Why Ambassador? Where I live, RC hobby shops are few and far between. RC tanking clubs nonexistent. But I do go to one local shop for random things and while one kid is interested when I share pictures and videos of my tanks the rest of the shop is dominated by buggies, bashers, racers and crawlers with a smattering of railroad and trains and models. If I was to build an MBT it would be all in and modern to catch their attention, fast, aggressive and loaded with cool options like barrel smoke, flash and recoil.
So I will build Botschafter to go and show off and see what kind of RC tanking interest I can drum up.
I've never really been interested in MBT's but decided awhile ago if one was going to join my growing kampfgruppe I liked the Leopard 2A6 the best. I also did a good amount of reading and absorbing about the Leo all while working on my other tanks for a couple of years now. There are several companies that make a Leo and most of the comments I've heard from the Heng Long crowd revolves around detracking issues. It's been shared that the large lower hull doesn't have enough rigidity for it's size and is underpowered. Also the sprockets have issues and have even been recently offered with centering discs to maintain the guidehorns better. A few experienced tankers swear using a plastic track is better since the metal tracks besides being heavy and effecting performance have smooth metal pads where on the real tanks have rubber pads. Taigen and other closed pin aftermarket tracks are also heavy and others that have the rubber pads tend to lose the rubber pad inserts when the wind blows the wrong way. So these same club tankers suggested that the excellent quality Tamiya tracks are the best. They're a quality molded nylon closed double pin design with the rubber pads molded in. I've also digested that the metal PDSGB from DKLMRC is an excellent upgrade and lends itself well to the Leo with increase speed and torque.
Armed with enough knowledge that you all shared was more than enough to make me dangerous. I had seen the Taigen Leo lower was full metal and very good quality and design. This would dispense with the lower hull flex issue. It truly is the nicest Taigen piece I've experienced yet.
Through growing friendships in the RC tanking community I was able to acquire one of these Taigen Leopards. It was rebadged Torro but the Embossed "Taigen" on the metal belly of the lower tells ya what it really is. It's a lesser known "Winter White Camouflaged" finish offered by Torro in Germany. But after recieving it I was sorely disappointed with its paint and finish. Heavily gloppy paint and poor black highlighted "weathering". I also noticed that even with advertised 390 motors and 4:1 gears it's not only LOUD but still not as fast as you'd expect an MBT to be. I had heard a rumor that Torro only put 380 motors in it so maybe I wasn't experiencing it the way it was advertised by Taigen and supposed to run.
Here is a link to the unboxing-
viewtopic.php?t=38165
Here she is in all her ugliness.
and a bit of size comparison with the King
This was sold by Torro De as a winter camouflage. Without trying to sound like a spoiled brat I'm a bit disappointed with their work. It's globbed on in spots so bad that it covers up details.
LOOK at that horizontal paint drip!?
on the front lower hull 
I've been down the paint stripping and removal route before. Several times and several ways. None of them fun or satisfying or without time spent that I could enjoy doing something else or finishing the tank sooner.
Now that that's out of the way. I'm not crying like the whiny kid for the price I paid. The chassis and running gear is just awesome. I have a few ideas. One crazy one is just removing the upper and turret and replacing it with completely brand new Upper for the sale price of $29 and Turret for $119. and starting over. Keep this version and run it in the winter, and paint the other parts on the Nato Green camo that I really want.
The upper for $29? how can I beat that
https://www.taigentanks.com/products/le ... 6894979239
The turret on sale for $119? I mean c'mon
https://www.taigentanks.com/products/le ... 9213055143
And that brings us to today, I sprang for it. I'd much rather maintain my sanity and enjoy this tank more than hating every minute trying to scrape all that white gunk off.
What a better way to start over.
Hayyyy look the drivers hatch even slides open on this one. It's hopelessly stuck painted shut on the white one.
Completely prewired including the turret rotation motor, headlights and daughterboard!
I'm feeling so much better about this. I may actually start liking this tank.
The periscope rotates! The other one is glued in place.
The sights were even on the wrong side on the white one.
It's criminal how quick and easy that was and started right up and all works as it should.
Still gonna need to strip some paint but not nearly the obnoxious job it was going to be.
Ahh that's better. Not sure if I like the headlights though. Same as the other upper I may have to look for some nicer ones. I think DKLMRC has some.
Now the question is do I keep the white whale or try to sell it? I'm not attached to it at all and it doesn't have any parts that I'd need to reuse.
But if you've made it this far I'll share some plans. I already have the TK7.1 for the Leo, Barrel Smoke, Flash Unit and,,,
I snatched this up on sale from Toucan a month or so ago. $50 also including the servo elevation all set up already.
The Tamiya tracks are sexy.
AND, I've sourced the new fast turret rotation unit that Heng Long Uses for the Merkava. And some other goodies...
Whew... So here we go
