RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi, has anyone done, or know about the arms that stop the hatches slamming?....


Its two small arms, curved, with small wheels at the top....any info, or ideas how to build this would be greatly appreciated, thanks


Nic

Ps....first blood is on right now........in the zone!......dont push me!

yes both arms were connected to a bar that had a spring around it,fixed on pivots under the hatch hinge just out of sight from the outside,I think you can get them in 1/16,period photos don't show these very well,if you made an appointment at Bovington and asked nicely they might allow you to examine and take pics under supervision,they are very helpful if you approach them the right way,also the reference library is good apps only call first they get all relevent stuff out for you,original docs etc,and you can photocopy,Dragon 1/35 Panther G kits have this detail well produced,most accurate Panther kits ever,and a good basis for study to detail larger models,I'm a bit of a Panther geek and fellow Panther geeks will agree,try the Panther G late,gives you options for final types inc final idler and exhausts with hoods.or G steel wheels,gives both types of wheels,good stuff if all else fails,PM me and I can do drawings in 1/16 and 1/8 so you can make them,with a little effort you could make them spring loaded like the real thing,go on you know you want to,

Thanks VonKraftwerk!.............will do as you say.........unfortunately, I am off to Georgia next week (not the American one).....will be there for a while.....when I get back I will convince the wife a trip to Bovvy will make everything allright!.......

I would like to do this mod, and if I do a half decent job. But I am a novice with scratch build...well, I will try

Nic

Ps............thinking about it.......brass would be a better medium I think

yes and you could mount the arms to a tube with screws they wont be seen and spring it also,the rollers on arm ends.maybe slices of tube rivet or rod epoxy.yes we have a cunning plan.

Had a bash....made this out of off cut brass from the profiline schurtzen....it was thick enough to bend, and strong enough for whats required..

Soldered the arms together with two cross braces for strength...I sprayed it red so you can hardly see my crappy soldering!


Held in place with blu tac....got to figure out a spring attachment now...spring has to be soft so it does not pop open the hatches when moving..

This is only experimental...so it could be scrapped for something better..


Nic

nice work they look the part,thats all you can see from outside anyway,maybe tiny rivets 2 for each roller,there should be a slight elbow or kink on each arm,but so what!you've but the detail in and thats what counts,I'd be happy with them if it was my tank,I can't afford a Tamiya Panther,but I'd like to detail a HL,with as much home made as poss,as I'm a miser

Just checked out your earlier build posts,wow your really going to town on this one,love all the IR gear,by the way that little curved bump in front of cupola is meant to be off centre,it a guard for chain that connects IR with gun elevation,it protects a small square hole,its off to starboard so the chain (like cycle chain)does'nt block scope,and the thing for the track repair cable that fouls turret is meant to be horizontal,its shown wrong on many drawings and kits.but I'm sure I've seen it vertical somewhere? Good work Nick. I want one

Evening panther dudes....I will be away(near the black sea)...out of country for a while, so, I had a go(on the hatch arms), when I get back I hope to see more ideas (and mistakes....like mine), so that we can share the best idea...this is a mod full of potential....!

What I did took one hour....so anybody who likes the mod could do the same...hopefully better...this is what the web site is all about I hope!

See you soon...Nic