Rex Ross

This took longer than I figured to get to get this point, but finally I can start on the hull that all of this will be mounted on. Then I can work out the spring suspension and install the tranny. The lower body should be easy (famous last words} and then the turret is gonna be the fun part (more famous last words).



Rex

Rex Ross

Finally....I think I can see the end of the tunnel on building the suspension parts, I sure get tired of repetitive tasks. I'm glad I'm done with it (almost). I had to make a latex mold of the road wheels from a Pershing and cast 28 of them in resin, then scratch build the sprockets and return rollers and build each one of the 12 road wheel axle arms out of styrene. There are 16 individual pieces that had to be made for each of the 12 road wheel axle arms. Everything worked OK except the springs turned out to be too weak and will have to be replaced. I had to shim them up so much that I reduced the travel distance that the road wheels move up when they run over anything. They only move up about 5mm. I think it should move up more be to look right, Then I can get to the track tensioner and the R/C part. I think my spare parts box has the R/C stuff I need (if all of that old stuff still works ok).

Pah co chu puk

Amazing

herrmill

Agreed. Mighty fine work, T-Rex!

Rex Ross

I was worried that I wouldn't find enough reference stuff to build an MBT 70 tank. But the data sources I found on the internet turned out to be overwhelming. There were only 14 or 15 prototypes made and it was a US/German development project It seems like each one of them had something different about the details. I chose to build an early version of the US model that had a few adopted details of the later German Kpz 70 version. So much for historical accuracy and fidelity to good craftsmanship. I resort to artistic license at times. And sometimes I just cheat.


I read that the MBT 70 is regarded as the grandfather (father?) of the Abrams and Leopard. It's gonna look good between my new Hobby Engine Abrams and Mato Leopard 2A6.


Off topic note ..... speaking of grandfathers ..... I have been informed I am going to be a GREAT grandfather according to one of my grandsons. I didn't know I was old enough to become one.. Time flies.


Back on topic .... The lower hull build is done enough to where I can start on the turret, but before I do that I have to take a little break before I go goofy from glue sniffing.

Panther F

Looks great Rex and congrats on the good news!




Jeff

Captain Nemo12

Congrats on the great news Rex! Your MBT is taking shape!

Cold Comfort

My Feedback: (1)

Amazing as always Rex.

chris3BK

hi

well done sofar :-)

but im confused about the back, looks completly diverent to that one i did the photo frome.


is there a diverent between german and U.S. kpz 70 ?

would be logikaly because yours looks closer to an m1 and ouer looks closer to a ne leopar 2 ?! maybe the latest kpz70 test vehicls went a diverent way after the projekt were canceled ?

anyway i think after seeing your fotos i need to made a own soon, it a realy impresiv vehicle.

cu christian

Panther F

Yes, there are HUGE differences between the US and German versions.

They are NOT the same vehicle.



Jeff

Rex Ross

~~~~~~

I agree. They have the same basic hull and turret shape but the rest is different. They are kinda like Shermans .... they all look alike, but we know that they ain't. !!!

If one of those prototype tanks ever drives down my street. I will be able to correctly identify whether it's an MBT 70 or a Kpz 70 in a second !!!

Pah co chu puk

There is a deep wisdom somewhere in those words. Wish I could find it.

Congrats on the GREATgrand kid. The MBT 70 is looking very nice.

Rex Ross

~~~~~~~~

Thanks for the comments on the tank. I will take full credit for building it. But I didn't have anything to do with building my grandsons new project.

Pah co chu puk

When I study the pictures of your project it makes me dream that someday I could glue plastic together and have it actually look like something. Your workmanship is world class, Thanks for sharing what you do with us.

Rex Ross

QUOTE=Pah co chu puk;11892222]When I study the pictures of your project it makes me dream that someday I could glue plastic together and have it actually look like something. Your workmanship is world class, Thanks for sharing what you do with us.[/QUOTE]

World class ? What world ? Which planet ? I wasn't going to say anything, but the first spring suspension I made was a total failure. I took everything out and rebuilt everything with better springs, closer tolerance axle bushings, and it still wasn't much better off. Some things just need to be made out of brass, not styrene and resin. At any rate, it will run just fine until it hits a cigarette butt or a land mine left by a small dog. But everything I make has a lifetime guarantee ........as long as it sits on a shelf and never moves.

afv aficionado

Hi Rex
Very nice, can't wait to see how you handle the drivers cupola in the turret?

