RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

I have had this 1968 Vintage (estimated) Tamiya motorized remote control scale model Tank for awhile but am not able to build because the natural rubber tracks disintegrated due to old age. It is NIB and waiting to be built. This model has some unusual features like coil spring suspension for the road wheels. I have never seen that on a 1/35 scale Tamiya model. The dual 140 motor all metal gearbox is also different from anything I have seen before. It also has a small light bulb that is for the IR searchlight and has some kind of integral switch which is another first for me. I am determined to find a way to get this thing on its tracks and running

fixed the date mistake from 1965 to 1968 and added that it is a rare MOKEI model

If it can be done, I’m sure you are the one that can do it.

Good Afternoon,
Fruilmetal or Spade Ace might be able to help with a set of working metal tracks for that IS-3. Looking forward to your build.
regards,
Painless

PainlessWolf wrote:Good Afternoon,
Fruilmetal or Spade Ace might be able to help with a set of working metal tracks for that IS-3. Looking forward to your build.
regards,
Painless

Oh thanks for the info. I will check that out.

Today I have learned that the drive sprockets are not scale in this model, Tamiya made what looks like a custom drive sprocket that drives a rubber track like a toy tank track

I will see if I can get a picture of what I am talking about but I do not want to open the packaging as that will hurt an ebay sale.

I already made another $40 mistake by buying another Tamiya JS3 non motorized version for its tracks only to discover that the JS3 has 6 road wheels where the JSIII has 7!

Jimster wrote:If it can be done, I’m sure you are the one that can do it.

Thank you for the vote of confidence but looks like I may have a "mission impossible" on my hand here, The weird drive sprocket is not scale and is some kind of custom design that may be impossible to find a replacement

This is a very interesting build. Those gearboxes remind me of my early Imai 1/15 panzer IV set late 60's or early 70's vintage design in much smaller scale.

Here are mine.

PainlessWolf wrote:Good Afternoon,
Fruilmetal or Spade Ace might be able to help with a set of working metal tracks for that IS-3. Looking forward to your build.
regards,
Painless

I have looked at both sites and can not find anything for a T-10 JS III. Probably because the tracks used on the Tamiya JS III are not a scale design. I am making some efforts to find a solution..

If I am to proceed with this looks like I am going to have to open the kit to get a better look at the drive sprockets. The way the track is drive connected to the sprocket will determine if there is anything that can be done to mod a set of tracks for this model. On a T-34 Tank, the drive sprocket is connected to the track via the center track teeth and not the outer edges of the track using sprocket teeth that mesh with the track like most conventional designs.

Looks to me like this Tank does not use either method which could mean it is some toy grade method of track drive and if so, Not sure it is worth proceeding. Many Tanks but so little time...

c.rainford73 wrote:Here are mine.

Those look very robust! What scale is that model?

Vintage 1/15 scale