We cordially invite the R/C tank battling community to a bit of sport on Saturday, March 7th 2009 at the club field in Phoenix. As usual the info is on our club website www.desertarmor.com

New field elements are in progress and new vehicles may make the scene. Our membership is growing and we welcome all makes and models to try our 'Tank Olympics' and battlefield events. A portion of the event will be technical seminars and detailing explainers. Bring you questions and we will try to answer. Attached is the flyer we use to advertise in local hobby shops. Thanks for you attention.



Directions are available below.
http://web.mac.com/ethandunsford/DAK...ttlefield.html

We shall be there and I am making my question list.

Aimee and I are definitely in!

If anyone's interested, here's a post action report from the last battleday with regard to my tanks. My Jagdtiger's right track wouldn't move during it's third battle. It's backup, my Tiger II ran, but was less than optimal, due to persistent intermittent power failures (usually when I was getting shot). Upon disassembly, I found the following:

As to the Jagdtiger, it turns out that I blew out a right transmission. The failure was with the plastic hex insert, which stripped (lost its hex shape, and is now somewhat round) right where the plastic gears meshed with the metal ones. I've decided I'm done purchasing Tamiya transmissions to replace stripped gears. My solution was that the Tamiya transmissions have been removed, and a new set of Impact transmission units were installed with Graupner 480 motors pushing them. Should be very powerful and very durable.

While it was open, I upgraded the battery from 1 4200 NiMH to twin 3500 NiMHs. Should be able to go for three or four battles without charging now. I also replaced all the track hangers (Wecohe brand) which would often break due to the metal being very brittle (they pretty much crumble instead of bend). Basically, one would break every time I turned the superstructure over on its side. The new hangers are homeade out of steel. Higher strength, and they bend, rather than break. I did milliput simulated welds around where all the track hangers mount. Last night, it all got to dry. Tomorrow night, (Not tonight, due to a "honey do", which is to assist with cleaning of the chandelier (Who in the heck cleans those things?! Nobody I thought, that is until I got married...)) I'll break in the transmissions, bundle up the wiring, and touch up the paint job.

My Tiger II had some intermittent power problems (actually, it has always had them since I built it). Basically, it would lose power during operation, and then suddenly power back up immediately. Generally it happened for no more than a half-second to a full second at a time. The shut downs seem to happen when the tank gets bumped, usually during recoil (it has the Wecohe recoil upgrade in it) or during traverse of rough terrain. I surmised that it was classic symptoms of a loose connection. In my opinion, it could only have been the battery, the homeade charge on/off circuit (to include wires), the MF unit, or the DMD unit.

To begin, I focused on my homeade stuff as I considered the other possibilities to be less likely (quality control was probably better than mine). I replaced all my wiring and the charging on/off switch circuit. I ran it after making the repair, and it immediately began losing power just like before. My next act was to replace the battery with a new 4500 battery. Again, I ran it on the bench, but this time it had no power loss. I ran it for about 15 minutes, and could not get it to malfunction. Therfore, I think the old battery had a battery bar loose, or a wire loose, and would separate from contact intermittently when jostled about. It'll have to run a few battledays before I call it fixed and trust it.

Aimee's Tigers ran great (as usual)... with no breakdowns.

I'll be there Ethan, should have my Tiger I all done with Impact's IBU (Going to put the emitter in the mantlet).

Oh hell yes, any chance I get to shoot green tanks you can count me in. I'll be wielding the usual suspects, DAK Tiger 214, the ever battle hardened Panther 301, possibly a new mount (KT), but the Pz IV aufs D sadly won't be ready!

But I will try to get the new bridge I debut at last month's battle detailed out, as well as a few new surprises for the field!

Ethan watch yourself I'm gunning for ya!

Transmissions broken in! Final assembly tonight. All tanks ready for battle now!

I finished everything up last night. The JT drives like a dream and with lots of power. Batteries give long run times, and I touched up all the new track hangers.

Trying to fix the traverse on my Shermans, would it be a sin to put H/L traverse in all my tamiya kits?

Here's an interesting one for y'all How about a captured British PZ III?

For Tailend Charlie, my second favorite captured Tiger pic.

I don't know, but they some how look better with Allies in them.

more teases, new buildings in progress.

edoubleaz,

Whatcha buildin' ???

type? looks interesting...

