Hello from Southampton

[Dr Phibes]

Hi All.
Just thought, as suggested, that I would introduce myself. I'm new to this forum of course and indeed new to RC tanks but, like many here it seems, not at all new to RC. Frankly I am a RC refugee from the 'air' support division on this hobby and this is my first venture into RC tank ownership. I come to you, however, not entirely empty handed as I do have extensive experience in other branches of RC stretching back more than four decades now. Most recently (last 10-12 years) I have been mainly a heli builder and flyer that, like many of us, took the leap into multirotor in the last few years. I have several running projects, not least of which is a search and rescue hex build (Tarot 680Pro based) I'm presently testing. I have very many CP helis and a number of other multirotors, including my most recent addition the latest Yuneec Q500 running dual gps and 4k camera.

So why am I here? Well a very long time ago, when I was a teenager and just getting into RC and model stuff generally, I saved my pennies and bought and built a Tamiya Tiger 1. Now this was, I think, a 1/24 or 1/25 scale (certainly not the 1/16 size that appears popular these days) remote controlled scale plastic tank. It was beautifully detailed, inside and out, and I absolutely loved it. You will notice that I said it was 'remote controlled' and not radio controlled perhaps? No, this is not a mistake, this Tamiya tank was remotely controlled from a handset that had wires running to the tank. The batteries were contained in the handset and powered the electric motors housed inside the reproduction engine! The torsion bar suspension was fully working and all plastic, as were the drive sprockets, which continually broke and had to be repaired many times. It was a brilliant kit, though, and I have always had fond memories of it (strangely, I can't remember what happened to it).

So, getting old and nostalgic, I had always promised myself that one day I would see if I could find that kit again. I set about searching high and low on tinternet and could not find that old Tamiya, but what I did find is you lot, a wonderful RC tank community, and some pretty amazing RC tanks! Well, I got more than a bit interested and started doing quite a lot of research and ended up thinking "I wouldn't mind one of these, but instead of a Tiger 1 how about doing something different to what I did all them years ago?" To cut a long, and probably familiar story, short I ended up not with a Tamiya but with a Torro Professional Edition Metal King Tiger (so perhaps not so very different after all)! However, as I wanted this as a hobby project I took the step of getting the unpainted version without the wooden box (which I didn't want anyway). I am now, then, on the verge of starting my first RC tank Build and, so, here I am (yes, yes I know it's already built at the factory but I intend breaking it down, modifying, accessorizing, and re-building, etc - like every else I suppose).

Anyway, that's me introduced. Bit long-winded I know, but that's because I'm an old wind bag, he he. I'm thinking I might do a bit of a build log as I progress as I have few ideas what I would like to do and which others might find interesting. Moreover, I'm hoping all you much more experienced RC tankers will be able to keep me on the right path!

[ALPHA]

DR. PHIBES?????????????????


Greetings

ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Dr. Phibes,
Welcome to the Forum and large scale RC tanks. You are certainly at the right place. Pictures of your Torro when it arrives, please. We like to chat and kick the virtual road wheels around here.
regards,
Painless Wolf

[Dr Phibes]

Thanks guys, Alpha that's amazing, the pic of Dr Phibes you posted is the very one I use on all my forum avatars, I just hadn't got around to uploading it yet. The Dr Phibes handle comes from being a long time fan of Hammer Horror and Vincent Price (and a slight nod to my own profession).

I have the Torro already, just getting all the bits and pieces together at the moment - Hobbyking 5000mh NiMh battery turned up today - takes a bit of thinking about NiMh batteries as Iv'e been working with Lipo almost exclusively for quite a few years now.

[jarndice]

IL Dottore, Welcome to the Forum,
I smiled when you said you were used to LI-POs because a lot of us have been using them for some years in our tanks,
The only problem I have with them is trying to fit them into the available battery area,
But I have found I can get a 5000mAh hard case LI-PO into a Tiger 1 by turning it on its side and readjusting the position of the Battery strap.
I hope you enjoy this place, we do.
shaun

[jackalope]

Hello and welcome!

[Dr Phibes]

IL Dottore, Welcome to the Forum,
I smiled when you said you were used to LI-POs because a lot of us have been using them for some years in our tanks,
The only problem I have with them is trying to fit them into the available battery area,
But I have found I can get a 5000mAh hard case LI-PO into a Tiger 1 by turning it on its side and readjusting the position of the Battery strap.
I hope you enjoy this place, we do.
shaun

Thanks folks for the welcome. For sure, I certainly didn't mean to suggest you guys are not familiar with lipos (apologies if it looked like that) From what I have seen on the forums, etc, it's pretty clear that a lot of RC tankers use them.
Rather I was just pointing to my own limitations really - I know my way around lipo, understand the technology, and have all my equipment set up to deal with these of course. I have a lot of lipos too, big and small, but just as you say none really fit well into the space. Also most of my larger capacity are 3 - 6S. I have a few 2s, which will drop straight in the Torro, but they are relatively low capacity (1500ma - 2400ma) so I wasn't gaining much. I could of course have bought a larger capacity 2s (the Torro came with a 2000ma NiMh) but, at the time I ordered the extra battery, I though there might be technical reasons for sticking with NiMh - as I say, I'm a little in the dark with these (it also saved me messing with connecters as most of my lipos are XT60).

[jarndice]

Doc Hi, I wasn't having a go at you, rather I was letting you know we are just catching up with technology . If you want your batteries with a different connector I suggest you go on E-BAY and check out "JG-MODELSPORT"
If you buy from them, tell them what connector you want and they will fit it at no extra cost and all orders are post free.
Shaun

[ALPHA]

Thanks guys, Alpha that's amazing, the pic of Dr Phibes you posted is the very one I use on all my forum avatars, I just hadn't got around to uploading it yet. The Dr Phibes handle comes from being a long time fan of Hammer Horror and Vincent Price (and a slight nod to my own profession).

I have the Torro already, just getting all the bits and pieces together at the moment - Hobbyking 5000mh NiMh battery turned up today - takes a bit of thinking about NiMh batteries as Iv'e been working with Lipo almost exclusively for quite a few years now.

Saw your board name and the movie popped into mind...one of my all time favorites in that genre...you never knew if he was really the bad guy ..or the good guy looking for retribution...great production!...Hot babes! ...Muldavia ......some good stuff there

Again..Greetings and Welcome to the board


ALPHA

[Max-U52]

Hey Doc, here's a little welcome from across the globe.

I'm pretty new here myself, but I'm not exactly new to rc tanks (even though I still feel like a complete rookie). Your prior RC experience will serve you well here, and the Torro KT should make a good first tank. I'm sure your past experience tells you that it won't be your last. I just got the Imex/Torro Jagdtiger and so far it's a real beauty. I'm putting proper electronics in her today in the form of an IBU2 and a proper 6 channel TX. I also have these delusions of using an airsoft unit from a Sturmtiger to give her traverse. We'll have to see how that goes, but I'm sure it will be interesting.

So far this forum has been really great, and I see no reason to expect that to change. It seems like most of the members here are in the UK, so you'd think a guy that's not only a Yank, but a first generation German-American would be shot on sight, but the guys here have really been great and they've made me feel right at home. I knew I was in the right place when I saw how many guys on here really appreciate a good bucket.

So welcome aboard from a fellow new forum member, we're gonna have a lot of fun.