IR or BB tank

[V4EVER]

Hi everyone, I'm very new tot he tank hobby, I'm looking to buy a Heng long Panther. I fianlly found one that my hobby supplier was willing to sell me, but it turned out to be Heng Long's first Panther witha short turret adn thick barrel so I passed. I recently found that Heng Long remade the Panther So I'm keen on getting one, as I said before. Here in Canada (atleast where i live) Rc tanks arn't that big a deal (yet) , I've had a chance to watch loads of videos seeing what the tanks could do etc, I really like the smoke feature and the barrel recoiling into the turret rather than the tank a a whole jostling back, which really isn't bad I just perfer the other way better. So question #1 do the newer HL come equiped with this feature of is it an add on part? #2 I've come to the hard decision of purchasing a BB version or IR version. Which is the better choice to get or does it really matter, I want to get the tank to be very realistic looking, and kind keep up with the going trend. any help here would be greatly appreciated, thankx! - V4EVER

[ruben2005]

hello mate and welcome thats a question we all had at the start bb/ ir you can buy a bb tank and add the ir system but the gun wont recoil you have to look at the electrics to do this. the panther a good tank to start with if you can buy one with metal up grades i think getting a bb shooter is best for number one tank, cant beat running around the garden shooting and hearing the sound from the tank then see how many little bbs are spread around its up to you at the end of the day,but enjoy the fun

[hongrn]

Hi v4ever,

Fellow new tanker here. I bought a Heng Long Panther G with smoke/sound that came with a plastic gearbox and plastic tracks. After a few runs, the plastic tracks broke, so I replace them with metal tracks. Well, the plastic gearbox couldn't drive the metal tracks, so I poney up more money for the metal gearbox. The moral of the story is, buy the upgraded tank with preinstalled metal gearbox and tracks. They end up being more economical, and last longer. I started with bb's, but will move up to IR as soon as I figure out the mechanical stuff inside. By the way, you can't stop at one tank, so make your first one a bb one. This stuff is highly addictive. I've already got 3 tanks, beside the the 30 planes in the garage...

[sparks]

Hi V4EVER,
Welcome to the forum
sparks

[Reaper332]

Hi V4EVER,
I agree with Hongrn , you cant stop at one. As for BB or I/R it comes down to what you want to do with it if eventually you want to I/R battle then start with the I/R version of the tank as its less money to outlay down the track, plus if you get another I/R tank next then its battle time.
So as I said it really comes down to what you want to do with it.

Cheers Ken

[V4EVER]

Wow thanks for all the insight guys, Well I know as soon as I get one my brother will HAVE to get one too, they are so much fun, so I thought the IR would be more fun to battle each other with. The one I have my sights on comes equipped with a metal gear box the tracks are another thing i'm wondering about, I would like to get them bu t worry that it might be too much of a strain on the engine, so I figured buying another plastic set wouldn't hurt, as its appears to be easy to spend alot on one small tank lol! and I'm not that fluent of the know hows of tank upgrading

[Reaper332]

Hi V4EVER,
Metal tracks are fine as long as you run metal gearboxes, but like anything you upgrade one part then you need to upgrade the next part to cope with the first part and so on.
In saying that though they can be done in stages or you can leave it as is straight out of the box and it will be fine, then you can just replace as you go.

Hope this helps mate I am certainly no expert on the matter but thats my thoughts on what you asked.

Cheers Ken