1/16 RC Sd.Kfz. 234/2 Puma armored car - lmcq11 build
Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2021 7:56 pm
Hi, my turn to build the Puma.
As i am waiting for parts for the GTK Boxer build, i will slowly start this one.
The Sd.Kfz. 234 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234) was a family of German WW2 armoured cars. Coming in 4 main versions, the vehicles were lightly armoured, armed with a 20, 50 or 75 mm main gun. This is the 234/2 Puma with the 50mm turreted gun.
This is the Metal Origin kit inaugurating my brand new retirement verandah modelling workbench. A modeller's paradise with sunlight for my eyes and summer breeze for my lungs. The kit is the special edition with metal ball bearings and servo holder (mandatory). At 378 eu for me in Canada (no VAT) from RC-Panzer-shop.de with 25 eu shipping, the basic kit is a good deal considering the metal components. I plan on providing my own solution for control board, rotation, recoil, etc.
I have browsed through a few builds of this model on the web. I have rarely seen a kit generating so much negative emotions, with builds sometime taking years, totally redesigned or being abandoned. I have no wish to replicate any of the stuff i have seen so i will build it my way. At this point, the plan is to build it strait from the box using Metal Origin parts and avoid any pitfall. This vehicle is to drive around, not a crawler for mountain climbing.
The instructions are good and assembly goes fast.
This is the dreaded Metal Origin custom gearbox. Of course, steel gears would be better. I somehow do not find it too bad myself. It should do the job with careful assembly and use. The availability of spare parts is my main concern for the future.
The gears are pretty loose, with makes it simpler for the builder. The very tight gears that i am using on the GTK build required a lot more attention and more tricky to fine tune.
Everything is falling in place. I was honestly expecting a lot more trouble. All good so far. I think the newer versions of this kit are likely better than the first ones.
The seller at rc-panzer-shop.de made me buy this optional set of upgraded swing arms (left), telling me that these are required unless i build a static kit. To my surprise, the kit contains pretty good basic drive shafts (right) that are regular dog bones with drive cups that would have done the job with some grinding and filing.
We'll see if these cardan joints are worth the 81 Euro (Vat free) I paid for them. In any cases, i now have a set of spare shafts. They are interchangeable.
I have seen a few pitfalls to avoid.
First, this plastic part can be put upside down. The side matching the ball is actually the smaller one. If put on the wrong side like I initially did, the steering is quite hard, while quite loose if correctly put.
The ball bearing needs to be hammered fully into place at the bottom of the arm. Careful not to destroy the bearing in the process.
continuing on following post
As i am waiting for parts for the GTK Boxer build, i will slowly start this one.
The Sd.Kfz. 234 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 234) was a family of German WW2 armoured cars. Coming in 4 main versions, the vehicles were lightly armoured, armed with a 20, 50 or 75 mm main gun. This is the 234/2 Puma with the 50mm turreted gun.
This is the Metal Origin kit inaugurating my brand new retirement verandah modelling workbench. A modeller's paradise with sunlight for my eyes and summer breeze for my lungs. The kit is the special edition with metal ball bearings and servo holder (mandatory). At 378 eu for me in Canada (no VAT) from RC-Panzer-shop.de with 25 eu shipping, the basic kit is a good deal considering the metal components. I plan on providing my own solution for control board, rotation, recoil, etc.
I have browsed through a few builds of this model on the web. I have rarely seen a kit generating so much negative emotions, with builds sometime taking years, totally redesigned or being abandoned. I have no wish to replicate any of the stuff i have seen so i will build it my way. At this point, the plan is to build it strait from the box using Metal Origin parts and avoid any pitfall. This vehicle is to drive around, not a crawler for mountain climbing.
The instructions are good and assembly goes fast.
This is the dreaded Metal Origin custom gearbox. Of course, steel gears would be better. I somehow do not find it too bad myself. It should do the job with careful assembly and use. The availability of spare parts is my main concern for the future.
The gears are pretty loose, with makes it simpler for the builder. The very tight gears that i am using on the GTK build required a lot more attention and more tricky to fine tune.
Everything is falling in place. I was honestly expecting a lot more trouble. All good so far. I think the newer versions of this kit are likely better than the first ones.
The seller at rc-panzer-shop.de made me buy this optional set of upgraded swing arms (left), telling me that these are required unless i build a static kit. To my surprise, the kit contains pretty good basic drive shafts (right) that are regular dog bones with drive cups that would have done the job with some grinding and filing.
We'll see if these cardan joints are worth the 81 Euro (Vat free) I paid for them. In any cases, i now have a set of spare shafts. They are interchangeable.
I have seen a few pitfalls to avoid.
First, this plastic part can be put upside down. The side matching the ball is actually the smaller one. If put on the wrong side like I initially did, the steering is quite hard, while quite loose if correctly put.
The ball bearing needs to be hammered fully into place at the bottom of the arm. Careful not to destroy the bearing in the process.
continuing on following post