M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

This section is for builds that are not strictly Tamiya or Heng Long. For instance, replacing the electronics from a WSN or Matorro, or even a scratch-build.
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Kaczor
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by Kaczor »

I have it so for sure fixing that is on "to do" list ;)
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lmcq11
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

Kaczor wrote:I have it so for sure fixing that is on "to do" list ;)
I looked at it but I felt it was too complicated as I did not have the equivalent required parts.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
The WSN model comes with a embedded suspension spring inside the wheel hub as shown with the red arrow below. It's weird but it does provide a level of suspension. Replacing the axle would also mean replacing the hard plastic spring lead suspension by something functional that looks as good in order to maintain the accuracy of the model, its highly visible.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
It could also mean replacing the gearbox or differential, and moving the steering servo somewhere else.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
A WPL axle is too long and too big to fit, and the M16 wheels are custom. Probably the best option is to try to put gears inside the WSN axle, keeping everything in place, and running a drive shaft to a new differential.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
Maybe a future retirement project for an M3...
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jarndice
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by jarndice »

Thank goodness for home 3D printers because you are more likely to find Unicorns grazing your front lawn than you are in finding a dealer with an abundance of WSN/Torro M16 front wheels for sale :lolno:
I think I am about to upset someone :haha:
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Ad Lav
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by Ad Lav »

Super smart build Louis.

Here’s my friends M16, yours truly is driving :)

Image


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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lmcq11
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

Ad Lav wrote:Super smart build Louis.
Here’s my friends M16, yours truly is driving :)
Image
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You have cool friends !

Continuing with the build.

There is a bracket at the front that is attaching the upper hull to the frame and need to be reproduced on both sides. It is glued only to the top section. There is a nasty screw hole in the frame in front of it that needs to be filled.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
There are also two screw holes on the front bumber that must be hidden. Some bolts heads seen in the Gun Power book were added on top.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
This is the battery box. Missing bolt heads on the top, so I redid them all with Meng nuts for consistency.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
This is a graph of the SCR-528 radio as it should be, made of transmitter and receiver.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
This is the simplified radio look alike part provided by WSN/Trumpeter. It has no resemblance to the radio used on the M16. This is really unfortunate. Even the static Trumpeter version has the same part. The M16 configuration provided by WSN is depicting an early version with 4 ammo boxes at the front and a reduced capability radio. Later versions (certainly the ones used in Korea), had a full radio and 2 ammo boxes only at the front.

A new radio set and front arrangement for the fighting compartment will need to be scratch built. It could have been avoided.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
The ammo boxes come in 3 versions, yes 3 different construction for exactly the same ammo box.

- First set of 4 at the front are the ones for storage at the back of the vehicle. Notice the nasty line going all around through the middle that will need to be filled.
- Second set of 4 are the ones provided for storage at the front of the vehicle. Notice the better quality, no nasty line to fill. The construction is different with much better design.
- Third set of 4 are the ones installed on the M45 mount and have an attachment for feeding the machine guns, and have the nasty lines.

It makes absolutely no sense for the WSN to have created 3 versions of those ammo boxes. Now, I will have to work a lot to fill the gaps, likely using a very thin plasticard.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
The fighting compartment armored flaps were installed.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
Continuing on following post
Last edited by lmcq11 on Thu Jul 02, 2020 3:01 am, edited 2 times in total.
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lmcq11
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

