RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Dave!
A new message has been sent on your Site. Thank you again, Sir. Carl! Thank you for the encouragement. The Research Kits are very fiddly for me any more but still worth the time and effort. Tomorrow should see more work done on the 'F' . ;o)
regards,
Painless

email replied to sir
thanks dave

So, like the 'Palace' Build will always be part of Wish and then Bobby passing in one week, now this Build will always remind me of the General. ... I labored over a couple of nights installing electronics then repairing\replacing the Smoker. Everything works so far to my satisfaction...
Pics: ( Click to Enlarge )
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8eFPCMpjIo

Glad you caught the dodgy smoker before you had a total thermo nuclear meltdown Mr Painless nice idea with the mesh for a repurposed crystal port.

Carl!
Thank you for looking in! Yessir, there were no resistors on the board for the original HL smoker so it worked initially then zorched itself with the extra current from the new MFU. The replacement Frankenstein smoker is built out of the best parts of three Taigen units so it should last a while. *crosses fingers and knocks on wood*
regards,
Painless

A little more more fun finishing up the electronics installation on the Lower. After that, it is time to turn the new Taigen Deck into an 'F' using the original HL Deck as a guide.
Pics: ( Click to Enlarge )

Great progress my friend I'm enjoying this one!

Carl!
Thank you, my Friend. I'm having some fun not stressing over how accurate to make the tank. I have some ideas so we will see. Now, if my last two cans ( on the Earth apparently ) of Model Masters Afrika Mustard would make it here.....
regards,
Painless

A Delivery and some thoughts on the newest Taigen version of their electronics. I got those cans of Afrika Mustard from Hobbylinc in Georgia. It took quite a while but they are finally here. The metal IR Taigen Panzer IV turret is a marvel ...as long as it works. I hooked everything up going by the included wiring schematic and switched it on. The gun fired once without me touching the switch then jammed up. The turret rotation worked but nothing else. MG and other hull functions worked normally and the wiring appeared correct. I quickly turned everything off and disassembled the turret then the gun recoil mechanism. I was dismayed to find that all of the gears were out of their sockets in the mechanism! Someone during shipping had played football with the shipping box apparently. I have worked with these mechanisms before and was able to take it all apart, check for damage then reassemble it. Next test, everything worked fine. Bright flash\recoil and roar of the 75mm then a shell casing drop and reload. It will be fun to see this replicated with the short 75mm of the 'F' The next job is to shorten up all of the wiring ( way too much extra length ) More fun soon.
Pics: ( Click to Enlarge )

Fortunately a combination of Dave@Forgebear and a caring Royal Mail has ensured that all my Taigen PZ4 upgraded Turrets have arrived in pristine condition and I have to echo your pleased surprise at just how good the new Turret and the V3 sound card are for not a lot of £££/$$$,
The most impressive standouts for me of the new Turret are the faux weld around the Cupola base and the (Finally)Accurate stowage bin as well as a main gun mantlet that after many years of having to cut them down is at last correct as is the Aerial deflector.
It will compliment your excellent build but I fear you will now be left wondering about the other non Tamiya pre-upgraded PZ4s in the Tank Lager.
Watching to see how this particular beauty finishes.