R|M|D Photography

Ok, I please don't shoot me and I promise I am not trolling!

I have been wanting to get a Jagdpanther and finally have the funds together. But now comes the decision time.

I cannot really afford the $1000+ for a Tamiya, but want something that has a good amount of power for climbing hills and going through grass...etc.

First line I have looked at the Mato Mart package with the metal trans and metal sprocket/idler and tracks. I know the metal trans in those aren't the greatest cause that's what I have in my Pershing. So I would probably upgrade to the Red motor ones from HobbyRaw since I have heard good things, then possibly throw in a clark board for better sound and handling and be able to switch it to 2.4ghz.

Second line of thinking is a Taigen. They also have metal trans, sprocket/idler and tracks. But still the plastic hull and roadwheels. Of course the stock electronics are much better than a stock HL and already 2.4ghz. The trans they come with is better than the stock HL trans but from the sounds of it they wouldn't be near as good at the HobbyRaw red ones.

Are there other options I should consider? What are your thoughts about these lines of thinking?

Either way I plan to do my own paint job so the Taigen having better paint really isn't a big selling factor to me.

I have the cash in hand ready to spend, just don't have enough experience to know which route is a better one.

purplebrad

My Feedback: (1)

I would say wait for a used tamiya on that auction site. the barrel traverse is nice. but no matter what a metal lower hull is a must.

R|M|D Photography

What Auction site....Fleabay?? And who makes one with a metal hull? Just Tamiya? I thought they were plastic as well???

R|M|D Photography

The cheapest Tamiya Jagdpanter I have found is about $850 with no radio...I don't have a suitable radio currently so that means $1000. I just simply don't have that to spend on a RC Tank.

ausf

Banzai Hobby is currently listing the Tamiya for $592. Add another $90-110 for shipping (EMS 2 day) and depending on how you pay, another 3% for conversion (yes with PP too) and you'll have it in 2-3 days after they ship. That includes both the Attack Tx/Rx and a battery/wall charger.

No trying to convince you, just stating Tamiya is not $1000.

Panther F

You can get a Tamiya here:

http://shop.aaftankmuseum.com/Produc...ductCode=56024

THIS is where most of buy from and a radio would only run you under $99 bucks.

So yet another $1,000.00 Tamiya is debunked!




Jeff

Panther F

EVEN MORE AWESOME



Jeff

R|M|D Photography

Still really more than I want to spend but thank you, I wasn't aware of that company. Want to geep it around or under $500 for now.

ausf

They're slowly becoming the go to Tamiya supplier. Mainly because of the Home market Tx/Rx inclusion, but also the strong dollar these days. I think every JS-2 here came from Banzai. I bought mine from them two years ago when the USD was weaker and it was on my porch in 2 days for $784.

If you look at your alternatives, then really look into what traverse and upgrades will cost you in both time and money...

Panther F

My advise (and that IS what you came here to ask for) wait and add a bit more cash to that amount and buy the Tamiya kit. By the time you upgrade and change/repair that "other tank" you will be spending even more.

Enjoy the satisfaction of building a tank and understanding what owning one is all about.




Jeff

ausf

Maybe someone here can take a photo of the guttywuts of their Tamiya so you can see what it includes and you can compare that to what you know or the other brands.

I don't have a Jadg, just a Ersatz Panther, so I can't give you the skinny on the traverse/elevation system. I do know the regular Panther is one of the most respected runners there is in battle, as is, OOB, I'd imagine the JP runs the same. Cleong brought his Panther G over with him from overseas and fought the last few years with it at Danville and NEAD, beating the pants off of me at every meet.

Again, I have no stake in Tamiya, I just hate to see guys who are really getting into this hobby miss out on something that will raise their level of enjoyment exponentially.

R|M|D Photography

But see traverse isn't a selling feature for me. If I planned to battle it you bet, but no one in KC does any battles, RC tanks are not a thing out here at all. A few people have some Taigens that our local hobby store sells but they are all airsoft. If I had a place to battle like most of you do then hands down I would invest in a Tamiya! But I get me and a buddy just playing around in our yards and shooting at all the neighborhood squirrels and rabbits with the airsoft..lol. Sometimes we will take them out to the RC Crawling events and play around with them on the easier terrain.

And don't think I don't appreciate everyones opinion, I take everything as good input and with a grain of salt!

Max-U52

Ryan, have you looked at this one?

http://www.rctank.de/24-GHz-Jagdpant...eel-gearboxe_1

Tanker 10

I bought my Jagdpanther from rctank.de. They are in Germany. Here is a little information about this tank. Metal lower hull, tracks, metal suspension, road wheels, idlers, and drivers. I like IR tanks so that is what I bought, it does come in either IR or airsoft. The upper hull is a Heng Long. The cannon does recoil and it's a HL recoil unit. However, it makes that irritating "winding up noise" just like an airsoft gun does. The gun does not traverse. The Taigen Jagdpanther upper hull uses the same gun. It came with the Taigen 2.4 transmitter and MFU. The set of gearboxes that came with the tank are some of the smoothest I've ever had. The motors are terrible and the tank doesn't want to turn in the grass. I've changed to the Banebot 395 motors and it turns everywhere now, even on carpet. I have installed an IBU2,Tamiya Battle Unit, and it uses a DX6I radio system. You also need to know that the shipping from Germany is very slow. It took about 6 weeks to arrive. One of my favorite tanks to operate. Just so you know, I have a Tamiya JS-2. I bought it so I could see what all of the hype was about with the Tamiya tanks for myself. Tamiya builds a nice product and I enjoy my JS-2. Just as soon as someone comes up with a good product to stiffen the chassis in the area of the idlers, I'll enjoy it more. I put metal tracks on the tank and that caused a lot of problems with flex and misalignment. I'm back to the plastic tracks and all is good. If you need more info feel free to ask.

