1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 Patton tank with ERA - Build

[Ad Lav]

Looking forward to this one - a good base to start from at least.

Some QC issues which is not surprising given some cheap Chinese companies offerings.

[Model Builder 4]

Hi Louis,

If the tank board functions the same as the heng long version you may have to place a looped jumper plug into socket cn6 to activate the servo recoil, I had to do this on my heng long tk6.1s board to get it to work

Cheers,Lee.

[lmcq11]

Hi Louis,

If the tank board functions the same as the heng long version you may have to place a looped jumper plug into socket cn6 to activate the servo recoil, I had to do this on my heng long tk6.1s board to get it to work

Cheers,Lee.

EUREKA !!

Thank you very much Lee

Louis

[Model Builder 4]

Glad it worked for you Louis

Cheers,Lee.

[lmcq11]

Hi everyone,

The build is starting.

First task is to strip everything on the hull and turret except two hatches that are likely to remain as is.

1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 US tank with ERA - Build

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1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 US tank with ERA - Build

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Where to start... I usually would start with the main gun but since i had earlier today some issue to resolve with the recoil servo, i decided to do something more cosmetic, the rear turret basket.

As shown in the pictures below, the rear basket is composed of vertical supports holding metal bars. There is a lozenge pattern metal mesh at the bottom and on the lower wall. There are also two jerrycans holders, which i assume would contain water jerrycans in a desert environment.

1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 US tank with ERA - Build

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1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 US tank with ERA - Build

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The kit part is accurate in size but the mesh has been simplified as flat plates and does not look too good. As this is a highly visible item, its worth spending a few hours to improve. The part is actually a diamond in the rough, it need some carving to bring out the part, and then add the mesh and the jerrycans.

1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 US tank with ERA - Build

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The hard work is done by a Dremel cutting disk, cutting the plastic close enough along the horizontal bars, while being careful not to cut or damage any bars or supports.

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Then the part is slowly and manually cleaned up using a sharp blade and a nail file. Be aware you might lose a couple of fingers in the process.

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After about 2 hours, the part is fully cleaned up, the bars were made rounder as much as possible, and made ready for the metal mesh. The bars could be made thinner but would be weaker. Replacing them with metal bars is a more complicated option that the end result might not look better.

1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 US tank with ERA - Build

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I purchased lozenge pattern metal mesh a few years ago on Ebay for the Sheridan build. Looks like its aluminum. It is simpler to make a template first before cutting the complicated bottom.

1/16 RC USMC M-60A1 US tank with ERA - Build

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Bottom mesh is superglued in place and the simpler side wall is cut. Those mesh are not easy to glue and patience is required.

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Continuing on following post.

[lmcq11]

The supports for the jerrycan holders are made in plasticard and put on as seen on reference picture.

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The jerrycans coming with the model (on the right) are very basic and the holder is not accurate. It is advantageous to replace them with better ones, such are the ones from SOL Model in resin on the left.

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SOL model jerrycan are not expensive at all as they comes in a pack with Water and Fuel cans. They are extremely well detailed. Be aware you should not be using WW2 Jerrycans on modern tanks.

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The 3D printed jerrycan holders are from Shapeways. I had to cut them as the original part on the right is too high and does not match the size of the ones on the M60.

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Jerrycan holders are installed and looking good.

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The metal mesh is looking good and a lot more accurate. Its not perfect as i could have spent more time representing two vertical cuts in the wall mesh behind the left Jerrycan but it was complicated enough to work with this mesh. There are risks in going overboard in detailing and it might not have looked good. The turret basket was done in about 5 hours of work. Everything is done as per a patience/risk/benefit analysis.

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SOL model jerrycans fit perfectly inside the Shapeways holders. They will be glued inside the holders and the straps added only after painting.

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The finished turret basket. I put a 0.5mm rod at the bottom joint between the two mesh section to simulate the welding. The basket is put aside and will be installed on the turret towards the end of the build only.

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Next step, the gun barrel and the custom recoil unit.

Regards, Louis

[TIGER RAMPAGE]

Looks great Louis!!!

[PainlessWolf]

Good Afternoon, Louis!
I've had an itch for something like an M48 to M60 for some time. Watching your Build to see if this tank will be the one that scratches that itch.
regards,
Painless

[Herr Dr. Professor]

"TONGDE M60 upgrade kit sells for $135 at DKLM but shipping is very expensive..." I checked DKLM right away after seeing your first post in this thread. I would like the basic M60 (no passive armor) with metal upgrades, and I could afford that tank from DKLM, but the shipping is $199.00! Yowza! It will show up on North American eventually.

[MrChef]

"TONGDE M60 upgrade kit sells for $135 at DKLM but shipping is very expensive..." I checked DKLM right away after seeing your first post in this thread. I would like the basic M60 (no passive armor) with metal upgrades, and I could afford that tank from DKLM, but the shipping is $199.00! Yowza! It will show up on North American eventually.

And herein lies just one of the problems for me.

So $300. beans for the one that won't break when you look at it.

Then a bunch more beans for shipping.

Then from what I've seen, higher than average damage during said shipping. Due to insufficient protective packaging.

And we didn't even get to run it yet. Broken this, broken that. Because again not trying to sound like a broken record(pun intended) from what I've seen pics of and reported the guts are tossed in haphazardly. Even the metal gearing has issues, and the motors aren't even stellar knockoffs.

I get it some of you guys are bored of the current offerings and definitely looking for a new challenge. But to me that's alot of money and unknown effort just to have something not even baseline as a dare I say? Heng Long... I know I'm new here and new to the game and don't remember the "Old" Heng Long and their teething issues and growing pains. But damn some of you seem more like masochists to me than adventurous.

{/Rant]

Chef

Keep it up Louis you do awesome work, I'll happily live vicariously through your postings...