Challenger 2. Operation Telic.

[Ad Lav]

That’s some serious work to get it to run right from the box!

[Ecam]

That grey goop, I'm assuming an epoxy? What is it please. Always looking to expand the possibilities.

Nice work by the way!

[Meter rat]

That grey goop, I'm assuming an epoxy? What is it please. Always looking to expand the possibilities.

Nice work by the way!

Thank you.
The grey gloop is JB Weld. Been used to hold the 4mm nuts in place and as a filler. It can be drilled, tapped, filed. It all looks a lot better now I have started to clean it up.

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[Ecam]

JB weld metal? I've used that stuff for other applications but have not tried it in modeling.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

JB Weld works great on models for just the reasons Meter Rat gives: "It can be drilled, tapped, filed." Here in the US, it's easy to fine in almost any hardware store or big box home ruination store, and it stands up to all sorts of torture. I use the Quick variety.

[Meter rat]

I think I may have sorted my running problems. Although I now have a noisy gearbox, but I think that is down to me, and my incompetence. I thought my was the only one with problems, however various others have asked about track retention. This is my solution and my thoughts on why it was consistently shedding tracks. As you my know if you follow this dribble, mine runs metal tracks, road wheels, idlers and sprockets with guides. It also had drive shaft support bearings. It is rather a heavy beast. The track was constantly overriding the sprockets. Tension them correctly and if anything came between the track and the sprocket the sprocket would break where it went onto the drive shaft. It was completely stripped down, new wheel bearings were installed, the track tensioners were rebuilt with 4mm stainless nuts and bolts. The idlers were also installed with 4mm stainless nuts and bolts. Stronger springs were installed on the front pair of road wheels, and last two pairs of road wheels. This stops the rear end from squatting and helps to keep the track tension consistent. Finally a frame was made from 25mm x 25mm aluminium which was bonded and bolted to the lower hull. When installing the tracks back on I needed to add two links back in. Previously two links had been removed to get the correct tension.I believe that the chassis was being compressed before the track tension was able to take up the slack. By making it more ridged, the tensioner is better able to do its job properly. I put in new red motors, and over the last couple of weekends I have given it some serious abuse in the garden, which has a steep slippery bank with long grass which was its nemesis with out either of the tracks coming off. I also took it over the old golf course at the back of us and using a fresh charged battery it covered approximately 1km with out any issues with the tracks. Hope this helps and it is only my experience with mine. I now need to find more speed. This is an ongoing test, but so far the runs it has been given, seen to have worked. The Abrams I was comparing it with shed a track whilst trying to execute a turn on the first hill in the garden.

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[Ecam]

Sounds like a boat load of work, BUT the correct outcome. Great work!

[Meter rat]

Sounds like a boat load of work, BUT the correct outcome. Great work!

Thank you. It has been a frustrating, painful, challenging, intriguing, and fun learning curve. Reading and re-reading what work others have come to improve the model, and implementing one modification at a time, it slowly improved. New ultimate gear boxes have been ordered..

[Ecam]

Well done my son, well done.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Meter Rat: Skimming back over this build, I noticed two matters about which I could use information:
1) The long tarp over the front of the tank interests me as I eventually have to make one for the M26 (actually T26 because so early) Pershing.
2) Tamnavulin: hmm... Once the Oban my sweetheart brought back is gone...