Mal

Rex Ross

I haven't given that much of a thought until now. I am glad you brought the subject up. The disappointment I have experienced with the suspension I built has caused me to wonder if I have the mechanical engineering skills, or the R/C electronics skills required to design a workable electro/mechanical system that would make a 1/16 model work like the 1:1 scale tank. If you have a solution that would solve my problem I would be more than happy to attempt to incorporate it into my project. I have an idea on how to do that operational feature with a gear train, but haven't tested it yet. It's an interesting thing to think about. I wonder if ...... . LOL

Gun Tech

Rex,
I am still the new guy around here, but if I understand the description, the cupola always faces forward? If it never pivots right or left, I have a very simple solution. Have a guide rod located as far from the central pivot point of the turret, attached and projecting straight down from the cupola. Affix a channel to the upper hull for the guide rod to ride in. No matter how the turret turns, the cupola will be kept in the same orientation. Determining the shape of the channel will be accomplished by having a piece of cardboard in place of the channel and after applying an ink or paint to the guide rod, manually rotate the turret while keeping the cupola facing forward. This should provide an eccentric shape for the guide to ride in. This is the best I can come up with after a few minutes of waking up, so if I have completely flubbed it, I can rethink it later when I am coherent. At least it is an idea to chew on and maybe someone can come up with a simpler answer. Fantastic work by the way.

Mark

Rex Ross

Mark

OMG....... Ya just made my day ! ...... I think that's the answer. I was thinking along those lines, but I was thinking of a complicated gear train to do what you described. If that is the kinda stuff you come up with after just waking up, you definitely have my respect. After falling outa bed in the morning I am barely capable of remembering my name, making coffee and frying an egg without looking in a cook book for directions. Your description of how to do this is great. I will be trying this first chance I get (after coffee). Thanks a bunch

Gun Tech

Rex,
Thank you for the unwarranted compliment (I'm blushing). As my day job consists of repairing cannons for a living and I have been gunsmithing for over the past quarter of a century, I have to have gears instead of brain cells. Simplicity always has its benefits. I love to come up with ways to accomplish mechanical functions and with essentially a machine shop in my garage, I can try whatever I want. I am away from home until next week, but if you need any help sorting it out, I could make a simple proof of concept and take some photos for you to work off of.

Mark

Tanque

Rex if you need / want to cast any of your parts in a metal for strength make up some patterns and come on over. We'll
whip them right up. You live just a hop, skip and a jump from me...

Jerry

Rex Ross

Mark.. I would be glad to see any sketches you care to post that would show a possible way to do this. I can never have too many ideas from others to overcome my tunnel vision on some things. I took your idea and sat down at my "drafting table" to sketch out the concept that you explained, and I ended up with a prototype mechanism that I think will work. Hey, it works on paper .... what could possibly go wrong? I can make it out of the materials that are available in my stash of Plastruct and Evergreen styrene. It's so simple (or maybe too simple) that there has got to be something critical that I am overlooking. I am going to try and put something workable together this weekend.
Rex

Rex Ross

~~~~~~~

Considering my age and disabilities I don't hop, skip and jump anywhere......stagger and stumble is about the best I can do these days. I appreciate your offer to lend a hand with things that are beyond my capabilities and production skills. I just may take you up on that offer someday. If I can come up with 1:1 full size patterns for an M3A1 Stuart, does the offer still stand? I missed out on the Littlefield auction .

chris3BK

hi

i have found some interestenin pic about the cupola.



about the changable suspensiosn maybe it is the easiest way to control only the strongnes of the two first and the two last swingarms. Controled by one gear motor wich will made the two in front less stronger will he mades the two in the back stronger.
this would be the easyest way to get the special suspension workable.

just a thought about that.

cu christian

Rex Ross

Yes, your suspension idea is interesting. If the front and rear road wheels had heavier springs , the middle ones could almost work by gravity, or be lightly sprung. Also, I think I have the drivers cupola figured out and I think I might build the 2omm cannon turret to raise and lower and turn, at least be hand, not electrically. Thanks for the thought....