nukl_h34d

Hello!! This is something very new for me...posting on the internet.
Long story short. I'm looking into r/c tanks as a retirement hobby. I've done some basic research but have more questions (this rc universe thing is a bit overwhelming). I think an rtr airsoft tank would be good to start out. I would like to hook up with a club, possibly look into an I/r setup, however I live in central PA. Slot and dirt track r/c cars seem to be big around here. Not so much with tanks.
So, this newbie is asking for any advice you have. Thanks!

jarndice

Hi, Welcome to an interesting and sometimes frustrating hobby that will soon get rid of your pension,
If you want to start with a RTR I suggest you go to probably one of the most trusted dealers in the USA and that is ---
Home - IMEX Model
This is a Taigen Dealer based in Florida and the RC Tanks section of IMEX is in the very capable hands of ERIK he is as straight as an arrow and you can e-mail him any time with any questions,
Shaun.

Fsttanks

Welcome.

First thing when looking for a starter tank, buy a cheap Heng Long off Amazon and learn how drive and take it apart. The Heng Long tanks can be worked on with two basic hand tools. IMEX "basic" tanks are over priced as the are largely just rebranded Heng Long tanks with a little better paint job and questionably better receivers units. Everything they offer as a upgrade is largely available in the aftermarket word so take it slow start off cheap and build up your tank(s) as your needs and skills allow. It will make the hobby more fun and keep you interested longer.

Once you learn the basics you will wonder why anyone buys the expensive tanks given just how easy and inexpensive it is to customize them beyond what is offered in off the shelf models.

Good luck and post up some picture of your tank(s) once you get started.

Crius

You might want to take a look at this


or maybe this


If you're interested in an Abrams I might be able to make your day.

Bulldogger

My Feedback: (1)

I agree with the above. I would start with a pretty good tank to begin with. Taigen Sherman in my opinion is a excellent choice full metal chassis and has been trouble free on 20 battery packs so far. Also Taigen has support here in the US and parts are reasonable, also Erik is helpful and has you tube videos on how to repair and make modifications to the tanks like how to update to a Clark board if you decide to in the future.
I would check ebay for a used one like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Taigen-Sher...UAAOSwYRhamYZQ

RichJohnson

If you dont care what tank model you get anything is a available.
If yiu have speficic models in mind then we can point you in directions. Say you want a t90. Henglong is your only bet.
if you want a sherman there are lots of options from cheap to expensive and kits.
if you want a tiger, same thing, everybody makes one.
I
M1 Abrams, theres two, cheap henglong which is pretty good as a toy, or to start upgrading, then the 1100 dollar super computer equipped kit that tamiya makes.
It all depends on what tanks you want and what you want to do with them.

nukl_h34d

Thanks for the reply. I've visited the Imex site many times now and have subscribed to the YouTube channel. I like what I've seen.

gp100

I agree,

Buy the cheaper Heng Long, and then upgrade the electronics to either and IBU or a Clark board.. You'll be better off in the long run.. Taigen is overpriced for what it is and the electronics are junk. Customer service isn't that great either.. Buying the cheaper tank is the better option.. With Taigen, your paying for the name.. That's it..

maillemaker

I'm a fairly new tanker myself. My thoughts:

Heng Long makes some nice, cheap, all-plastic tanks. They generally have plastic tracks and plastic-geared gearboxes with slip clutches in them to prevent stripping gear teeth. On light tanks, like the Sherman, this works pretty well, but on heavier tanks, like the Jagdpanther, you will find the clutch slipping under many common loadings, like running in grass or up a hill.

It's tempting to buy the cheap ones with an eye towards upgrading, but you will find that you can easily sink lots of money into them that way.

I like the 2.4 Ghz tanks that give you audio volume control and smoke on/off from the remote.

If you buy a Heng Long tank with metal tracks and metal drive/idler wheels, it will probably come with a metal-geared transmission. Sadly the pot-metal gears wear out quickly, so while you save buying the tank with its metal upgrade already you will want a steel-geared transmission from Imex shortly.

I suspect it's cheaper to buy a "loaded" tank from the get-go than do the upgrades yourself. But, if you're like me and you have to buy it "one piece at a time" to get past the Chief Financial Officer then you can go the upgrade route.

