Hi

After 3 months, way too much cash and a lot of reading...my first RCtank is finally complete. Iam therefore posting some pictures and some info as it seems to be a tradition.

Some caveats.....

1. pictures taken by mobile phone under less than ideal lighting conditions. Iwill try and get some good daylight shots later.

2. Aim of the project was to end up with an RCtank that resembled a tank that perhaps would have been in action in the suburbs of Leningrad in the autumn. Therefore, dust, muck, crap, no winter camo. No attempt was made at rigid historical accuracy such as headlight slits, etc. The aim was not to produce a copy of a Mig Jiminez type tank but one that might be seen on the streets. Cupola etc were fixed.

3. Source material was all the pictures of tigers around that time I could find.

The base model was a HLTiger 1 with smoke and sound. 3:1 metal gears from rctank.de, metal asiatma hull from RCCommand and a lot of bits and pieces from assorted suppliers. Metal tools and vision block from RCTank.

Smoke unit was removed. metal barrel of right length fitted (tankzone). BBgun ceased working for some reason (metal barrel?).

An extra 9 v circuit was added using a battery between the motors - this drives a fan under the engine deck and the fan in the motor room bulkhead. The fan on the rx18 runs off the main circuit. The switches are under one of the logs and the DPDTswitch on the main circuit can be flipped to either tank on - tank off- or charging. As far as I could see, 12 v fans on 7.2 volts just dont shift any air worth talking about. The fan on the rx is a 9 v fan and just about does the job on 7 volts.

5 amp glass fuses were mounted on each of the motors. The motors were all run in for for an hour or until th ebatteries diead and the mgearboxes were run in using rubbing compound for 6 hours.

The new speaker is a Visatron 8 Ohm 6.5 cm speaker (very loud....).

Originally Ihinged one of the rear engine access grills to use a switch bay until Ifound out that the air fliter hoses blocked it so it was then sealed up again.

The logs went on as Isaw two pictures of tanks with them although the "Logs"on mine are a bit factory formed.

The gun elevation is iffy as Ineed a new return spring or to weight the BBunit to compensate for the metal barrel.

The bracing round the upper hull are bits from the original plastic hull and Im really pleased they way they stiffen up the hull flex.

The antennae was moved in-side although Iwould like one of the smaller coiled internals. Maybe later. I will take it out to test later in the week but at the minute it looks like i can get 10 m range at least.

Although it was frustrating and expensive, a lot of the things bought can be used on other tanks so it wasnt a complete waste of money. All in all, I'm pleased as it doesn't look like a toy any more although Icannot assert it is of high quality. But at the same time, Icannot find any contemporary pictures showing grease spots around individual bolt heads, nor can Ifind any with boot prints visible on the decks, or obvious scratch patterns around hatch handles etc so Idon't really care.

Painting was done using Tamiya cans, oils, some enamles, MIGpigments/fixer and arange of other MIGproducts. Ibought an air brush but couldnt get to grips with it....

Have to say thanks for all the help from the various members round here!

Only question now...... whether to get a PanTIger, KV-1 or Pz-III next. Ilike the KV-1 a lot though.....

p

Congratulations on your first tank. Looks like a really good effort. Another thing that is fun is to research a specific tank and then try to model it. It really broadens the fun.

Nice work P! Really diggin it a lot! Glad you finally finished your Tiger, for second there I thought you were going to just give up on the whole thing!<div>I see you went with chains on the front......either someone will be holding their tongue or can't wait to tell you that it shouldn't be there! lol I like it myself! You put a lot of thought and work into the guts, but man does that look like it's gonna be a bugger to get that battery pack out! </div><div>
</div><div>As for a new tank....I personally love the KV, the PIII is a great tank for it's class too, pretty fast.......as for the Pantiger....why consider it when there's the Panther G?
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Also, I'm not absolutely sure of this so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I notice your antennae is laying on a metal speaker grill and horizontal latch lock. From my understanding, this serves asinterferencein many cases. Again.....I could be wrong.

Hi ho BiggTOny

Youre probably right with the chains on the front....but Ibought a meter of the stuff and wanted to use it. Plus....and trivial it may be....but Ireally like the way they swing about when its moving. Imake no bones about the tank not being fully accurate. Ionly hope people will refrain from judging it with respect to something it wasnt intended to be! I'd have to have been an ambitious beginner to attempt something complex. Iwas basically trying to learn the baics with this one.

