Fsttanks

Go for it have some fun with the ideas and bring them to life. There is no wrong in taking some plausible creative licensing to modernizing an old tank that is still in service and will be for some time to come.

Fsttanks

Painting has started. Base coat of U.S. Armor Sand going on.

afv aficionado

Hi Fsttanks
Looks pretty good. See you went with the cut down HL drivers visors.
Removal of the lifting eyes on the mantlet should make fitting a cover easier, but would be a pain doing maintenance to the gun.

Thanks for the kind words re my builds

Mal

Fsttanks

Fsttanks

afv aficionado

Hi Fsttanks
Wasn't aware of the use of straps to do gun maintenance on Leo's & M1's - don't often see maintenance apart from barrel cleaning & track bashing. Yes, the ins & outs of maintenance requires a deeper backstory "to sink ones teeth" into.
Really looks the business. The pattern looks very like a MERDC variation. Is that a Radiac mast in place of the aft turret pintle?

Mal

Fsttanks

RichJohnson

Man that looks awesome. The paint does look like 4 color merdec just missing a highlight color.
I don't think a tank would have a short stick antenna for sitcom. that is more of a packset antenna like the 117 has. Vehicles usually have an x wing for satcom on the move.
Its a stick, probably a bit thinner than yours, with an x at 90 degree angels on top. It looks like a propeller that does not have pitched blades. I had one till I traded it for an LOS antenna as I didn't need it, it didn't really work well for amature use turned out. I think you should put an x on top of yours, that would really trick it out man and be correct and people would ask about it.
I really do like what you have done with that tank. Almost make me want an m41 but I really would like an m47. I like the shape of the turret and we have one right out front of our Armory. Also dieing for the m60. Going to go check to see if its up on clarks website next :-)

Fsttanks

Thank you. The paint is only missing the "desert yellow" highlights to be a Merdec style pattern as it turns out, which was not the plan at the start of painting. I kind of had an image of a M42 in my head that I saw with this paint scheme recently. I was thinking about adding the desert yellow in for some more highlights and break up, but after a few hour of painting I was spent. I am on the fence still as whether to add it or not. I like the scheme how it is, but I am at the phase of "might like it more with the additional color or might hate it". Going to hold off for a day or so with making the final on that. In the mean time I will be working on some detail painting that will not interfere should I add the desert yellow.

The small antenna is kind of a "place holder" as it is a bit smaller than I wanted. This type of antenna is more common as a naval antenna used on commercial ships. I know the one you are referencing and will take a look at building one up or finding a "kit" to see how it looks on the turret. I am finding the turret to be a little more challenging to fit parts to cleanly as space runs out quickly and it becomes cumbersome looking. The CROWS was/is one of these issues.

The tank in person really has taken on a tougher, heavier look and feel. It is like an M47 and an M60 had a child. There are elements of both now. To me this is most evident in the new 105 gun and track/sprocket combination. Like you I want an M60 and this little tank project has kinda scratched that itch and is as close as I will be getting for the near future.

I am looking forward to the next phase already adding the new motors, gear box and DKLM Abrams track and seeing just how this M41 stacks up against my other tanks. I am expecting it to be quite the off roader with those upgrades.

RichJohnson

Leave the paint as is. I like it. You just have to add an x made out of sheet styrene to the top of the stick and paint it black to make a real satcom on the move antenna. That would look cool on a modern tank. Tanks don't usualy use satcom unless maybe it would be a company commander or BN commander tank. But since this is a demonstrator, they load those things up with every option imagineable to show them off so I would do it.
So where in the southwest are you?

Fsttanks

RichJohnson

You have got to come to our modern tank battle in San Diego in July!
Also, tank fest is at the military museum in El Monty first Saturday in June.
Hope to meet you!

Fsttanks

I might just come down in July if nothing else just to watch and meet some fellow R/C tankers. I still have to install an IR unit in one of my tanks, don't know which yet, but heavily leaning towards my "green' Abrams (as seen in other threads and my gallery). Since there is no one local to me to fight against I have been spending time and money working towards improving durability, maneuverability and reliability first on my tanks. After this build I will be swinging back to finishing work on a IR combat ready tank. It should only take me a few hours to get everything up and running as I already removed the airsoft system.

If this M41 ends up being the off road monster I think it will, might just have to put an IR until in it too.

RichJohnson

LA tank meets every month, we meet about every other month. I go to LA fairly often for the battles and Im down in San Diego, you should come up there if you can on first sundays.
Oh Sep is the San Diego Tank trials. Kind of like a model boat regatta. I defineately want you to come to that, you will enjoy the obstacle course part.

