Sturmgeschutz III - don't do this at home, kids!

[karltrek]

I thought that might be the sequence, but if it is a momentary, would that be on long enough to fry a board. Food for thought.

https://www.banggood.com/Heng-Long-BB-Shooting-Machine-W-or-130-Motor-Pull-Back-Spring-for-3818-3819-1-or-16-Rc-Tank-Car-Parts-p-1381788.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

[SoCalBobS]

[QUOTE=karltrek;n276321]

https://www.banggood.com/Heng-Long-B...r_warehouse=CN[/QUOTE

Cool. At that price, it's a no-brainer, although the extended shipping time is a bummer. Ordered.

[SoCalBobS]

Aha! It wasn't my mistake! 😂 I got my new 6.0S board, plugged it all in, and with a $35 wince and cringe 😨 (the cost of a board) I.....tried to fire the cannon. The motor worked, as it did with the prior board, but in this case it did not activate the trigger, the motor just kept running. Karl, your diagnosis appears correct, something I would not have thought of since the gun had worked fine before. Bad gun, specifically the trigger it seems! I've already ordered a replacement.

Time for a drink.

[karltrek]

Aha! It wasn't my mistake! 😂 I got my new 6.0S board, plugged it all in, and with a $35 wince and cringe 😨 (the cost of a board) I.....tried to fire the cannon. The motor worked, as it did with the prior board, but in this case it did not activate the trigger, the motor just kept running. Karl, your diagnosis appears correct, something I would not have thought of since the gun had worked fine before. Bad gun, specifically the trigger it seems! I've already ordered a replacement.

Time for a drink.

Toucan would probably get you the unit faster but I noticed that they really raise the price. Significantly. They are now charging $20 for a part that was recently $9. I hope Motion RC restocks soon.

[SoCalBobS]

This is a continuation and finale from post #51, where I detailed the steps I took in upgrading my StuG 5.3 to 6.0. The following information is also gleaned from another of my threads, "How to Eliminate Airsoft Shooting".

In Post #51 I mentioned my main board burnt out at about the last step, testing the gun cocking motor and trigger circuits. I was concerned I'd done something wrong. Turns out it was a defective airsoft gun, most likely the trigger circuit. This fooled me because it had been working fine prior to my upgrade. When I hooked it up to the new board, the gun malfunctioned again, fortunately just constantly running the motor.

My plan all along was to eventually eliminate the airsoft function, so with Karltrek's advice, I did just that. I gutted the gun (keeping the separate elevation motor circuit and the airsoft gun frame) and ran the IR emitter into the barrel. I jumpered the trigger circuit, and now all works great.

I'm waiting on a LegoDEI IR receiver. When that's installed I'll post a photo of my "baby battler". It's the smallest tank in my stable. BTW, I tested the StuG with a stock IR Rx against a tank with the LegoDEI. On an overcast morning, reception range for the stock was 10 feet, versus 50 feet + for the Lego.

[SoCalBobS]

"Baby Battler" Project Complete.

SturmGeschutz III upgraded to 6.0S, Airsoft gun deactivated, IR emitter in barrel, IR receiver in cupola, FPV camera/transmitter held in place with magnets. For club battles, I'll remove the camera and mg shield...maybe!


I put a couple more photos in the gallery thread.

[karltrek]

Looks awesome Bob! 😃

[quitcherbitchen]

why remove the camera? just wondering. Is it against the rules?

[SoCalBobS]

why remove the camera? just wondering. Is it against the rules?

Normally objects that block IR reception are frowned on. More to the point, restricting your vision to the field of view of a camera eliminates peripheral vision, a disadvantage if others aren’t using cameras.

I'm only partially serious, though. Machine guns, hatch covers and other clutter have been present at battles I’ve attended.

[Rubicon99]

why remove the camera? just wondering. Is it against the rules?

It along with the MG shield are obscuring the right side of the IR receiver thus could possibly interfere with IR beams fired at the right side of the tank, which in turn might not register a hit when it should. If so this would be considered as not “fair play” and good why to upset other players.

