Tamiya 105 HVSS to Firefly VVSS - Possible?

[Vulpes]

Hi All,
So some backstory, I collect rare inert ordnance and have both an APC 17pdr from a Firefly and APCBC 8,8cm from a Tiger 1. I would like to accompany both of them with their respective 1/16 RC models, while the Tiger 1 is fairly easy, the Firefly isn't as I plan on converting a Tamiya Sherman 105.
I've seen the DSG Firefly conversion from the gents at Forgebear tanks and that it can fit the Tamiya chassis. My real concern is changing the HVSS from the Tamiya model to VVSS in either Mato or HL parts which isn't well documented here, I wonder if anyone could shed any light on such a conversion.

I know it can be done as my initial search unearthed this beauty from member UZI
viewtopic.php?t=23128&hilit=sherman+composite

Thanks!

[tomhugill]

Hi All,
So some backstory, I collect rare inert ordnance and have both an APC 17pdr from a Firefly and APCBC 8,8cm from a Tiger 1. I would like to accompany both of them with their respective 1/16 RC models, while the Tiger 1 is fairly easy, the Firefly isn't as I plan on converting a Tamiya Sherman 105.
I've seen the DSG Firefly conversion from the gents at Forgebear tanks and that it can fit the Tamiya chassis. My real concern is changing the HVSS from the Tamiya model to VVSS in either Mato or HL parts which isn't well documented here, I wonder if anyone could shed any light on such a conversion.

I know it can be done as my initial search unearthed this beauty from member UZI
viewtopic.php?t=23128&hilit=sherman+composite

Thanks!

It has been done. But you'd be much better off using using something else as a base as the only things you'll retain are the gearboxes and the tub. You'll need to adapt the gearboxes too as they done fit the correct sprockets you'll need for the narrower tracks the vvss Sherman's have.

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[john1970]

The firefly build you linked to is of the IC while the DGS kit is of the VC requires a longer hull. So if you do go to all the trouble of changing the hvss to vvss the hull will still look to short. You would be better off just getting a heng long lower hull and extending it

[Kaczor]

UZI's Firefly was mostly scratch builded by very skilled modeller Here is full build thread (i Polish but can be easly translated via Google)
http://rctank.pl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=124&t=780
In the end, all that was left of oruginal Tamiya kit was the electronics

If I were you, I would sell the Tamiya and buy a better conversion base like Heng Long or Taigen.

[Ad Lav]

MK Modellbau can do the conversion should you wish to keep the Tamiya hull.

He did one for me a while back.

I have an AP and HE from an M10 tank destroyer. Wish I had the 8.8cm!

[tankme]

The Tamiya Sherman kit is in pretty high demand right now as it's discontinued. Hacking one up to put a HL VVSS on it would be a pretty bad idea. I actually have a Tamiya Sherman that someone put a VVSS on back when the kits were plentiful, but the HVSS on the Tamiya Sherman is going to be highly desirable. There are a few that are now starting to 3D print the HVSS suspension, but they will not be as good as the real Tamiya version and the Hooben version is the worst of all of them from what I've read.

[Vulpes]

Thanks for the information all. Looks like I'll be getting a new one!

[Vulpes]

I have an AP and HE from an M10 tank destroyer. Wish I had the 8.8cm!

The 76mm shells also look great! The 88 is rather nice, the Germans marked literally everything, including the projectile on the 88 shells. Mine is a Pzgr. 39 projectile stamped bye 45 making it Hanomag production Hannover, 1945. The steel case was made in Hayange, France in 1944 by Huttenverwaltung Westmark G.m.b.H. der Reichswerke "Hermann Goring" and has been fired 3 times, the giveaway for 88 shells are the fusing, flak guns had percussion fuses while the KwK guns were electric fuses. Although it's impossible to know if these were added/changed during or after the war.

[Ad Lav]

Sorry, M10 Achilles so it’s a 17pdr!!