Steve

RichJohnson

I dissagree with Gp100 completely abour Taigen tanks. They are not junk and over priced. Lots of the henglong tanks are junk and over priced. Taigen has plastic tanks and metal tanks, i own many of the taigen shermans and they are the best sherman tank available hand down. Better than the tamiya, sorry guys. I own every sherman that has been made in 1:16 and the taigen is the best. Taigens plastic tanks are just rebranded henglongs while their metal tanks are the premium line and good quality. The radio system in the taigens is fine, its a toy radio like a henglong radio system. My 4 year old has had a henglong sherman for 2 years and i have had to move a few radio sysetms salved from my builds through his tank as he has put sand in the transmitters, dropped them, broken off antennas but the henglong sherman still runs despite him pushing it. The henglong sherman is one of the better models henflong produces.
Every tank model company has good and bad models. As far as shermans go, both henglong and taigen are good, but taigen is top notch. If you want to build one tamiya is excellent but, not as bullit proof as the taigen, but a very very close call. The reason is the tamiya is a better machine and needs a tad more maintenance than the taigen, the suspension is also a tad more fragile but well worth it.

my henglong panzer3 , yes surprise i have one, is very good, all i had to do was put metal sprockets on it amd stretch the plastic track two links becasue it was too tight.

yellowshaker

My Feedback: (1)

If you are going to spend the money on a taigen, buy a Tamiya Sherman and build it. Better quality, set up for IR battling by plugging in a battle system, and will run trouble free for a very very long time. For the price of it at the AAF tank museum, you cannot go wrong. Especially if it is a retirement hobby. You can enjoy the build, get used to how it all works, and then run it.
1/16th Tamiya RC Tanks

luv2flywarbird

do u prefer old taigen sherman or newer taigen sherman?

Crius

The Taigen Sherman has only been out a couple years and I don't think they've made any significant changes since introducing them.

jarndice

I have given my view on Taigen versus Heng Long on this Forum before,
The Newbie specified a RTR Tank so I did not point him toward Danville where he would get both excellent service and a choice of Tamiya's finest Tank kits and If he was resident in Europe I would have directed him to a couple of top Heng Long dealers BUT the Newbie is in the USA and most of us are familiar with the high quality service provided by ERIC at IMEX an established Taigen dealer in Florida so that is where I advised him to go,
If it were me I would buy a Taigen Metal Hull and a Heng Long Body and Turret with any one of a number of different Control boards But the Newbie wanted a RTR.
Shaun.

luv2flywarbird

thanks

nukl_h34d

All the advice I've received to date has been helpful. Thank you for that. What I've gathered so far; 1) HengLong isn't the 'worst' choice........and 2) Taigen isn't necessarily the 'best' hands down in every way, with Tamiya being the bell-weather brand by which all others are compared. Those 3 seem to garner most of the attention here. Are there any others worth commenting on? Also, I'm sensing the best way to go is with a large outfit like IMEX for purchasing, because of the support? Is anyone out there blessed with a local hobby shop that has someone with a little interest in tanks? I'm finding them scarce to nil in central PA. Slots and dirt track cars dominate.
I stated I'd prefer a rtr tank at first, but I wouldn't be opposed to a kit. I think I might like that.
Also, I like anything WW2, and the Abrams.
I am trying not to over-think everything. It's supposed to be fun, right?

RichJohnson

The abrams from henglomg is a cheap well built model. They can be bought for 115 on ebay right now. I helped a friend upgrade his. In my opinion all it needs is hotter 390 long can motors to speed it up quite a bit and the dklm high speed turret rotation box.

Bulldogger

My Feedback: (1)

Tamiya are good tanks but they are also expensive. I think the cheapest one is $545 shipped then you need to add a radio system either 4 or more channels. Building is good experience but not necessary, most issues I had in the past were issues with electronics. I had a FET chip go south on a Clark board which needed to be sent back to them for repair. Taigen tanks are pretty simple and I haven't had any issues with the stock electronics either. They do have options to upgrade them with the Taigen V2 system or you can go with a Clark board. I believe Taigen sells the tanks as kits so you can choose your own electronics. I have built and owned Tamiya, Heng long, Mato and Taigen. My personal preference is the Taigen Sherman. I like the full metal lower hull design on that particular unit, I think they are well built and should last. I have two Taigen Shermans and after running them over obstacles and on carpet doing 360 spins the two motors are at 80*f which indicates to me they are not working very hard and that the drive line is efficient. The electronics are pretty good and I have no issue with the sound quality, and I believe the V2 system is suppose to be better and more realistic. I figure it this way the board is made in china so how long it will last is the million dollar question, but at 47.00 for a replacement it isn't the end of the world. It is a hobby that should be fun but at time can be extremely frustrating also. Only you can decide which route is best for you and how involved you want to be and how much you are willing to spend.

