Hey guys,

I recently purchased two DBU/DBC units and I want to install them in a HL Pershing and an HL JagdPanther. I eventually want to convert both of these airsoft tanks to flash and gun recoil tanks. I've read up on several different mods and if I understand it right it's pretty tricky to get the gun to flash and then recoil while also disabling that stupid HL track recoil (maybe the RX 19 board will do away with that little gem). My JagdPanther actually leaps forward after I press the K button.
should I just pony up for a couple of asiatam flash/recoil units or can the HL recoil be made to operate somewhat realistically?

Damn, I wish I'd have just waited until a Tamiya was feasible, all these second rate tanks are overwhelming me!<br type="_moz" />

Egg,

did you get the instructions with the DBUs? If not, PM me your email and I will send you them.

Tim

The DBC will get rid of the track recoil, and the gun flash is quite simple. Tie in the flash LED to light when you supply power to the recoil unit. This works independently of the DBC or the Heng Long electronics. With a recoil mechanism you need to supply power to the recoil motor momentarily to move it past the limit of the micro switch. This momentary power is perfect for energizing the flash LED. A 68 om resistor in series with the white LED will serve you well. Timing is not an issues as the LED lights exactly when you fire the gun.

Is the gun fired by the K-switch on Left-up modification? And which recoil unit am I using here?

Use a modified heng long recoil. Up on the left stick fires the recoil and the LED. This happens independantly of the K button. Moding your tranmitter to have the K button activate with up action on the left stick is what will fire the IR LED.

I think the HL electronics are fairly similar between their various models, with the exception of the sounds programmed in the RX18 ESC's. I wrote a couple of threads describing myefforts toinstall an Asiatam recoil unit <font size="2">http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10033386</font> and a DBU/DBC <font size="2">http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10031192</font> in my HL Panzer 3. I hope these might be of some help.

I think you hit the nail on the head Eggman. I find the Tamiya full option system to be worth every penny. For those who cannot affort the leap, the HL with DBU is a cheap alternative. But it is just that. I have a DBU KV-1. I have no regrets. but it is no Tamiya. I did get a Tamiya KV1 this summer and there is no comparison. Look around for a deal on a good used Tamiya. We are always buying, selling and trading at Danville. Karen at the musuem has great deals on new kits as well. She has regular raffles of FO Tamiya tank kits. Just pick which one you want (sans Leo). If you do buy used, check around. I bought my first Tiger there five years ago with TBU, radio system and chargers for $500. My daughter, Krista, is still running it. I think it is about 9 or 10 years old now ao we are finishing a rebuild for this weekend. They are good tanks out there (prebuilt new and used as well) just be sure to buy from a reliable seller with good Tamiya tank related reputation.

Here is a video of the new "Shelf Queen" Tiger I that I sold at Danvile last batle-weekend. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLWPz7PIwJY

If you make it to Danville this weekend I'm sure there will be tanks for sale there again. I will be selling my Tamiya FO KV1 there (TBU, 2.4 radio and all).

Bob

With the money I've sunk into all my HL tanks I could have bought one really good Tamiya. None of my tanks sound good, none have recoiling barrels and none have flash units etc. I wish I'd have thought this through and followed the biblical principal of "the pearl of great price" which illustrates the concept of owning one really valuable thing is better than a dozen cheap things (or 5 in my case!)You see a tank on sale for $70 or $80 bucks and thing "wow I can run this right out of the box" it'll be greta. And it is right up until some other guy fires up his Tamiya Pershing and then you realize that yours is a toy and his is something more, something substantial and of quality.

HL tanks anyone????<br type="_moz" />

Yes it is important to know what it is that you like about this hobby and then spend your money and effort accordingly. The Heng Long route can be quite challenging and expensive. My belief is you need to spend about $500 for a tank of Tamiya quality. You can not turn a Heng Long into a Tamiya without some effort and money.

Yes, I have found thats true of anything I have been into; clay target shooting, archery, motorcycles.......etc.


I know and understand the difference between the two brands.
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So far I have enjoyed my HL's immensely; IMHO, that is the main thing, in the hobbies I have been intio, I tend to choose a ballance between price and what I like (which will be different from person to oerson).

I think a person has to go with what puts a smile on their face, whatever that is.</p></span>

Well look at all you learned playing around with HLs. You cut your teeth on them, now it is time for some real meat. Decided on what HLs you wanna keep, sell the rest (I may want to buy one) and put the money into a Tamiya. I know people in the CAN-AM club will buy those DBUs if you want to sell them too.

