tankme

For those of you that IR battle at Danville or other places, I have a question about LED placements. I know the rules vary from club to club, but it seems the consensus is that the clubs with the most rules dictate that the IR LED is supposed to be installed 9mm from the end of a tube no more than 6mm inside. All light scatters and spreads some after being transmitted - I understand that concept. From my understanding the tube rule limits the firing arc of the UV LED to make the "shots" more precise and less of a fan effect. I know that most clubs also have a requirement for a barrel flash or barrel recoil.

So my question is, how many people put the UV emitter and the barrel flash in the actual barrel together? I know it's not doable in smaller caliber guns, but a lot of my tanks have large bore guns (SU-152, KV-2, and a bunch of modern tanks). Would the high intensity flash interfere with the UV LED emitter pulse? The barrel flash is typically installed at the very tip of the gun and even slightly sticking out of the gun to be seen from all angles. I would think that a UV LED emitter mounted in a tube next to the barrel flash wouldn't be affected by the flash especially since the emitter does have a pulse cycle and not just a single flash like the flash LED.

I just think having both in the barrel is a cleaner look than having to drill additional holes in the mantlet or mounting the emitter on the outside of the barrel.

Is my logic faulty?

cleong

Physically, that can be done and does not affect the range of the IR emitter as long as the flash sits further back within the barrel. I have that done in my Pershing, and ran that for a while in my Panther as well. However I found it exceedingly hard to adjust the positioning of the emitter so that it wasn't tilted, particularly if you're trying to snipe. For the Panther I eventually went back to a clip-on mount just for the consistency.

If you get it right however this mod actually improves the battling performance of your tank as your emitter is now further away from the apple - think of it like a boxer with longer arms, he can land hits on his opponent while keeping his head further back. The mod can cause a 1-foot influence to the 5-feet threshold for all-round TBU vulnerability.

rgburrill

I don't know tanks but I do know UV and IR and there is a large difference in their wavelengths. I would think that if UV is actually used it would have different requirements in placement inside the tube. But that's just based on engineering not on taking battling knowledge.

Fsttanks

Keep it simple. The main thing the majority of folks that IR battle REALLY want is for your tank to be fully Tamiya compatible meaning it take hits reliability, has a weight class setting, rate of fire for each weight class and the damage speed reduction that corresponds to the class selected. Placement of the IR bulb 9mm deep x 6mm (or less) opening is to help reduce the “shotgun blast” effect of the IR bulb which tends to kill your teammates more then your adversary.

Barrel recoil can’t really be seen from more then 15ft away and flash is only visible from about 20-30degs offset of the barrel (in most cases) so again not really visible. Most of the time you get hit from the tank you did not see so their flash did not matter. If you saw someone shooting at you he/she probably already hit you once or twice.

Most people understand the requirements to have either/or both flash and recoil know it is more about keeping the cheap “toy grade” tanks off the battle field. It has nothing to do with the actual IR battle worthiness of the tank.

My .02

TheBennyB

So the depth of the emitter doesn't really counter any fanning. That has to do with the Tamiya system that keeps the IR bulb on for a full 1 second, not just a quick on/off. With this full 1 second bulb lighting you can swing the tank and "fan" targets. The depth is really to keep the IR from "splashing" to tanks next to each other. These parameters on emitter tube in Danville are used since they are the dimensions of the stock tamyia tube provided with the battle system. Just makes it easier to inspect and keep every tank on the same playing field since it is available to any tanker.

Durahl

Do the Authorities have any opinion on the Tamiya #56020 Leopard 2A6's IR Emitter officially finding a resting place inside the triangular Targeting Optics Housing above the Gun Mantled?
I don't own a TBS myself, yet, but from the looks of it when compared to the clips that shipped with my King Tiger and now Pershing I kind of get the impression that the dimensions are a wee bit off 🤔
Speaking of which... Can an IR Emitter be left electronically attached even when the Receiver is not?

Fsttanks

I take it you want barrel flash so the barrel tube is not an option. The emitter does not have to be disconnected when not using the TBS.

Jeff489

My Feedback: (12)

Based on my firsthand experience, the Leo2 emitter hood works fine when an emitter is installed. No IR splatter. Nice tight beam. Never had a problem at any club battles.

The only Tamiya tank that has a problem with the built in emitter location is the Sheridan, which has the emitter port much too short. On the Sheridan, one needs to install an extension (I use 1/4" OD styrene tube) on the IR emitter port to make it to play nice with others.

LasvoochTheTiger1Ace

Buy a sturmtiger lol.

Durahl

Good to know, thanks!

Sturmtigers should lob a spring-loaded, clear shelled projectile into the general direction which, upon impact, flashes a TBS compatible IR signal in all directions 🤣

LasvoochTheTiger1Ace

That would be awesome. Splash damage in IR Battles? I think yes!

Pah co chu puk

I set my stug up with both IR LED and flash LED in the barrel. I used 3 mm LED's and fiber optic to make it work. It's battle tested in Phoenix at DAK, it was last tank alive in one of the battles.
The IR LED is in front inside a brass tube. The flash LED sits behind that with the fiber optic strands wrapped around the brass tube. It gives a good muzzle flash, it has the same range as normal IR tanks, and it also has barrel recoil.

So, Yes, it's possible.

Durahl

No surprise there with the front area being protected by the legendary Item Painters Tape of +5 Invulnerability applied to it! 🤣

Pah co chu puk

Assault guns (tanks without turrets) were given front invulnerability in that battle. Regular tanks could not wear the coveted blue painters tape.

The stug took victory in spite of losing a track. My son was driving that battle and he was hailed as the victor. Big fun for an 8 year old.