Leopard 2A4 - scratchbuilt

[vanhasen]

Hello everybody,
I'd like to share with you a little project I started a few months ago - Leopard 2A4 in 1:16 scale.
After months of preparations - reading forums, studying CAD, looking for components I finally entered the construction phase.

My material of choice is 2mm thick aluminium, the construction is glued with epoxy glue (not the best binding method, but my experiments with aluminium welding/brazing turned out to be a disaster...). The first step was to cut all the pieces on waterjet machine - everything else is done with only simple hand tools.

I plan to use Elmod ProFlex electronics, Impact tracks, resin casted wheels and suspension parts. I don't have idea for gun shooting and recoil mechnism yet... Can anyone help me with that? I'm looking for inspiration...

Photos below show current status.

[DRAGONWAGON]

Now that is what I call an impressive project. Keep the pic's coming, I'll follow this one closely.

thanks for sharing, John.

[maxmekker]

the thinks some one can make at home, daimn thats good looking.

[vanhasen]

2A6 turret you say.. hmm - a bit more complicated. Is it Tamiya model?

[vanhasen]

Hi,
It's been some time since I reported any progres here
I was able to complete two importamt phases - first I flashed Turnigy transmitter with tanker9x firmware.



Second I completed the suspension:



And finally I also had opportunity to run some tests:

http://youtu.be/y3U0Lu2cf1I
http://youtu.be/rnLctai6QNo
http://youtu.be/aGsYmcOPz9E

But sadly at this point I had to suspend my project - company sent me 8thousand kilometers away from home.
I have to survive three long months without my model

[vanhasen]

Well, I should be back home in mid december. If you're patient enough I'll prepare a file for you.
But you will probably have to modify turret traverse mechanism. Can you post here a photo of your turret's interior?

[Andy in Cheltenham]

Very cool!

[r32]

I'm with Eastern Front - I would *love* to have a 2A4 turret. I know there are differences on the lower hull (driver hatch) but that's relatively too minor for me to care.

I would love to get at least a top half of the turret made...

The following are pictures of how a Tamiya 2A6 turret looks like.

[vanhasen]

That's what I was afraid of. Tamiya model has the entire electronics fitted into the turret. In my model battery with control module, receiver and ESCs are hidden inside hull. I wanted to have as much space as possible reserved in turret to fit gyros and (maybe one day...) camera with transmitter.

Putting my turret on the Tamyia chasis will be a complex task. Tell me what do you expect? What material you want to use?
Are you ready to make such a heavy modification, including the replacement of turret ring and total reconstruction of gun mantlet mechanism?
The problem is that I can prepare for you only the plans of empty box with the ring, everything else you'll have to do by yourselves. I can not make a plans of "plug-and-play" turret module since I have no oryginal Tamiya Leo to check the exact dimentions and shapes of parts to transplant

[r32]

Given the shape of the DMD T-07 it would not fit into the dimensions of a 2A4 turret as the 2A4 turret is shorter than the 2A6.