I need to stop! The Fleet is over-strength
Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:03 pm
Just some random notes on my fleet of 4 tanks and some things that might be more or less interesting.
I just got the T-34 and that really needs to be it. Unless I get rid of one or two I truly can't get anymore (though I'd still like to get a Panther G or a Hooben T-55!) I got the T-34 the way the experten on the forum are unanimous, I got it loaded. 2.4 radio and metal. It was $232 from Mideatech and certainly worth it. It is very nice to get a tank that works out of the box and nothing more to be done to it!
I have left the drums off the back since I want to weather them some more before I glue them on. (Russian armor builders, you might want to know, that Krylon "Italian Olive" is just about an exact match for Russian Army Green and it's $5 for a large rattle can.) That and some light weathering and this tank is about complete. The tow ropes that come with it are made of a flexible black plastic-very nice! All they need is paint. The t-34 is tail heavy since the gearboxes are in the back, many people add several oz of lead weight up front if they want it to climb anything. Ordered the black steel gearbox from the Mato mart sale yesterday, they will be going in this tank. With the sale the gearboxes cost me $39.20.
I had a decision to make on my Panzer III, the cursed tank had so many electrical problems you'd almost think it's a real tank (by the way, I watched a tank documentary where they interviewed the old Panzer crewman and they said, German tanks could not go more then 100 km before they broke down).
The turret traverse quit working and i traced the problem to the 8 pin connector. After fixing that with much difficulty, I dropped the hull and pulled the wires off the solder square...
I am not a fan of soldering and only do it when I can't avoid it and even then, only the simple things like one wire to another...
Anyway I was about ready to give up on this tank, I had a decision to make, cannibalise it or fix it, so I chose to fix it, one last time. RCParty.com has the upper hull and turret for $35 shipped. I emailed them and they claim that it DOES come with the wiring installed-which would fix every problem on this tank. I'm skeptical about that, but we will see when it gets here (probably in about a month).
I have ordered from RCparty before so I'm pretty sure they're reputable, but they sure aren't fast. A decal set from them took over a month to get here. This site they have almost every bit and piece for almost all HL tanks, (no King tiger parts although they say they can get them, and no metal). And very cheap, of course it's the shipping cost that makes you think twice. That and you have to be prepared to wait at least a month to get your parts.
My King TIger is waiting on Henntec tensioners to get here, and I'm hoping it fixes the steel tracks jumping off the idler. (It had the same issue with the plastic tracks too and, having already bought the metal ones I don't want to go back to the plastic even if it does function better). The KT is another tank I wish i'd bought "loaded"!!! It's ridiculous - I have spent so much money on this King tiger it's enough to buy two of them, and it's senseless....! If I did it over again, I'd buy the KT with the 2.4 Ghz radio, or add it if i had to, add on the zimmerit sheets for $60, repaint and be done with it...much cheaper...
I think the factory tracks are lighter then the ones i bought - for $57 shipped. (Another false economy, but when I got the King tiger, my first tank, I did not know i'd enjoy the hobby so much).
Those tracks are huge, and weigh a ton! I'm surprised the motors can even pull the tank it's so heavy. And months ago, I bought some new more powerful motors from ebay, and even soldered the wires, I just have to swap the small gear onto the shaft as the motors did not come with them...and I even have the little gear puller tool, I have just been putting it off. The first time i tried to swap the gear though i ruined the motor (i then needed a new motor, and I emailed and told the person on Ebay I bought the motors from the truth, he was kind enough to send me a replacement motor if I just paid his shipping cost-a lot of people are great!)
Removing the gear was a breeze, pressing it on though, I braced the tool on a flanged part of the body and basically just pushed the motor apart (and it wouldn't go back together). I can see though it's a simple matter to place a small metal piece so it braces the motor shaft and the gear should press right on...a hundred things to do alright!
Oh and I bought this guy from Ebay...meet Helmut (or whatever his name would be)
The detail is very nice! Although he's a bit too big...next to the factory figure he looks like Andre the Giant would. But I still intend to use it in my tank, probably the King tiger. To make him fit in the hatch I'd have to cut him in half at the waist-which I don't want to do, because the figure is so good-so I think I will just cut the cuppola floor instead!