TheBennyB

Your only an hour and some change from me in SE PA. I have fun run's occasionally in my r/c bashing area with I/R tanks. If you ever get a Sat or Sun free and I'm available your welcome to come to my place and see some tanks (mostly tamiya) first hand. Just give me a shout. I've been messing with r/c IR tanks since 2003, don't know it all but have some experience with most of the systems out there. Also Your not too far from the biggest indoor battlefield in the world at the AAF tank museum in Danville, VA. I'm heading there this weekend for 3 days of IR battle. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-t...18-2018-a.html

sevoblast

I would advise taking Benny's offer and head on down to his digs for a hands on look-see. A trip to Danville is also an eyeopener and I think they have a meet this coming weekend. AAF museum in Danville has all the Tamiya tanks in stock, usually, and you can look at each one and see the quality of manufacture and design. The last time I looked they also had Taigen tanks, at least some of them, in stock.

By building the Tamiya kit, and they are not a master craftsman's kit by any stretch of the imagination and have very clear instructions, you get everything in one box except for the radio and battery. I would recommend a simple 4 channel radio to start with. The Tamiya electronics are 'plug and play' and pretty hard to hook up incorrectly. The Tamiya protocol for IR combat is the standard of our hobby and the system is also plug and play and it works. Tamiya is guaranteed in US by Tamiya USA in California. Kit prices are quite reasonable for today's times and are acknowledged as being the best in our hobby. I bought my first Tamiya kit, a King Tiger, in 1992 at a little antique shop in Mt. Dora, Florida in 1992. I've still got it although the transmissions were upgraded twice as things evolved in our hobby and the Tamiya electronics, which were not offered back then, have been in the tank since 2001.

Most, not all but most, of the Tamiya kits have aluminum hulls and everything bolts to the aluminum hull. This is not true of some other makes and I will simply caution that on some advertisements for other manufacturers, the phrase 'full metal' does not by mean 'all metal' and it may also not mean 'aluminum' and it does not mean that all the suspension and motive goodies are attached to 'metal', many are attached to plastic in the construct.

Bottom line, research, and I recommend getting with Benny, before you buy. This is a great hobby in which you can do pretty much all you want to do. Some, and I've done this from time to time, go to great measures to build historic models that are correct down to the last detail of one individual tank at one set time in history. Others, and I've done this, too, build a great running out of the box kit and have at it, everything from simple once every couple weeks a Sunday drive in the living room to die hard no prisoners taken combat at Danville and/or local clubs. It's your call in the end.

As an aside, I'm retired, too, 12 years ago. One piece of advice. The book 'What To Do With All The Spare Time When You Retire' is a flat out lie. They ain't no spare time! You can also contact me through the link in my signature or via PM on the forum. I'm 8 hours ahead of US East Coast time and the computer is on 24/7.

gp100

Agreed..

I fell for this bit of "false advertisement" when I purchased my tank.. I found that certain items were indeed metal.. But not the whole thing.. In fact, I found enough plastic in the damn thing, I can honestly say it is false advertising.. The phrase, "all metal" means exactly that.. Period.. No discussion..

While the tank itself looked nice cosmetically, it was a disaster when it came to electronics.. I highly suggest you get a tank that you can build with your choice of electronics in it.. You'll be better off in the long run.. As companies typically cheap out when it comes to this.. The offerings they have are usually "bare bones" just to get you started.. Some are better than others. I have had a few people here argue with me on this.. As I have called certain electronics "crap" and second rate junk.. They seem to think I'm wrong.. However, I'll trust my education from MIT, thank you very much, versus the opinion of a person on the internet that is just a hobbyist..