The rear flap is resting on the storage box at the back, that's how it should be.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
3 other screw holes need to be filled with plasticard and sanded smooth at the back. Notice that the hinges were somewhat recreated using a 0.8mm half round strip. It hides the joint between the 2 hinge sections since the original ones were all cut in half to separate the flaps. Notice the heavy sanding to remove unwanted stuff of all kind, including too much paint.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
Detail of the locking mechanism, one at each extremity of the side flaps.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
I did not put the small handling pins yet on the bars, it would be damaged and lost during construction.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
Capture10.JPG (95.9 KiB) Viewed 1831 times
Hinge detail. Some might want to use real micro hinges. Attempts in previous builds at using these were not satisfactory. They create weaknesses that required constant attention and fixing. I now prefer to have thing glued solidly in place, and not playing with hinges.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
I noticed the front cabin is missing a few levers. And the buttons on the dashboard would benefit from an upgrade in size. One thing that WSN did very well in my views are all the markings on this vehicle. It is really sad that they will all be overpainted.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
I kept the dashboard removable so that I can salvage all the dials. I know Archer sells new ones, I will need to investigate if I should use them instead.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
The seat structures are weak. On top of it, they must be pushed towards the front in order to have access to the screw under them, and remove the cabin from the frame. This is a bad design.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
Overview of the model as it stands today.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build
Regards, Louis
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lmcq11
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by lmcq11 »

Hi,

This post is for the creation of the SCR-528 Radio.

Radios have a world of their own. On a open compartment vehicle like the M16, the radio is at the center stage of the vehicle so it is important for many like me to show the right equipment and be accurate. The M-16 was equipped with an SCR-528 radio, which was also installed in the M4 and M5 tanks, and most allied vehicles. It was made in various configurations, so if you look at pictures, there are many variations.

The SCR-528 for the M-16 is composed of the BC-604 transmitter on the left and the BC-603 receiver on the right. Some vehicles were equipped with two receivers on the right, replacing the box like section on the far right.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
Capture.JPG (78.83 KiB) Viewed 1803 times
I was really disappointed when I noticed that Trumpeter/WSN did not even made a remote attempt to reproduce the radio, providing instead some cheaply designed fake box with one dial and some switches that is supposed to please 1/16 scale modellers.

After some research, no SCR-528 radio is available anywhere in 1/16 scale. If there is one in resin or 3D printed, its not advertised... Radios are usually a bit complicated with lots of small features, the market is probably limited. There are some German radios available but not this one.

This left me with no other option than to build one, at least one that attempts to look like it. Using pictures and various points of references, I extrapolated some approximate dimensions. The core components are cut.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
Assembled and put on their base. The cover box for the radio and its new stand will be covered in future post. This is just the radio.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
A few plastic Lego grills came handy to help me create the features.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
For the speaker cover, there is a limit as to how many micro drill bit holes you can drill in a tiny 8mm plasticard square, in a specific pattern... the required 37 is a lot. Its pushing my eyes to the limit and a nerve is being pulled in my back. Done on a best effort basis. After 4 attempts, I was getting somewhere. Maybe tomorrow with a cooler head, I will do another attempt with a smaller bit and get a better result. I have seen 2 patterns for the speaker cover but the other is even more complicated.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
This is the finished radio. I managed to drill 25 holes for the speaker cover in a more or less coordinated pattern. One thing about this hobby is that everything can be improved. Small Meng nuts are used to represent buttons and switches.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
Next to the Trumpeter/WSN fake radio part provided with the model.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
My radio configuration will be the M16 version with complete radio and two ammo boxes at the front instead of 4.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
This is it, a SCR-528 done in 3 hours of work.
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
Next step is to create the new stand, radio cover box, antenna and integrate these within the M16.

Regards, Louis
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BarryC
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by BarryC »

Radio looks spot on Louis. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Barry
"Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail."
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jarndice
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by jarndice »

I wish I had known of your search for the correct radio fascia, I could at least have saved you a few wasted hours having already looked long and hard and found nothing of any use ,
I then searched for someone anyone who had made up a decal set of the Transceiver front.Nix, Nada, Nothing.
If it were a small item I could get away with a bodge but it takes up a lot of space in the cab and it cries out for detailing,
Well done you for achieving such a high standard and shame on WSN/Torro for neglecting the job.
I think I am about to upset someone :haha:
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PainlessWolf
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Re: M16 Half Track "Meat Chopper" Korea 1950 - Build

Post by PainlessWolf »

Good Morning,
I was really hoping that a Trumpeter sprue set would have gone a long ways towards resolving this. Well, it is early days yet. Someone seeing your excellent reproduction work may be inspired to create a 3D model and print some out.
regards and following along!
Painless
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