A7V German WW1 tank 1/16 RC - Build

[lmcq11]

Hi, well thank you everyone for all your encouragements. I needed those on this model. I almost put the build aside last summer to start something else as i was getting totally fed up with this Ludwig kit and also the bolt job. But i knew that if i put it aside, i would never get back to it. It is now slowly getting there, one panel at a time.

This post is for the frontal section.

The 1/35 Meng kit instructions and kit parts provide the required specs for this build. Buying books for such build is almost useless as there is no way to get the overall picture for the detailing from images. Notice the tow hooks also at the front, and the lifting covers.

A7V German WW1 tank 1/16 RC - Build

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3 types of bolt and rivet heads were planned.

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Tow hooks are made and installed.

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The Ludwig kits comes with 4 resin covers for the tow hooks, more like a blob of resin of an approximate shape. I decided to reuse them with modifications and also by making them hollow in order to cover the hooks.

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Tow hook covers are in place, i made them static.

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Here, the frontal hatches are done, they were made static. The rivet/bolt job is ongoing, spread over 2 days to maintain sanity.

A7V German WW1 tank 1/16 RC - Build

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Here is the completed frontal section, minus a few tiny rivets that i noticed are still missing.

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Next step is to detail the rear side of the vehicle. It does not have any visors or hatches, the two holes are for MG-08 machine guns. Installation of the 6 MG-08 will be the final construction step of the build, i'm almost there.

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Regards, Louis

[lmcq11]

This post is for the completion of the rear of the vehicle and preparations for the machine gun armament.


The A7V was equipped with six Maxim MG-08 machine guns, two on each sides and two at the rear.

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I found the metal sticks coming with the Ludwig kit to be unacceptable for such an important feature of the model.

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The six resin MG-08 purchased on eBay from a Russian seller before the war in Ukraine provide a major upgrade, seen here cleaned up and assembled with the components received. I did not purchase the stands.

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The Ludwig resin blob for the mounts were reused and modified to be as close as possible to what i saw on references, while keeping things as simple as possible.

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The MG-08 are just positioned in place for the picture. The final preparation and painting will be done separately.

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View of the completed rear of the vehicles with the Maxim machine guns. I will measure the exact length of the barrel that is sticking out of the wall and permanently install in place after painting. I will likely convert one of them on each side with a fiber optic and LED.

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The model as it stands today. Construction is almost finished. I am happy to confirm that all bolt heads and rivets are in place, i did it... I still have to create the exhaust pipe and go around the vehicle for one last verification before painting.

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Regards, Louis

[Kaczor]

Those guns looks great.

[Ecam]

Amazing work! Those Maxims are really sharp.

[HERMAN BIX]

Thats a really class act Mr Mcq11..............
Getting those Maxims is like you thought 2 years ahead to get the plan right !
I'd love it if it was a Mephisto having seen the real one, but any A7V in our scale is fantastic

[lmcq11]

Thank you Kaczor, Ecam and Herman.

With this post, the construction phase is complete, although i noticed a couple of missing bolt heads while reviewing the video... damn, i can't wait to finish this model.


Went around the vehicle and added remaining components.

A7V German WW1 tank 1/16 RC - Build

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Such as the foot pedal at the bottom of both doors

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And the exhaust stacks on both sides, oriented towards the rear.

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Last picture of the model before painting.

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Short video of the model in action. It runs like a pig, no fun. But the main gun is good. This is really not a model that you can play with much. The suspension is terrible and quite weak. I personally do not recommend to anyone the A7V as an RC project. It's just too much effort for very little potential. But it makes a nice model on the shelf.

phpBB [video]

Video of the home made and custom mini turret and recoil mechanism in action.

phpBB [video]

Next time you see it, it will be painted.

Regards, Louis

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thanks for the videos, Louis. When my connectivity gets good, I will check out the videos. I would be delighted if someone would make this as a 1/16 static kit--with crisply defined rivets already cast on the hull! Hello, Takom? Andy?

[square4]

Superb detail and work very well done.

[Kaczor]

What board do you use for control?

[lmcq11]

Thank you Herman and square4 for your encouragements !

What board do you use for control?

An old Clark TK-22.


The following posts are for the painting, decal creation and weathering, with a final view of the completed model.


The MENG kit color graph instructions for painting show a 3 tone camo. Notice the German cross decals on the top of the vehicle and on the front and back. It is almost impossible to apply decals over bolt heads and rivets. Creating stencils to apply paint is possible, but alco complicated.

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Some research show the vehicles having indeed a camo. But also notice the different locations for the German crosses. Notice the absence of frontal visor doors on the front of the vehicle. It seems that markings are different on every A7V could be unique among the 3 different batches. It allows some liberty.

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Top view of a vehicle, showing the crosses applied over the grills, again not an easy task to do.

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View of the Meng 1/35 decals.

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As done in other builds, the plan is to scan the 1/35 decals, expand to 1/16 and print on virgin White decals sheet available on Amazon for a few dollars.

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The crosses have been selected, expanded and printed, let dry for 1 day. Then 2 coats of semi-gloss Tamiya varnish are sprayed over the sheet and let dry for many hours. Decals need to be individually cut, leaving a white border from the decal sheet, and them they are ready to be applied on a best effort basis.

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After painting but before weathering with black pigments, the decals were applied. I was able to easily put on the side decals. I did the best i could on the front and back, trying to avoid rivets and bolt heads as much as possible. Applying decals over bolt heads and rivets was tried but it creates a mess. I was not able to successfully put on the large crosses on the top grills, too many obstacles and holes. Those were discarded.

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And finally, after months of work, here is the finished A7V model. I left the model relatively clean, with only some light weathering as i like them. I leave the dirt and mud application to other modelers that are better than me at this.

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More pictures on following post