The following two posts are for the turret rotation. This build is going rather fast. Its faster when we do not have to undo anything, or scratch build everything.
As this is a Tamiya M4 restoration project, the plan is to reuse anything good from the available material, make it as simple as possible so that anyone can replicate, and also as cheap as possible.
This is the bottom of the Tamiya and Takom turrets. The Tamiya rotation unit and wheel are good, and offer 360 degrees continuous rotation. There is no reason to develop something new. However, the Takom turret ring is much larger. It is not possible to reuse everything exactly as is, some adaptation is required.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4865.JPG (1.88 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
I also need to think ahead and plan for the recoil unit, so i cannot have the elevation unit too close to the middle of the turret with a metal bar going across it.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4867.JPG (2.2 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4870.JPG (1.56 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
The Takom turret is a little bit loose on the upper ring. To keep it from going sideways by 0.5mmm, i added a thin plasticard section on the four corners to keep it in the centre and reduce friction. There is also no retention mechanism to lock the turret on the upper hull, but there is a deep extension rim that is much appreciated.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4872.JPG (1.79 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
I needed to find a simple way to restrain the turret on the upper hull so a roundel the size of the turret ring and 2mm thick is made using my very practical roundel maker, a little tool that can be purchased on Amazon for a few dollars. Because the plasticard is thick, the roundel is not made by cutting it with the sharp side of the blade, it is made using a counterclock mouvement, slowly scraping the plasticard with the tip rear of the blade. It takes a few minutes, starting with the outside ring. The middle point is important.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4876.JPG (905.4 KiB) Viewed 2521 times
It goes around the turret ring extension and holds in place without any screws, glue or else. With this retention method, the turret can be installed on the upper hull, and removed as required. The roundel rotates with the turret, and is flat against the inside of the upper hull, with some buffer for free mouvement.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4879.JPG (2.75 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
The bottom of the turret is perfectly round. A roundel is made to give a floor to the turret bottom, and it is glued in place.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4881.JPG (1.17 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
On the reverse side which has the center hole of the roundel maker, i make a mark the size of the rotation gear with a compass to mark the required position and ensure it will be perfectly centered in the middle, without any wobble. This is critical.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4884.JPG (1.24 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
The rotation gear is glued in place with a long cure glue, allowing it to be perfectly positioned with the marks, finetuned, and then rechecked twice with a compas. Any wobble will create dramatic problems with the turret rotation.
There is no need to install screws in the two screw holders. The center of the turret bottom is likely to be completely made hollow later to allow for the gun recoil unit to work freely.
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4887.JPG (1.04 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
Need to create a stand for the Tamiya rotation unit, why not reuse the one from the Tamiya upper hull...
- 1/16 RC M4A3E8 Korean war - Restoring Tamiya M4 with Takom kit - build
- IMG_4889.JPG (1.56 MiB) Viewed 2521 times
Continuing on following post
