Dmon1996

Ok, I'm sure it is a stupid question, but is there any difference between Matorro and Heng Long? From what I see the Tiger I tanks are identical, same Airsoft system and even the same controller (with a different label). So I ask if there is a difference between them or are they the same company but different divisions like Buick and Pontiac being the same company (GM). The reason I ask is that my wife has asked me to start my Christmas wish list now (she is a great woman!), and I want another historically accurate tank. I can't convince her to buy my first choice (a Tamiya Sherman kit), but she'd go for a Heng Long priced tank.... I have my big boy- the Pershing, and my PanTiger (which I will scare the he** out of the wife with once I start cutting it apart to make it more accurate), so I'm looking at a Bulldog, Panzer III, Panzer IV, Stug (different but very cool), or (Matorro) King Tiger. Or maybe a Tiger I- the model that seems to be the start for so many enthusiasts (but then, Heng Long or Matorro?).

So, I'd love to hear from you....who likes what? And don't tell me to get a Tamiya unless you have a Sherman for sale for $200! I know they are the best, but I'll have to save for one and get it myself one day.... unless anyone wants to trade for a 2.5 T-Maxx with almost all aluminum or RPM aftermarket parts? Ah, well....thought it might be worth a chance. [sm=49_49.gif] It's funny- I have not sparked up either of my T-Maxxes since getting my PanTiger.....

I guess I have a terminal case of armoritis!

YHR

The Heng Long PZ III or IV are really good. You can't go wrong with either. The PZ III has an amazing selection of aftermarket parts, allowing you to upgrade to metal suspension, wheels, idler adjust and return rollers. Nice thing about this is you can handle the upgrades for less the $100 /upgrade. You will end up spending close to $450, but in smaller bites. Best deal is probably the Tiger. You can get an all metal drive Tiger with metal tracks for $140. Tracks are an issue, but hey it's a Tiger. Everyone wants a Tiger. The new Stug is interesting, but very new, with new electronics. None of us have had a chance to open it up and see what makes it tick, so I would hold off on that for a while.

blitzkrieg65

The 2 Companies sure seem to use some of the same suppliers but they are probably at least electrically designed by a different team! The frequencies don/t match, you cannot put a Heng Long crystal inot a Matorro board or radio! Matorro has weaker boards, sound is almost at the Heng Long level but seem to be getting better! The Motors in the Matorro are weak and so are there gear boxes! Even if you find the metal upgrade for there gearbox the plastic housing will break next, and the motors are small.

I have done and offer electronics upgrade to Heng Long and or EL MOD!

The Blitz

Turbobearcat

Heck no..I PLAN on buying it next month..

YHR

I already sent them money, but you and I have been around the block with these tanks. I couldn't recommend something I have never seen.

swathdiver

No refunds for you YHR, you're supposed to do a review for us!

YHR

Yup

THe Mato Tiger should be here this week

The Stug??????. Hopefully the week after.

blitzkrieg65

Anyone else have a comment that stays with this thread for Dmon1996, I would like to hear some others opinions also???

The Blitz

googlydoogly

Get a Tam....wait, nevermind.

I recommend the HL Panzer IV. A lot of people buy the Tiger because it's a well-known tank. But if you don't care either way, I say pick a Panzer IV. HL did a great job on theirs.

Harquebus

Well, the Matorro Tiger I has the correct length barrel and the mantlet orientated the proper way so that is a major plus in my opinion.

Shame we had all this excitement when we heard about this new manufacturer (Matorro) some time back but the enthusiasm died out quickly.

I was hankerin' for a Matorro King Tiger but when I heard (from maybe one or two sources only) that there were major deficiencies, well, I really lost my appetite. Everyone seems to be a true HL loyalist in the end.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_7829629/tm.htm

wackywheelz

Matorro's non-window box has better dimensions (thinner, shorter, longer) suits long-barrel tanks enabling them to fit scale-barrel-tanks like their Tiger and KT, whereas Heng Long's retail box limits the length of the barrel, even though it is a larger box theres a lot more polystyrene around the HL than the Matorro.

