Takom M10 Wolverine - RC conversion

[MonsieurTox]

Hey guys, I've been working on it for a while now.
I'm puting it in the Sherman section as it has a M4A2 chassis but feel free to put it in another section (maybe "Allied Tank Destroyers" could be created ?).

I haven't took a lot of pics but it was a lot of work and efforts to get everything working. I wanted to keep the suspensions as they have wonderful details but I had to modify them to get them working. I molded every parts of a suspension unit so I'll be able to make resin or metal copies for my future Sherman builds.
The tires were solid styrene and I wanted them to be rubber so I molded them (after having filled them with clay, otherwise they would have been too thin) and pulled them in rubber Urethane. They have some good details on them so it's cool, and I'll be able to make more for my other Shermans.
Each tires were made of 2 halves so I had to glued them carefuly : any glue marks would ruin it as it would show on the rubber parts, same I wanted the very smooth and perfect look of the styrene parts so sanding was prohibited. And I wanted to keep the joint lines to recreat the molding line of the original sherman tires.

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[MonsieurTox]

I'm using the Mato track tensioner but not the idler wheel which is pretty bad in my opinion and I need an open idler anyway.

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On every Mato track tensioner I got, the socket screw is too tall... and hit the idler wheel which wan't sit properly. The socket screw has to be grinded down.

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I used the bearings of the Mato idlers and built some adapters to use them with the Takom idlers. That's what I did with the I Love Kit M4A3E8 too and it worked fine.

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The return rollers were plastic on plastic, like the Heng Long, and for those who own one, you know it's not ideal and that you see plastic powder very quickly ! So I used brass on brass, which, while not ideal (phosphoric bronze bushing or ball bearings would be), is much better.

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The road wheels will get brass bushing on brass axles too.

[MonsieurTox]

This is where I am today.

It's in running condition. It runs very well. It has Mato metal tracks, sprockets and track adjusters. Regular nylon HL gearboxes, which are fine (my Panzer IV has metal tracks with plastic gearboxes and I have no issue after 2 years).

It was very hard to fit the HL gearboxes inside the transmission cover, it was easier on the M4A3E8. This kit as a tighter transmission cover... In both case you realize how wrong in shape and width is the HL transmission cover part... Anyway I had to grind a lot both the gearboxes frames and the transmission cover part. So much I went throught the styrene on one place, that's not too bad as it's a tiny hole and I will be able to cover (not fill) it with Milliput.

Because of the open turret, you can see the floor, which is a nice part on the kit (not pictured here), I was hoping to put the batteries under it but the batteries are 2mm too tall, so I have the option to raise the floor (but it brings other problems), put smaller batteries or put them on the very back at 90 degrees above the tracks. I think I'm going to do the last option.

Rotation and elevation is going to be challenging too. It will be impossible to add recoil but it's a compromise I can do.

Lots of work to do ! Stay tuned !

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[tankme]

It's a nice conversion.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

MonsieurTox, I went away from Friday (6-21-24) through today (6-24-24) and here I find your incredible work atop that of so many others suddenly appearing! I wish I had one drop of the talent you demonstrate again and again.

[Kaczor]

Well done! Since I still have the Achilles set unpacked - how do the bogies suspension work? The set seems to only contain imitation springs.

[MonsieurTox]

Thanks guys !

MonsieurTox, I went away from Friday (6-21-24) through today (6-24-24) and here I find your incredible work atop that of so many others suddenly appearing! I wish I had one drop of the talent you demonstrate again and again.

Thank you Herr Dr. Professor ! I wish it will give some ideas to other to see more RC conversions.

Well done! Since I still have the Achilles set unpacked - how do the bogies suspension work? The set seems to only contain imitation springs.

Yes indeed if you build the suspensions the way they designed you won't have working suspensions. The small suspensions arms can swivel but cant move up and down because of the lack of real springs. I made some volute springs from brass strips and also from aluminium strips. They work but they are not stiff enough, the ideal way would be to put a small spring in them. I will confess I was lazy to make 12 identical volute springs (same pitch, same diameter) so I just used the plastic ones, shortened them and used real springs in them. The other parts need some other modifications too in order to get everything working smooth and being reliable.

Anyway that's a fantastic kit to build and that's great to have open sherman wheels !