RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi Michael, thanks for that your thread is very inspirational and gives me great hope for my build. Pity that Juck isn't doing the kits any more as at the price it would be worth it just for the 88 components, I'm not looking forward to scratch building that! I've looked again at modifying the front of the lower hull and it is all quite practical given that I'm not constrained by the panzer IV upper hull. I've got quite a lot of work to do on the lower hull as flimsy doesn't even come close to describing it! The sides are so thin they flex and bend, so some 2mm styrene reinforcement is definitely called for

Anyway onwards and upwards.
Alwyn

I have also used the Merit 1/18 88mm for my Dicker Max build as well and it works out okay.

Woz has some 3D-printed "lifters" for the gearboxes. They're custom for his gearboxes, but you might be able to get him to print a thicker set for you for a small fee. Done right, you might get your tilting, too. As it is the upper hull won't allow you to lift it by 5 mm. 3 mm was too much for my tank and gear boxes.

Many of Woz's parts are on his Shapeways site. Nice stuff, too...fenders, spare track brackets, etc.

Thanks Guys, great suggestions, I'll see what fits as I progress. Alwyn

I did some checking on photos of actual tanks and unfortunately the gap between drive sprocket and first road wheel isn't a figment of some draftsman's imagination.

Anyhoo, after some careful thought I figured that if I cut off the front of the lower hull and move it forward 5mm with some necessary reinforcement of the hull, I should be able to get both 5mm forward and 5mm up movement on the drive sprocket. I will just have to raise the forward deck by a few mm to clear the gearbox but that's no sweat because it's a scratch build anyway - I'm not constrained by a pre-built upper deck.


The battery box is going as is the smoker unit and the whole hull badly needs reinforcement as it's all 1.5mm styrene and rather flexible, so a whole heap of work before getting to the upper hull build.

Looks like I'm going to need 6 or 8 plastic track links due to the slight lengthening of the body, and if anyone has any spare please pm me with cost and I will be most appreciative.

onwards and upwards!
Alwyn

Don't forget the sprockets are off a panzer 3 and are a larger diameter so you won't need to move the gearboxes as high to achieve the desired look

Aaaah, didn't know that! Thanks I could have made a booboo there. Now it means I'm looking for some panzer 3 sprockets! Do the sprockets still fit the gearbox and track - I know very little about the panzer 3/4?

Alwyn

Yer the track is identical I might have some spare sprockets and track I'll dig them out and bring them to the August mad meet

Hi Stug, unfortunately I can't make the August meet and am away until end November. I'll Pm you.

Thanks Alwyn

No worries I'll get into the war room asap and see if I can find them amongst the hoards of junk and spares :-/