Here are some photos showing what this 1/16 powerhouse can do http://www.pbase.com/calvinwill/116_...__mud&page=all when it was all over I had over 5 pounds of mud and sand to clean off the tank, it was time to grease up the gearbox anyway. I wrote about the DTX 3800 battery in my last post and how it lasted 1hr 10 minutes, well I left the battery in the tank (I did not remove the cell to charge it) to see how much longer it would last, it went another 1hr and 15 minutes and thats only because there was to much debris on the tracks, the tank couldn't move because the tracks were clogged with mud and sand, not because the DTX ran out of juice. Battery technology has progressed quite a lot in the last 5 years, that kind of performance was unheard of just a few years ago. I still have that same battery in the tank (still haven't charged it) and after cleaning, and its STILL powering the Leopard, I ran it for about 5 minutes to check I put everything back together right.

calvinwill

Current models:
1/16:
Tamiya's Leopard A6 with Gun Stabilizer

1/35:
Tamiya MasterWorks M1A2 Abrams and Leopard A6

1/32:
Forces of Valor Challenger 2, almost the equal of Tamiya's finished Challenger, their best effort yet!

1/24:
1 Marui Leopard A5
1 Vs Pro Leopard A5
1 Marui Leopard A6, looks nice with weathering and it has softer springs for more realistic suspension action, individually linked tracks, the best of the 1/24 scale tanks.
1 Vs Pro Leopard A6
1 Vs Pro M1 Abrams

EVERY time I think that I have decided to just go ahead and get a Tiger 1, I wind up looking at pictures and hearing cool stories about the Leopard. [:@] I was thinking about building a Sturmtiger, but dog-gone-it that Leopard is just the coolest hotrod!!! [X(] The only thing is the fairness factor involved at our TAA meetings: It is not fair to put WWII era tanks up against a Leopard.

Did any of the sand/mud/grassy crap get inside of the hull? Man, I thought I played with my tanks kind of rough, but you really put yours through its paces.....I just paint "dirt and mud" on mine.

icecreamslick
i am building a sturmtiger, send me an email if you want to see some pictures. i believe it is better than leo2a6. more expensive also.

thanks,tom

After I cleaned all the mud/water/dirt/sand off the hull and tracks, cracked opened the Leopard and there is nothing, not a grain of anything inside the hull. The only danger is debris on the inner upper hull that covers the tracks, you have to clean as much as possible dirt from there or it could fall into the lower hull and into the motors. Tamiya should have used a lower hull which overhangs the tracks instead of the straight edge hull.

calvinwill

How often are you supposed to grease the drivetrain gears (black gearbox-one piece) of your Leo. Awesome work!!

A sturmtiger would be big enough to drop the Leo hot-rod engine and electronics into it for great performance!

There is already at least one WWII vehicle using the Leo advantage (motors gearboxes, gun assembly and electronics):

http://www.sead.us/Zrinyi-project.html

And soon to be a second with the Russian KVI-E:

http://www.sead.us/KVI-project.html

The new Leo transmission is so good, I will never go back to Tiger I gearboxes[>:]

Tamiya doesn’t give a precise timetable for maintenance, they just state after every few runs. I normally lube the gearbox after 10 hours of normal running or in this case immediately after extreme off road maneuvers, this mud fest did last more than 1 hr plus the Leo was carrying about 5 pounds of extra weight (mud/water/sand).

calvinwill

Heavyaslead,

Amazing work!! Wow!!!

Calvinwill,

Thanks for the reply. Is it tough (a lot of hardware and wires and hatches) to access your Leo's gearbox? Thanks again!

Nice work. I love seeing tanks doing what they are meant to do.

Heavyaslead, can you imagine the cost of a Sturmtiger with Leo motors, gears and electronics!?!!? [X(]

Tiger 1 kit....$500.00+
Sturmtiger conversion kit.....$400.00
Leopard kit (cheaper than buying the parts)....$800.00+
Beating the crap out of every other Tamiya tank in the world.....priceless.

