Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
11-24-2010, 01:24 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
I'm talkin' WWII. 1/16 scale. There is the M16, & Tamiya Kubelwagen, but I can't think of anything else. If you go to the sites in Europe there are items, but they cost a fortune...for me at least. If Tamiya could do a Kubelwagen, why can't they do a jeep? A White scout car? A GMC or Studebaker deuce and a half? A Greyhound or any number of armored cars or support vehicles. Tamiya makes 1/14 scale trucks ........ why not 1/16? I'll never understand 1/14, and the 1/18 stuff. What were they thinking? Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!
Am I crazy? Or is it everyone else?
Am I crazy? Or is it everyone else?
11-24-2010, 01:47 PM
#2
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Perth, ON, CANADA
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RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
You're crazy, Rex...crazy like a fox! Or however that saying goes. I would think loads of RC truck folks like military stuff, so you'd think a market would exist. Maybe not huge, but enough to sustain the lower development costs of wheeled miltary vehicles.
An LRDG Chev truck (made in Canada no less) loaded down with gear and twin Lewis MG's all over it would get my dollars very quickly. Or an Opel Blitz, or a lend-lease Studebaker with Katyusha racks, or a Daimler armoured car, or...
Mike.
An LRDG Chev truck (made in Canada no less) loaded down with gear and twin Lewis MG's all over it would get my dollars very quickly. Or an Opel Blitz, or a lend-lease Studebaker with Katyusha racks, or a Daimler armoured car, or...
Mike.
11-24-2010, 02:04 PM
#3
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
Rex everyone else is crazy. I never understood why wheeled military vehicles for RC don't get the coverage in really any scale.
As you've shown there are many, many subjects that would be great to see in 1/16. Tamiya certainly has the technology to do it
as do any of the emerging Chinese companies.
It can only be demand. I reckon if we saw more conversions of existing Tamiya and Wedico trucks and components some manufacturer
would jump on it for the business.
Also , it is my belief that no matter how many protests there are to the contrary most ( not all) R/C military modelers/operators don't really have much interest in just driving their models in a realistic manner. I've been to any number of club events as well as viewed posted videos and it just isn't happening. Perhaps it is the combat thing or something else but 90% of all operations I've seen are mostly herky-jerky, crew jarring( if not down right maiming! ) tank movements. I say this because a soft skin vehicle would offer little to no combat potential, little race ability ( thank goodness) leaving only the possibility of ( ugh ) mostly realistic driving as the main attraction. Sadly most manufacturers ARE paying attention to what sells and just a running model likely wouldn't; all this makes Xion /Andrew Design's products that much more unique.
As we spoke of the other day I really enjoyed just being able to drive around the towns either BAT or Kelly's Heroes has put up; I really
enjoyed the obstacle courses I helped BAT set up years ago. Tank traps, narrow roads with sheer cliffs, switchbacks/ sharp turns and narrow bridges are really enjoyable to me just to be able to navigate successfully. Like you I was mostly alone in that enjoyment. ( I do recall one time I'd set up a course at a BAT event for my 1/10 armor complete with two bridges, ravines and rock marked roadways
and several members, now gone, just drove their full size autos over it to get to the other battle areas! )
Another of my long term projects is a 1/10 scale Puma. I have the wheels and tires and had years ago already made patterns
for the turret and mantlet and cast several examples of each.
You keep the non tracked part of our hobby alive Rex!
Jerry
As you've shown there are many, many subjects that would be great to see in 1/16. Tamiya certainly has the technology to do it
as do any of the emerging Chinese companies.
It can only be demand. I reckon if we saw more conversions of existing Tamiya and Wedico trucks and components some manufacturer
would jump on it for the business.
Also , it is my belief that no matter how many protests there are to the contrary most ( not all) R/C military modelers/operators don't really have much interest in just driving their models in a realistic manner. I've been to any number of club events as well as viewed posted videos and it just isn't happening. Perhaps it is the combat thing or something else but 90% of all operations I've seen are mostly herky-jerky, crew jarring( if not down right maiming! ) tank movements. I say this because a soft skin vehicle would offer little to no combat potential, little race ability ( thank goodness) leaving only the possibility of ( ugh ) mostly realistic driving as the main attraction. Sadly most manufacturers ARE paying attention to what sells and just a running model likely wouldn't; all this makes Xion /Andrew Design's products that much more unique.
As we spoke of the other day I really enjoyed just being able to drive around the towns either BAT or Kelly's Heroes has put up; I really
enjoyed the obstacle courses I helped BAT set up years ago. Tank traps, narrow roads with sheer cliffs, switchbacks/ sharp turns and narrow bridges are really enjoyable to me just to be able to navigate successfully. Like you I was mostly alone in that enjoyment. ( I do recall one time I'd set up a course at a BAT event for my 1/10 armor complete with two bridges, ravines and rock marked roadways
and several members, now gone, just drove their full size autos over it to get to the other battle areas! )
Another of my long term projects is a 1/10 scale Puma. I have the wheels and tires and had years ago already made patterns
for the turret and mantlet and cast several examples of each.
You keep the non tracked part of our hobby alive Rex!
Jerry
11-24-2010, 03:26 PM
#4
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
Tamiya has a JGSDF truck in 1/10h but that is the only thing I can think of http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/ite...oduct-id=58326
Problem is 1/16th isn't an extremely popular scale with truck & car RC hobbyist due to the low ground clearance, and inability to drive over most obstacles. That is unless they make them with bigger tires, and wider dimensions but that will defeat the purpose of trying to make it look scale.
