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Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:21 pm
by modler
Installment #1 M41

I have a collection of radio control planes (electric power) about 20 or so and also some spare 72Mhz radio gear that has no home.

I have several model tanks that need radio gear so I will be using this spare radio gear in my model Tanks that need radio gear.

NOTE" 2 decoupling 104 capacitors per motor must be used or glitching will occur when the motors run at any speed. If further info is needed on this topic, let me know and I will do a thread on that.

I have about a Dozen or so 1 way aircraft speed controls which I will convert for ground use if possible. I have a few ideas how this could be done but whatever it is it has to be doubled for Tank use to drive the Tracks.

The first one to get a vintage 72 Mhz setup will be a 1\35 M41 Walker Bulldog. In this Tank I will be using a DasMikro 1s dual 2 way ECS with tank mixing.

I have been trying for quite a while to get this DasMikro 1s dual ESC to work with DSM radio gear. I thought these ESC's were bad as all 4 that I bought on ebay refused to work and I even tried to get my money back from the ebay seller but he refused (the ad does not mention incompatibility with Spektrum R\C gear) so I kept trying and then tried it with Legacy 72 Mhz radio gear and all the sudden they work with this old gear. I will talk further about the DasMicro dual ESC in the future in a separate thread.

So I will be using all 4 of these ESC's with 72 Mhz receivers in this thread.

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:32 pm
by modler
Here are some pictures of the Tamiya 1\35 M41 Walker Bulldog. It seems to work very well with this 72 Mhz GWS micro receiver with a DasMikro dual ESC.

I will be doing at least 3 more 1/35 Tanks using 72Mhz radio gear with the DasMikro Dual ESC's.

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2023 3:47 am
by Herr Dr. Professor
I've built the static 1/35 Bulldog--there's no much space in the lower hull. Yet it's obvious that it was once a motorized Tamiya kit.

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2023 6:42 pm
by modler
[/attachment]
Herr Dr. Professor wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 3:47 am I've built the static 1/35 Bulldog--there's no much space in the lower hull. Yet it's obvious that it was once a motorized Tamiya kit.
The one shown here had no gearbox and was $20 on ebay, I had a spare gearbox and installed in in this Tank. Not much room in the hull for radio gear but then there is enough with the right electronics.

Well, I have about 7 models so far with aircraft electronics. Why you may ask? I have a fair amount of this aircraft gear laying around in storage and decided to put it back to work. Most of the Vintage Receivers, Transmitters are 25 years old or so but still works great :D
What is needed to make this stuff work in small scale military model is modern 1s 2 way speed controls that are fairly cheap on ebay. For this project I use three different types of ESC's.

1. Das Mikro dual 1s ESC with LVC and Elevon mixing. (picture below) This ESC has issues with DSM(x) radios and does not seem to work with them, however, they works with certain 72mhz radio systems like used here. 72 mhz "positive shift" radios seem to work good with this ESC. Of course they do not say that in the ad. It took me a year to figure this out :O They are the smallest dual ESC know to man but they have issues so I don't recommend them. They also have to be wired by hand which requires good soldering skills.


I found a dual ESC with or without a mixer that is even smaller than the Das Mikro! Have not had a chance to evaluate yet but as soon as I can I will report how that work.
Das Micro dual 1s ESC with LVC and Elevon mixing.
Das Micro dual 1s ESC with LVC and Elevon mixing.
IMG_9819.jpg (436.19 KiB) Viewed 7877 times
This is 1 of 2 transmitters that can operate this M41.
This is 1 of 2 transmitters that can operate this M41.
IMG_9821.JPG (908.09 KiB) Viewed 7870 times
Here is the finished M41 with Vintage Aircraft rc gear.
Here is the finished M41 with Vintage Aircraft rc gear.
IMG_9823.jpg (922.81 KiB) Viewed 7858 times
Shown here with a dual stick Tx channel 21.
Shown here with a dual stick Tx channel 21.
IMG_9824.jpg (712.67 KiB) Viewed 7858 times

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2023 9:44 pm
by modler
Installment #2 M10 here

viewtopic.php?t=34587

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2023 11:51 am
by Will01Capri
brilliant stuff

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2023 2:48 pm
by modler
Will01Capri wrote: Wed Sep 13, 2023 11:51 am brilliant stuff
Well thank you sir for noticing my work in "micro" (not 1/16) RRC.


I think it is time to do a short Video of the 1/35 Tamiya M41. Nothing fancy just a indoor Track run showing its Scale speed and track movements. I like running this one one around on the Track as it has a nice sound and has good power and crawler capabilities.

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:49 am
by Herr Dr. Professor
;) Here's a test question, modler: in the instructions for the venerable Tamiya Walker Bulldog, what part is accidentally indicated to install backwards ???

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2023 7:06 pm
by modler
Herr Dr. Professor wrote: Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:49 am ;) Here's a test question, modler: in the instructions for the venerable Tamiya Walker Bulldog, what part is accidentally indicated to install backwards ???

Hmm, Well The Tank I have has the red taillights and mufflers facing the viewer on the box(No.55) with the main gun resting in the rear stanchion gun mount and the commander looking at you from the box. it is very strange position and I never really realized what I was looking at until now LOL. The Tank is facing backwards on the box.

The model I have is No.55 and although a" motorized remote control" version was available, No.55 does not includes any of the remote control items although it retails the excellent poly tracks and poly bushed drive Sprockets that allow interface with a metal gearbox if you happen to have one and I did. The gearbox from the "motorized remote control" kit No.27 M-42 DUSTER fits the Kit No.55 M41 Walker Bulldog as they share the same chassis and the chassis are interchangeable as well.

As for you query of the backwards part, I do not know the answer. I looked at the No.55 kit instructions quickly and was not able to see the error you refer to.

Re: Old R\C Aircraft radio gear recycled for model Tanks

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2023 4:32 pm
by Herr Dr. Professor
Ah, there is a bulkhead reinforcing the lower hull. The bulkhead is intended to snap the upper hull to the lower, making is possible to open the hull halves to insert batteries. But the bulkhead is indicated backwards in at least two of the kits from about 5 or 6 years ago. This is useless information--unless someone wants to build one and even RC it.
backwards Bulldog.jpg
backwards Bulldog.jpg (172.47 KiB) Viewed 6848 times