R|M|D Photography

Now that looks like a very viable option. I am looking from my phone, do they have a currency converter on there? If I am correct that is Euros that would be a bit over $300 correct? Wonder how much shipping is.

Anyone ever ordered from then here in the US? Reputable place? Decent shipping times? Never ordered from Europe before.

R|M|D Photography

Thanks for the writeup man! Just as I was posting asking about them..lol.

Only thing stopping me is 6 weeks.....dang that's a long time. Lol

Tanker 10

Shipping to N California was 48.90 Euro. According to my converter that equals $53.46 today.

Max-U52

You might see if DKLM carries that tank. I got my lower hull from them and it was here in about two weeks.

Pcomm1.v2

Take the time and check my Tamiya Jagdpanter build write up and photos. The Jagd and the Tamiya Panther G are the well worth the cost and effort to build in my opinion and a ton of fun to run!

A. This is my Tamiya Jagdpanther build brief from August 19, 2009: https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/foru...hp?f=21&t=3174

B. This is my Tamiya Jagdpanther updated build brief correcting under engineered Jagd parts from May 4, 2010: https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/foru...hp?f=33&t=5200

C. If you are seeking to upgrade a Hen Long, Taigen based Jagdpanther, you will have similar dollars using that approach and with the modeling experienced you've gained, well, you'll end up beating yourself up for not just saving up more and building the Tamiya Jagdpanther kit.

D. These are the Parts Upgrades and Features installed since the build was completed in early 2008 and posted in 2009.
1. New Futaba SkySport 2.4 Radio; with left & right self centering sticks; 3000 NiMH 7.2v tank battery
2. Daryl Turner Metal Trunnion ($100 part) from ETO Armor.
3. Full set of road wheel bearings from Impact.
4. Daryl Turner gear box mount brace & two metal elevation arms from ETO Armor.
5. Solid Tamiya turret rotation blue gears from Tamiya USA.
6. Color Matched Tamiya Battle Unit.
7. LED Emitter installed in the barrel.
8. Impact Metal Tracks and Drive Sprockets.
9. Impact glacis plate sprocket guides (very important to keep the glacis plate from coming lose).

My modeler friend Martin MacDonald painted this model and considers it it his best work ever.

Good luck whatever you decide to do and enjoy,

John

R|M|D Photography

Very nice tank, no doubt! But that is the thing, with what I would do I wouldn't be near the cost of a Tamiya.

The Taigen is like $400 or less from my LHS and good to go out the door.

The Henglong is $250 to my door and then $75 for a good motor/gearbox and $100 for a clark board. So it would be a bit more than the Taigen after those upgrades but would sound and drive better.

Like I said, I don't ever intend to do any battling so the major upgrades to like metal road wheels, IBU2...etc wont be needed.

Airbrushler

one of these days i'll finish my HL Jagd

R|M|D Photography

That looks great man! How do you like it? Have you done a lot of upgrades?

Airbrushler

i don't have any electronics in it yet i have a Servo Recoil and just the paint and weathering so far plus the PE on the vents and fans i also changed the exhaust it's not functional so i might change that later to brass tubing like on my Panther G

Pcomm1.v2

I know this thread is a complete waste of time, but these are the rc tank modeling facts.



1. Airbrusher's incomplete Jagdpanther (rc build?) proves the modeling points already mentioned in this threat and just a sketchy, weathered paint job isn't an rc model by any stretch.



The new guy isn't listening or just doe not get it. The HL Jagd posted is a OK static model start that one is into maybe $125 bucks plus paint? But who starts an rc model with the paint job first, that doesn't work.



2. So, what will your HL cost be to make it more that an "amusing" Hen Long or Taigan running rc toy smoking tank? I have purchased both types and the track recoil rabbit like bounce puts a smile on my face every time the main gun is fired Plus, the feeble running nature or both types of toy tanks is difficult or darn near impossible to over come, regardless of modeling skill and or the parts dollars sunk into the HL/Taigen rc tank build.

3. Airbrusher, let us all know what you spend to make it an rc hobby grade running tank model and or what your budget is to do so?

4.Though, we all know it take many more dollars to correct the HL drive train durability issues plus the cost for a "rc electronics package" regardless of whether your into IR fighting or simply solo Airsoft backyard running.

5. Lastly, the new guy overlooks the strong resale value of a well built 1/16 Tamiya rc tank kit, his way out if the hobby if it is not for him.

Adios, enjoy your HL hobby dollar mistakes.

John

Visit: https://www.facebook.com/johnjosephackerman

Roboticus_Prime

My thoughts are, why buy a F1 race car if there is no track for me to race people with?

That's why I buy HL and Taigen tanks. They are like buying a Dodge (HL) or a Ford (Taigen) pickup. You can drive them around and use them just about anywhere, where as the F1 race car (Tamiya) needs a track and people to race with to really have fun.

Taigen has an airsoft jag panther with the necessary upgrades installed. Just give Erik a call.

http://www.imex-model.com/product/TA...le.html?cid=89