Mato Metal stug
 

They are in for those who are interested. I have had mine in the mail for a few days so hopefully it shows up by the weekend

[link=http://www.matomart.com/prodview.php?p=1309]Mato Metal Stug[/link]


Next up................Sherman

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

I am jealous!!!:D I will have to start saving up to get one of these as it is my favorite Assualt Gun/Tank Destroyer.[8D]

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

They are a little expensive but they come with
3:1 gears
Metal everything
Torsion bar suspension

If you take a plastic tank and the metal bits and a set of gears you are almost at this price.

The Big disadvantage I see is that modifying a metal tank will be much harder. However I like this stug in its current state, all the hatches are opening. I don't see much to mod on this so it is a good metal candidate for me.

The 75mm metal Sherman will be too.:D

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

Are there any large pictures of the Stug? I can't get the thumbnails on Mato to expand.

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

Are you ordering yours with the electronics? If so, how much more is it? Do these come painted or will you have to take it apart to paint it yourself?

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

They come without electronics or paint.

I will be adding a RX18, DBC3 and the Benedini for sound. I will use a HK T6A radio and reciever, with servo elevation control for the cannon bypassing the cycling cam that HL is famous for. I will try and get some cannon traverse as well. I scavenged a gimble out of an old HL radio for this project.

These electronics will add $269 to the cost of the tank

As far as paint goes. This may stay in in its natural metal color, just because, for awhile anyway. Once the novelty wears off, it will probably get a tricolor scheme.

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

http://www.matotoys.com/uploadfile/bigPic/1226-1.jpg

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

Out of interest and because I still have some metal things to paint...would you use an etch primer or just some acrylic primer?How is adhesion of normal primers?p

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

I would most likely use a spray can autobody primer. On top of that I would apply the Acrylic paints with an airbrush.

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

What a beautiful piece.
Did you say the Sherman, which one the Mato???

I think that the secret with the primering is to clean very well the surface before to apply it.

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

Rumor is a big hatch welded hull Sherman with a 75mm cannon, but you know what rumors are like:D

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

Thanks :-)

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

Thats going to be very cool.  Any idea how much this thing will weigh Dan?

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

I'll let you know when it gets here.

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

The all metal Panzer III had most of the HL panzer III defects corrected (return wheel position, hatches, gun barrel, etc.). The stug needed fewer corrections. It is appreciable that they didn't go the fast way just casting in metal what already existed in plastic, but re-engineered the product and made it better.

RE: Mato Metal stug
 

Yes. I think they learned from the Tiger. IF you are going to spend the time and money doing these up in metal, you might as well do them right. I like that they have gone to the torsion bar suspension as well.

Mato is trying very hard to become recognized as more then just an online retailer. For me, these metal tanks are my new interest. They are being sold without electronics, which allows the purchaser their choice of what way to go.

The stug is a winner in my books as is the Sherman. I really think that if they did a Valentine(difficult) or even a Cromwell ( not so difficult) in metal they would have a sales hit.

I worry about the sales of the metal tanks not meeting their expectations, and they give up on the idea. However if sales are slow( I have no actual idea if this is the case) part of this could be because we all have plastic version of these tanks already. If Mato produced a metal version of a tank that wasn't yet produced at this price point, I think they would have a runaway hit.

Cheers

I agree Dan,

I see why they would want to test this with a proven design, but I don't see this one taking off for the simple reason you mention, a lot of modelers have the StuG already. Personally, I don't see the need for all metal past the lower, but I like to alter these thing extensively, so metal works against that. But at the $600 price point, with the need to drop another $200-300 into it to run, you're in Tamiya's territory, so unless you come out with something they don't offer (like the StuG), you're fighting a tough battle.

I guess my question is why wouldn't an all metal tank with Torsion bar suspension be worth as much as a Tamiya? So in my opinion the price point is fine. Consider the new Tamiya IS2 is in the $1,100 range.

A much different market then a $149.00 Heng long, but lets remember these all metal tanks are just that. Metal wheels, suspension, rubber tires, idler adjusters, Steel gears, metal tracks. You buy a HL plastic tank and just add the metal bits I mentioned and you may exceed this price point, and you won't have torsion bar suspension.


I think very soon we will be seeing tanks in metal not offered in plastic, so I think your comment is well understood as well.


Cheers

Dan do you have your's yet?

Yes I have mine. I posted a thread over RCtank Regiment as this forum was down. I will try adding some pictures.

Mato metal Stug
 

Here are some pictures

Here is a video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYhK7PKrMZo

Nice. That is quite loud also, but great sound out of it.

Herman

Very nice indeed.

Thanks guys.

I have since pulled the gear box out and got it running much quieter by spacing the gears in each gearbox very slightly as they were touching causing some unnecessary noise. . I also tweaked the sound file and made the engine louder when it is running at speed.

I'll post a new video later showing the results from these changes.

Cheers