Having obstruction is a balancing act. Some have no effect on IR beans some have a small effect some can totally block the IR beams.

[DevilDog77]

Bob,
Here is what comes with the 6.0S upgrade kit. You also need the 6.0S board. I got it without the 6.0 transmitter because I already had one. FYI you can bind all your tanks to one 6.0 transmitter. It is hilarious if you have all the tanks on. They will all start up and drive in unison. LOL!

Where did you get your upgrade kit from?

[SoCalBobS]

Toucan Hobby. Toucanhobby@outlook.com

[quitcherbitchen]

Hi Bob,
One thing I am not happy with is the tracks come off to easily. Almost any turn will de-track it. I have to slow down to a crawl to make a turn. I believe it has to do with the idler wheel. It’s too floppy and can’t be tightened any better. It is the metal Heng Long version that has no bushing. I ordered a Mato metal idler that comes with a bearing. I am hoping that will have better performance.

I have the same problem with my Panzer III which is the same chassis. I have the upgraded Idler wheel with bearing. It doesn't solve the issue. What solves it is keeping the stock plastic Idle wheel. I noticed the tension gets thrown out of whack using the metal idler. Gets really tight and without a track tension adjustment. You are at the mercy of removing or adding links which make it too tight or too loose. Nothing in between. It is like the metal idle wheel is slightly larger diameter.

[SoCalBobS]

I have a Stug III with metal tracks, sprockets and idlers with no tension adjuster (a 5.3 upgrader to 6.0), and the Panzer III 6.0 with metal tracks, sprockets and idlers. Both work flawlessly, on concrete and in dirt and sand. The track slack, if I pull it down taut, is about 1cm at the center of the sag. How does that compare to your tracks?

[quitcherbitchen]

With 91 links in the track and metal sprocket, Idler wheel it is tight, really tight. Pulls the idle wheel slightly out of center to an angle. If I add one link I have 2.6 cm sag and tons of slippage. plastic idle wheel with 91 links gives 1.5 cm and with only 90 links 7 mm sag. Both seem to work better with plastic idle wheel. I am considering making the tracks 90 link and keeping the plastic wheel. I think I want dependability.

[karltrek]

I have the same problem with my Panzer III which is the same chassis. I have the upgraded Idler wheel with bearing. It doesn't solve the issue. What solves it is keeping the stock plastic Idle wheel. I noticed the tension gets thrown out of whack using the metal idler. Gets really tight and without a track tension adjustment. You are at the mercy of removing or adding links which make it too tight or too loose. Nothing in between. It is like the metal idle wheel is slightly larger diameter.

What I did to make removing a link work is to replace the Idler with one from the Panzer IV. It's slightly smaller in diameter. So it is now the perfect tightness. And looks very similar. The Panzer IV Idler is on the left in the picture.

[quitcherbitchen]

See I knew something was wrong. Thanks Karl. So do you bother with the adjustable Mato track tensioner as a upgrade or will the PanzerIV wheel solve it? I am just using the plastic wheel for now and don't see any issue so far. I have metal tracks

[quitcherbitchen]

All my kit showed up from RCTANKLegion. Stanlley shipped really fast. Now I have to figure out how to set up my Horus 12 in Opentx to match the configuration of the TK 40 board. I already had an S Bus FrSky receiver.

[karltrek]

See I knew something was wrong. Thanks Karl. So do you bother with the adjustable Mato track tensioner as a upgrade or will the PanzerIV wheel solve it? I am just using the plastic wheel for now and don't see any issue so far. I have metal tracks

All you need is the Panzer IV Idler wheel. Get the Mato version because it has a bearing.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-16-Scale-...EAAOSwdzVXnF-~

[UltraVargen]

To those who have the StuG III: In relation to making openable hatches to fit some crew figures. It looks like there is very little room between the upper hull and the running gear and maybe even between the top hatches and the airsoft unit. Any idea if this is even feasible to do?

Inspired by an order on a couple books I placed with The Tank Museum and a video of theirs on the StuG, as well as the nice hobby project both Bob and Karl showcased here.