Greetings, I have been away from this forum for a while but now I am back with some new model work. Some time ago I got a few Tanks from a member here (M3A4 Sherman and a Early Tiger 1) 1/24 Vs pro series battle tanks. These are highly detailed and painted tanks with hi-Q components and nice detail that are worthy of a 2.4G radio upgrade.
I used HL 1/30 scale 1s 2.4G IR battle system Radio in my first upgrade both M4A3, Tiger 1 Tanks. This works very well but the Sherman(M4A3) was a bit too slow for my tastes so decided to go with a HL 1/24 scale 2s 2.4G IR battle system Radio
in the Sherman and tune it to the speed I wanted which is just a bit faster than the Tiger 1. Both of these HL radios are compatible in battle mode with each other and the circuit boards are the same size and all the I\R components are compatible on a circuit board level as well as Battle mode between Tanks
Oh, and both systems (1/30-1s\1/24-2s) use the same excellent Transmitters!
Testing reveals that the Sherman now has the proper speed with its new 2s power supply lipo and the Tiger 1 as it is now with 1s system works very well as is so no need to upgrade the Tiger 1 as its speed is perfect as is
I upgraded both to HL 2.4G radio system initially and that was a major improvement but because of the drive motors being designed for 6 cells (~7.2V), the tanks were a bit slow with the 1 cell lipo radio system. So after some time I realized a phase 2 upgrade was in order.
This thread will be about the phase 2 upgrade with 2s lipo using a 1/24 series HL radio system. The new radio system for the M4A3 Sherman comes from 1/24 2s HL IR Leopard 2 Battle Tank. This is a very compact and robust radio system that is ideal for 1/35 - 1/30 - 1/24 IR battle tanks.
I will post pictures asap, just wanted to get something up now as I am working on the project.
This Sherman features:
IR battle system with 4 hit LED scoreboard.
Scale metal barrel
IR LED in the barrel for precise aiming
Variable speed Turret traverse L\R and Barrel U\D
concealable U\D channeled IR energy detector (requires opponent tank precise aiming to score a hit)
Track recoil with Gun recoil
Proportional speed F\R with track spin L\R
Precise\smooth gearbox operation
Full suspension with durable ITL tracks.
Scale functional headlights
Multi stage diesel engine sound, Main gun, machine gun with volume control from TX
Start\standby via TX. Headlights blink when in standby.
2s lipo operation with LVC
4 life LED scoring display under a turret hatch
1/24 Vs pro Sherman HL 2s radio upgrade
1/24 Vs pro Sherman HL 2s radio upgrade
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- IR LED mounted in the barrel so precise aiming is possible.
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- You can close the loaders hatch and the LED's not easily visible so as to not spoil the stock look of the scale Sherman
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- Here is the Hit scoring LED circuit board installed in the 1/24 Sherman.
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- Hit scoring LED circuit board from HL 1/30 scale Sherman M4A3. So it is now going in a HL 1/24 Sherman! Yes it is compatible with the 1/30-1/24 main boards.
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- 2s IR "Blue circuit board" added. Will allow gun recoil function with the new 2s circuit board, The tank commander lost his arm somewhere in the upgrade.
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- M4A3 Sherman is highly detailed and has super gearbox running gear. very smooth operation mechanically.
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Re: 1/24 Vs pro Sherman HL 2s radio upgrade
Hi Modler,
I have 4 VS tanks that i want to do the same upgrades to as you have done.
I can find the 1/24 mother boards on Ebay, but no transmitter. I don't want to buy complete HL tanks to cannibalize.
Do you know if the 1/16 transmitter will work with the 1/24 board? I'm thinking about just using the 1/16 motherboard and transmitter
I have 4 VS tanks that i want to do the same upgrades to as you have done.
I can find the 1/24 mother boards on Ebay, but no transmitter. I don't want to buy complete HL tanks to cannibalize.
Do you know if the 1/16 transmitter will work with the 1/24 board? I'm thinking about just using the 1/16 motherboard and transmitter
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Re: 1/24 Vs pro Sherman HL 2s radio upgrade
I've yet to see any Heng Long 2.4Ghz transmitters for sale by themselves. I've picked up a couple used 2.4Ghz tanks with transmitters inexpensively $30 to $40 on ebay and craigslist here and there just keep an eye out. As Modler said in his post, the Heng Long 1/30 scale 2.4Ghz transmitters, are exactly the same, buttons and all. I have both the 1/24 and 1/30 tanks and the transmitters will bind to either MCB and all functions work as they should. I'd make you a video to prove it but all of my 1/30 tank stuff and most of my 1/24 tank stuff is in storage while I'm living like a nomad. Compare them here: https://www.henglongtanks.com/collectio ... -rc-tanks . The 1/30 scale MCB is the same as the 1/24 MCB with one minor difference, the barrel elevation circuit isn't complete (but, Modler's already shown us how it can be added. viewtopic.php?p=341422#p341422 ). I can only assume Heng Long must've done the math and figured it was cheaper to use the same controller for both rather than making a separate controller for the 1/30 scale tanks without the circuitry for barrel elevation.
Let you in on a little secret, thanks to the 1/30 scale tanks there's an even cheaper source for transmitters. You can find the 1/30 Heng Long tanks on Amazon for ~$40.00 and up but keep an eye on Amazon Warehouse. I've purchased a couple "Open Box" from Amazon Warehouse for $22 and $26 with free shipping (Prime).
The 1/30 scale tanks are also available on Toucan Hobby's website for $30.90 curently. https://www.toucanhobby.com/products/th ... f9fe&_ss=c
The 1/16 transmitter will not work with the 1/24 board. You could probably shoe horn the 1/16 scale MCB into it easily enough by cutting out the battery box and using a smaller Li-Ion battery if need be. Wiring should be simple enough, the 1/24 tanks use the same airsoft, turret rotation, and barrel elevation gear boxes as the 1/16 tanks, at least on those I've bought, they are all 2.4Ghz. Those same parts for the 1/24 scale VS Tanks, Waltersons, Tokyo Mauri, and etc parts listed on ebay look virtually the same as Heng Long's 1/16 scale as well. The wiring for the battery and motors is exactly the same. If you do go with the 1/16 scale MCB it would allow you to add a smoker if desired, if you've got any room left over. Build a small one yourself or repurpose one from something else. Take a look on Aliexpress they come in all shapes and sizes.
Let you in on a little secret, thanks to the 1/30 scale tanks there's an even cheaper source for transmitters. You can find the 1/30 Heng Long tanks on Amazon for ~$40.00 and up but keep an eye on Amazon Warehouse. I've purchased a couple "Open Box" from Amazon Warehouse for $22 and $26 with free shipping (Prime).
The 1/30 scale tanks are also available on Toucan Hobby's website for $30.90 curently. https://www.toucanhobby.com/products/th ... f9fe&_ss=c
The 1/16 transmitter will not work with the 1/24 board. You could probably shoe horn the 1/16 scale MCB into it easily enough by cutting out the battery box and using a smaller Li-Ion battery if need be. Wiring should be simple enough, the 1/24 tanks use the same airsoft, turret rotation, and barrel elevation gear boxes as the 1/16 tanks, at least on those I've bought, they are all 2.4Ghz. Those same parts for the 1/24 scale VS Tanks, Waltersons, Tokyo Mauri, and etc parts listed on ebay look virtually the same as Heng Long's 1/16 scale as well. The wiring for the battery and motors is exactly the same. If you do go with the 1/16 scale MCB it would allow you to add a smoker if desired, if you've got any room left over. Build a small one yourself or repurpose one from something else. Take a look on Aliexpress they come in all shapes and sizes.