Hey guys -

Newbie here. So, I have a 1/24 FOV Sherman, and I'm thinking about adding to my collection. I'm considering upsizing to 1/16.
If I go 1/16, then I have a choice of Airsoft vs. IR. I'd be interested in hearing any comments pro and con on both formats.
I'm pretty much a solo tanker. I haven't found any tank clubs or hobbyists near me, so my "action" is pretty much confined to tanking around the house, shooting at my IR target and occasionally chasing the cat.
Thanks for your insights.
Kevin

Buy a tank with the Heng Long TK6.0 or 6.1 system and you get airsoft and IR in the same tank. Problem solved.

I assume you talking Taigen tank, since I have both HL and Torro in my opinion BB fun wear off really quick, especially its a risk to shoot BB around kids and pets. if Heng Long have better barrel recoil I will be happy camper, but their barrel recoil is an after thought.

Nope, I am not talking about Taigen tanks. Taigen tanks are one or the other and use Taigen electronics. The newest Heng Longs have both IR and airsoft with the Heng Long TK6.0 or TK6.1 controller board.

Tanksme , thats the question for Kevin, In regard to HL TK6.0 and 6.1.I really love them, much more that Taigen/ Torro Electronic, Taigen and Torro Electronic is not updated for years now.

The single advantage that Taigens V2/V3 boards have over Heng Longs Version 6.0/6.i is that the Taigen board can be used with an aftermarket transmitter BUT in my opinion the Heng Long Version 6 variants are in every other way far better and having Airsoft AND I/R in the same Tank makes it a no brainer when deciding which Tank to buy,
Taigen STILL mould tools and fixtures to the Tank whereas Heng Long for many years provides them separately which make painting the Tank much easier.
The one thing that Taigen have got right is the latest Panzer 4 Turret which (Whisper it quietly) is in my opinion better than Tamiya's.

Taigen just updated a couple years ago to the V2, and then they went to the V3. The only difference between the V2 and the V3 is that they added a switch to the V3 which allows you to turn off the track recoil. I think that might have been partly because of feedback from guys like us. To me, the best thing about taigen tanks is their lower Hulls. They almost all have torsion bar suspension. I also like their IR turrets and their Barrel recoil. A lot of the HL Barrel recoils are still slow back and snap forward whereas taigen has it right and it snaps back and then slowly returns to its regular position. But I agree with Shaun about the molded on Pioneer tools, that's one of the first things to go on any tank that I paint. If you could put together a tank with an HL upper, the 6.0 electronics, and the taigen Lower and turret you might have something.

Anyway, back to the original question, IR or Airsoft. The new HL tanks have both, but most of them don't have Barrel recoil where the taigen tanks that are IR have an excellent Barrel recoil system. But keep in mind that Airsoft accounts for about 90% of all RC tank sales today. Us guys that build IR battle tanks are a very small minority in the hobby. Most of the tanks sold today are Airsoft and they're just toys and the people treat them as such. Those of us that like to build battle tanks that are well painted and accurate with all the proper decals and markings are a Dying Breed.

I have twelve tanks. A mix of Tamiya, Taigen, and Heng Long. I've always purchased IR tanks with the exception of the couple of HL that are air soft. I also am a solo tanker. I also like the challenge of making my tanks look like the real thing. Without the barrel recoil, that can't be accomplished in my opinion. I haven't tried the Taigen V-2 or V-3 electronics and won't until they offer proportional barrel elevation with a stock transmitter so most of my tanks are Tamiya because I can make them look and act like the real thing. However, I won't be buying any more Tamiya, the cost has become too prohibitive for me.

With Tamiya allegedly ceasing further development and production of 1/16 r/c Armour no one will "be buying any more Tamiya".
Taigen and Torro prices are creeping ever closer to Tamiya's prices but without the quality.
So yet another lose lose for the hobby..

I'm not so sure about the lack of quality on Torro/taigen. I've never owned a Tamiya tank but I've been told that the taigen Sherman and Torro King Tiger are both stronger and more robust than the Tamiya offering. Especially the Sherman. The Taigen Sherman is pretty much Bulletproof. And the Torro King Tiger is still only about 60% the price of the Tamiya offering. Tamiya is, and always will be the gold standard, but the competition is starting to put out some pretty decent stuff.

Gary old friend I really hope you are right because losing Tamiya's legendary quality allied to the research that goes into their tanks without another company stepping up to the plate would be a crime.

You are right jarndice. Looking at Taigen Panzer IV tonight with V3 electronics in IR (oh out of stock by the way) price is much higher than what I paid for my Taigen Panzer IV IR first run. Yes it has a few upgrades but still no proportional barrel elevation after all these years with a stock transmitter. I think I paid Around $600.00 for my Tamiya Panzer IV and it has proportional functions, is half the weight, and runs very well. I'm not bashing Taigen tanks, I have a bunch of them and like them. But the price gap is closing without the simple should of had electronic functions years ago in my opinion. Most of my Taigen tanks are IBU equipped.

Airsoft / IR?

With Airsoft you will eventually end up with a yard littered with plastic pellets. With IR there is no mess to clean up. I started out with Airsoft, then switched to IR when I realized how many plastic pellets I was scattering around my yard. Years latter I am still finding them.

Dude biodegradable BBs, the only kind I use. I was sceptical at first but with humidity and temperature change they do turn to dust and don't harm the environment (so they say). The ones all over my basement floor start to degrade after several weeks. I can never vacuum all of them up, LOL

Yes I only use bio BB's also, what brand are you using?

I did use biodegradable BB's after the first batch of plastic ones. I shot about 2500 biodegradable BB's before I switched to IR. In my high, dry environment (8000 feet above sea level overlooking a desert) those biodegradable BB's take about 5 or 6 years to degrade. They were starting to pile up.
I liked the ballistic nature of the BB's, it's more of a challenge to hit a target with Airsoft than it is with IR, but it seemed like I would soon have them everywhere, so I switched. Airsoft is fun. I admit that.

Hi all bio bb's are different some can take years to degrade some months and some weeks or less. There are many different types that can be used.

Goldenball, I usually buy 0.2 gram. I also use metal at times, when I want a good report, my targets re like drums. I use tin flashing stapled to a wooden box with an open bottom, works great!

Just make sure you always look for the word "seamless" when buying BBs. If they're not seamless they can rip the rubber seal and ruin the unit. Stuff like "double-polished" and "match grade" is cool, but if it doesn't specifically say "seamless" I would pass.

Cool I tried those G&G bio ones they degrade real fast.