Hi,
This post is for the creation of the SCR-528 Radio.
Radios have a world of their own. On a open compartment vehicle like the M16, the radio is at the center stage of the vehicle so it is important for many like me to show the right equipment and be accurate. The M-16 was equipped with an SCR-528 radio, which was also installed in the M4 and M5 tanks, and most allied vehicles. It was made in various configurations, so if you look at pictures, there are many variations.
The SCR-528 for the M-16 is composed of the BC-604 transmitter on the left and the BC-603 receiver on the right. Some vehicles were equipped with two receivers on the right, replacing the box like section on the far right.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
- Capture.JPG (78.83 KiB) Viewed 1844 times
I was really disappointed when I noticed that Trumpeter/WSN did not even made a remote attempt to reproduce the radio, providing instead some cheaply designed fake box with one dial and some switches that is supposed to please 1/16 scale modellers.
After some research, no SCR-528 radio is available anywhere in 1/16 scale. If there is one in resin or 3D printed, its not advertised... Radios are usually a bit complicated with lots of small features, the market is probably limited. There are some German radios available but not this one.
This left me with no other option than to build one, at least one that attempts to look like it. Using pictures and various points of references, I extrapolated some approximate dimensions. The core components are cut.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
Assembled and put on their base. The cover box for the radio and its new stand will be covered in future post. This is just the radio.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
A few plastic Lego grills came handy to help me create the features.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
For the speaker cover, there is a limit as to how many micro drill bit holes you can drill in a tiny 8mm plasticard square, in a specific pattern... the required 37 is a lot. Its pushing my eyes to the limit and a nerve is being pulled in my back. Done on a best effort basis. After 4 attempts, I was getting somewhere. Maybe tomorrow with a cooler head, I will do another attempt with a smaller bit and get a better result. I have seen 2 patterns for the speaker cover but the other is even more complicated.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
This is the finished radio. I managed to drill 25 holes for the speaker cover in a more or less coordinated pattern. One thing about this hobby is that everything can be improved. Small Meng nuts are used to represent buttons and switches.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
Next to the Trumpeter/WSN fake radio part provided with the model.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
My radio configuration will be the M16 version with complete radio and two ammo boxes at the front instead of 4.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
This is it, a SCR-528 done in 3 hours of work.
- 1/16 RC M16 Half Track MGMC Meat Chopper Korea build SCR-528
Next step is to create the new stand, radio cover box, antenna and integrate these within the M16.
Regards, Louis