Have just fitted two Mtroniks 15amp marine speed controls to my Heng Long Sherman. I used the futaba transmitter's elevon mix function and the difference in control is remarkable. The tank can now move forward at an absolute crawl and will accelerate smoothly up to flat out. Never have been very keen on the RX18 unit and am glad to do away with it. It really is a huge difference.
Tomorrow I am going to make a simple monostable timer circuit using a 555 timer chip to control muzzle flash and gun 'bang' sound. A small speed control controls turret rotation and gun elevation is by servo control. Lights are controlled by a relay circuit. I don't need an IR battle circuit so the IR functions will not be missed. Basically the tank will have two independant sound systems - one for engine and one for weapons.
Power is supplied by a 2s 5800mah lipo battery with a separate power supply to the reciever. The speed controls are running opto isolated.
Heng Long Sherman speed control
Heng Long Sherman speed control
Last edited by cupoftea on Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Heng Long Sherman speed control
hi old chap
this is all above my ability it takes me all my time to do what I do badly ,badly .may be the laughing stock of the forum ?
sounds very tecno ,photo,s
wot wot
this is all above my ability it takes me all my time to do what I do badly ,badly .may be the laughing stock of the forum ?
sounds very tecno ,photo,s

Re: Heng Long Sherman speed control
Hi Cannedheat
I will tidy up the wiring and get some photos taken when it looks a little less like a squirrels nest! Must admit i was very pleased with the improvement in control both in terms of tank motion and turret rotation control. It is a very easy conversion with the possible exception of the gun flash and sound which require a little knowledge of making electrical circuits but if an old fool like myself can do it then probably just about anyone can. Basically as far as the tank motion control goes you just plug speed controllers into channels 1 and 2, enable the transmitter's 'elevon' mix and that's about it. Using multiple speed controllers means that you cannot use the speed controller's battery elimination circuit to power the radio so you just remove the red wire from the plug of the lead that goes from the controller to the reciever (opto-isolation) and then provide a seperate power supply for the radio (a battery eliminator circuit or use a nimh reciever pack) and you should be all set.
I will tidy up the wiring and get some photos taken when it looks a little less like a squirrels nest! Must admit i was very pleased with the improvement in control both in terms of tank motion and turret rotation control. It is a very easy conversion with the possible exception of the gun flash and sound which require a little knowledge of making electrical circuits but if an old fool like myself can do it then probably just about anyone can. Basically as far as the tank motion control goes you just plug speed controllers into channels 1 and 2, enable the transmitter's 'elevon' mix and that's about it. Using multiple speed controllers means that you cannot use the speed controller's battery elimination circuit to power the radio so you just remove the red wire from the plug of the lead that goes from the controller to the reciever (opto-isolation) and then provide a seperate power supply for the radio (a battery eliminator circuit or use a nimh reciever pack) and you should be all set.
Re: Heng Long Sherman speed control
Here is a picture of the Sherman.
The blue card between the speaker and the speed controlers is the weapon sound card. The device at the side of the soundcard is a lipo low voltage warning buzzer, the radio nimh battery is under the speaker platform. The wiring is not yet tidy - appologies for that. The turret speed control is between the battery box and the side of the tank.

The blue card between the speaker and the speed controlers is the weapon sound card. The device at the side of the soundcard is a lipo low voltage warning buzzer, the radio nimh battery is under the speaker platform. The wiring is not yet tidy - appologies for that. The turret speed control is between the battery box and the side of the tank.
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Re: Heng Long Sherman speed control
This package looks really good......I think that it might be time to look at buying an aftermarket Transmitter / receiver package...
.....Things really seem to be 'Moving On' in the Electronics world but the mainstream manufacturers just seem to be standing still or moving forward at a snails pace....

.....Things really seem to be 'Moving On' in the Electronics world but the mainstream manufacturers just seem to be standing still or moving forward at a snails pace....
Never Forget......
The Propaganda of the Victors....... becomes the History of the Vanquished
The Propaganda of the Victors....... becomes the History of the Vanquished
Re: Heng Long Sherman speed control
are you sure that's a Sherman[1/16] with all that packed in old chap? plenty of room for turret to turn ?
Re: Heng Long Sherman speed control
Yep - it is a Heng Long 1/16 sherman. The turret turns just fine and is now proportional so I have excellent control over turret rotation speed. It looks a little neater now that I have shortened the wires. Am working on the sound system now.