And if they find a bigger nerd, that is more qualified than me to debate me on this subject, I'll be more than happy to engage in conversation about it.. Barring that, I'll trust my knowledge..

The point of course, is what this person stated.. Research before you buy.. You'll be better off in the long run..

Have a good day. And enjoy your hobby..

nukl_h34d

Yeah, I'm hearing you qp100. So far I've received some helpful info that corroborates what I've learned on my own. I understand that 'all metal' doesn't mean 100% all metal. And yes, electronics are not all created equal...... As with anything you purchase you have to do your homework.
Thanks for your input, as well as BennyB & servoblast.
I would like to hear your opinion on a good starter tank.

RichJohnson

Mato is the only all metal tank. Good taigens have metal chasiss and turret with a plastic hull, i reslly wish they had plastic turrets as you can mold better detail with a platic turret and get rid of wasted weight up high on the tank. The all plastic taigens are the old ones that are more or less copies of henglongs. The mato metal tanks imho are just too much weight. But its all abotu what your like.
The radios systems that come in henglongs and taigens are toy radios. They are not professional grade by any standard. They are fine if you just want to shoot bbs in the back yard and drive around. Just dont keep dropping them and fill them with sand like my toddler did with his lol. If you want an infra red battle tank, you need to build it yourself with a good system and radio.

gp100

Hi Nukl,

Hmm.. Honestly, I can't give you a good opinion on a good starter tank.. It varies.. I found that this hobby is not a one size fits all kinda thing.. In my first foray into the hobby, I went with a full metal Tiger 1 with upgrades.. Then wound up having to put $300 into it to get what it should have been to start with.. Now, it's perfect.. But not everybody starts out like that.. Some people love the Sherman tank offerings, while some of us like the Tiger 1.. I guess I like the tiger 1 because everybody and anybody makes that version of tank that I have seen.. Seems highly popular to get aftermarket parts for just about anything you would like to do with it.. It's kinda hard to go wrong with a Tiger 1.. In my case, I went with something "ready to run" that was already painted.. Only because of a disability which precludes my ability to actually build a model and paint it.. I have only one arm and hand.. So for me, it would have been a non-starter.. For someone like you, the skies the limit.. You could build and detail the tank the way you want it.. A true custom build to suit your desires..

I do know that Tamiya is considered the gold standard in many ways.. And many years ago, I had Tamiya race cars that were superb.. Ran like a Swiss watch.. In today's market when it comes to tanks, we have many "Johnny come lately's" with offerings that are nicely detailed in their own right.. And of course, they all have their own pro's and cons.. I've heard the Tamiya's come with great electronics, yet can come with less than stellar details on a few things.. Such as a piece of rope for a tow chain.. But have no first hand knowledge of this myself.. I have no Tamiya tanks.. So I'll leave that to more experienced folks on here than myself..

Heng Long is a cheaper version of tank that can be upgraded in many respects to be a very nice tank from what I've seen.. And there are those here that have done one hell of a job with them on the detail and electronics.. Truly magnificent work.. Then you have Taigen.. Who is billed as being "all metal" but is not the truth.. Yes, there is a lot of metal in it.. But by no means is it "All" metal.. And from a certain standpoint, I can understand this from an engineering standpoint..

Taigen is a very nicely detailed tank in it's own right.. The fit and finish in my opinion is top rated.. From a cosmetic standpoint, it is truly an amazing piece of work.. I do love the high detail and quality of those details on my Taigen Tiger 1.. It has great road wheels and a good set of tracks to it.. The issue I had with it, was the electronics package that I felt could use some serious work.. I found numerous issues I won't go into here.. But, after replacing all the guts with aftermarket electronics, the tank is top notch.. Honestly, the tank I bought, should come with this electronics package installed already.. However, I'm sure due to money, is the reason they don't..

Also, it highly depends on the budget your working with Sir.. If you have the money, anything can be done for the right price..

Taigen is a good tank, so long as you know what your getting into right up front.. If you go with a metal version of the tiger 1, you'll be okay.. So long as you replace the electronics with something a bit better.. You have Clark, El-Mod, and of course the IBU setup.. Any of these are far superior in quality than "most" factory systems..

