Imex-Erik

Hey tankers!
Ok good news today! I have been holding off on this announcement for a long time, but I'm glad I got the ok today.... I have been working on a new product, a recoiling airsoft unit... When I first started I wanted to take the best part of the IR unit and combine it with the airsoft unit to make the best gun ever. However, this is a pretty hard thing to make as I found out later. I did manage to get some working prototypes and sent them off to the factory to be tested and a few functional types made up. I have been testing and tweaking them over the last few months and we are finally to a point where we are ready to show it off!
One of the main issues I made clear to the factory was the timing. It had to be good, and it had to be right. Also it had to fit inside existing turrets in case someone wanted to retrofit an older model. These were the main factors involved when making this system. Now down to the good stuff.... The unit works great and is also quite powerful. The new recoiling units will use the newest airsoft units we just redesigned a few months ago. The unit DOES use a servo to recoil, though there are no changes to the motherboard. I will detail the unit later, but for now I have video for you guys to watch. I tried to fire off as many airsoft bb's as possible to show it is a working prototype and we aren't joking with this one Here is the video link:
http://youtu.be/Lxt9ZkIs8iY Also, we have a new tank to announce! It might not be a big surprise for most, but a mid production Tiger 1 is a very requested item. I was surprised myself, but the Tiger 1 is just so popular! We all have at least 1 or 2 in our garage, but maybe some have room for just one more... I know I do! Anyways, it will be a metal version tank, it will have all the features of our normal metal version Tiger 1 tanks but with a few extra features like the new 360 degree turret and the recoiling airsoft unit. We are still open to paint schemes and I would love to have you guys' input on this one! If you have some paint schemes please post them with the year it was used, we are close to painting, but I can still put a good word in if you know what I mean. I did get the whitewash T34 remember? More information and photos will be posted as the release gets closer.

Lord Haw-Haw

Oh yes, Taigen leading the way!!! Maybe a red primer version for the DIY.

philipat

Awesome announcement! I like the recoiling airsoft. Does it have to have the track recoil to have the barrel recoil?

For your mid-production, I like the Italy idea. That's have I have planned for when I eventually do a mid. That does mean that you're limited to sPzAbt 508. 504 was there, but they only had late production Tigers. Panzer Companie Meyer, which got absorbed into the 508, was all initial production. Attached are some color schemes that are on the web (Hobby Havoc forum has a collection of these).

Here's some links and a there a couple of dedicated books. You can download some of them in PDF.

http://weaponsandwarfare.com/?p=57 (Tiger I in Italy)

http://www.ww2f.com/topic/30249-spza...taly-pictures/ (lots of pictures)

Books:
Panzers in Italy - 1943-1945 (available on Scribd)
Panzers in the Balkans & Italy (WW2 Photo Album 19) (available on Scribd)
Panzerwrecks 9 - Italy 1 (available in Scribd)
Panzerwrecs 13 - Italy 2

tiger rampage

Hi Erik, looking forward to this as I have an early and late taigen tigers already. When will this mid tiger be on sale? I'd like see a winter whitewash camo for this tank. Thanks John

Max-U52

The airsoft recoil is absolutely amazing. One of your best ideas yet. And the retrofit sounds like great fun. We need to come up with a way to measure power in the airsoft guns. Maybe feet per second or something? Spring power? And I know it's off topic, but how are you rating torque in the new motors? Grams per centimeter or the newton thingies? Yeah, yeah, yeah, more science to learn about.

Imex-Erik

Thanks! Primer and unpainted are options we are considering, do not worry
Yea the track recoil does come with the barrel recoil just like the IR version. However, the comodo/mako boards do still work as well as other options. The motherboard is still the same, just a servo has been added for recoil. Thanks for the links, the first picture on the top was the primary pick I chose actually, very close to it.
Early next year, it shouldn't be too long
Thanks! The airsoft recoil was a big feature we needed to add. I hope it is well received. The torque values are given to me by the factory and I take them out just to make sure. TBH I haven't been able to tell the motor upgrades (this makes #3 since I started) except for this one and barely at that. The new black motors seem to start a lot smoother and run at a bit less RPM than the previous models. Other than that they run a tad bit cooler, but that may be a placebo as it is starting to get a bit cooler here.

siam

The airsoft recoil makes the tank much more realistic and there are two other matters to be considered,
1.Barrel depression....it will be nice if the barrel is able to depress more.
2.The ability of shooting while the barrel is depressed down.

YHR

Just stumbled across this dated August . Any connection? 1:23 of the video shows the recoiling airsoft. Claims to be an HL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bfM7ILDrfJI

Max-U52

That's easy to do but you'll sacrifice some of your elevation on the up side. Just put a small length of plastic tubing on the tang of the airsoft unit. That will make it go down more, but it won't go up as far.

welchgc

I need another Tiger! Looking forward to it. Recoil airsoft is awesome and a must.

A whitewashed camo Tiger I used at Kharkov in Winter 1943 would be ideal.

Let me know where and when to pay....

philipat

Those were all early productions from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd SS-PanzerGrenadier Divisions. Those could be done with the existing Taigen early Tiger and some stencils from rctank.de.