End result: Matorro boxes fit scale barrels, but don't have quite as much packaging/protection.

YHR

Well the Mato Tiger arrived today. Different electronics then Heng Long. Still has a receiver board, and there is a spare three wire socket on the board. I am not sure what this is for.

Different sounds, better cannon and machine gun, and there is an idling engine noise and a different in motion noise. Turret turns much slower, and the tank speed is reduced. Very smooth and quiet mechanically. I'll run it in some tall grass and see what happens.

Has the proper bbl length and the mantlet is the right way around. The cupola fell off of mine, so it will be easy to orientate the correct way.

Different gear box, plastic and nylon, and I am not sure how tough it is. Probably the same stuff that is in the King tigers.

More accurate stickers. Individual self adhesive numbers with other prototypical markings.

Over all impression ????

Different , but not better then the Standard Heng Long. My recommendation is to stick with the Heng Long. I don't know if this is DBC compatible, and the whole plastic gear box assembly(Although better then a WSN) is probably not up to the task for the long term. I think if I keep this I will gut it and install the standard Heng long stuff in it.

I am a little disappointed, but this Tank is priced $10 less then a Heng Long so what can you expect.. You get a more accurate superstructure, but I think the running gear is not up to the task, so take this into consideration if you are thinking about purchasing one. Also there is the new electronics, and who knows if they interface with a DBC so this is an issue as well.

wackywheelz

Sounds like it has the exact same boards as their KT.... see pic below to confirm gearbox and electronics

As for "Smooth and quiet" - that's plastic gearboxes for ya

YHR

Yup. Exaclty the same boards and gear train.

Matorro = Mato . I expect everything else about this tank to be the same as the King Tiger then.

How tough is this gearbox????

swathdiver

You going to do an official review with a dedicated thread with some outside and interior piccies for all of us?

wackywheelz

Blitzy has replaced a few, perhaps he has a spare to crack-open for a look.

YHR

Well image your Heng Long Tiger with the inside of the Matorro King tiger that Wacky included in this thread. That's it, that's all folks.

The included instruction book is actually well written, so that is a vast improvement.

This tank is a none event. There simply isn't enough different about it to make me choose it over a Heng Long. The sound is different, but not really better. I wish I could tell you something different, but the bottom line is, if you want a tiger spend $140 and get the Heng Long special from Mato that has a metal gearbox and tracks.

I am not sure if RC Command has a package deal like this for US buyers, but if they do replace them for Mato in the above statement if you live south of the 49th.

Harquebus

I'm with swathdiver. How about a dedicated, long-term review thread with notes made from daily/weekly/monthly usage and how the tank performs based on facts and not just what you think? [:'(]

That "plastic" gearbox looks like it is plastic all around with a plastic housing as well. Does it appear that a Heng Long standard type (metal housing) gearbox will retrofit directly into the tank body? If so, and with the other HL shortcomings already addressed (in terms of the tank's exterior) I might be tempted to get one.

It looks like this tank is not a step up from the Heng Long quality-wise, but a lateral side step. Maybe it is just different, not better as you say.

YHR

That is my biased opinion. I do know that even running the thing on my bench, with the tracks off, the board got uncomfortably hot to touch in a couple of minutes.

My fear is that in no time at all I'll be changing over to Heng long boards out of necessity, and at that point, I will have a Heng Long tank with a plastic gearbox. Of course if I change that over to Heng long then I will have a Heng Long tank!!!!I might as well have bought the Heng Long to start with!!!!!

Maybe this nylon gear box is tougher then I think. I will run it and see what happens. No heats sink in this board, so maybe I'll wire up a fan and see if I can get some use out of it before it smokes.

Don't get me wrong. For the money it is a decent tank. You do get a correct bbl, pistol port, and mantlet right out of the box. I just personally don't think this could be upgraded to metal tracks and have the ESC stand up. So you will most likely fry the board, lose the differnet sounds, and replace everything with Heng Long components, if you try to make it more then it is. Bottom line is, you will be able to keep it running with stock Heng Long parts, so don't worry about it too much.

apascavage1

Hi guys. I am very new and researching a bunch of older forums.