The battery pack isnt too bad...a lot of the wires on top are just pushable out of the way.

The antennae however does indeed tocuh metal. Putting it inside some rubber tubing or aquarium pump line is a possibility so I'll probably do that. Idon't know how interference manifests itself....

Ihave to admit....of the modding, painting and electronics....I m most happy doing the wiring. Im not a great painter/modeller by any stretch.

Ithought the HLpantehr was some kind of Tiger modification and was hence called PanTiger? Or do they do a more accurate Panther? Im a bit confused here.

The KV-1 looks great and Iactually thought it would be bigger than the Tiger physically but it seems that it is smaller?

Ajagdpanther would also do nicely.

Or else just save my cash for a full metal tiger till Ieventually get the money together....

p

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; ">Actually, the KV is longer (in terms of hull length) and the Tiger is wider. Only because of the Tigers long barrel, makes it longer than the KV...but I still don't consider it so. The Tiger is taller by maybe a 1/2-1 centimeter.....only because of the cupola.</span>

The PanTiger is a name describing HL's half tailed attempt to make a Panther. Basically, it's a Panther top on a Tiger Hull, so If you've had enough of HL's Tiger hull, stay clear of it, lol.<br type="_moz" />

Nice Tiger...but on the log.....better go out to the back yard and cut a 10mm wide branch or twig. Lash it to the side with ROPE, not special brackets, these were locally felled trees and carried to pull the tank out of a stuck situation. Only need one, as they were lashed across both tracks. Chains are not carried on tanks....the log could be a use for them, but not carried on front where they can hang up on everything and cause big problems. They would be in a stowage bin, or better, secure the log with them. Bear in mind, they are heavy, so keep off the overloaded turret. Looks like you are replicating a particular tank...change the turret numbers to the German system. Plenty of nice photos in Squadron Signal Tigers in Action. If this a first tiger, nice job.

Very nice Build, Great Job. Thumbs up!!!

Top Shelf Tiger my Brother!

Enjoy it! Great build!

Don

HI Pattoncommander

Looks like you didnt read the post (my fault: it was long) but as Isaid - just learning the techniques and making a tank to please myself.

I considered actual logs and I considered actual rope. I attached twigs from the yard with rope and the bounced around a lot. So off they came and I welded my beams to the side.

As to numbers.....I ordered GDdecals from ebay but they tooks a long time to come. As Ihad to get it off my kitchen table and needed to get some numbers on before I could paint....I just whacked on the numbers that came with the tank.

In general...as to logs..... I'm not sure that I am in complete agreement with just one. The assumption that they only carried them for one purpose must be a bit suspect? Carius describes them being carried by his unit to fill in a tank ditch or something?In which case one would assume it was prudent to carry more than one?

At any rate....chains, logs etc..... Ilike them, I put them there and if I could have found a 1/16 scale Goebbels bobble head - that would have gone on as well.

If people want to contribute financially to my next tank.... then I will set up an opinion thread to check that everything I stick on it is accurate to the rivet head.

p

Fantastic model, well done!! Now do me, and I'm sure others, a favor and get some decent photos to show it off in all its glory... I wanna see, I wanna see!!

Rich

Looks great! I've spent most of my time on the running gear and am just now starting on the outside. I hope mine turns out as well as yours!

Very nice indeed. And like you stated, it is not intended to replicate any accurate historical tank, so if you like it then so be it, it is your tank. You did a fantastic job on it. I can't wait to see future tanks from you. Also on a side note my favorite critique is when someone say's that it is supposed to be pink piping on your tank commanders hat, well sorry but I didn't feel like driving seven miles to spend $4.00 on a bottle of paint that I am only going to use a little amount of, on my piece of crap heng long tank commander.

Cheers,
Wade

I'm stuck with the mobile phone for the moment (havent money for a new camera) but heres a couple of shots taken in daylight and I did my best to keep my hand steady ... (I'm not a good photographer).

I'm a bit miffed with the tracks actually. I had done them with some old rust and mud and stuff.