-TOMAS
TX ARMOR

Tomas,
That's actually my fat rear in the photos Ethan posted.

Until now, our entire battlefield and most of our tanks have been from the North African campaign since it themes in with our club so well. Well now we have decided to start building the European area of our battlefield, just to add some interest and diversity. Besides pine trees are a lot more abundant and much cheaper than making each palm tree needed to keep the desert theme accurate.

We're starting with a few key buildings, and we are planning a generic European look (think Tudor style) SCAT over in So Cal have most of their buildings patterned after French structures, while BAT's buildings Northern Cal come from Italy. We are planning something more along the lines of German/Austrian/Bavarian cottages, with a church, some two-story homes, barns, and even possibly a nice working windmill. As is always the case with a small club, we have lots of ideas but a little less money and time to get it all made, so it will be slow going.

In the photo on question I'm starting the layout of our church with a tall steeple

Some video. http://gallery.me.com/ethandunsford#100000

Very nice video!

Jeff,
Nice video of an even nicer tank.....................who is that guy????? Your Jagtiger is one of the reasons I drive Axis, I don't want to come up against that thing. (LOL)

Wait till I get going on the Sturm (see posting Sturmtiger where to purchase) to see what I have planned for the Matorro Sturm. I'm getting all the metal upgrades and an El Mod system from Phil, and then I'm gonna beat the hell out of it. Your Jag and my Sturm with IFA should be an imposing duo on the DAK field!

Actually my new KT runnin next to yours should also scare a few Sherman drivers as well eh? Thanks again for that!

Squid

How many emitters are you going to put in the Sturm barrel?

I was thinking it should be allowed to lob smoke bombs!

The Blitz

Jeff,
I told Ethan I should be able to put 5 emitters in the barrel, kind of the "shotgun blast" BFG effect on the battlefield. I'll just have to make sure my team is behind me and we'll run true Blitzkrieg shock and awe tactics! (LOL)

But I have to admit I like Phil's idea of lobbing smoke grenades as well. Would add a pretty cool element to the field.

In all seriousness once I get it, I want to check it out and see if there is a way to sleeve the emitter so it doesn't cone too badly, since the barrel is so large.

Craig

I'd prefab the emitters into a sleeved assembly on a jig, and then fit the assembly into the mortar barrel. That way, you adjust each emitter whilst in the jig and pattern it for about a basketball size impact at 10 yards. I'd imagine that would take 3 emitters or so. Then you'd know it works before you put it into the tank.

FYI, I was thinking of building some underwing emitter pylons for the old P-51. Similar to what they have up in Danville. It would take two non tankers to run it. All we need is a 5v battery source on the plane plugged into the emitters mounted on the wings. The plane gets strung up on a wire (one end on the poles on the permanent shelter, and the other to the fence). I figure we just need some standoffs on top of the plane to attach it to the wire. As to movement, there should be considerable friction on the wire, so I'd just install a cheap fishing reel to the one end of it, with the line attached to the pylon on the plan. To strafe, just reel it in. To return, (for repeated strikes) we just need to attach a fishing line on the rear of the plane, and then "cast" the reel while it gets pulled back for another run. We can build in an airstrike component to some unequal scenarios.

Jeff,

The P-51 air strike (strafing run) sounds awesome. That would be very cool if we could pull it off. Definitely something no one else would have on their field.

With the Sturm, I'll probably just go with 1 emitter. I don't want to go to all the time, effort, and money to build it, just to have others cry foul, and claim some unfair advantage! It's cool either way, I just love the look of that hulking beast, and think it would be cool as hell to drive one around the field


Squid

I don't see what you like about them but someone at the Texas Armor Assc. loves them to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q85Ew...eature=related
At 0:21 you'll see a Sturm in their convoy.

Personally, I'd love to see one of every available tank on the battlefield. A Sturmtiger is past due.

So with the Sturmtiger does that mean he only gets to fire once every 10-15 minutes like the real Sturmtiger (because of reload time or so I've read...rocket was 5 feet long and weighted 759 to 772 pounds), anybody know what 1/16 scale time that is?

Good point! How much ammo did it carry? Only a few rounds I bet. We should enforce scale ammo capacity too. LOL

Actually, I'm just happy to see the project. There's not many around.

Ammo capacity was 13-14 rounds...
Heres a good spot to get all the info on the Sturmtiger...
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/sturmti...mpanzer-vi.htm
Jonathan