1/6 Minialand M3 Stuart Build

[tankme]

I actually got the tank running on it's own last night. It's always a tense moment the first time you throw that big 24V breaker and power everything up for the first time. No magic smoke and the only function that wasn't working was the turret rotation, but I think that's because the TCB isn't programmed to use the PWM port. I move this one from the ZTZ-99A which was using DC motor for rotation plugged directly into the TCB which didn't require an ESC. I don't feel comfortable using the TCB to drive the larger rotation motor in 1/6th scale tank especially if the rotation ever gets jammed. Should be an easy fix to program it into the TCB. I'm also modifying the barrel for servo recoil. The Taigen high intensity flash will also be installed in the barrel. It tested good last night. The sound card definitely needs a small amplifier to power the larger speaker. Sound performance was very underwhelming. I think someone posted a small inline amp recently. I guess I'll have to do a search for it.

[tankme]

Tankme,
Good Afternoon! I might have an unaltered sprocket laying around for that Stuart. Another question, if you were paid for it, would you print a set of the tracks for the M5? My Stuart's running gear has been modded to not use the original tracks with the center guide teeth but rather a scale version of the real tracks. I currently have a set of the tracks from the static 1\6 Stuart on mine but they are too tight to allow easy running. Let me know if you are interested?
regards,
Painless

I had some spare track links from printing so I assembled them and did a test fitting on my 21st Century M5 Stuart. I ran into the same problem Spyker Workshop ran into. The outer guide teeth on the tracks are too long to pass over the return rollers without catching and the longer guide teeth prevent the end links from sitting on the sprockets correctly. The tracks themselves are the same width as the 21st Century version, the end links are the same length/width, and the track pads seem to be similar in size.

So in order for the Minialand tracks to work, you would either need the Spyker return rollers and sprockets or use the Minialand return rollers and sprockets. The Minialand sprockets can be mounted on a 6mm or an 8mm shaft depending on which gear is used. You can see below how the new motors mount and mount to the sprockets. I actually have a different set of gearmotors with the same mounting holes using an 8mm shaft so I just ordered the 8mm version of the gear. I'll be installing them on my 21st Century Stuart.

Screenshot 2025-02-15 214340.jpg (593.18 KiB) Viewed 1461 times

Screenshot 2025-02-15 214237.jpg (660.47 KiB) Viewed 1461 times

[tankme]

More updates on the 1/6th M3 Stuart...

The Minialand M3 Stuart on Cults3D doesn't include a recoil mechanism for the main gun. Therefore I designed a really simple recoil mechanism in the Bambu Slicer and 3D printed it in ABS on my Bambu Labs X1C. It is using a standard 996 servo and controlled by an Open Panzer TCB card. The printed tube is inserted into the end of the barrel to extend the barrel into the recoil section. Gives the mechanism a way to attach the anti-rotation nub that also connects to the servo linkage. I also added some flanged bearings to the Minialand part simply by enlarging the mounting holes to accept some M3 ID bearings.

Raw design:



Recoil in it's resting state:



Mechanism in it's recoiled state:



How it all mounts to the mantlet:



Recoil in action:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2cjwXkII-q8

I also finished up roughing in the wiring for everything:



That's all for now...

[dashmole]

Wow, - thanks tankman, have been so inspired that I think your build has just pushed me over to the dark side and now need to buy a 3D printer. !
Can’t wait see it painted and running, great work.

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
I had read about the Track overrun problem on the 21st Century style return rollers. I tried to resolve this by modding those mounts as is but even the vinyl tracks that I have fitted snapped off one of my return rollers. I have a set of the Spyker return rollers to mount and resolve this issue. I am just waiting to get a better set of tracks.
regards,
Painless

[tankme]

Wow, - thanks tankman, have been so inspired that I think your build has just pushed me over to the dark side and now need to buy a 3D printer. !
Can’t wait see it painted and running, great work.

3D printing has been a game changer as far as what I can do for a lower cost. I mean my printer wasn't cheap, but now there are many more less expensive options that have the same quality as say my Bambu X1C. Haven't said that, I have well over 7000 hours print time on my X1C which includes the 1/6th Ford GPA, the 1/6 KV-1, and the 1/6th M3 Stuart. Besides those, I've printed the parts for at least 20 different 1/16 scale tanks. It becomes a hobby in itself and there is a learning curve to printing, but it is less than it was even 2 years ago.

Good Morning,
I had read about the Track overrun problem on the 21st Century style return rollers. I tried to resolve this by modding those mounts as is but even the vinyl tracks that I have fitted snapped off one of my return rollers. I have a set of the Spyker return rollers to mount and resolve this issue. I am just waiting to get a better set of tracks.
regards,
Painless

The sprockets would be the only thing in the way then at this point. You would either have to go with the Spyker sprockets or the 3D printed ones which are not quite as scale as the Spyker ones. Since I haven't owned the M5 Stuart in years, I don't remember what size the output shaft is. My guess is that it's smaller than 6mm. The 3D printed ones from these files are heavier than the stock sprockets. Not sure how the stock driveline would deal with the heavier tracks/sprockets. I think the motors used in this tank could be adapted to the M5. I'm running them at 24V, but they are versions for 12V.