ZTZ-99A just back from Russian Tank Biathlon!

[dgsselkirk]

Hi Guys,

Well, I finally got around to weathering up my ZTZ. As everyone knows pictures and information on the ZTZ is pretty tightly controlled by China. You rarely see a pic of a dirty ZTZ. Most of the official shots show the tanks as if they just went through the carwash! I, as always, like to be different. So I chose to make mine look like it would apeear after 2 weeks of hard banging and put away wet. Note, there is no rust just lots of dirty...

This is a very special ZTZ. It has my patented resin filled lower hull with magnet hold downs, steel gearboxes, 480 motors, metal tracks, sprockets, idlers, Clark board, servo recoil, TARR smoker with MegaSteam of course, A laser pointer for painting targets, coaxil LED machinegun that actually elevates with the main gun, and last but not least an FPV camera beside the IR emitter for my 7" LCD radio mounted viewer. The camera runs off it's own battery and I use a lipo to run everything else since there is a lot of draw with everything else running!

Taking it to our TET battleday and will do some action pics and video and show more detail on the FPV system. After this battleday she goes up for sale. More projects to finance in the works!

Not the greatest camera or photographer but here are some pics.

ZTZ99A 1.JPG (42.3 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

ZTZ99A 2.JPG (34.85 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

ZTZ99A 3.JPG (41.48 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

ZTZ99A 5.JPG (46.52 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

ZTZ99A 6.JPG (45.27 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

ZTZ99A 7.JPG (28.28 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

[spongehoobtank82]

That's a sweet looking ztz dude!

[SCHWEREPANZER]

Don't know about the camera, but might agree with the builder on the subject of photographic skills. And, no armor by this builder would be complete without his time-tested and thoroughly vetted magnet applications! LOL. ALL IN FUN HERE. But, one heck of a technology-filled and great looking "bit of kit" (as I've come to learn the expression). Great looking AFV.

[MichaelC]

Very nice..........

[greengiant]

The weathering sure makes it look much better. Good job.

[dgsselkirk]

Thanks Guys, yes, out of the box these tanks are quite "bright" shall we say...
Now posted in the For Sale section as well...

[Max-U52]

Dean, that looks absolutely fantastic. Great job. I have one of those, and you've really opened some doors.

And the FPV for targeting! I was just talking to Erik this afternoon about trying a system like that. Do you think it raises the percentage of successful hits? What type of camera did you use? This is one of those tanks that's tempting to buy just to see what you used and how you did it!! Do you have a build thread? I hope! What TX are you using?

[MichaelC]

Max,

The camera and the transmitter is the FPV set from Walkera QR-X400 quad, DV04 camera and TX5803 5.8Ghz transmitter. Dean has it mated to a Boscam 7" screen. I have couple of screens as well and also the DevoF4 with the Built-in LCD on the radio. In theory it will work with most of the 5.8Ghz FPV set-up. The laser is your run of the mill laser pointer powered thru the AUX power on the Clark board. The location of the laser is in the actual laser counter measure housing. The targeting system housing actually has the camera and the IR emitter.

[dgsselkirk]

Honestly it is pretty easy to set up. I am using a Turnigy 9X. I think once you get used to it yes, it may help a little bit but what a few of us are planning is a completely different way of batting. Imagine if you will an outdoor field you have done recon on the field and know your start point. Now you sit with your back to the field with a map on your leg and your radio in hand and your battle begins. Now, you could do a regular IR battle ORRRRR you have 10 marking BB's in your turret and that's it. 10 rounds to make it count but driving and shooting only by your camera! Now you can begin to sweat. You will need your head/turret/camera on a swivel! The umpire has eyeballs on the field and a monitor in his hand so he can switch monitoring from tank to tank....

Sound interesting???