Rckfish

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I am a noob to RC Tanks...or more accurately a lurker on the forum. While I am new to RC tanks, I am not new to RC. I spend most of my time building, flying and competing with large scale RC Helicopters. That said, I want to get into RC tanks. Can I get some opinions on a tank to start with. I want something I can scale out and build into something durable. I don't believe there are any tankers in my area (Little Rock, AR) so I don't think I will be doing any battling...

So, let me know your suggestions and vendors. I want to start at 1/16th scale. Attached is a little of my heli work.

Thanks

Onondaga

Hi, welcome to the Tank Forum. You'll get plenty of good advice here. Personally I would suggest the Tamiya Tiger I as a first tank. Compared to large scale helicopters it's cheap! Its also a fun build with plenty of ad-ons available.

Tom

sevoblast

If you want excellent quality at a reasonable price, Tamiya kits are the way to go. Instructions are excellent, quality of chassis and running gear is excellent, most are excellent runners OTB. There are tons of detail and mechanical upgrade parts for the Tiger 1, King Tiger, Panther, Sherman, and KV. Not so many for the Pershing, Leo 1, Leo 2 and P4, and they are introducing a new kit, the IS2, aka Joseph Stalin 2, in March. Electronics are plug and play, and the battle system can be added at any time, again the battle system plugs in to your existing electronics. Sound systems are recorded from the real thing and are also top quality. A simple 4 channel radio and 7.2 v battery will get you up and running well.

Any advice you need for building, painting, mechanical and cosmetic upgrades are available on this forum, just ask. If you choose to build a particular tank at a particular time, you will be amazed at the amount of information at hand. However, please be forewarned, this is an addictive hobby. There is no such thing as 'just one tank'. And you may also be pleasantly surprised about tankers in your general AO.

I am owner of www.etoarmour.com. The vast majority of my parts are for Tamiya tanks, although some will cross fit in to the few other brands, most of which are generally ready built and not 'hobby grade' OTB. Sad but a reality. You will spend significant money to get a ready built tank up the Tamiya standards, almost always far more than a Tamiya kit costs. However, there are some 'ready built' tanks that no one else makes, for instance the Panzer 3, early Shermans, etc. There is a rather large number of parts available for the ready built tanks, mostly mechanical upgrades.

Bottom line, any questions just ask. None of us were born with the knowledge we have, and those of us, like me, in The Old Guard are here to help you.

Sev

ausf

Seeing your work and knowing the dedication it took fly those, I would suggest Tamiya like those before me. I don't think you'll be happy with anything less in terms of durabilty and scale.

You should be able to land a Tiger I for $500-600 and there's no lack of info on both the real thing and the model. That pricetag may throw some people off who are just starting the hobby, but if you've managed to get to being able to pilot a good sized heli, tanks will be a walk in the park, cost and buildabilty.

thecommander

If you want durable then Tamiya is the ONLY choice. I have a M26 Pershing and Tiger I that have been battling each other for over ten years. As far as I can tell they each had about 4 owners before me. I have had the Tiger for 6 years and the M26 for 4. I battled the M26 all day Friday at Danville. It never missed a beat.

marshall

My Feedback: (5)

Tamiya Tiger I was my first tank (only did rc planes before). Have built 5 more Tamiya's and can say the Tiger I was the most fun build. By the way LOVE YOUR COBRA!!!!!!!!!!

Rckfish

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Thanks for the feedback. Where is the best place to buy Tamiya?

Airbrushler

if you are going for Tamiya i would say go to the museum

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...55534169,d.aWM

DirtyBird69

Just to represent the other side of the coin from the "Tamiya crowd" don't be scared by the other brands like Heng Long/Hooben/or the new Taigen series which are a very economical way to get a decent Heng Long tank with a lot of upgrades. If you have any modeling ability(which you obviously do) it isn't that hard to build a durable custom tank for less money then a Tamiya(depending on where you spend your upgrademoney lol).Tamiyas are obviously the best kits out of the box, but their biggest weakness is selection, which is where the other brands really shine, and with the new Clark series controlboards comingout you'll be able to get a great sounding/performing/ IR battle readytankthat won't cost you your first born......just my two cents..

Panther F

Here: http://shop.aaftankmuseum.com/

That one works better, just click on RC Tanks to the left.














~ Jeff

FreakyDude

I disagree with the Tamiya statement for being the only durable tank out there. A set of 3 to 1 steel gears and a Clark board and the Taigen Pro metal Version will compete with a Tamiya on par I would think.