Then there is the next issue chassis design. Most of the chassis, and drive chain components would be unique to the model which alot of companies will not bother with. Most of the companies love to just slap a new shell, and change the wheels and call it a new model (Traxxas is masters of this). Where with scale military vehicles each one would have to have an independently designed chassis and truck top to scale, and in the long run it wouldn't be profitable.
But that is just my opinion, and the way I see how trucks, and other vehicles are designed.
Problem is 1/16th isn't an extremely popular scale with truck & car RC hobbyist due to the low ground clearance, and inability to drive over most obstacles. That is unless they make them with bigger tires, and wider dimensions but that will defeat the purpose of trying to make it look scale.
Then there is the next issue chassis design. Most of the chassis, and drive chain components would be unique to the model which alot of companies will not bother with. Most of the companies love to just slap a new shell, and change the wheels and call it a new model (Traxxas is masters of this). Where with scale military vehicles each one would have to have an independently designed chassis and truck top to scale, and in the long run it wouldn't be profitable.
But that is just my opinion, and the way I see how trucks, and other vehicles are designed.
11-24-2010, 04:11 PM
#5
Senior Member
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
Share your frustration all the way. I'd love to see a Saladin or a French AMX 6 wheeler. WW II, Daimler or Humber would be great and even the Stagounds would be nice, in spite of their very sparse use. There are plenty out there that would make good models, but as Jerry wrote, most RC "Tankers" don't have a clue or care about driving them like real ones and armored cars would take a lot more finesse and skill. Running a KT like a Chevy sports coupe takes neither. For most ACs, scratch building is the only way and the wheels etc are all a very difficult size to find. [
]
]
11-24-2010, 04:15 PM
#6
Thread Starter
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
ORIGINAL: Spitvalve
You're crazy, Rex...crazy like a fox! Or however that saying goes. I would think loads of RC truck folks like military stuff, so you'd think a market would exist. Maybe not huge, but enough to sustain the lower development costs of wheeled miltary vehicles.
An LRDG Chev truck (made in Canada no less) loaded down with gear and twin Lewis MG's all over it would get my dollars very quickly. Or an Opel Blitz, or a lend-lease Studebaker with Katyusha racks, or a Daimler armoured car, or...
Mike.
You're crazy, Rex...crazy like a fox! Or however that saying goes. I would think loads of RC truck folks like military stuff, so you'd think a market would exist. Maybe not huge, but enough to sustain the lower development costs of wheeled miltary vehicles.
An LRDG Chev truck (made in Canada no less) loaded down with gear and twin Lewis MG's all over it would get my dollars very quickly. Or an Opel Blitz, or a lend-lease Studebaker with Katyusha racks, or a Daimler armoured car, or...
Mike.
11-24-2010, 04:41 PM
#8
Thread Starter
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
ORIGINAL: pattoncommander
Share your frustration all the way. I'd love to see a Saladin or a French AMX 6 wheeler. WW II, Daimler or Humber would be great and even the Stagounds would be nice, in spite of their very sparse use. There are plenty out there that would make good models, but as Jerry wrote, most RC ''Tankers'' don't have a clue or care about driving them like real ones and armored cars would take a lot more finesse and skill. Running a KT like a Chevy sports coupe takes neither. For most ACs, scratch building is the only way and the wheels etc are all a very difficult size to find. []
Share your frustration all the way. I'd love to see a Saladin or a French AMX 6 wheeler. WW II, Daimler or Humber would be great and even the Stagounds would be nice, in spite of their very sparse use. There are plenty out there that would make good models, but as Jerry wrote, most RC ''Tankers'' don't have a clue or care about driving them like real ones and armored cars would take a lot more finesse and skill. Running a KT like a Chevy sports coupe takes neither. For most ACs, scratch building is the only way and the wheels etc are all a very difficult size to find. [
]
Yeah........I agree. Finding suitable tires is the same as finding suitable track. I would never attempt to build track, there's just no way I could do that. It's a lot of work to make a master tire, mold it and cast it with a rubber compond, but it is possible if you have the time, energy, interest, determination, money and you are a stubborn old coot. Then you have the fun of making the rims. This hobby can be no end of fun if ya work it right!!!!![sm=bananahead.gif]
11-24-2010, 05:49 PM
#9
Senior Member
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
Wheels-tires can be a problem....I keep looking at all the cool toy trucks and trying to invision what I could do. Have anough problem with my museum...I have to make some dioramas, "large scale" and two include tires (bayonet training) so I'm looking for Tonka etc for parts. 
One of these days, I Will build a Saladin. I drove a couple and they are a total blast!
One of these days, I Will build a Saladin. I drove a couple and they are a total blast!
11-24-2010, 06:02 PM
#10
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
Rex these guys do make some pretty spiff tires:
http://www.barnhausen.de/
http://www.modellreifen.de/
If you ever want to order something Rex perhaps we could order together...
Jerry
http://www.barnhausen.de/
http://www.modellreifen.de/
If you ever want to order something Rex perhaps we could order together...
Jerry
11-24-2010, 09:06 PM
#12
Thread Starter
RE: Why aren't there many r/c wheeled vehicles?
ORIGINAL: Tanque
Rex these guys do make some pretty spiff tires:
http://www.barnhausen.de/
http://www.modellreifen.de/
If you ever want to order something Rex perhaps we could order together...
Jerry
Rex these guys do make some pretty spiff tires:
http://www.barnhausen.de/
http://www.modellreifen.de/
If you ever want to order something Rex perhaps we could order together...
Jerry
That could happen........There are some interesting tread patterns and sizes on that second site
