M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

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lmcq11
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M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

Hi,

Presenting my new project, something a bit more main stream and simpler, the rebuilding of a Heng Long M-41A3 Walker Bulldog in ARVN markings. We all know the model is full of flaws, and fixing a lot of them will be core of the project. I used to own an M41 when it came out a long time ago that I modified with new gun and a few fixes but I was never happy with it and as soon as the electronics gave up, I put it in pieces for spare parts. This time, I am more experienced and I am going all the way.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Capture12.JPG (47.17 KiB) Viewed 9194 times
The model will feature;
- reworked hull and fenders
- resized tracks
- new gun barrel
- gun recoil and flash
- TK-22 control board
- headlights and taillights
- Tamiya M2 MG
- general detailing

I was happy when i noticed that the M41 was shipped unbuilt with all the details and accessories still on sprues, it will save a lot of time and allows for easier modification and reuse of these. And I will be helped by documentations and my faithful but old Tamiya M41 that I build as a young kid in the 80s. It will be useful mainly for hull dimensions.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
The good news is that the hull width is of the right dimension. The fenders and tracks will need rework.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Barrel will be replaced, hull lowered and shortened as much as possible, and the slope on the back battery plate will be fixed. I found the turret shape and size to be incorrect, too short and too narrow.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
I've seen builds where the modeller removed up to 10mm in height. After a lot of picture and plan analysis where the space between the tracks and fenders always seems to be different, I have determined that I should remove between 7 and 7.5mm in height.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
I have a plan to get rid of the shock absorbers on wheel no 3 and 4, more about this later.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Lots of modifications planned in key areas. You will not recognize the fenders when I am done with them.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M41 gearbox needs replacement because it is too high, a HL Jagdpanther gearbox should fit well in its place. Notice the notch at the back of the hull, this is a factor to account for in the resizing and reshaping of the hull.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Capture10.JPG (97.59 KiB) Viewed 9194 times
This is it, let's go.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Capture11.JPG (64.36 KiB) Viewed 9194 times
Regards, Louis
Last edited by lmcq11 on Fri Oct 06, 2023 11:15 am, edited 2 times in total.
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lmcq11
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

Hi,

This is the rebuilding of the main hull, my way. For sure, there are other ways and likely many guys did the same as me or maybe better. What I did is shown here.

I made a cut 7mm below the tip, allowing for some sanding that brought down the hull height by about 7.5mm. What is not obvious is what happens next to the rest of the hull at the front and back.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
After thorough analysis and slow progress one mm at a time from all angles, I left 53mm to the front glacis with the extremity resting on the lower plate.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
44mm at the front bottom
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Lower rear has 52mm
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Capture4.JPG (82.3 KiB) Viewed 9190 times
The rear top plates needed a lot of modification for size and angle. They were cut to 33 and 32mm respectively and glued back in place at the shown angle. The rear fender were cut as shown and to account for the hull reduction at the rear, the main storage box (which are too long) are reduced with 9mm left between the trap edge and the box edge.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Rear hull reinforced and rear fenders are glued in their new position. Lots of sanding and preparations is required.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Through all the hull cutting, the Heng Long screw holes at the front (2) and in the middle (4) were kept aligned. It is only at the back that the single screw hole is no longer aligned. This process of keeping the screw holes aligned really helps in the cutting process, stability and solidity of the model.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Capture12.JPG (66.84 KiB) Viewed 9190 times
The new hull compares a lot better to the Tamiya kit. Getting there.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
Testing of the track height is required at all time. There is about 6mm left between the tracks and fenders with the above process.
M-41 Walker Bulldog
M-41 Walker Bulldog
The next step is to take care of the fenders.

Regards, Louis
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by Aljones34 »

Great work and attention to detail following along
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BarryC
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by BarryC »

Hey Louis,

This is going to be another awesome build to watch and you're off to a great start. I'll be watch closely and taking notes. I really like the look of the Bulldog and have been considering for some time a build of an ARVN piece to accompany my M-48.

