MATORRO JAGDTIGER CONVERSION

[jackalope]

Very glad to help Mr.Herman.

[HERMAN BIX]

A funny thing happened to me when....................

You've all heard that opening line, with the unlikely consequences eh.........

"Can you please make some space in MY wardrobe shelves for some stuff I need to store for the rugby club"
"Your tank bits-the left over stuff that you are hoarding for no reason, cant you put them in one box ?- you'll never use them"

So, I'm in her walk-in wardrobe sorting my stuff into a smaller space and 'shove a candle in me ass & call me a birthday cake' I found a set of steel gear boxes(correct shafts) and a set of steel wheels that I forgot I had, along with a pair of high-torque motors

Talk about hit the jackpot ...................well, not really since I was dumb enough to forget them in the first place, but a woo-hoo moment never the less.
The wheels were experimental Panther Zu Fuss running gear(Tiger 1 late worked better) and the gearboxes were for something else but as they had long shafts when I needed shorts went on the shelf as rainy day spares.
The motors I cant even remember why I got those !
All thats missing from the wheels is a long hub centre, which I can use a plastic one for if I cant get a single steel one.

I would absolutely gone & ordered them if it weren't for some assertive demands from Mrs B to clean out her turf !!
Forgot cold that I had them
I also dragged out the brand new plastic king tiger tracks as I can use them to get things tested & aligned, plus count the links and then order the steel tracks with spare links as required.

Been a good night, even if I haven't made any build progress

[PainlessWolf]

Herman,
Those "Oh Wow" moments are the best sometimes! Good on you for finding those parts. ;o)
regards,
Painless

[jackalope]

Those motors in the gearboxes I gave you are the new really good ones.

[HERMAN BIX]

Got new axles for the idlers.
As the tensioner was slightly wider than the plastic moulded ones (plastic at 140mm o/A and the tensioners 143mm o/A) plus the reduced diameter of the stock axles being 3mm where the holes in the new tensioner hubs are 4mm, needed to make new axles.
Went to the bolt shop & got M4 cap head bolts(grade 8 HT) with sufficient plain shank to allow the thread to be cut off & the remaining shank fit into the new tensioner hub perfectly.
The stock idlers have 2.5mm spacers inside over the axles and I had 3mm to much over all across the new set up.
So a simple addition of a 0.5mm flat washer on each side will be fine to reinstate the idlers into position on the new mounts.

I will fit the suspension arms & clock the first & last springs.
All the roadwheels, lower hull and inside lower hull are now red oxide, and thats going to be the base colour.
I feel it valid enough to run with a Kubinka-esque pattern which I believe, along with the period picture I already posted, used Dunklegelb and Olivegrun over the oxide base.
I would really appreciate any input or even debate on this as it is a lingering enigma surrounding these last-gasp tanks that has never been put to rest.

My sprockets are arriving soon, the tracks will be ordered once I test the plastic set and count the required links.
I am really wanting to have this as my first elmod tank, as its just the right thing to do.
But as I am worthless at electronics, I may just run with Gen III 2.4 Gig............

[HERMAN BIX]

Here is another good picture of a Jagdtiger that to my eye shows a seamless transition from the primer under-guard line up the hull.
The only other thing it could be is green base, but somehow I doubt it.

[jackalope]

Slightly different shade of gray would seem to me that the primer used was a different color then that of the dark color of the camo. I'm with you on this one Herman I'm going with red oxide primer on my Jagdtiger.

I have all IBU'S for my after market electronics but again I'm with you, I want to try an Elmod but then I also want to try an ASP2. My Jagdtiger runs an IBU3 that I'm just waiting on right now. My M36 will get an ASP2 to try, I lost out on the pre-order having waited 2 months and paying my credit cards intrest on thin air I got a refund just as they arrived! Would have been nice to have been told they were in route but what can you do.

[HERMAN BIX]

I have a long way to go before the electronics are a priority. Really just planning the internal set up to reflect the control system is key at the moment.
I'm going to cut the upper hull soon

[HERMAN BIX]

Thanks to Mr Sassgrunt from Hawaii I am now a proud father to a Kubinka style tow hitch
It only needed a minor sanding off the outer edges and it will go straight on.
Only thing I have to do is remove the metal bolt heads off the shrouds & fit the hitch, then place new bolt heads onto it.
I think carefully recovered plastic bolts from the stock shrouds will do for that.
Assuming I cant get proper bolts, that will do.

[HERMAN BIX]

Its on. The tow hitch is secured.
Got a diamond cutter on my dremmel and mowed the cast nuts off the metal shrouds.
Finished with a file.
Pilot drilled one hole where I thought it needed to go and checked the hitch.
Drilled the bolt hole to 1.8mm and secured the hitch to the back plate.
I found some 1.8mm bolts & nuts in my spares box, again, no idea why I even have them
Once on, used the hitch as a live template to drill all the other holes.
Filed off the burrs & on it went.
Backed the bolt heads with washers to spread the tension on the inside of the plate & I reckon that thing will pull Jesus off the cross

Thanks again Mr Sassgrunt...............I love it and its miles better than a made up one.
All thats left on it is to secure the pin & chain.