Fsttanks

I am most defiantly interested in making the Sept. tank trials and running the obstacle course. It should be fun seeing how my Abrams suspension tweaks work on the course lay out. I will bring this current build too as it should be well vetted by then.

Fsttanks

Spent some time adding small detail paint (not complete yet) and light weathering. Decided to go with a light dusting of dirt and grim colored chalk to bring out the "panel line" details and then let the natural uses and abuse take its toll. Considering this M41 is a newly refurbished product demonstrator this light weather made the most sense. The photos below are "staged" as the turret and upper hull have not been secured due to remaining internal work underway.

The photos do not capture the light weather very well, but I thought you might enjoy seeing them anyways.

Fsttanks

MAUS45

Looks Great!!!

Fsttanks

While off road testing and suspension tuning is being conducted I have also started to "mock up" and dry fitting of parts to optional turret "B". Turret "B" is intended to be a lower cost and simpler options but still provide substantial improvements to the M41 ability to see, shoot and hit first. To achieve the lower cost, turret "B" will be using an improved 76mm rifled gun with auto loader option vs the 105mm smooth bore. The thicker conformal ceramic turret armor is being replaced with thinner bolt on ceramic turret armor slabs. This will reduce the area protected and the survivability against larger missiles and rockets, but will still provide an increased level of protection vs bare hull against HEAT (signal warhead charge) type man portable shoulder launched AT rockets. The commanders independent DTS have been deleted and will be replaced with a CROWS type system. The CROWS can still be used as a commanders independent sight though with less optic capability. The gunners DTS will be replaced with a larger one to allow for the use of a TOW missile launcher option fitted to the right rear section of the turret. The TOW option is to balance the lack of a larger main gun should there be a need to engage a target out of the effective capability of the 76mm main gun. Smoke launcher have been moved to the mid turret to facilitate use and loading of the optional TOW launcher.

Your constructive input or question are welcome.

RichJohnson

afv aficionado

Interesting, though wondering what you've done with the muzzle brake - it's out of shot, but looks like parts of the standard HL one are sitting beneath the turret?

Mal

Fsttanks

Here is the back story of turret "B" as a lower cost option and why XYZ Corp. is working with the given options.

Initially was thinking 90mm, but the "B" turret is a lower budget modernized option compared to the current "A" turret. The assumption is the country(s) marketed toward would have a fair supply of surplus U.S. 76mm in storage or they are producing their own. A new barrel would add modern enhancements to thermal resistance and improve accuracy. Plus an auto loader option would be easier to install with 76mm ammo (one was designed for the M41, but the U.S. Army chose not to use it for doctrinal reasons).

Installing a 90mm gun would mean a completely new gun system, ammunition and parts supply chain similar to if the "A" turrets 105mm smooth bore was used and the cost, size and weight between the two would be negligible. So it would be better to just go with the 105mm smooth bore gun variant. Plus there are more types of ammunition available for the 105mm smooth bore gun as it can shoot a wide variety of L7 105mm rounds.

The 60mm HVG would be a great option. The only issue is XYZ Corp. that is offering these modernization programs is a U.S. company and in such their customers can use American military aid dollars toward the upgrades as long as the products are made in the U.S. The 105mm smooth bore is being produced in the U.S., so it would not be an issue as is the assumption that the other smaller items are also largely produced in the U.S. The 60mm HVG is not a U.S. made product and aid dollars could not be used toward its cost. Though could be offered at the expense of the requesting country.

The optional TOW system would fill the lethality gap between the 76mm and that of current western 120mm smooth bore guns along with greater flexibility than just an up gun alone.

Thank for the question, it was fun thinking up the answers to the why?

Fsttanks

It's out of shot on purpose as I have not yet decided on what I want to use as a muzzle brake, if any at all. The parts below the barrel are from a test barrel off my wrecked M41. Needed to make sure the mods would work before I cut into the new barrel.

Fsttanks

Turret "B" : "Dry fitting test" of TOW launcher option and new rear stowage basket. Launcher is in the closed position.

RichJohnson

That is really cool logic behind it. Totally something Raytheon, BAE or GD could have come up with. Its refreshing to see customization and freelancing on modern tanks that isn't done very much. Whats really cool is you have a lot of knowledge and thought behind it not just a hodge podge of parts thrown together. Your whole story is very plausible. I was thinking what you need now is a company decal across the turret side like Ontrack systems or what ever, with a big white lighting bolt under it or a projectile passing through it like a company logo you know.