DirtyBird69

HERE HERE!

thecommander

Since most of the items listed are new or nearly new one can only speculate on their durability. The Tamiya tank is well tested. I have battled my Tamiya against your tanks at Can-AM and you have made them very durable indeed.

YHR

I think we have determined over the years when it is all said and done the price difference is a wash. There are just different ways of getting to the total cash outlay. Tamiyas are consistant and they hold their value. The rest will depend on who had them and what was added.

thecommander

Dan....once again...you hit the nail on the head.

The biggest variable in all the custom work that goes into assembling a comprable non-Tamiya tank is the builder. I have see very talented builders who can't paint or have birds nests for wires. Great painters who can't get their radios to communicate with the tank. Creative custom builders of "paper tanks" who paint the tank all one color...even the rubber road wheels.

The most significant thing, and one that we easlily forget here, is that we are lucky to be very knowledgeable in the hobby where the rookies are not. There is no manual for how to get all the various system to communicate and fuction properly in a custom tank coversion. For a Tamiya tank the assembly instruction booklet and owners manual just about cover it all. Add a simple 4 ch radio and you are all set. K I S S

Rckfish

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Freaky Dude
Thanks for your input. As a new entrant I don't have a bias and I appreciate a different look at things.

Paul

tomhugill

The other option is to get a second hand tamiya F/O model strip it down and rebuild it to your standards. I got my tamiya leo for £270 with radio and battle system, my KT and Panther were £300 the KT also coming with radio gear, the panther with $200 of upgrades. Not sure about the situation in the states but in the uk the ebay bargins are there to be had

Panther F

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

I've seen killer examples in both selections, but unless you are articulant in RC electronics, the Tamiya offers an easy way to get what you want. Now, taking an RTR and modifying it is a very effective, low cost approach to tanking... it will just take a bit more work getting what you want but not impossible. I call it being creative as I myself have taken a few RTR's and stuffed Tamiya gear in it, so I believe the other alternatives are as equally possible AND with proper guidance can be achieved.

Just remember, most RTR's do not have at least bushings in the road wheels or even the idler, which are critical items needed. Tamiyas have those such items already for you to install OR, install the correct bearings in which are even better. Once you total up EVERYTHING you will need, then compare the overall costs and make your decisions. If you like paying as you go than making one large purchase then that's another way to go... at least with RTR's there isn't TOO much assembly needed.














~ Jeff

Rckfish

My Feedback: (5)

Ok, I have surfed and read, and then read some more. I have ordered the Tamiya Tiger and that is where I'll get into RC Tanks. Also I will order the 2.4ghz Futaba radio as recommended.

After this first build I will look forward to a Heng Long, Mato or such todo a total mod build.

Now my question is this; is there any mods I really should do on the Tiger out of the gate? Let me know.

Once I get the kit, I will do a build thread from the perspective of a new tanker.

Thanks

Paul

Panther F

Is it the newer kit with the aluminum barrel and PE?


The Tamiya TI is pretty much good right out of the box. Drive it 'till something breaks.














~Jeff

Rckfish

My Feedback: (5)

Yes the newer one...will drive it until it breaks then! Love it.

TheBennyB

Somegreat mod's to start with are Daryl Turner's gearbox brace and elevation arm.Both are plug andplay and can be bought through ETOarmor. Once you've gotten that far
and have driven the Tiger a bit you may want to look into some aftermarket motors and gear reductions.

Rckfish

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks Benny B...

My Tiger has shipped! So another question...what radio? I am currently flying a Spektrum DX18 and would like to stay in the Spektrum family. Is the Dx6i appropriate and do I need to convert to self centering on both sticks?

If so I hope they can be ordered that way...

Thanks for the help.

Rebellion13

You could even get away with the DX5e, you technically only need 4ch's. Would save you a few bucks. I am not sure about the self centering, I think you can order it that way but I believe it is around a $70 fee. I would suggest doing it yourself. Heck I use a flysky 6ch that I picked up from hobbypartz for a whopping $32. You don't need a fancy schmancy tx for tanks, I mean if it gets away from you and you have kids have them run it down lol.


Cheers,
Wade

Rckfish

My Feedback: (5)

Too funny Wade...love the kids chasing it down! Thanks for the info. Would love to find something in stock with self centering sticks on both sides

Paul