Again, you must remember that the factory set up is designed to get you going only in most cases.. I have found that most companies ask for good components, but a factory may run out of something, and substitute a slightly "off spec" part to compensate.. This happens more than most people realize.. And of course, the company doesn't realize this in most cases.. So you can't really blame them for it..

I found the IBU system to be a great system with first rate electronics.. No cheap stuff on the board.. There were places they could have gone cheap, but didn't.. So there's that.. And I think it would be an excellent addition to damn near any tank you buy.. You also have the Clark T60, which again, is a nice offering in it's own right..

If it was my money, I would go with a nice Tiger 1 from Taigen or Tamiya.. Stick an IBU-2 Pro in it with a good Flysky i6 radio in it, and you should be good to go..

Taigen is a good tank from an engineering standpoint.. It's just the electronics I have an issue with.. However, please understand I'm a perfectionist in the extreme..

I'm coming from 3 degrees in the computer sciences and electronics from MIT.. I worked as a Hollywood actor and stunt man for 25 years to work my way through college.. So I take my education very seriously.. I'm honest about my criticism, but also on my praises.. I'm a guy who gets off on talking "string theory" and Quantum Physics" with others in my field.. So tanks are not my native language.. But I'm learning fast.. :P

Now that I've expounded on my opinion more than you needed.. And probably bored you to tears, I'll let you get some opinion's from others here that have been in the hobby far longer than I..

Whatever you decide, research before you dive in.. You'll find various opinions all over the boards.. Take what you learn, and apply it to your purchase, and you'll be a happier person for it in the end with whatever you decide..

But above all else, enjoy the hobby.. That's what it's all about ultimately..

We now return you to your regularly scheduled commercial break.

Crius

Been watching this thread, thought I'd throw my hat in the ring (yeah, yeah, cool Eddie Rickenbacker reference)

Hmm.. Honestly, I can't give you a good opinion on a good starter tank.. I can. I posted the video above. Get the $100 tank, maybe even the $80 Pershing, and see if it blows your wig back. If you look at it and think, I bet I could improve this, or paint that, or weather this, and she needs an antenna, and I bet I could make that part work better, and those lights are kinda cheesy, I bet I could do better ... you're a natural born RC Tanker and this will NOT be your last tank. Then you can look at something of better quality. If you look at it and play with it for three or four days and it goes on the shelf, you're not out hundreds of smackers. It varies.. I found that this hobby is not a one size fits all kinda thing.. In my first foray into the hobby, I went with a full metal Tiger 1 with upgrades.. Then wound up having to put $300 into it to get what it should have been to start with.. Now, it's perfect.. I started with a $109 Jagdpanther, put $600 into it, now it's perfect, so I feel ya. But not everybody starts out like that.. Some people love the Sherman tank offerings, while some of us like the Tiger 1.. I guess I like the tiger 1 because everybody and anybody makes that version of tank that I have seen.. Seems highly popular to get aftermarket parts for just about anything you would like to do with it.. It's kinda hard to go wrong with a Tiger 1.. In my case, I went with something "ready to run" that was already painted.. Only because of a disability which precludes my ability to actually build a model and paint it.. I have only one arm and hand.. So for me, it would have been a non-starter.. For someone like you, the skies the limit.. You could build and detail the tank the way you want it.. A true custom build to suit your desires..

I do know that Tamiya is considered the gold standard in many ways.. And many years ago, I had Tamiya race cars that were superb.. Ran like a Swiss watch.. In today's market when it comes to tanks, we have many "Johnny come lately's" with offerings that are nicely detailed in their own right.. And of course, they all have their own pro's and cons.. I've heard the Tamiya's come with great electronics, This is debatable. When first introduced they were state of the art but now are a bit dated. Their battle system is still the global club standard. yet can come with less than stellar details on a few things.. Such as a piece of rope for a tow chain.. But have no first hand knowledge of this myself.. I have no Tamiya tanks.. So I'll leave that to more experienced folks on here than myself..

