Tamiya or Heng Long Leopard 2A6 for Regular Use?

[zooma]

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I added these alloy hubs with bearings to support the output axles in an attempt to extend the life of the plastic gearbox

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I think I will need to replace the plastic drive sprockets with metal ones, but the plastic output housings might have held the ball bearings in a better position as they would be held further out than the alloy one that hold the bearing closer to the chassis.
Ideally the metal housing would hold two bearings - one in the outboard position (like the plastic housing position) and one inside (the way the metal housing is machined to take the axle bearing).

[Ecam]

Those plastic gear box covers showed up on my last two HLs. They just snap on/off, and I'm sure they are an effort to keep dirt out and grease in.

[zooma]

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I started to lightly weather the tracks with a little “mud mix”.
The metal suspension arms can be clearly seen here, I need to paint them before giving them some matching “mud mix”

[zooma]

Those plastic gear box covers showed up on my last two HLs. They just snap on/off, and I'm sure they are an effort to keep dirt out and grease in.

I will take a look underneath those covers Eric, and maybe add some petroleum jelly to the gears if they are looking at all dry.

[Meter rat]

I’m keeping my eye on this. Looking to either get a Leopard, or a Merkava. The Leopard is favourite at the moment.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Better than petroleum jelly, if you can readily get some, use grease for model railroading. These stick well, are easy to apply sparingly but adequately, and do not harm plastic. While there are other brands, I use Labelle 106 grease for gears and Labelle 108 oil for shafts. These are readily available at US hobby stores and on Amazon.

[zooma]

I’m keeping my eye on this. Looking to either get a Leopard, or a Merkava. The Leopard is favourite at the moment.

I had a chance to drive a Heng Long Merkava at the club a couple of weeks ago - the first time I had seen one. It drove like all the other Heng Long modern tanks that I have tried, but the turret traverse was blisteringly fast! I did not have time to study it, but the owner tells me that it had not been modified in any way.

When they become available in the UK I could be tempted to add one to my growing Modern Tank collection.....but I prefer to work with the Cold War to current NATO types for now, so I have plenty to keep me amused for the time being!

The Heng Long Leo 2A6 is very nice - and it is an extremely close copy of the Tamiya (so I am told) and it looks it - even when placed alongside my TAMIYA LEO 2A6 for a direct comparison.

The "painted" camouflage scheme is superb and the way that Mr tankalot treated his to make it look better without actually re-painting it is something that I will try using an airbrush and the various Tamiya clear paints that arrived yesterday! The printed scheme looks good enough - the idea is only to remove any "plastic" look that gives the game away! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APETjsN1ByI

I have not even fitted any of the "add-on" bodywork parts yet, but I am already considering putting the LiPo in the turret. I really don't like turning the tank upside-down and having to use a cross headed screwdriver on a self-tapping screw every time I need to change a battery - and don't know how long the self-tapper will last with regular repeated use either!

Magnets on the turret top would make life a lot easier - and it would save my ham-fisted mitts from potentially damaging so many detail parts when I change the battery! I need to take a look to see how the turret comes apart and look at lengthening the battery wires and working out how and where to fit some magnets to hold the two halves together.

The small type LiPo batteries that I am using at the moment should fit easily inside the turret (they fit in my TAMIYA LEO 2A6 OK) and they don't weight very much and can be kept in place with Velcro......simples........I hope......

[zooma]

Better than petroleum jelly, if you can readily get some, use grease for model railroading. These stick well, are easy to apply sparingly but adequately, and do not harm plastic. While there are other brands, I use Labelle 106 grease for gears and Labelle 108 oil for shafts. These are readily available at US hobby stores and on Amazon.

Thanks Herr Prof!

I will take a look for some of this.

Bob.

[r32]

Visually the HL is nearly identical to the Tamiya, just with details turned down a notch - no photoetched parts for the engine deck or turret baskets, chains for the smoke grenade launchers and some other molding details simplified for production. Without encountering the Tamiya, one would be quite satisfied with the detail on the HL.

Despite the metal track adjuster, I would look into bracing the hull itself, especially if you upgrade from plastic tracks. The return idler takes quite a lot of load, which is transferred to the hull and can twist it, especially if you're about to throw a track.

[zooma]

Visually the HL is nearly identical to the Tamiya, just with details turned down a notch - no photoetched parts for the engine deck or turret baskets, chains for the smoke grenade launchers and some other molding details simplified for production. Without encountering the Tamiya, one would be quite satisfied with the detail on the HL.

Despite the metal track adjuster, I would look into bracing the hull itself, especially if you upgrade from plastic tracks. The return idler takes quite a lot of load, which is transferred to the hull and can twist it, especially if you're about to throw a track.

Once I have fitted the "accessories pack" of parts I will take a picture of the Heng Long Leopard 2A6 alongside the Tamiya Leo, and I think from the sort of distance that we usually drive them, there will not be too much to separate them apart from each other - but close-up, the finer detailing of the Tamiya variant will be apparent.

Some of the simplified parts (such as the baskets) could even be an advantage for a tank that is actually going to be run and used regularly as they will probably be a little bit stronger - and definitely less expensive to replace (and a lot easier to find too!).

I suspect that as time goes by, my Tamiya Leo tanks could well gain an odd Heng Long detail part or two (such as a pair of Heng Long baskets!) but for now the original Tamiya detail parts are holding up OK - but I have repaired the baskets a few times already and the sagging turret has caught on one of the photo-etched air intake covers and peeled it off but has been flattened and stuck back on again!

I have taken note of some of the hull reinforcements that I have seen on other peoples modern Heng Long tanks that have longer length hulls. I have bought some angle alloy ready to make a frame, but I also saw another alternative on one of Toms tanks the other week where he poured a resin into the hull and that looked good and has reinforced the hull quite well too.

For now I will stick with the plastic tracks on my HL Leo - they don't look too bad after a little basic weathering and the grip is also OK on most surfaces - but not as good as the Tamiya Leo tracks that feel like the track pads have a "rubbery" feeling and they do produce more grip. If I do buy a pair of metal tracks for the HL Leo in the future, they will be the type that has the rubber pads on them.

..........or maybe the Tamiya Leo tracks will fit the HL Leo? These tracks are good, and they are one of the few Tamiya spare parts that do seem to be readily available here in the UK!