1/16th BMP models

[Wings0fPlague]

Hello all!

I have just returned home from a long trip away in Kazakhstan visiting my partner.
While there, I saw many BMP-2s, and the thought crossed my mind multiple times about one of these awesome machines in 1/16th.

I see Hooben has a model, but it seems rather pricey for what it is, granted- it looks gorgeous,
I couldn't find much if any discussion of it on the forums here, so I was wondering if anyone has got one, and what your thoughts are on it?
https://www.hooben-shop.com/products/pr ... 1529676043

In looking at other models, I found this pretty cool 3D-printed one on EBay, https://www.ebay.com/itm/356502656880
Same question, has anyone got any experience with this sort of model, or this seller? looks nice, much cheaper, has HL running gear, but the layer lines are a bit of a turn-off, though I'm sure I can use some spackle and sand it down

Cheers!
Wings

[HERMAN BIX]

Getting one of these in a mainstream manufacturer would be fantastic.
Im only just now dabbling into the world of Hooben, and I'm not a fan, BUT...........BUT


I will qualify that with the fact that Im currently working with a 2010 designed & released model.
And despite its shortcomings, having one is fantastic & there are no other realistic options.

So, if you desire a BMP as much as I would, & a Hooben is the only option(which it seems to be outside of printing) then hey, just do it.


At least in your unique case, The Misso wont know!!!!!! Long distance romance must have some positive eh mate :haha

[Wings0fPlague]

She'll find out if I end up doing up in the scheme of the one near her apartment and I send her on missions to take photos , but it's not long distance forever

For the price they're asking, there better be some good running gear, I've read that the Hooben models have good detail but the internals can be a pain, at this point the biggest consideration is how much I want a BMP vs how much I'm willing to pay for any headaches a hooben kit presents

[HERMAN BIX]

I can offer no insight to the BMP , but for me, the internals on my Elefant conversion are going to be replaced by cheap servos and a Heng Long V7.1 & the Hooben control hardware is going into spares.
I have used the Hooben rotation and recoil on my T55 Ugandan build with the V7.1 & they function well together.
So nothing is unable to be overcome.

[tankme]

So, here's my take on both the vehicles you present:

Hooben:

From those that have bought them they are expensive, have poor customer support, limited parts support, horrible electronics, and from other examples of those that have say the Merkava...very fragile. I have several Hooben tanks and I have had to replace the electronics and rework part of the tanks to get them to work as designed. My Hooben ZTZ-99A recoil never worked out of the box. It looks like it was designed one way and changed before shipping to another way which also didn't work right.

3D printed Ebay BMP-2:

That model is designed by a guy named Inkor in Ukraine. You will more than likely have to install your own electronics at that price which means a Heng Long 7.1 system as the tank uses servo elevation and servo recoil. Although that seller typically gives Inkor a kickback for every tank he sells, most of us on Inkor's Discord channel suspect (including Inkor) that the guy doesn't pay a kickback for every tank he sells. Material: 3D printed tanks can be printed in many materials. He states that some of it is in PLA. I have and do 3D print a lot of tanks and I personally stay away from PLA as it will deform in the sun or even a hot car or hot garage. The quality of his prints can vary a lot from what I've seen in various forums and on Facebook. Issue: if something breaks, where are you going to get parts? I have purchased the BMP-2 files from Inkor, but have not printed them yet. If you buy a 3D printed tank, I recommend buying the files so that you can print or have someone print replacement parts for you. I personally like Inkor's tanks, but the post processing takes a long time unless you don't care about print lines. Personally I do. If you search here on the forum for "Kranvagn", you will find my build and it was designed by Inkor.

[Wings0fPlague]

Hmm, the PLA definitely doesn't sound great, especially in the Australian sun.

The eBay listing description says he can include an entire HL 7.1 system for an additional $80, though this definitely seems more budget than the Hooben.

I would want to modify either one to a BMP-2M. I understand the Heng Long gear is much better for slow driving, there's not a lot of media on this Hooben bimmpy, so it's hard to gauge from the trailer how it actually runs and handles. Seems like it's not a super popular model, unfortunately, though it still seems like the best option for a bimmpy.

Is the hooben site the best place to buy their models? I cant find it anywhere else that wasn't significantly more expensive

[tankme]

The reason the model isn't particularly popular is because it's a Hooben. I would've bought one by now if it wasn't a Hooben. Hooben is also known for pre-orders that take over two years to deliver (if they ever deliver), they don't respond to Emails, and they are expensive. Most end up replacing the electronics with Heng Long versions. I have ordered from the www.hooben-shop.com site successfully, but don't expect to get a valid tracking number as I didn't. It took like 45 days to arrive and the tracking number never showed it shipping. I had almost given up on the tank when it arrived on my doorstep.

[HERMAN BIX]

Could PayPal afford some protection in a purchase from Hooben ?
At least then it’s possible to be refunded

[STHV]

Could PayPal afford some protection in a purchase from Hooben ?
At least then it’s possible to be refunded

Paypal can but given Hoobens extremely long fulfilment times it often conveniently goes outside the time limit for payment protection. Funny that.

This is why I had to go via my bank for the Maus.