I just got the T-34 and that really needs to be it. Unless I get rid of one or two I truly can't get anymore (though I'd still like to get a Panther G or a Hooben T-55!) I got the T-34 the way the experten on the forum are unanimous, I got it loaded. 2.4 radio and metal. It was $232 from Mideatech and certainly worth it. It is very nice to get a tank that works out of the box and nothing more to be done to it!
I have left the drums off the back since I want to weather them some more before I glue them on. (Russian armor builders, you might want to know, that Krylon "Italian Olive" is just about an exact match for Russian Army Green and it's $5 for a large rattle can.) That and some light weathering and this tank is about complete. The tow ropes that come with it are made of a flexible black plastic-very nice! All they need is paint. The t-34 is tail heavy since the gearboxes are in the back, many people add several oz of lead weight up front if they want it to climb anything. Ordered the black steel gearbox from the Mato mart sale yesterday, they will be going in this tank. With the sale the gearboxes cost me $39.20.
I had a decision to make on my Panzer III, the cursed tank had so many electrical problems you'd almost think it's a real tank (by the way, I watched a tank documentary where they interviewed the old Panzer crewman and they said, German tanks could not go more then 100 km before they broke down).
The turret traverse quit working and i traced the problem to the 8 pin connector. After fixing that with much difficulty, I dropped the hull and pulled the wires off the solder square...
I am not a fan of soldering and only do it when I can't avoid it and even then, only the simple things like one wire to another...Anyway I was about ready to give up on this tank, I had a decision to make, cannibalise it or fix it, so I chose to fix it, one last time. RCParty.com has the upper hull and turret for $35 shipped. I emailed them and they claim that it DOES come with the wiring installed-which would fix every problem on this tank. I'm skeptical about that, but we will see when it gets here (probably in about a month).
I have ordered from RCparty before so I'm pretty sure they're reputable, but they sure aren't fast. A decal set from them took over a month to get here. This site they have almost every bit and piece for almost all HL tanks, (no King tiger parts although they say they can get them, and no metal). And very cheap, of course it's the shipping cost that makes you think twice. That and you have to be prepared to wait at least a month to get your parts.
My King TIger is waiting on Henntec tensioners to get here, and I'm hoping it fixes the steel tracks jumping off the idler. (It had the same issue with the plastic tracks too and, having already bought the metal ones I don't want to go back to the plastic even if it does function better). The KT is another tank I wish i'd bought "loaded"!!! It's ridiculous - I have spent so much money on this King tiger it's enough to buy two of them, and it's senseless....! If I did it over again, I'd buy the KT with the 2.4 Ghz radio, or add it if i had to, add on the zimmerit sheets for $60, repaint and be done with it...much cheaper...
I think the factory tracks are lighter then the ones i bought - for $57 shipped. (Another false economy, but when I got the King tiger, my first tank, I did not know i'd enjoy the hobby so much).
Those tracks are huge, and weigh a ton! I'm surprised the motors can even pull the tank it's so heavy. And months ago, I bought some new more powerful motors from ebay, and even soldered the wires, I just have to swap the small gear onto the shaft as the motors did not come with them...and I even have the little gear puller tool, I have just been putting it off. The first time i tried to swap the gear though i ruined the motor (i then needed a new motor, and I emailed and told the person on Ebay I bought the motors from the truth, he was kind enough to send me a replacement motor if I just paid his shipping cost-a lot of people are great!)
Removing the gear was a breeze, pressing it on though, I braced the tool on a flanged part of the body and basically just pushed the motor apart (and it wouldn't go back together). I can see though it's a simple matter to place a small metal piece so it braces the motor shaft and the gear should press right on...a hundred things to do alright!
Oh and I bought this guy from Ebay...meet Helmut (or whatever his name would be)
The detail is very nice! Although he's a bit too big...next to the factory figure he looks like Andre the Giant would. But I still intend to use it in my tank, probably the King tiger. To make him fit in the hatch I'd have to cut him in half at the waist-which I don't want to do, because the figure is so good-so I think I will just cut the cuppola floor instead!