The M-41 will look awesome riding along side your M-113! :thumbup: Remember you've got to find some red dust! :haha:

Cheers,
Barry
"Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail."
Leonardo Da Vinci
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HERMAN BIX
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by HERMAN BIX »

BarryC wrote:Hey Louis,

This is going to be another awesome build to watch and you're off to a great start. I'll be watch closely and taking notes. I really like the look of the Bulldog and have been considering for some time a build of an ARVN piece to accompany my M-48.

The M-41 will look awesome riding along side your M-113! :thumbup: Remember you've got to find some red dust! :haha:

Cheers,
Barry
Red dust eh Mr C
Why not get your family to send you some from the home planet & you can gift it to Mr Cq11!!!!!!
HL JAGDPANTHER,HL TIGER 1,HL PzIII MUNITIONSCHLEPPER, HL KT OCTOPUS,HL PANTHER ZU-FUSS,HL STuG III,HL T34/85 BEDSPRING,
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
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PainlessWolf
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by PainlessWolf »

Louis!
I have one of these Walkers and plan on doing a detail build to it. ( Not as involved as cutting up the upper and lower as you are doing ) but I will correct the rest and add working lights, recoil, etc. I anticipate that your build will be incredibly useful in my future modeling of this tank. Following along.
regards,
Painless
...Here for the Dawn...
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BarryC
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by BarryC »

HERMAN BIX wrote:
BarryC wrote:Hey Louis,

This is going to be another awesome build to watch and you're off to a great start. I'll be watch closely and taking notes. I really like the look of the Bulldog and have been considering for some time a build of an ARVN piece to accompany my M-48.

The M-41 will look awesome riding along side your M-113! :thumbup: Remember you've got to find some red dust! :haha:

Cheers,
Barry
Red dust eh Mr C
Why not get your daily to send you some from the home planet & you can gift it to Mr Cq11!!!!!!
I've two small bags of the "stuff", will be happy to share!
"Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail."
Leonardo Da Vinci
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lmcq11
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

Hi, thank you everyone for your encouragements.

This post is for the new fenders, part 1.

Here, the fender box lids have been cut from the main body for reuse. Each fenders will be reduced by 10mm from the outside.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
After a lot of preparations, the new fender box lids are ready. They were made a bit ticker than before by keeping more material under.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
The front fender had to be cut from the main body so that the X that you see can be repositioned centrally by removing 5mm on both sides, otherwise, it will not look good.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
The X on that side are too long compared to my reference and will be made shorter with filler.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
New Plasticard overlay of the right size will be glued to the top of the remaining fender skeleton.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
Front fenders are replaced with the X showing in a central position. It would have been difficult for me to re-scribe the X ino the plastic.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
New fenders body and lids are installed.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
The overall width of the tank was reduced by 20mm or so, a bit less because the overlay boxes add about 1mm each on that area.
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
M41A3 1/16 Walker Bulldog fixing and updates
Fender's fixing continuing on next post.

Louis
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lmcq11
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

Hi, this is part 2 of the fenders


The embossed stiffeners on the fenders, and specially the large X on the side, are very important to reproduce, this is a trademark of the M41 Walker Bulldog. Sadly, I did not have enough 1mm half rods to complete all the stiffeners so more rods are on order and the rest will be completed later when the shipment arrives.
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
The mufflers and cover had to be reduced and modified, original on the left, resized one on the right. The extremities of the covers should be thinned because these are supposed to be light metal, not armored covers.
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Mufflers and covers are installed as seen in references.
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
The next step once I finish the other muffler is to realign the road wheels centrally with the fenders by moving them about 4mm closer to the hull. It is planned that the new tracks will be between 32 and 33mm wide instead of the current 40mm.
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Capture6.JPG (71.38 KiB) Viewed 9025 times
Here is the overall look of the model as it stands today.
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Heng Long M41 Walker Bulldog 1/16 fixing and modifications
Regards, Louis
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BarryC
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Re: M-41A3 Walker Bulldog - ARVN Vietnam 1970s - Build

Post by BarryC »

Excellent work at an amazing pace as usual! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Louis,

I know I'm jumping ahead but am keenly interested in your plan for narrowing the tracks. :think:

Barry
"Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail."
Leonardo Da Vinci
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