I had a dream’

[Ragnar]

This would be a great new piece of equipment for the major builders to develop,then again maybe I’m just being selfish wanting something I can’t build
A SDKfz 251 with a 75mm Pak 40.

[jarndice]

I have complained before and others have agreed with me that British Armour of WW2 and German Half tracks of WW2 just do not exist in the Chinese or Japanese Factory's in 1/16th and it really is a disgrace.
It doesn't take a genius to know that a Heng Long/Taigen/Tamiya Comet or a Famo or any German Half Track would sell like hot cakes.

[Ragnar]

See where there is a 1/18 SDKfz 251 and a really nice resin 1/16 Pak 40 available but looks like both are strictly static display models the Pak 40 costing around $100 u.s whew!!

[Jimster]

Time to kitbash and add the rc components to make it move. I don’t think I have the skills to do it but perhaps you do. I think I’ve seen some on YouTube videos before.

[Lert]

Ludwig has a 251. I doubt a Pak 40 would be that difficult to come by.

[Ragnar]

They do seem difficult to find in 1/16 though not impossible! Found one at Jag hobby’s but it were pricey!

[Max-U52]

The man to talk to on this project is Jackalope. He converted a 1/18 scale half track to full RC with lots of parts from Ludwig's and he added a turret and gun to the top of the rear, I believe a 3cm gun, and the whole build was just spectacular. I know he had it for sale a while back but I don't know if he actually sold it.

And I have the STL files to print a Pak 40.

[jarndice]

But why wont the major players (Heng Long/Taigen/Tamiya) start to produce these vehicles?
There obviously is a demand just as there is for a Centurion and all we get is the same old mistake ridden Tiger 1 Early (Only it is not early at all) (And If you want a late Tiger 1 you will have to make your own arrangements) and the fault ridden Panzer 4,
They take our money but they fail to listen to the people whose money they have taken.

[dgsselkirk]

We are a niche of a niche of niche. The numbers are just not there to justify the costs to produce those vehicles. Since they only make tanks now with some common parts, to produce a 1/2 track would require everything new. In the last couple of years we have seen new models come out mostly moderns which have been selling ok for them. The cost to produce a 1/2 track just to do design and tooling for the injection molding at a minimum would probably be 20 grand. They would have to sell a lot to make up just the costs. What would they sell 300? Maybe 500 R/C Comets worldwide?

I have offered a middle level Firefly kit at a reasonable price and in 3 years between Forgebear and myself we sold roughly 65 kits. Clark right now has a pre buy on a RTR metal lower with his board and a radio included of the first models either a BT-7 or a Cromwell and yet, he is struggling to even get 100 to commit to being interested in purchasing one at a little less than Taigen pricing! No deposit required!

so I don't think you will see these anytime soon. BTW I have Jackalope's R/C 1/2 track. He had the ideas down but the execution needs some TLC to make it a real runner.

[Max-U52]

Dean, can you post a few photos so that Larry can see exactly what Terry did with that 1/18 scale model?