CaptainB

Hi Eric,

Recoiling airsoft is one of my favourite additions. Will this be limited to the Tiger 1 or are you planning on having other turrets too including the tank destroyers - jagdpanther etc?
Also, does the system run off of the Clark TK22 board?.

cheers

CaptB

Imex-Erik

I'll check into these, but I'm not sure if it can be done without changing a lot of the inside. Since this isn't a new tank mold I am stuck using the current setup we have atm.
No, I hadn't seen that. Not sure if they are using a servo there but we are
Wow, a lot of whitewash requests.... I would of never figured. I like them as well but the bossman and the general public does not. I guess it just doesn't snow enough here to make it a preferred color. I'll look into it though. Got a pic or two?
Thanks, the airsoft recoil will be a welcome addition. Initial feedback is very good. This system will start in the Tiger 1 but will not be limited to it. I do not believe we will offer this on current tanks but will most likely introduce an upgrade kit for backdating depending on how much needs to be changed. Also, this is running off the stock board. I was wondering how long it would take someone to notice... but the headlights are blinking even when I have control of the tank. This tank is one of my own and has had more than its fair share of use. I got some water damage on this one and the headlights just always blink now. I have been meaning to swap it out, but I am waiting on a few other things to arrive first

CaptainB

Well congratulations on achieving this and I look forward to your future developments. Incidentally, I purchased your Tiger 1, 3 in 1 kit a while back and it's superb - keep up the great work.

CaptB

Imex-Erik

Thanks! The kit was a PITA to do. Doing all those instructions and getting the pictures took a lot of time. I figured it was going to be a 1 month thing but it took 3 of us about 3 months to make it to a point where I was happy with it. I was super intent on starting fresh and making sure everything had great pictures and it sure took a toll on us! I would love to do another but it was a lot of work.

welchgc

[/QUOTE]Those were all early productions from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd SS-PanzerGrenadier Divisions. Those could be done with the existing Taigen early Tiger and some stencils from rctank.de.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info. I really gotta do more reading about what tanks were used where. Never painted a tank myself....one day...

[/QUOTE]Wow, a lot of whitewash requests.... I would of never figured. I like them as well but the bossman and the general public does not. I guess it just doesn't snow enough here to make it a preferred color. I'll look into it though. Got a pic or two?[/QUOTE]

There were so many sweet paint schemes used I hope you guys go with one a little different or at least a heavy camo. There are pic all over the net, but I plucked a few winter ones from: http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww...r-VI_Tiger.php

Most of us get snow!

Max-U52

And they said I was crazy to buy 4 Imex Tiger tanks! Put me on the list, Buddy, I can't wait for the retrofit kits. These will be just as welcome as the slip ring kits ... ahem, ahem ... hint, hint.

philipat

Please, no whitewashed tanks! Historically, that only really covers the Eastern front for a few months out of the year (even then not all were whitewashed)...and a month on the Western front during Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein ("Operation Watch on the Rhine"), aka Battle of the Bulge. Whitewash can be easily and temporarily done by modellers for their winter tanks and then removed in the spring. Permanent whitewash looks silly for most of the year.

Good camo would probably sell well. Italy offers some good examples of that.

welchgc

Everyone will have there own preference. What about having a 'no paint' option with a lower price then we can paint ourselves. I have never painted a tank but would like to try...either-way I will be buying again and again....along with the upgrade parts.

Panzerputzfrau

Will the recoil be able to retrofit into the HL Leo 2A6 with the standard circuit boards etc in it?

NFury25

Hi Erik,

Great news... a couple of questions:

* When will these be available?

* Sold as a complete turret or just the internals which require retrofitting?

* Pricing?

* 100% HL & Taigen compatibility - i.e. is this genuinely plug n play or will minor mods be required..my tanks are equipped with older/newer style RX18 boards

* Shipping costs to Australia?

Many thanks

Imex-Erik

Hello, the initial release will be on the mid production Tiger 1 tanks. After that we will release them in the second half of 2015. That is all the info I have on it right now as far as release tables. The way it will be sold is not final yet. I'm not sure if we are going to do pre-built barrels for each tank or just the individual components. I would honestly rather have pre-built barrels for each tank myself. Of course no final pricing until it is in my computer and I can sell it. It should be plug and play with both, right now it is plug and play with ours only as I have not tested the RX18 (the two I had are now broke ) Ozarmour is a dealer for us in AU, so it should be no biggie to order through him. In fact I just emailed him this morning about an order

afv aficionado

Hi Eric
Was very happy to hear about this, have thought that the recoiling airsoft was long overdue. If you go the pre built barrel route, please ensure that the new barrel is correct length & thickness (I'm recalling the Tiger 1 , M26 & M41A3 here - short, short, short & fat barrels respectively on the HL versions - have a fleet of M41's & M26's to fix)
The next kit to offer would be to replace the red 5mm coax LED with a blue white 3mm LED, which can then be relocated from the coax position to the BB feed tray, so that BB Tracer ammo can be used.
And with the M41, relocate the TC sight mounted white flashing 3mm LED to the coax position.

Mal

Imex-Erik

Yes it was WAY overdue. If we do the pre built options it will be with the barrels already currently out to make it a lot easier. They are currently talking about the plans for it, I'll update everyone when they figure out the distribution plan.
Also yes, the bb tracer mod will be done by me at least soon. That has to be the 2nd best idea for airsoft behind the recoiling airsoft. A nice UV light inside the feeder to light up the airsoft pellets should be pretty darn nice! Once again I'm just waiting to finish my workshop at home, should take me a few more weeks as I am doing the garage at the same time. Then I can do more projects on film like I used to. I actually at one point had around 50 videos just of random RC stuff I was doing but ended up deleting that account.

afv aficionado

Hi Erik
Cool. I've already replaced the HL outer barrels - on my M41's - with brass tubes, so guess I'll just have to wait & see what you dish up. The M26's - just added a chunk on the M41 spare barrel to increase the length, so shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Thanks
Mal