Trumpeter SU-100 conversion (for real now).
 

Okay, getting serious...Please ask if you have any questions, regarding the build, materials or processes. Any comments welcome.

First up is the mantlet:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2024652


















The Trumpeter kit has not been designed for recoil, so a sleeve has to made for the barrel to slide in and stay true. Fortunately the kit's gun block's inner diameter is the same as the base of the barrel's OD. I had to cut the ends off the kit part after the halves were glued together and glue in place being careful to make sure everything is straight and true:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2024653


















Next up is the emitter tube, using stock styrene. Again, it has to be set carefully so it's parallel to the barrel. A tiny bit off here would translate into a huge amount 90 feet away. The pencil mark halfway is where the end of the IR LED is in the tube, it's 9mm from the shallowest edge on the exterior of the mantlet.
I'll probably try to use the holes on the barrel sleeve as the elevation pivot, I'll see after I get the recoil unit set up. I'm using Tamiya's Tiger I unit.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2024654

I want to finish mine too Jeff. I am patiently waiting for the Taigen T34 and have several customers who want T34 variants. The WSN just needs too much work to be very durable.

It's not WSN, but the static Trump hull with aluminum bracing and Tamiya gearboxes/electronics.

Don't you remember, you have the M4 hull it all came out of... ;)

I was thinking of cutting down the JS2 barrel. Or... maybe an SU-122? :cool:




Jeff

The 122 would be alot easier to battle with... ;)

I was looking at the aluminum Tamiya Panther barrel when planning this out and except for the final step before the mantlet, the two are almost identical.
I was thinking about just grabbing another Panther barrel from AAF, but at the end of the day, I think I'm better off with styrene. It's harder to deal with removing the seam, but it takes paint better and I'd rather have lighter vs metal. The JS-2 barrel flops around while driving even with a counterweighted turret. I'd hate to see it with a metal muzzle brake. The best barrel I have is the styrene 88 on the original 56010 kit, stays where you aim it, doesn't bounce and takes abuse without scratching.

Yes, I thought about that too but the Panther barrel is much smaller OD than the SU barrel.

Aah! Don't know what I'll do but metal will be much hardier on a TD than plastic. :cool:





Jeff

Following with interest. I purchased three HL Hulls awhile back, just for this kind of thing.

Cheers

I love the su series. Can't wait to see this.

Here's the rough out for the Tamiya recoil unit. I just need to fill some gaps in the bore and the putty the entire housing for strength after I work out the elevation pivot point. The unit is held in with a brass stock plate so it's removable. It'll need to come off to fit through the glacis. The test is done manually with about 5 volts, the MFU will move it a bit faster with it's 7.2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqI5eMWHuFw Jeff, that's the Panther barrel sitting next to it. It's a near perfect match for the SU-100. If anything it has a slightly larger OD (hundredths of an inch).

Another angle, the barrel end fits beautifully:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYz5zn4Gaxk

What if you set up the Barrel mount system up like what the Jagdpanther has wont it take a metal barrel better .
My Jagdpanther has the metal up grade I got from ETO Armor and works great .

Jimmy

I don't want a metal barrel, on this or any tank. It's unnecessary weight and strain on the elevation. They were originally used on static kits as aftermarket items because modelers had a tough time with seams of a two piece styrene barrel. Then DML started releasing kits with aluminum barrels and PE as a perk, which other companies followed, including Tamiya.

My two Tamiyas with styrene barrels ran 10 years without stressing the ABS elevation arm. Every model since them has been released with aluminum and what do you get? A need to replace the elevation arm and a barrel that needs a special primer. I'd rather spend an extra hour taking care of the seam on a styrene. If I could buy an aftermarket styrene barrel for the JS-2, Pz IV and Panther I'd jump on it.

It all looks great Jeff. :cool:

BTW, I must have good luck because ALL my tanks have aluminum barrels (except the T34, Sturmtiger and M4 with the 105MM) and NO elevation problems. But I do have them counterbalanced so maybe that's the secret.

I envy you... your SU will be finished before mine. :p





Jeff

I don't remember anything anymore Jeff & Jeff...they call it C.R.S. But I forget what it stands for. What were we talking about?

An Old fishing rod will yield a couple of different bore fiberglass barrels.. No seam, light and sturdy,

Cheers

Worked out the traverse and elevation. I just need to fit the microswitches in as travel stops and I should be good to go. I'll have to rearrange the battery layour in the hull, the recoil bottoms out stopping it from elevating to it's limit. Not that it would be a problem, the declination is more important.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SagInyp1p_A

So will you share a photo of your Elevation and Traverse setup?

Yep.

The way this forum is set up, it's easier to post video than photos.

I didn't take any while working on it, but I finished installing the limit switches, I'll grab some photos and get them up.

It's looking great so far!





Jeff

Thanks Ausf!!! Photos will be greatly appreasiated!!! Rudy

Took another quick video of the inside before I disconnect everything to assemble the model itself. I'll get photos then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz45kHidlbM