HL Sherman Spotlight

[Beeg]

I just couldn't stand not having my spotlight work on my Sherman....

First had to find as many photos of the actual light. Not many...



Second thing was finding a small LED that would fit in the stock spotlight housing and a small 5mm Straw hat fit perfectly. I also didn't want to just drill a hole with wires running out the back.

So, I dug into my tubing bin and grabbed the smallest tube I could run two wires through and cut my pieces to best match the "real" spotlight.


Soldered some pieces together and opened up with drill for the wires.


A few more pieces to get the shape about right...


Did my best to match the size of the stock spotlight..



Clipped the terminals way back and soldered the wires on the straw hat LED.
Clipped off and drilled the stock housing.



It was a bear shoving those little wires around that 90degree bend..



But, I got it together, a little CA glue and it's together..





Drilled the turret for a snug fit, globbed some OD on it and I think it doesn't look too bad..
Still need to plug the hole on top...





Best part is it WORKS!

[pdansalvish]

Very nice

[RichJohnson]

Nice craftsmanship.
While I build nice models, I have always put off doing lights. Ive never been one much for lights, with my model trains or my tanks. I finished my M50 super sherman last year and it has a huge spot light and Ive debated lighting it up.
Nice work!

[Beeg]

Thank you gentlemen.
Rich, I'm with you on lights in regards my RC airplanes. Couldn't really careless if they had lights or not.
Since HL has a "Aiming Light" function on their 6.0/6.1 MFCB's it just seemed a waste to not enable it and inspiration hit me on how to craft it. Otherwise I wouldn't have taken the time. Sort of satisfied my mild OCD...

[Rubicon99]

Nice craftsmanship.
While I build nice models, I have always put off doing lights. Ive never been one much for lights, with my model trains or my tanks. I finished my M50 super sherman last year and it has a huge spot light and Ive debated lighting it up.
Nice work!

Rich you sell yourself short. Lights would be no issue for you to add with your fabrication skills. Your Sherman’s are museum display quality in detail and workmanship. Heck they are so good they are often mistaken for real Sherman’s when photographed.

Lights on your Sherman’s would just push them so far over the top in detail work and functionality I could never park any of my tanks next to yours less be even more embarrassed then I am now.

[Rubicon99]

I just couldn't stand not having my spotlight work on my Sherman....

First had to find as many photos of the actual light. Not many...



Second thing was finding a small LED that would fit in the stock spotlight housing and a small 5mm Straw hat fit perfectly. I also didn't want to just drill a hole with wires running out the back.

So, I dug into my tubing bin and grabbed the smallest tube I could run two wires through and cut my pieces to best match the "real" spotlight.


Soldered some pieces together and opened up with drill for the wires.


A few more pieces to get the shape about right...


Did my best to match the size of the stock spotlight..



Clipped the terminals way back and soldered the wires on the straw hat LED.
Clipped off and drilled the stock housing.



It was a bear shoving those little wires around that 90degree bend..



But, I got it together, a little CA glue and it's together..





Drilled the turret for a snug fit, globbed some OD on it and I think it doesn't look too bad..
Still need to plug the hole on top...





Best part is it WORKS!

Great work!!!! It is exciting to see you starting the customizing your tanks and showing other what can be done to make Heng Long tanks look and feel more real👍👍

[mannie1952]

I just couldn't stand not having my spotlight work on my Sherman....

First had to find as many photos of the actual light. Not many...



Second thing was finding a small LED that would fit in the stock spotlight housing and a small 5mm Straw hat fit perfectly. I also didn't want to just drill a hole with wires running out the back.

So, I dug into my tubing bin and grabbed the smallest tube I could run two wires through and cut my pieces to best match the "real" spotlight.


Soldered some pieces together and opened up with drill for the wires.


A few more pieces to get the shape about right...


Did my best to match the size of the stock spotlight..



Clipped the terminals way back and soldered the wires on the straw hat LED.
Clipped off and drilled the stock housing.



It was a bear shoving those little wires around that 90degree bend..



But, I got it together, a little CA glue and it's together..





Drilled the turret for a snug fit, globbed some OD on it and I think it doesn't look too bad..
Still need to plug the hole on top...





Best part is it WORKS!

Beautiful job.

[quitcherbitchen]

I like that a Lot!! thanks for posting your build log