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Hello From California

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 1:27 am
by db_zero
Did a search on RC Tank forums and found this. Looks like a good place to start. I own 4 H/L tanks. I got the M1 with Steel gears and tracks over a year ago, then got the standard T-90. I just got the Leopard 2A6. I have a Challenger 2 with steel gears on the way. The Leopard 2 I just got has a non -functioning main gun so I'm working with the dealer to get it fixed or replaced. I also just ordered the Heng Long RC Tank Ultimate Gearbox Edition II x 1for the T-90 and metal gears for the Leopard. Knowing what I know now I would have ordered all tanks with metal gears.

I have a nice shaded area in the back of my complex where I can off road my tanks. The gophers and squirrels seem to be getting active so some digging and small mounds may suddenly start appearing...expect them to be perfectly suited for off roading RC tanks!

I've always been fascinated by tanks. I own Steel Beasts Pro-still learning and not that good and IL2 Tank Crew - which is still a work in progress. I bought a game Panzer Elite when it first came out and still have the manual and reference guide. I play lots of Combat Mission which involves tanks and other AFV's

When I was a kid my friends and I would go to the hobby store, buy and build tank models as well as airplanes, infantry and AT guns.-Tamiya, Monogram, Revell. Built quite a few and many ended up being blown up with firecrackers or doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze. Now a days I collect old plastic model catalogs. I've been looking for the old Monogram instructions and full color and BW scenario instructions. Not easy to find.

Still feeling my way around the RC world. Just bough a better battery charger, tester, conditioner and other accoutrements.

I'd like to visit The Tank Museum at Bovington, one of these days.

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:34 am
by PainlessWolf
Good evening,
Welcome to the Forum! Pics of your tanks ( and your play area ;o) when you get the chance. We love to chat and kick the virtual road wheels around here.
regards,
Painless

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:31 am
by Jimster
Welcome from Illinois! There seems to be a growing number of American recruits lately 8)
Sounds as if you have a great background for the rc tank hobby. I look forward to seeing some photos.

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:42 am
by jarndice
Welcome to the Forum :thumbup: :wave: :clap:
Heng Longs Nylon Gearboxes are very much underrated and as long as the rest of the drive train is nylon/plastic they should give you good service,
The law of diminishing returns comes into play if you introduce metal into the equation such as metal tracks or metal wheels then you do need to upgrade to steel gearboxes and the Heng Long ultimates are a very nice fit for the price.
I would advise you and anyone else to avoid Heng Longs Pot Metal Gearboxes they are overpriced cr*p.
Enjoy the Forum and I hope you get to Bovington one day, You won't be disappointed` Well as long as you avoid the cafeteria that is :haha: :haha:

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:11 pm
by BarryC
Welcome sir!

You've made the right choice landing here, friendly folks with lots of knowledge and willing to share.

Barry

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:27 pm
by palepainter
Welcome!

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 10:46 am
by 43rdRecceReg
Zero decibels? :D Sounds like a recording enthusiast to me (recording music's my age-old interest) :) In any event, it sounds like you have all the ingredients there for a severe- but hopefully pleasing- tank addiction. :thumbup:
Welcome to RCTW- and "...abandon hope all ye who enter here!" :wave:

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 1:36 pm
by Xiaoshan_Sailor
Howdy from across the pond from you. I'm originally from WV so still count as a Yank even if I somehow got shanghai'd years ago & ended up in the epicenter where the majority of your model AFV hail from. Been to HL & Hooben more times that I care to count so if you have any questions, just holler.

I don't set my models afire like I did as kid but I still have catalogs from when I first started building in the early '70s. Seeing the prices back then will make one's eyes water.
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Re: Hello From California

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 2:22 pm
by jarndice
Xiaoshan_Sailor wrote:Been to HL & Hooben more times that I care to count so if you have any questions, just holler.

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I am HOLLERING :haha: do you know if Heng Long are redesigning the Panzer 4 because there has been a marked absence of that particular model in the shops over the last year ?

Re: Hello From California

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:21 pm
by db_zero
If you've seen a picture of Heng Long tanks then you'll know what mine looks like-fresh from the factory. Its been over 40 years since I last built plastic models and I was nowhere near master modeler status. The work I see posted online is far beyond what I was ever capable of doing.

Here are a couple pics of my off road space. Not extensive, but its a 30 second walk from my place and its shaded which is nice for the 90-102 degree summer days. Already has slight terrain features. Not sure if I should rake up the small debris and leaves.

Now I have to decide what I want to do. I have a small hand pick and shovel to do some work. I started making some small wooden obsticles to try out.

I have other grassy areas and a tennis court to play with. Grass and HL tanks doesn't seem to get along too well in my limited experience.

Like many fortunate to stil be working, its migrated to work at home-which is looking like it will beocome permananet. Maybe thats why more "yanks" are finding there way here? I've been to my local hardware store numerous times for gardening supplies which started to sell out since the country started locking down. I went back a few days ago to get a soldering kit and they were sold out. The salesman said people are now migrating from gardening to building computer boards and other stuff for a stay at home hobby, so maybe that's RC stuff you can do at home is gaining some traction. Thats the case with me.

14 or so years ago I was buying and selling Forces of Valor 1/32 metal vechicles on Ebay. I though back then it would be cool to have a RC tank. A search on Amazon didn't yield results. Then sometime later I did a search again and H/L tanks appeared....

If I had more space I would buy more. The WW2 stuff looks fascinating and I love WW2 tanks.

db_zero actually stands for divide by zero...