Taigen History

[ALPHA]

HMMMMMMMMMMMM...This is almost like reading about UFOs

ALPHA

[KTRob]

I have an old Taigen, it uses an RX18 and as you can see in the pic has the barrel moulded in recoil position.



Its a very good runner though and I decided to leave it as is rather than repaint.

[jtracks]

I have an old Taigen, it uses an RX18 and as you can see in the pic has the barrel moulded in recoil position.



Its a very good runner though and I decided to leave it as is rather than repaint.

That's a nice looking Tiger KTRob. I'm finding a link between the older Taigen and Heng Long. There is a sticker on the bottom of my oldest Taigen Panzer IV that reads Taigen. When I removed it, the words Heng Long was embossed on the lower hull. Thanks for your reply.

Joe

[wibblywobbly]

I am pretty certain that the original Taigens were just HL tanks that were fitted with the aftermarket metal bits and pieces, plus a paint job. As time went by they installed better gearboxes, made the tanks to a higher quality, and then moved on to metal hulls etc.

As Taigen came into being after HL had introduced the RX18 they used that as the power source, the original Taigens were the same as HL, and had the crystal sets, but have now switched to their own interpretation of 2.4ghz. As they are using modified RX18's and transmitters the RC setup can't be the usual RC setup, so it is an ad-hoc version that works solely with their 2.4ghx RX18, and transmitter.

Likewise the IR system that they use is unique to their tanks as far as I know (happy to be corrected if it isn't).

I recall seeing pics from the Taigen 'factory' a couple of years ago, it made me chuckle, there were literally piles of HL tanks stacked up in pyramids on a Chinese warehouse floor, which were either awaiting modification, or already had been. They do seem to have identified a niche market, it would cost a lot more to buy an HL and fit the metal bits than it does to buy a Taigen, and if you throw the cost of an airbrush and compressor into the mix, it's cheaper still.

Mato went the slightly more sensible route in my opinion and did a deal to fit Clark boards, which give full sound, standard IR, standard 2.4ghz, and all of the programmable functionality that a Clark board offers.

RobG

[PainlessWolf]

W.W.,
When I rebuilt 'In The Mood' which is an original Mato M4A176(W), I put a Mato 2.4GHz set in it. Are you saying that the new open board in that tank is a Clark? Here is a photo to show the installed MFU.
regards,
Painless

[jtracks]

I am pretty certain that the original Taigens were just HL tanks that were fitted with the aftermarket metal bits and pieces, plus a paint job. As time went by they installed better gearboxes, made the tanks to a higher quality, and then moved on to metal hulls etc.

As Taigen came into being after HL had introduced the RX18 they used that as the power source, the original Taigens were the same as HL, and had the crystal sets, but have now switched to their own interpretation of 2.4ghz. As they are using modified RX18's and transmitters the RC setup can't be the usual RC setup, so it is an ad-hoc version that works solely with their 2.4ghx RX18, and transmitter.

Likewise the IR system that they use is unique to their tanks as far as I know (happy to be corrected if it isn't).

I recall seeing pics from the Taigen 'factory' a couple of years ago, it made me chuckle, there were literally piles of HL tanks stacked up in pyramids on a Chinese warehouse floor, which were either awaiting modification, or already had been. They do seem to have identified a niche market, it would cost a lot more to buy an HL and fit the metal bits than it does to buy a Taigen, and if you throw the cost of an airbrush and compressor into the mix, it's cheaper still.

Mato went the slightly more sensible route in my opinion and did a deal to fit Clark boards, which give full sound, standard IR, standard 2.4ghz, and all of the programmable functionality that a Clark board offers.

RobG

Hi Rob, I would have liked to have seen those photo's you speak of. As far as the Taigen IR goes, you're right. I have a 1/24 vs tank Tiger, the Taigen tank will receive a hit from it but not give one back.

Joe

[jtracks]

W.W.,
When I rebuilt 'In The Mood' which is an original Mato M4A176(W), I put a Mato 2.4GHz set in it. Are you saying that the new open board in that tank is a Clark? Here is a photo to show the installed MFU.
regards,
Painless

Good morning Painless,
I was reading a post on another forum board about Mato's new all metal Sherman. Reading between the lines, I think the option to have their Sherman RTR with the Clark board installed is a new offering from them. I haven't seen that option in the past. However, considering my noob status, I could be completely off base here.

Joe

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning, Joe,
I think that you are correct. I didn't see a lot of extra functionality with the old or new board in that Mato Sherman. I couldn't even add a smoker without some soldering that I could see. Which I thought was kinda weird as the lower hull had the cutouts for the On\Off smoker switch and screw slots to mount one.
regards,
Painless

[jackalope]

My Taigen King Tiger has a Heng Long brand stamp underneath the upper hull and the original lower looked just like my Heng Long Tiger. For people in the U.S. I'm thinking It's like the Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Trans Am. The Chevy is your basic H/L and the Taigen is the slightly up scale version. But when you get down to it they're both GM.

[PainlessWolf]

Jack,
I completely agree. Now lately, with Taigen being in bed with Asiatam\Torro, I expect that their new tanks like the T-34 and the Sherman will have lots more in common with the German parts manufacturers than HL. If you buy one of their 'Pro' versions, you will still be getting the upgraded HL version like the Walker Bulldog and the Pz IV and StuG.
regards,
Painless