Then I bought a pigment from MIG called track black and I wasn't too impressed. It just made them kind of black . I had been expecting (based on the blurb on the website) something ...... better.

No matter...driving round is good for natural weathering.

And before anyone chips in.....I know TIgers didn't have foot long toggle switches sticking out of the side of them.

But this one does.

p

I like the chains. Where did you get those? Very scale looking.

Don

I did a search on ebay.co.uk for 1:16 scale chains and found a chap selling model boat gear. Lots of scale rope and chains. MOstly 1:15 but th edifferenceis minor.

p

Pictures from the first proper field trials of the TIger.

All was going well until it threw a track. And on that vein...... Im not exactly impressed with the Asiatam track tensioners. The screw gets in the way of the back panel if you try and stretch the track to the max.

Then again.....after 5 months Iam still unable to get th epins out of the links on the stock HL metal upgrade tracks. Otherwise Id whip out a link or two.

No matter....still pleased.

p

Is this the direction you're trying to remove the track pin? Try pushing by the front sprocket where the tracks are more secure. Your idler wheel looks pretty loose. Can you tighten it up any? I also CA'd the halves together. I don't have the Asiatam adjusters, but maybe they could be threaded and a bolt used to help them be tightened? I'm sure someone here has done something to help these adjusters. I used ball bearings in my idlers and they are very tight, no wobble at all.

Track pins should go in from the other side(inside to outside)

Hi chaps

Ive tried pushing them out with exactly that type of thumb tack thingy with no joy...... saying that, I can always try again!

The idler(s) is(are) a hassle. The bloody axles that came with the hull were way to long. Ihave half a dozen washers in there and its still loose. The two sides are (were) stuck with glue but they popped.

The big issue is that while Ican shove more washers in there....I am unsure if that leaves the idler positioned correctly?

Or am Igood to go once the inside edge of the idler is up against the suspension bar (you know what Imean Ihope)?

p

P,<div>Backing out the screw is loosening it, that may be the problem right there. Also, use a push pin tack. I find that works the best, same diameter as the track pin, has a good grip and short enough that there's no need to worry about bending. Flatten out the point too, although....whether there is a point or not...enough force and the right slip drives it through the finger anyway, lol.  </div>

*aherm*

I'm showing how to remove the pin. Pushing from the outside to inside.

Nice picture there googly! He he he......

Back to the tensioners....

On the model Ihave, backing out the screw (i.e turning it left)is tightening the track. Its visibly tighter when Iturn the screw left. If Iturn it right (i.e. drawing the metal bar it screws into towards the back of the tank), the track flops down onto the road wheels.

Turning left, it pushes the bar towards the forward of the tank. The problem is, there is a spring along the screw the idea of which is to push the bar towards the forwards. Eventually that gives up and teh screw starts coming out of the assembly and extending towards the back of the tank and into the rails that the back panel fits into.

Ican push the screw (ie. pushing the tensioner bar forwards)and get a very nice taut track but letting it go.....the tensioner bar just returns and the screw moves out again.

Im attaching a rough picture. When Iturn in the direction of the red arrows, the track slacks off as you can see in the inset. The screw pulls the torsion bar towards the framw (back of the tank) and the track loosens.

If Iturned against the red direction (anti clockwise in this picture) Iwould expect the torsioner bar to move in the direction of the blue arrow. And it does. Tightening the track.

The more Iturn however, the torsion bar eventually stops moving in the blue direction and instead, the screw moves in the black arrow direction out into the way of the back panel of the hull.

Which limits the whole thing in its usefulness.

In my mind the screw should be attached to the frame giving the torsion bar something to push against. As opposed to just pushing against what is a fairly weak spring. Itried replacing the spring, but its a murderously fiddly job and didnt work in the end.

Short of finding an appropriate nut and welding it to the frame ..... the torsioner is of very limited use indeed. And finding such a nut and doing such welding........its a nasty job.

All of which is compounded by my not being able to get a pin out to shorten the track. It also makes it very painful to do any work with the wheels. But Im willing to take a light hammer to that in the near future.

Adding that to problems in alignment of the gearboxes (a common problem), Iam totally unconvinced of the worth of metal hulls at all.

Ilike them....but they are a serious pain in the ass to get working right.

p

IC