added casting marks and numbers to the turret and cupola as well as functional running lights and headlight cage.
So it seems I'm never happy to leave anything alone, but am curious about the rest of you. Anyone happy to just drive them?
Tiger I was converted to an Initial with elimination of the escape hatch, storage bin (have a Pz IV bin to put on), Feifels, side skirts, track guards, tools and tow cable set up as well as changing the driver sights and engine deck. MG is animated too and it has a removable snow plow.
Panther is the Ersatz, so that $800 kit was cut to pieces before it even saw assembly.
Pz IV has zimmerit and Thoma Schurzen with functioning convoy and Notek.
T-34 76 and SU-100 are static kit conversions, the 76 has applique armor, the SU will be a Beute, possibly bedspring armor.
Even though the JS-2 is still the same, I added casting marks and numbers to the turret and cupola as well as functional running lights and headlight cage.
So it seems I'm never happy to leave anything alone, but am curious about the rest of you. Anyone happy to just drive them?
09-23-2014, 09:04 AM
#3
I think only my FIRST Tamiya Sherman is stock. Everything else to date that I have built has been changed, altered or to a different version.
We certainly don't want what the next guy has now do we?
Let's see... my Tamiya Pershing is the A1, my next Sherman is the M4A1E8 (VERY heavily modified) and the next Sherman is the 'Oddball' M4A3E4 Sherman tank, I built the Sturmtiger with a Tamiya TI, my WSN T34 has Daryl's aluminum suspension with bearings (and other upgrades) and Tamiya electronics and last but not least my Tamiya Panther G is the Late Production G with the last wheel station as steel road wheels.
But... I have several half-started projects going on right now so who knows what's getting what next! LOL
Jeff
We certainly don't want what the next guy has now do we?
Let's see... my Tamiya Pershing is the A1, my next Sherman is the M4A1E8 (VERY heavily modified) and the next Sherman is the 'Oddball' M4A3E4 Sherman tank, I built the Sturmtiger with a Tamiya TI, my WSN T34 has Daryl's aluminum suspension with bearings (and other upgrades) and Tamiya electronics and last but not least my Tamiya Panther G is the Late Production G with the last wheel station as steel road wheels.
But... I have several half-started projects going on right now so who knows what's getting what next! LOL
Jeff
09-23-2014, 09:07 AM
#4
I am. My tanks are all almost stock builds, and only improved when stock parts fail, and this includes aesthetic parts which I repair/replace when I break them, with metal parts if they are available. The only items I upgrade during the initial build are ball bearings to replace bushings, and a metal gun barrel elevation arm.
You got heaps more to upgrade depending on make, and model of tank. I've seen Heng Long Tiger builds that were fantastic and fixed all the faults of the original tank, but also almost nothing of the original tank remained.
You got heaps more to upgrade depending on make, and model of tank. I've seen Heng Long Tiger builds that were fantastic and fixed all the faults of the original tank, but also almost nothing of the original tank remained.
09-23-2014, 10:44 AM
#6
Guilty as charged!!! I would have a lot more runners if I would just build them OOTB (Out Of The Box). 
I have a StuG III G Early that comes close, but even it is a Panzer III M that was brought back for overhaul and was converted to a StuG.
It's must be biological or a virus we "Modders" have or suffer from.
Just think of poor Rex??? He has it bad, he went from Modder to Scratcher!!!
I have a StuG III G Early that comes close, but even it is a Panzer III M that was brought back for overhaul and was converted to a StuG. It's must be biological or a virus we "Modders" have or suffer from.Just think of poor Rex??? He has it bad, he went from Modder to Scratcher!!!
Last edited by MAUS45; 09-23-2014 at 07:58 PM.
09-23-2014, 07:36 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hamilton,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 1,422
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
7 Posts
I have a tank in 100 pieces before I even put a battery into it.
It's come down to the point where I don't even fool around with a HL tank before busting out the hacksaw, dremel and screwdriver. That stuff's in the garbage in the first minute!
It's come down to the point where I don't even fool around with a HL tank before busting out the hacksaw, dremel and screwdriver. That stuff's in the garbage in the first minute!
09-24-2014, 01:21 AM
#9
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: FleetUK, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 314
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm with YHR, although since I now have a taste for Tamiya with the Leo 2A6, I will be modding less. Basically I prefer kits anyway so buying a ready build and stripping it down to mod and paint it is not got use of my time, which is limited. That's why unless a new tank for sale is something I dont already have or want, I wont buy it whoeever makes it.
Cheers
CaptB
Cheers
CaptB
09-24-2014, 04:54 AM
#11
I have 8 tanks and all of them have been reworked. For me, that's part of the fun.
I spend so much time building mine I don't have time to drive them ..... 
09-24-2014, 05:47 AM
#15
Rex, that is what happens when you graduate from modifying tanks to scratch building tanks!!! This is the insidious side of our hobby. It starts with something small, like re-painting the tank, and the next thing you know you are building one from scratch only to have it released two weeks later by Heng Long!!! Well that is my fantasy, that it would be released!!!
09-25-2014, 03:29 AM
#19
I figured as much from you guys, I've been gawking at your stuff for years.
But I know everyone seems to keep a 'battler' too.
