Kanyhalos

Dear Forum members,

I am new to RC tanks and to this forum as well. I've got some experience with 1:72 static model tanks (Dragon, Italeri, Revell, Trumpeter etc.), I have got more then 50 of them.
I'm planning to buy a new 1:16 S&S Heng Long RC tank. I have spent several days on researching and now I'm thinking about buying a Tiger 3818-1 or a Panther G 3879-1 or a King Tiger 3888-1 with no metal upgrades in the beginning, but I can't decide between them.
There are a lot of confusing information in the internet, I would like to ask a couple of questions to make things clear.

Tiger 1 S&S / 3818-1:

I have heard a lot of complaints about this tank, mostly about the tracks that slipping off and purchasing an adjustable tensioner is a must. Is it still true, or did Heng Long fix the track issues in the 3818-1 model?
Do the plastic tracks break on grass terrain, or did they improve it already? As fair as I know, the newest HL tanks (Panther G, Jagdpanther etc.) don't have any problems with plastic tracks as they are stronger then the older tracks.
It is unclear whether the Tiger 3818-1 has RX18 MFU (as far as I know, all S&S models come with RX18), good plastic tracks that don't break or slip off.
Also, I don't understand if this model comes with metal gear as default or this is just a myth.

Panther G S&S / 3879-1:

Everyone says that this is a very good tank, it has RX18, good tracks that don't break or slip off, and is one of the newest the best models of Heng Long. People say it is not even necessary to buy metal tracks on grass terrain if there is no heavy usage. Is this true? Is it really better then the Tiger?

King Tiger S&S / 3888-1:

People say it is as good as the Panther G, but it's more expensive. Is that cost more only because it's much bigger?

Also, I don't really like the painting of the tanks. They look a bit too shiny and plastic toyish. I would paint them to more realistic colors. Is it okay if I use Revell/Tamiya enamel paint and a couple of different brushes and paint them patiently, or I must use airbrush at all? Should I use acrylic paint instead of enamel?

Any help would be appreciated. I guess I'm not the only one who would like to have some clarification, as HL's site is not very well detailed with relevant information.
Thank you, have a nice day and happy new year!

Pah co chu puk

Welcome aboard!

I would go with the HL Panther G. I have both it, and the Tiger 1, and the Panther is a MUCH better runner right out of the box. I have no experience with a King Tiger.

I use Tamiya Acrylic paints with a brush and an airbrush. I also use Krylon Camo spray can paint sometimes. Have fun.

kizwan

With Tiger I, the problem usually with the idler wheels. It's wobbly & the tracks teeth tend to go inside the idler wheels grooves especially when running outdoor. Re-mounted the idler wheels using axle bolt & nuts to prevent it from moving side to side or using adjustable idler mount fixed this problem.

The Tiger I tank should come with RX18.

The tank come with nylon gears as default. The PRO version ones come with zinc alloy gears.

ausf

In terms of the tanks, of those two models, there's litte reason to use metal tracks as the plastic itself is strong enough. The Pz III and IV (same links) are a different story, they tend to break (HLs anyway, Tamiya links hold up well).

The best advice I can give regarding these is order from a reputable dealer like Artistic Hobby or Matomart. These guys tend to check before shipping and make good on problems. I've bought 4 over time from Amazon or other discount places online and had 3 DOAs. 75% failure rate is hard to swallow and you're only recourse with them is return and wait.

In terms of painting, it's a lot of real estate to cover with a hand brush. I get it with 1/72, a good thinned paint can create some absolutely beautiful camo patterns in that size and unless you've got top of the line gear and serious skills, airbrushing doesn't make sense, but in 1/16...yikes. I'd go rattle can over hand brushing if an AB wasn't an option.

I'd stick with acrylics because there's no way to know what they're using on the HLs, enamel might not fly, but acrylic will stick to acrlylic or enamel.

Ex_Pat_Tanker

I'd recommend spraying the tank with a good red oxide primer that's intended for use on plastic - it will stick well, and give a uniform base colour to paint over, that way you won't get the old toy paint job showing through.

Kanyhalos

Hey Guys,
thank you for the help and the useful informations. I really appreciate it. I will decide between the Panther G and the King Tiger and I'll decide the painting job later.
Anyone of you have experiences with the KT? I've heard mostly good things about the Panther G but I only found a few reviews about the KT.
Thanks

Glen B

I have a KT, from my experience, they do need tensioners, I put one from Hentech on mine.

Kanyhalos

Thanks. I'd like to ask about the gears too (Panther G). Is that enough to start with the nylon gears, or they break shortly? If I understood, the metal gears are needed if the modeller apply metal tracks and wheels so the metal gear can run the heavier weight. This is a bit confusing.
I would use it outside but not in long grass or mud.
Thank you.

Green Amphibian

I have had no luck with the nylon gears. All of my tanks are running steel gearboxes whether they have metal or plastic tracks. I don't have to worry about what kind of surface I am running on, or stripping a gear. The metal upgrade gearboxes are zink gears which are only marginally better than the nylon IMO. If you decide to replace them, make sure you get the steel gearboxes.

Herman

Glen B

I do not have any experience with nylon gears, I assume they may be OK for running under less challenging conditions.

