HOOBEN T55 UGANDAN HILLBILLY WAGON

[HERMAN BIX]

Evening folks.
Have several projects hit the front-of-list due to a quite sad result of an estate sale.
A Hooben T55 with by the looks, a Henntec tensioner and a few hand made cosmetic improvements.

Not really having a plan for what this might be, I went down the rabbit-hole and I think I might make this into a late Israeli Tran 4 (1972-73) to add a bit of point of difference to my collection of subject Tanks.

https://miniart-models.com/product/3702 ... late-type/

This one highlights the subject pretty well I reckon. Going to be a hell of a project, loads of things Ive not attempted to put on a tank, and even more of a deviation outside my familiar subject material for research and information.
Its not an M51/Sherman so the base subject is at least some sort of a favorite!!
Not knowing one iota about either Hooben or IDF armour, this is going to be a long road and one I hope to improve my knowledge of both.

IMG_2276.jpeg (2.56 MiB) Viewed 10466 times

IMG_2277.jpeg (2.5 MiB) Viewed 10465 times

[Karl_Diesel]

Hello Mr. Bix,

I have built a Tiran 5 out of this Hooben kit, but I do not know a lot about Tiran 4. I think that the Tiran 4 had the original T55 main gun 100mm.

I am looking forward to see your IDF build.

[Ad Lav]

Tiran 4 - T54

Tiran 5 - T55

[HERMAN BIX]

And the late Tiran 4 retained the T55 main gun & T55 features
The early 4s were closer to the T54 with some even having the spider web WW2 road wheels.
Anyone know where I can get a pair of .30cal brownings??

[Ad Lav]

Look forward to this one

Hmm, must be some 3D printed wizards in Oz that can help out?

[HERMAN BIX]

Look forward to this one

Hmm, must be some 3D printed wizards in Oz that can help out?

Well, there is a Ninja in New South Wales I know is capable, but hes still perfecting his lab !!

[HERMAN BIX]

Well after bouncing between projects like a demented Kangaroo (which is hard to say as a Kiwi) I have landed back at the T55.
I want to get this one back to a structured and staged build rather than a frantic race to get a thing presentable from a scrap heap candidate .First thing is to get the thing to move and function before anything else is done.

The formal research now begins.................

[Ad Lav]

Check my old T55 build out for tips

[HERMAN BIX]

We finally got small stock of the V7.1 H/L control boards into Aus. Got one after a fair old wait.
Now I have been looking around for what to do with this in earnest(yeah, thanks Earnest) and the Tiran 4 version has kind of scared me off.
Too many sticky-outy bits such as .30 Cal and .50 Cal Machine guns, all sorts of other accessories which I reckon will get busted off even for simple battery changes.
Im not mind-made-up on how this will end up, but if I dont go with a Tiran 4, the options are still endless. Serbian, Eritrean, Ugandan, you get the idea.

Now Im off to get this to run

[HERMAN BIX]

https://archive.armorama.com/forums/286141/index.htm

Ohh I think Ive found a subject that fits my bill !!