Heng Long is a cheaper version of tank that can be upgraded in many respects to be a very nice tank from what I've seen.. And there are those here that have done one hell of a job with them on the detail and electronics.. Truly magnificent work.. Then you have Taigen.. Who is billed as being "all metal" This is not accurate. No where at the Taigen website does it say "All Metal" but the tanks are divided into "Plastic Edition" and "Metal Edition". Only Mato claims "All Metal" and they are, except for the tires on the roadwheels. "Metal Edition" means it has many metal upgrades. Kind of a jargon thing, I guess, but this is a hobby with a steep learning curve, and you're hearing that from one that's let the magic smoke out more than once. but is not the truth.. Yes, there is a lot of metal in it.. But by no means is it "All" metal.. And from a certain standpoint, I can understand this from an engineering standpoint..

Taigen is a very nicely detailed tank in it's own right.. The fit and finish in my opinion is top rated.. From a cosmetic standpoint, it is truly an amazing piece of work.. I do love the high detail and quality of those details on my Taigen Tiger 1.. It has great road wheels and a good set of tracks to it.. The issue I had with it, was the electronics package that I felt could use some serious work.. It's long been known in the hobby that the "stock electronics" aren't the greatest, and nobody uses them for serious battling. Again, a learning curve thing. They definitely could use work, and they're slowly getting there. A big problem is making everything compatible for the Great Unwashed, the main source of income. The main reason Taigen is considered superior is the chassis. Even the $200 plastic edition Tiger One has the good chassis with the metal tub and torsion bar suspension. That's something you can work with. Like building a house, start with a good foundation. The P3, P4, T-34 and Sherman metal chassis are also top quality. I found numerous issues I won't go into here.. But, after replacing all the guts with aftermarket electronics, the tank is top notch.. Honestly, the tank I bought, should come with this electronics package installed already.. However, I'm sure due to money, is the reason they don't..

Also, it highly depends on the budget your working with Sir.. Hear, Hear. Well said. If you have the money, anything can be done for the right price..

Taigen is a good tank, so long as you know what your getting into right up front.. If you go with a metal version of the tiger 1, you'll be okay.. So long as you replace the electronics with something a bit better.. You have Clark, El-Mod, and of course the IBU setup.. Any of these are far superior in quality than "most" factory systems..

Again, you must remember that the factory set up is designed to get you going only in most cases.. I have found that most companies ask for good components, but a factory may run out of something, and substitute a slightly "off spec" part to compensate.. This happens more than most people realize.. And of course, the company doesn't realize this in most cases.. So you can't really blame them for it..

I found the IBU system to be a great system with first rate electronics.. With a great distributor named Ian Judge. No cheap stuff on the board.. There were places they could have gone cheap, but didn't.. So there's that.. And I think it would be an excellent addition to damn near any tank you buy.. You also have the Clark T60, which again, is a nice offering in it's own right..

If it was my money, I would go with a nice Tiger 1 from Taigen or Tamiya.. Stick an IBU-2 Pro in it with a good Flysky i6 radio in it, and you should be good to go.. I'd do this second, once I was sure I was in for keeps.

Taigen is a good tank from an engineering standpoint.. It's just the electronics I have an issue with.. However, please understand I'm a perfectionist in the extreme.. Remember, you're buying a toy. If you want a hobby grade tank, it takes work. That's why they call it "Hobby" Grade, it's a hobby, and hobbies involve that labor of love.

I'm coming from 3 degrees in the computer sciences and electronics from MIT.. I worked as a Hollywood actor and stunt man for 25 years to work my way through college.. So I take my education very seriously.. I'm honest about my criticism, but also on my praises.. I'm a guy who gets off on talking "string theory" and Quantum Physics" with others in my field.. So tanks are not my native language.. But I'm learning fast.. :P

Now that I've expounded on my opinion more than you needed.. And probably bored you to tears, I'll let you get some opinion's from others here that have been in the hobby far longer than I..

Whatever you decide, research before you dive in.. You'll find various opinions all over the boards.. Take what you learn, and apply it to your purchase, and you'll be a happier person for it in the end with whatever you decide.. I agree on the research part, and still recommend the cheap tank to start. If you become an avid RC Tanker, you'll never be sorry you bought it and you'll make it better, and if you decide RC Tanks aren't for you you'll never be sorry you didn't spend hundreds of dollars for your first tank. But when you're seriously hooked and REALLY want to spend some money, then we'll talk about 1/6 scale ...

But above all else, enjoy the hobby.. That's what it's all about ultimately..

We now return you to your regularly scheduled commercial break.

And that's my 2 cents, hope all or part was helpful.