I run my HL's for IR battles on our club's grass field, so I have a preferred set up; metal gearboxes with a lower ratio (sometimes called 3:1's) and plastic tracks. The 3:1's reduce the tank speed to scale speeds and provide better torque for driving on, and running through the grass. Plastic tracks because I follow the theory of keeping the tank light, so it does not bog down in the grass and goes longer on a battery charge.

The KT needs tensioners because the track links, unlike that of most tanks, only have holes for the sprocket teeth in every other link. This prevents the "quick and dirty" expedient of pulling on link from the track to tighten the tracks up, as can be done with an HL Panther; I do it with mine.

Here is the tensioner for an HL KT, I like mine.

Here is one on my HL Panthers; set up for IR battles;

Glen B

In my opinion, as far as the Tiger I goes, I really prefer the Taigen Tiger I to the HL.

The HL Panther is good, the one in this picture has the internal upgrades with gearboxes and electronics but the "running gear" and tracks are original plastic, this one has completed 3 seasons on our club field without any problems.

Ex_Pat_Tanker

I keep my Sherman on plastic gears, but they have very short and narrow tracks. For the bigger German tanks I'd recommend the black Steel gears.

kizwan

If you keep the plastic tracks, the nylon gears is more than enough. I don't have problem with mine though but I only use it for short time before upgraded to steel gears.

Kanyhalos

Thank you guys I see that we have a nice helpful community here I learned more from you then I learned from googleing for days

Now I think I know everything I wanted to know, so the Panther G is probably the best choice for my first RC tank.
I'll order it with the default plastic gears, tracks, etc. and I'll see how long they last.

Glen B, you have very nice Panthers. Did you personally paint them? I wish I'd have friends with similar interest so I could do IR battle. I'll buy the airsoft version for now.
Do I need to remove 1 link from the tracks? I have heard this suggestion a couple of times but mostly for the Tiger.

Also, can you guys recommend me some better battery then the default 7.2v 1700mah? 20-30 mins play for 4 hours charging isn't much (it is especially sound annoying if I must unplug it manually after the 4 hours).

ausf

A whole new area to consider. The original Tamiyas ran fine on 1500-1900 mAh NiCads. I still have a few of those that I use, but these days you can find inexpensive NiMH in the 3000-5000 mAh range that'll give you more run time than you'll ever use.

That G is relatively light OOB, so you'll get decent run times with a 1700.

If you like the tank and decide the hobby is for you, a charger is your next purchase. For a good all purpose with a 5 year US warranty (don't know where you are), look towards Onyx. Not too pricey, available everywhere (batteries too) and many options for growth in RC (lips, dual batt, etc.). It'll drastically cut down on charge times, allow you to set the parameters and switch to trickle after full. All that said, you should never leave a charging pack unattended.

When you order the G, make sure you are not getting the dreaded Pantiger. Some places may not have the proper photo up. Check model numbers and beware of overly cheap prices. I ordered what should have been a Panther from an online store in Florida, received a Pantiger that they didn't want to accept a return on (fortunately it didn't work as well), and I had to ship it to California for returns, where they had to inspect it before accepting. All in all it was 3 weeks of hassles all for naught, hence the reason why I suggest earlier about reputable places. It may be a few bucks more, but you'll have a better experience.

YHR

I would also highly recommend that when you do change gears you go with the gearboxes that have 4 shifts, vs the standard 3.. This will result in more torque and much better control so your tank moves like a tank and not a Porsche.

Pah co chu puk

The Heng Long Panther G is a good choice as a starter tank. It will run good as stock tank right out of the box, and they are like an old Chevy, you can replace or upgrade almost all the parts with aftermarket stuff.

Here is mine, it has many upgrade parts, including metal tracks. I like the look of metal tracks and they do better in snow than the plastic tracks.

Max-U52

Here's my Panther G with 4 shaft gearboxes and metal tracks, sprockets and idlers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRjptZtv_Pw

Kanyhalos

Thanks. I have found a lot of NiMH batteries and chargers on ebay. Many of them says "with Tamiya connector", it is unclear if I could plug it to HL tanks as well. I'm in Central Europe anyway (Budapest).
If I could run it with the default 1700 for an hour, it should be fine as a beginner. And yup, the first accessory I'll look for is a decent charger. Thanks for the advices.

Yup, I'm aware of the issue of the PanTiger (lol), I'll refer to the 3879-1 code when ordering one. I will probably pick one up in a local store.

Thank you. I thought that the 3:1 is the way to go. But wasn't Mr. Porsche designed them?

Very nice Panthers. Soon I will have on as well I think I will order it within a few weeks, after I decided where to order from.

ausf

The Tamiya connector is what's standard on HLs and most others so you are good. Some guys switch them out for Deans, etc. I've never had a Tamiya in the past 15 years, but plenty of other designs have.

You sound like you're good to go.

YHR

3:1 is what I used to refer to as they had a ratio that was 3 times lower then the original, then someone one started referring to the standard gears as 3:1, and then 4:1 had to be invented to differentiate between the two.

To help in the confusion it is best to refer to the axle shafts that the gears turn on.

YHR

double post

Kanyhalos

Heng Long should have made a well detailed english website already. The one they have is really bad and lacks any useful information like an ignorant company. I'm sure they are losing a lot of sales because of that.... and a lot of US users actually making a lot of sales for them with forums like this

kizwan

Did you run the tank at full speed?

Max-U52

At 2:10 there's a full speed drive by.