Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Just like my motherland's desire to make her armed forces up to date , so too is my desire to modernize this lovely kit the predates my existence on this earth.

I got this kit while I was painting my Tamiya JP. Took a break & decided to see what's new on Ebay, fought for it[:@] since I now knew it was the very first 1 16 tank kit I gaze my eyes upon as a kid.[X(]

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

When it arrived at my doorstep while I was still painting my JP. I opened the hull & wow[X(][X(][X(]

Smells like fermented nicotine[:'(] I let it air out for 48 hours Stripped her of the original gearbox & electronics then added rubber fenders on it

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

After-wards, I begin contemplating on how to put a turret rotation unit. A week later, "oh, what the hell...might as well"

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

I intend to make the turret turn 360 degrees for this Leo. Today, I just finished putting the elevation unit for the gun & the filing on the turret gear. As I am still waiting for the suspension arms which I sent to AFV-Model for a custom job to arrive as well as new gearboxes and rubber for the road wheels which are in a sorry condition when I got the tank

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Very Nice, I love the Leo 1 and 2, Wish one of the companys (HL or Mato) would release a Leopard and then some other cold war tanks :D
Jonathan

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

We have all been pretty much asking for the same thing plus some British WWII armor. HL and Tamiya just dont care too listen to any of us. They just keep making German armor, over and over and over.

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

My gearboxes & the modified suspension arms finally arrived & just barely finished installing them. Funds are dry right now but it will be running EL MOD

A side by side comparison of their sizes. I apologize for the low pic quality, just want to get it NOW:D

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

another shot

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

I got my Heng Long rotation gear and rotation box today. Do you have any more pictures on how the turret and the upper hull attach together?

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Hold on, you're on a good timing my leo is in shambles right now. I am contemplating on putting running headlights

To summarize, I just did the good old eye-balling technique. Since It did once had a turret rotation system but I wanted a 360 turret so I used to tangle free phone cord extension gadget but I have gun elevation and running searchlights to patrol the garden where my other tanks can't go

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

I covered the hole on the lower turret so I could mount the turret gear

I should've done this with my porsche KT as well. It's under the mercy of gravity so if the tank flips...crap

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Nice, I believe I got the idea now.  Thanks for the quick response!

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Oh no, I just found a big problem.  As I was looking at my tank and the turret rotation gear I noticed that the arm and servo that controls the steering is in the way of the rotation gear that needs to extend below the bottom of the plastic body.

Looking again at the pictures in this post I noticed you have a two motor set-up and have no servo / arm right below the hole, so there is no conflict there for you.

Has anybody used a henglong rotation gear in a stock Leo A4 / Gepard?  If so does anybody have any mounting methods that will not see the rotation gear and the steering assembly bang into each other?

Thanks!

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

How about mounting the servo inside the turret? Put a brace on the upper hull so the whole turret will spin

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

I think you mean putting the Heng Long turrent motor box in the turret?  This looks to have promis. 

I am going to epoxy the crap out of it and see what happens :)

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Ihave sucessfully added turret rotation to my Gepard, YEAH!

I placed the turret ring and gear rotation box inside the Gepards turret, then Iused a servo board wired to the Heng Long gear rotation box for control.

Ican now use the same method on my 1A4.

Thnaks for all the advice.

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Guys...

I'd chime in here, as I'd started updating/restoring my pair of 1A4's (one will become a Canadian C1) by replacing those horrid mega-piece ones woth a 'stretched' set from the Tamiya Pershing. Sherman links won't work, the guide teeth are too big (as I've said before)

But all my RC work is currently halted, as I tend to come home after driving my idjit nephew all day rather beat/ Why beat? For someone with a knackered immune system, most of my gut gone, nasty arthritis and a buggered L3 (lower back), ANY 9-to-5 job is hard. So until his-nibs gets his license back, I'm down to just verbal advice as it is.

I hope to start back around January (2011) barring all else, and hope at that point to have a laptop to maintain contact when hospitalised (which seems to be every 6 months lately...)

Don't count me out yet though, and I'll make sure my dad knows where to post my gear if I croak...

WhiteWolf

PS: Sighted another Tamiya tank in the movies... (last was the butchered Tiger in 'Small Soldiers'; for the 'steamer-radar' unit) This one is in Tremors #2, when Bert Gummer joins the guys in Mexico, and uses a Leo 1A4 to carry his C4 instead of the R/C trucks. Luckily, ya don't see it get munched... it just travels off-screen, then ya hear the munch and see a cloud of dust. I could try to screen-cap it if anyone asks.

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

@ Whitewolf McBride Please do post them screen caps. I watch the tremors 2 a while back but I never noticed the Leo A4.

@Tamiyatanks please do post pics of how you wire the servo board on the HL turret gearbox. My thoughts on my earlier post about the mounted servo is literally just mount it. No need for the turret ring the servo arms will be on a permanent support frame fabricated on the lower hull.

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Here they are...

Just about timer mark 41 minutes, just after Bert leaves the guys with MRE's (and Earl eats the toilet paper...)

Bert drives the tank about on a berm beside the road in the tall grass, it then cuts to him narrating a video of it, then back to the tank driving toward the camera out of frame, and a puff of dust as its swallowed... and he blows it up, and he notes that 4 lbs of C4 is a ~bit~ too much...

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Sweet!! I was just watching it on YouTube right now:D
And also, take it easy for now..

RE: Leo A4 Modenization Program
 

Thanks Mizuino...

I'm trying... and his-nibs is on VERY thin ice. He's been warned of certain conditions, and if he looses a driver, he looses his job (salesman for a company, the bus is too slow, and taxi's ain't cheap (as his uncle/godfather, I only asked $20/day, gas & maintenance costs) I'm looking forward to the day he either: f*cks up & gets canned; defaults so I quit; or gets his license (late Jan 2011)

I'm looking forward to being full-time retired again, and only worrying about family gatherings and medical appoints.

Will let y'all know when I'm 'liberated'... and can get back to my tanks and other R/C bits.

WhiteWolf