RC Sherman

I have a Schumo antenna base (scale, 3 part with spring) for my 1/16 Mato Sherman. It does not come with the antenna wire. After trying to fashion many different types of wire, I now know why they don't include it in the kit!

To fit the bill it has to obviously be thin (and the top of the Schumo base that accepts the antenna has a real small hole), but it should also be rigid enough to present as a straight piece without bends or ease of bending. All the wire I have found and tried bends far too easily. Any suggestions?

Max-U52

Have you tried styrene rod or stretched sprue?

Green Amphibian

I like to use piano wire with some glue on the pointy end to protect eyes.

Herman

Captain Nemo12

Guitar strings

afv aficionado

Ditto on the piano wire, painted flat black.

Mal

RC Sherman

You guys are geniuses.

RC Sherman

Max, What size Styrene rod would that be? (The hole on the base is real small.)

Max-U52

Evergreen has it in all different diameters, from .5mm (.020 inch) all the way up to about an eighth inch. I have some of the .020 for an antenna on my Jagdpanther. It's so thin it doesn't even show up on video! See for yourself. There's an antenna on there, you just can't see it.

If you look real close at about 1:04 you can pick it out. Barely.

I'll try to get some stills and post them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aghurn2ZhjE

Bagheera

Try fishing leads


Johnny

Max-U52

Wow! Those fishing leads might be just perfect for the track cables on the Panther and Jagdpanther! Great find! Thank you! I've been thinking about picture framing wire but I bet the leads will be ten times better. You get the award for best idea of the day! Now I have to run to the sporting goods store and see what I can find!

Bagheera

I get inspired by all you tank guys

RC Sherman

Yeah, this thread is cracking me up. I pride myself on resourcefulness when it comes to modeling, but you guys are making me smile. I have piano wire, guitar strings, fishing leads, and just ordered me some .25 (.64mm) Styrene Rod on eBay. When it comes time to mount it, Ill let you know what wins. PS there is an awesome thread here somewhere (do a search) on the particulars of Sherman Antennas. (Correct scale length, markings, etc.)

Jeff489

My Feedback: (12)

I use a carbon fiber rod. I harpooned myself once with one of my piano wire antennas (even had a glue blob on the end). Carbon fiber breaks, before stabbing me, which is better for me, and is just as cheap in my local hobby shop. For the glob on the end, I use liquid electrical tape and just keep dipping until it looks right. I use a set of "helping hands" from my solder kit to hold the antenna upside down while drying after a dip.

YHR

I use styrene rod with a small spring assembly. The antenna whips nicely with this set up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3l-OiyitBs

scottlarson925

My Feedback: (2)

It's carbon fiber for me too, it's super-tough and flexible so it won't break the mount when flexed and it will break before you do serious damage to yourself or your tank; piano wire is just too stiff in my opinion. I got just the right diameter at the local hobby shop and it was only $1.50 for a three-foot piece. I was using a WD-40 straw before but it was just too thick to look scale...I did use a short piece of that straw for the base though, the carbon fiber fit inside it perfectly snug!

atcttge

Hi all. Can you guys please post pix of your CF and piano wire antenna? Also, where online can I buy the CF antenna? AFAIK, that kind isn't available in our LHS. I might end up using piano wire instead as that is easier to procure.

YHR, can you please post a pic of the spring assembly you mentioned? I broke the stubby antennae of my Leo2A6 and I want to replace these with something longer and more durable. Tanks!

afv aficionado

Hi Atcttge
This is my NZ Army M41A1 with larkspur radio's

Mal

atcttge

That's a gorgeous M41 you got there, afv aficionado.

YHR, I didn't see your video before. It failed to load because of my net connection. It's only now I see that there was a video of your 2A6 in your post. Nice antenna setup! I like how it moves, it's like the real thing.

I'm going to combine both of your ideas - piano wire for the antenna, and springs for the base. Can't wait to do some shopping and scrounging this weekend!

ETA the word "gorgeous" in the first sentence.

afv aficionado

Hi atcttge
Glad you like it, it's a bit different from all the other HL M41's you see, as it's based on the early construction M41's that had the early X-7404114 turret (nose casting part number) - that meant adding bog to the front of the turret as the shape of the standard HL turret is wrong as well as being undersized. The upper hull was different - again a casting - part 7384712 whereas later ones were all welded, they had more & different engine grille hatches - 5 left & 6 right, versus 3 per side on the later tanks , a different Gun travel lock and different tow rope brackets

Probably enough for now?

Mal

atcttge

I couldn't find piano wire at our music shops, so settled for guitar strings for the two main antenna of my Leo2A6. I also found some carbon fiber antenna from back in my plastic model days, this one coming from Accurate Armour. I used one for the shorter antenna on the Leo2's rear camera area. I've found that carbon fiber works great for this part and it doesn't hamper turret traverse as it bends easily and springs back straight again.

atcttge

Well the carbon fiber antenna broke hahaha replaced it with guitar string as well. Here's what I did:

I used soft springs which came from my suspension fork when this was serviced. It was in the shape of a ring and I just cut it to size. I reckon you can find similar springs out there. I then used guitar wire for the antenna, gluing it to the top of the spring only into the first two/three coils. I then glued the entire thing to the tank.





The spring is rigid enough to withstand the weight of the antennae yet soft enough to bend. Just make sure the guitar string isn't fully inside the entire length of the spring otherwise it'll be more rigid. The result is that the antenna can be bent from the base ensuring the guitar string maintains its shape despite bending and is soft enough not to be an obstruction for anything like the gun barrel. The blobs at the tips of the antenna is superglue. I dipped the end several times in the glue, each time letting the glue to cure for a while and then dipping it in water to speed up the curing process. Repeat until it's the size you want. Best done with gel-type superglue.

RC Sherman

Here's a crummy photo of my new antenna for my all metal Mato M4A3. It is scale size with the correct blue and red section markers added. Hard to see but it also has a yellow tip. The base is the Aber kit. Real nice kit. I used .025 styrene. (The tank is about to be decal'd, hence the shiny appearance. Next will be weathering. It's been a long road.)

YHR

NIce job on the antenna's guys.

RCSherman. You should start a thread on that Mato Sherman. No one has done one yet.

RC Sherman

Good idea, I am gathering photos. Mine is a custom build as I got it bare metal. Yikes, what a journey. Everything from custom proportional smoke unit, amplifiers, bendini, to custom made 50 cal barrel holders. Obsessive/compulsive can be stressful. :-0