Unboxing the TongDe Chaffee

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Over the next few days, I will put up some photos of the TongDe Chaffee. Most on RCTW are likely familiar with the type of box TongDe (and most others) use, etc., so I will get right to the inside stuff.

For starters, here are the instruction sheets.
On the left is the sheet on operating the "TongDe-3.0" transmitter/receiver to control the tank functions. These instructions are organized by control lever or button combination, rather than by function. For example, if one wants to adjust the Braking Strength, one must hunt through the text until one finds "braking strength adjustment" under "15. Button T + Button V."
In the center is the the TongDe 10-page booklet of safety warnings, etc. Page 4 helps one locate the on/off switch, charging socket, IR, and smoke, while page 5 starts the instructions for the sprues of parts one can paint and install.
On the right is a standard two-sided page of disclaimers, warnings, and contact information that Toucan Hobby (and affiliates) sends with every tank.

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[Herr Dr. Professor]

This photo shows the spread of the sheet on operating the "TongDe-3.0" transmitter/receiver and pages 6 and 7 of the TongDe 10-page booklet with more on the parts to paint and assemble, rather simple, but useful just as are static model instructions.

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[Exhibitedbrute]

That is a very thorough unboxing of the manual professor. Can’t wait to see what you do with the tank itself

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I may be brainwashed by academia, but I always read instruction first (perhaps skimming familiar parts). Fifty years ago, I bought a 750 CC Yamaha motorcycle (although I had never driven one.) I had it delivered to my apartment on a weekday, read the whole manual, and on Sunday morning at 6:00 am managed to drive it to a nearby shopping mall to practice. Now that's thorough--not to mention downright . I said I read--not that I think straight.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

As is usually so, atop the styrofoam inner packing, underneath the manuals, one gets the separate parts, IR, little battery charger, and markings.

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On opening the small box, one likely notices something different from Taigen/Torro or HengLong RTR AFVs: a .50 cal. that will flash red, coordinated with sound.

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The extra parts in the plastic bag directly over the turret are on three sprues. The MG tripod came off in shipping.

Tonge Chaffee 09.jpg (646.46 KiB) Viewed 3144 times

[Herr Dr. Professor]

The top of the line version (all that was available here in the U.S. with metal sprocket, idlers, road wheels) comes with a sprue with tools, fuel cans and a tarp roll---"camouflaged" at the factory. Obviously, once I select a Chaffee to replicate, I plan to repaint anyway.

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And there are the usual "pasters," that is markings to press on. I have no idea yet as to the accuracy of these. Most RCTW tankers quickly urge one to "throw these out," and I have done so with almost all of them. However, I usually think it over because I have had some good experience with press-on markings. IF a press-on marking is size and period correct, suited to one's choice, applied with thorough rubbing and allow to sit a bit to affix before it is removed, it can be almost as good as a stencil without any chance of "silvering."

Tonge Chaffee 11.jpg (516.27 KiB) Viewed 3141 times

[Jimster]

My friend, check with Rad about stencils. That model deserves top shelf graphics. I’m looking forward to your build.

[Exhibitedbrute]

Oh I forgot to mention we have a sticker machine now that we are playing about with to see if we can get some good quality numbers coming off.

So what does one thing to the quality and scale of the parts there professor. I thought the ones on the Churchill were a little off and the tow cable. Well wasn’t a cable, it was string and is going to become rope or go in the bin

[MonsieurTox]

French markings, nice!
To be bad those stickers are useless. However you can use them as template to cut masking tape to make templates. And yes Rad's vinyl masks are awesome.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

MonsieurTox: Indeed, I use Rad's stencils, so I know all the benefits of those. I noticed that you call the markings included with the Chaffee "stickers." Actually if they are like the ones supplied by HengLong and Torro/Taigen, they are not "stickers" at all. I called them "press-on markings" (technically "dry transfers"). They are made to be placed accurately, rubbed with caution but thoroughly (I use a rounded wooden stick and a cotton swab), and after the plastic is left in place for about five minutes, they can be peeled off slowly to actually leave an image just like paint.

Exhibitedbrute: when you say "sticker machine" do you mean "sticker" literally or are these to be "dry transfers" as I describe above? (For years a company called "Letraset" made markings in various accurate typefaces for model trains. These were dry transfers.)