I'm curious to hear from the newer guys. Is there an OOB crowd? There's nothing wrong with it.
The JS-2 is the closest I've ever come to OOB since my original Tammy 105. I did change details, but nothing major. It was also the quickest I've ever built, finishing it in a week or so.
But I know everyone seems to keep a 'battler' too.
I'm curious to hear from the newer guys. Is there an OOB crowd? There's nothing wrong with it.
The JS-2 is the closest I've ever come to OOB since my original Tammy 105. I did change details, but nothing major. It was also the quickest I've ever built, finishing it in a week or so.
09-25-2014, 04:20 AM
#20
I've been in this a bit over a year, and if I was an OOB guy I would've been out of the hobby for a little over 12 months. 
The first two tanks I bought had to go back (both HLs, M-41 & T1 w/metal tracks) so I learned immediately that this is a very hands-on hobby. That's one of the reasons I'm so infatuated with the Imex Model Company. They're really making an effort to change that, and make it as it should be, where if I want to work on them they have lots of cool parts, and if I don't they run good right out of the box.
Even though they can't compare to Imex, I did find a place that also has very good customer service, called xenonproject.com. They just import HLs and sell them online, but if something's wrong they'll take care of it fast, and they even sent UPS call tags when tanks had to go back (Erik does that too). Like I said, they can't compare to Imex, but if you just want to pick up cheap tanks they're a good place to look. The tanks I got from them are all still running, with a lot of help from the motorpool.
But you know, as I think about this I would say there's a difference between out of the box and ready to run. I know you said you want to hear from the new guys, but I think the hobby is a lot different now than when you got in, Ausf. Back then I don't think you could even get a ready to run tank, could you? When did Heng Long tanks arrive on the scene? What about Mato?
The first two tanks I bought had to go back (both HLs, M-41 & T1 w/metal tracks) so I learned immediately that this is a very hands-on hobby. That's one of the reasons I'm so infatuated with the Imex Model Company. They're really making an effort to change that, and make it as it should be, where if I want to work on them they have lots of cool parts, and if I don't they run good right out of the box. Even though they can't compare to Imex, I did find a place that also has very good customer service, called xenonproject.com. They just import HLs and sell them online, but if something's wrong they'll take care of it fast, and they even sent UPS call tags when tanks had to go back (Erik does that too). Like I said, they can't compare to Imex, but if you just want to pick up cheap tanks they're a good place to look. The tanks I got from them are all still running, with a lot of help from the motorpool.
But you know, as I think about this I would say there's a difference between out of the box and ready to run. I know you said you want to hear from the new guys, but I think the hobby is a lot different now than when you got in, Ausf. Back then I don't think you could even get a ready to run tank, could you? When did Heng Long tanks arrive on the scene? What about Mato?
09-25-2014, 04:47 AM
#21
Good question, I have no idea.
I started in the static world about 12 years ago after stumbling upon a 1/72 Tiger I while shopping for my son. I eventually built two Tamiyas, fulfilling a few unresolved childhood interests: RC and WWII armor (as a kid I watched 'World At War' on Saturday afternoons).
They saw some use but it wasn't until I bought a couple of apples on a whim a few years back that the RC end of the hobby really exploded for me. That brought me here, where I first discovered HL and ended up with a StuG. But that was completely worked over, eventually becoming more expensive than any Tamiya:
I started in the static world about 12 years ago after stumbling upon a 1/72 Tiger I while shopping for my son. I eventually built two Tamiyas, fulfilling a few unresolved childhood interests: RC and WWII armor (as a kid I watched 'World At War' on Saturday afternoons).
They saw some use but it wasn't until I bought a couple of apples on a whim a few years back that the RC end of the hobby really exploded for me. That brought me here, where I first discovered HL and ended up with a StuG. But that was completely worked over, eventually becoming more expensive than any Tamiya:
09-25-2014, 05:12 AM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Grande Prairie,
AB, CANADA
Posts: 8,976
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
Heng Long.
Where would we be today without them. The one thing that Heng Long did right was to have parts supply. People call them toys, but when they started stocking replacement parts their future was certain. Toys break, you can't get parts, and you throw them away. With the Heng long though, they had a ready supply of parts and people like us could keep them running and in fact improve them, The cottage industry suppliers started springing up, and we were away, You can get more details and metal parts for Heng Long then you can Tamiya now.
I bought my second tank from Mato, and at the time they were the only online retailer that seemed to care you got something you were happy with so I stuck with them. To this day I have never been disappointed.
Taigen and IMEX are fairly new, but Erik is proving that service is important to them.
We are lucky today, compared to the way it was.
Where would we be today without them. The one thing that Heng Long did right was to have parts supply. People call them toys, but when they started stocking replacement parts their future was certain. Toys break, you can't get parts, and you throw them away. With the Heng long though, they had a ready supply of parts and people like us could keep them running and in fact improve them, The cottage industry suppliers started springing up, and we were away, You can get more details and metal parts for Heng Long then you can Tamiya now.
I bought my second tank from Mato, and at the time they were the only online retailer that seemed to care you got something you were happy with so I stuck with them. To this day I have never been disappointed.
Taigen and IMEX are fairly new, but Erik is proving that service is important to them.
We are lucky today, compared to the way it was.
09-25-2014, 05:21 AM
#25