Do you guys still feel the same way about the Heng Long versus the Mato tanks? 5-6 years have passed and I am sure there are bound to have been major upgrades since 2008.

Just wanted to know what your thoughts are on this subject.

Thanks.

AL P.

Dmon1996

I am not sure if you are asking about Mattorro or Mato tanks.... Mattorro are no longer manufactured and are very rare now. Mato is the new kid on the block, and are in line with Heng Long tanks as well. Heng Long has come a long way from the scale-ish toys they started with - the Pan-Tiger comes to mind. But the newer the model, the closer to accurate scale they are. Mato being new has some issues, but are pretty good- I have one of their Shermans and it is nice (with the exception of the excessively fat cannon). But I gut everything and put in Heng Long RX-18 boards so my tanks are all compatible. I will leave more details on the inner workings to the more experienced members of this forum. But it might help if you explain what you want to do- build a shelf queen, have something to bomb around in the back yard, or compete with others in staged battles.

apascavage1

Thanks for the response Dmon. I guess this shows how new I am to rc tanks. I just started looking the other day and thought Mato and Mattorro were one in the same. I see that Matomart sells Heng Long and Mato tanks and then I stumbled onto a Matorro website that sells Heng Long tanks too. So a little confusion on my part about the Mato name.

What at I am looking for is a 1/16 tank to get me and my son so we can have wars in the backyard. We love the War Thunder video game and I thought this would be a great way to take it to the next level. Eventually competing in battles, but for now backyard battles.

I don't mind spending the $$$ on an rc tank if it is of good quality and something that can be upgraded or fixed at home. I really like the idea of all metal gears and tracks. But does that mean you usually wind up with a metal body too?

Man I have so many questions!

So is there a reputable dealer you trust in Canada? My preference is to buy one that includes the metal upgrades in the package and is ultimately RTR, even if I have to install the metal components myself or even paint it. That's part of the fun for me. But not for my son yet. He will want to unbox it and play. Can't blame him either.

Or am I better off buying a tank from someone that puts them together all the time. I've read horror stories where the tank comes from a warehouse and the wheels won't even move.

So after that, it sounds like Heng Long is the way to go. Seem to offer a lot of flexibility in upgrades too. So if it is Heng Long, where should I get one?


Thanks.
AL P.

Dmon1996

Check out MatoMart Toys in Ontario - I have dealt with them a lot (http://www.matomart.com/homepage.php). There is no warranty on these tanks, but if there is a problem out of the box they will fix or replace. I would recommend you get a pair of Heng Long with the IR system. The Airsoft sounds great but the guns are weak compared to actual Airsoft handguns. You will need to break in the gearsets but there is lots of info on doing so on this site. On the Allied side, I recommend the Heng Long Pershing, and the Heng Long King Tiger. They are both large tanks and there were a handful of Pershing tanks at the tail end of WWII (although I don't think they actually saw battle with the King Tigers). If you want to save a few bucks, get the Tiger I instead of the King Tiger. It was Heng Long's first RC so is not truly accurate but it is very cost effective. Get with metal tracks, all the MatoMart tanks come with metal gearsets so you don't have to worry about metal vs plastic gears. I also highly recommend that you stay far away from Raidentech - I tried to buy my first tanks from them and they charged my credit card and fought when I demanded my money back after waiting over two months. They are constantly out of stock, and have horrible customer service. BTW, the Heng Long tanks are available with smoke - you want one with smoke as they are the ones with better controllers but the smoke units are garbage - usually don't work and if they do they burn out soon after.

Anyway, that's my opinion on the matter. I am sure that you will get more opinions soon enough.

Max-U52

The HL Pershing doesn't come in IR, only airsoft.

Dmon1996

Really? I had bought mine back in the RX14 days, and converted it. Ok, then the Russian KV-1 is available in IR, and it is a good model although is ugly to me. My Dad has it - good well detailed model. And it definitely fought the Germans in WWII.