Jason

Yes, it can get very expensive! I could have bought four Tiger kits for the price of scratch building and upgrading the Zrinyi or KVI.

But as Jason says -Priceless- to be able to beat every other tank out there.

Its like converting your Camaro to a hot-rod with lifters, rims, hemi, turbo, large block and nitrous. You will spend more in upgrades than the car is worth. But the results are unique and a beautiful performer!

This post is about Tamiya's Leopard Tank, currently the best tank kit available, if you wish to sell homemade kits of WWII tanks made in somebody's backyard then please, start another post. I'm not against homemade kits, in the near future I may purchase a 1/8 scale Leopard or Challenger, its just that I want people who may be interested in this kit to be able to read about and get accurate information, not read about some homemade WWII kit that will cost $1500+ using the Leopards technology can kick its and other Tamiya's tanks ass. Start another post, please.

calvinwill

After cleaning as much debris as possible from the tracks and inner upper hull, you remove the upper hull first, carefully as any remaining debris could fall into the motors, disconnect the four motor wires, then remove the front idler wheels and then tracks, remove the rear drive sprockets and the screws holding the gearbox and with a little effort the gearbox will come right out.

calvinwill

Indeed, thread stealing is not a good thing...

Calvinwell, in your opinion, are all standard Tamiya parts (suspension, wheels, tracks, etc.) for Leo2A6 good enough for some rough off road experience, or did you do some special upgrades during your consturction?

Sorry, did not intend to divert the thread if only support the Leopard as the best kit out there as Calvinwill said.

The Leopard is truely a step above and can handle all sorts of abuse. The tracks are great for slipery wet surfaces too.

Calvinwill,

What glue should I use to attach the main pieces (turret armor plate, detail parts) together? I got one built, but I'm rebuilding it. Thank you.

i want to buy this leopard...where can i get one in the usa??

You will never have to worry about me interrupting any of your posts, again.....so sorry for the intrusion.

Glad to see that you are "using" your toy!!!!!!
Awsome pics,this is what it's all about.........
Looks like sticky sand!!!!

I too had a problem with glues, regular glues for standard plastic kits won't work, I have been using Model Maker Plastic CA glue from Tower Hobbies and most importantly, this http://www.hobby-lobby.com/adhesive.htm Stabilit Express and UHU allplast, I use these to secure the shock absorbers and upper track guides, the Stabilit has to be mixed to be used and is expensive, and the instructions are in German, but so far it works.

calvinwil

Hello Kurtmeyer:

Here http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXGMS2&P=0 and http://www.backyardarmor.com/New%20Main.htm I ordered mine from Backyard Armor along with the Gun Stabilizer, best price $865 is all you pay including postage (for the Leopard only) and a good price on the Gun Stabilizer $128, but they ship from Hong Kong and takes about two weeks. You'll pay more at Tower Hobbies but you can have it shipped using Fed Ex UPS services and have it within a few days.

calvinwill

I am thinking about getting into RC Tanks, and this Leopard looks like a good start, I hope Tamiya builds a good ol M1A1/A2 Abrams to go head up with the Leopard.

I would like nothing better than to see Tamiya come out with a M1A1/A2, with an optional mine plow made out of strong plastic or aluminum, it would plug into the DMD-T07. Its interesting that Tamiya has a 1/16 US Army Modern Figure http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFZN1&P=0 in their lineup but no 1/16 modern vehicle for him to get around on, there are modern German Figures for the Leopard.

calvinwill

I'm hoping the new upcoming Tamiya Tank will be a modern one to give the leo something
to fight with. There is almost no point right now with the Battle system on a Leo unless
you can find another one to fight with. THe other Tamiya Tanks aren't up to par unless
serious upgrades are made.

Let's try to keep his post focused on the Leopard, guys.