I felt the same way when I first heard Dennis's Pershing. I knew then I must have one. I enjoyed building and running my Sherman more than any of the others. One really good tank is better than 3 poor ones IMHO.

The deals are out there. KTs, Perhsings, Shermans and Tigers seem to be the cheapest.

And then came along EL Mod with their high end IR battling and sound, and now I see Bernelli(sp?) has a new sound card out that may offer more sound options. There are many ways to enjoy this hobby. You just have to find out which one works best for you. My tricked out Heng Longs sound better then Tamiya's, have recoil, and gun flash. Yes even in a Sherman. I own a Tamiya so I know what they are all about as well. Two different ways to enjoy the hobby, but I stop short of calling one superior to the other. The approach is so different that they should not be compared. There are two roads to travel, and to end up with comparable tanks at the end, the dollars you spend will be close.

Well said!!! Dan

David

YHR,

You have to take into account that my modelling skills are not a fraction of your own and for me to convert an HLinto a better than Tamiya would require more time, money and skill than Icurrently possess. Ireally admire the guys who take a Mato Sherman toy and create a Sherman Firefly model out of it, that amazes me. I'm at the point where I'd like a more realistic sounding and operating vehicle "out of the box" with maybe a few bolt-on mods and uprades. As my skills improve and time and money allow Ihope too kit bash a Heng Long into a good sounding/operating fighter. Ilove my HLTiger with it'scrappy spray bomb camo job, it runs hard, shoots hard and puts a smile on my face. But Isuspect a Tamiya Tiger with a couple of upgrades would put a bigger smile on my face!</p>

Bigger smile means more money, Eggman..
Everytime, I saw Dennis's Pershing, it is not a RC tank.  I saw a pile of money is running...

LOL,

HULU, aren't YOUthe guy with the $500 HL tiger upgraded withAsiatam hull, Asiatam wheels, metal tracks etc.? Your tiger looked like a pile of money to me! (A really cool looking pile of money!)

I'd like to know how to improve the sounds of my Hl tanks without buying $300 of El Mod electronics to do so.

Egg,

buy a Tamiya, just one and decide for yourself. If you don't like it, sell it (I doubt you will not like it). They hold thier value.

We're so bad, all living vicariously through the next guy who spends money on tanks!

I would be interested in discussing this.

I'll install the DBU's but if anyone wants one the same guy has 6 left at the same price I paid and I'll wager you could offer him less if you bought a couple of them. If the border officer that processed my car line was less of a Napoleon, I'd have been over the US border to US Address Inc and back in 20 minutes.

I agree with Dan;s statements. I had and still do have a great deal of fun and a high degree of satisfaction once i have completed an HL to Tamiya conversion. But I go all the way with the conversions. I received a lot of good feed back on the Pershing I just completed. It was said that if I did not tell that it was a conversion no one would have never known it was not a Tamiya tank. The Pershing probably makes the best HL/Tamiya conversion out of all the tanks, as you need not bother with the suspension or tracks at all. I left those completely stock and it runs exceptionally well. Plastic tracks and all. The Pershing tracks are probably HL's best to begin with and so is it's suspension. The only other tank that compares as far as stock set up is the PzIII/Stug.

That's good to know since one of the tanks I intend to put a DBU into is my son's HL Pershing that he doesn't know he has yet. The other is my HL Jagd Panther which I hope to upgrade to flash/recoil eventually. I've examined a Tamiya Pershing and a Heng Long Pershing side by side and I agree that the Pershing is one of HL's best but it's suspension had much more play in it than the Tamiya and the stock HL sound was anemic as usual whilst the Tamiya was throaty, and full. It made your chest vibrate. I'd love know what you have to do to make a HL into a Tamiya and what the cost would be. My Panzer IV feels like a good candidate for upgrades as does the Mato Sherman. I think though, that my Tiger has had all the help I intend to give it for quite a while.
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I absolutely agree with you. The decision on which way to go is entirely up to the modeler. The important thing is that now there is an option, when a few years ago there wasn't.

Many of us really enjoy the kitbashing that Heng long allows. My personal preference is that I prefer this to building a kit. So anyone who tells me a Tamiya is better then a Heng Long, I'll counter with, "that depends on what you want"