Anybody know how to -stop- buying tanks?

[Rob1970]

It's a nice haul...



The Tiger I, Pantiger and M41 Walker Bulldog all run on the old 27Mhz sets with Ye Olde School crystals. Yay! Only got 2 radios, but that's not a problem.

The Pantiger is a non-runner so it's going on the shelf for now. Previous owner killed the nylon gearbox after he had upgraded it to metal tracks and drive wheels. Then replaced the gearbox with white-metal one... but the wrong type. So the tracks are splaying out. So it needs a new gearbox -again-, but the right type. Might go for steel if I decide to fix it. Or put in the nylon one from my grey Tiger I, which is getting a steel one...

Not that it really matters tho... after he replaced the gearbox the tank would not come on anymore, like electronically. Maybe he knocked out a plug somewhere or fried something while tinkering. So, this is going to be a project tank. I am not too bothered about the whole "Pantiger" thing, so I might fix it up and run it "as is". Or indeed make something whiffery from it. I -might- hit it with a new radio set, either pop in a TK6.0 receiver or one of the TK5.2 sets that is coming out of the KV-1 or the Leopard.

The sand-coloured Tiger I is a runner, with the 27Mhz set. Everything works and eventho it is limited by the techonology, it is a fun machine. Repainted by the previous owner, and a good candidate for a quick upgrade with one of the TK5.2 sets that will be going spare. Might leave it "as is" after the radio upgrade, turn it into a Sturmtiger (with a lot of scratchbuilding), turn it into something whiffery or just clean it up and sell it on. My neighbour's kid keeps drooling when I drive past with my tanks... With 125 euros payed for the lot I might just sell it and get my money back... ;D

The Walker Bulldog also works all around. Running on the 27Mhz set, everything checks out. I like the sounds that come with the old RX-18 sets. The M41 sounds just right for a Cold War tanks having a cold morning start-up. For now my plan is to fix it up nicely and run it on the 27Mhz set. Some of the tiny detail parts are broken and/or missing, but I can probably scratchbuild a lot of it, or pick it up somewhere cheap online. And yet again it might get upgrade with an old TK5.2 set from either the KV-1 or the Leopard, or get a new TK6.0 receiver/set.

Anyway, a lot of fun project time in my future.

That said... I have a lot of projects to consider now. First finish the two Shermans. Those are going well, and should be fun to finish.

After that I might tackle the Leopard, which involves taking the TK7.0 set out off the Panzer IV and stick a TK6.0s set into that one. Then putting the TK7.0 set into the Leopard, along with a new steel gearbox and the TK7.0 IR gubbins. Fix the track tension and the road wheels. Might fix the turret rotation (it's waaaaay to slow for a Leopard) and I have been looking at some other cool stuff, like a new rear light cluster with indicators and brake lights and an automated weapons system for the turret.

Description says it's "For: 1/16 Leopard2A6 3889 RC Tank TK16 Main Board With Weapon Station Function After July 2021". Which TK is that?

Well, anyway... plenty of work, and that's not counting the Tiger I needing a steel gearbox and the KV-1 needing upgrading to TK6.0s...

TTFN,
Rob

[Rob1970]

Don't judge me... I KNOW I HAVE A PROBLEM, A'RIGHT!!!


Already had the grey Tiger and the Leopard, mind you...


Oh, and they came with a cool container...

So uhm... yeah... 27Mhz, so all need converting. And the Pantiger had a problem with the gearbox, which the seller thus replaced. And then it would not come on... probably knocked a connector loose inside...

But for 125 euros for all three of them? The spare parts alone should be worth it if I don't upgrade them. Might turn the Tiger into a Sturmtiger...

TTFN,
Rob

[Rob1970]

Thanks, just the answer I was hoping for. I've got plenty of schematics, and I have a stock of the right plugs so it should be easy.

[Sureshot]

Yes you can rewire the smoke unit. Just isolate the heater wires and the pump wires and plug them in to their respective spots in the 6.0 unit.
Do you have a schematic for the 6.0? If not should be easy to find one online.
Steve

[Rob1970]

Update on the Tiger...

Wow... This was one sick kitty. I think the cavalry uses the expression "Ridden hard and put away wet"...
Decided to start unplugging the TK6.0 and found a lot of mysteries...

• IR transmitter was plugged in... but nothing visible on the turret
• Same for the IR receiver. Channel had a plug in it, not connector visible on the turret.
• The BB gun had 3(!) plugs coming from it. One was correctly plugged into the "Trigger" channel, the other two came from the BB motor, and were plugged into the BB-shot channel... and the heater channel of the smoker!

So, some sleuthing and deconstruction found a connector for an IR receiver and what I assume is an IR LED stuffed into the turret. I de-soldered the mess that was the BB gun and redid it right.

The bow MG is an upgrade metal version (a very nice one) but it was installed by a blind man with a hammer. Nothing I can't fix, but it made me chuckle. Same went for the front lights. Re-wired by someone with the old twist and cellotape method. That will be fixed too.

The road wheels were all loose, and a bunch of the hex screws have stripped heads. So the hunt is on for replacement screws.

The speaker was(n't) working, one of the wires has a bad split. Something else to fix.

The turret has a 360 turret ring, but no slip ring. Now on the hunt for a slip ring with enough channels that won't break the bank.

And the damn thing still stinks like a cuspidor in a Western saloon... tomorrow it gets completely stripped and dipped.

Edit; Almost forgot my question; can you rewire the smoker to the two plug configuration TK6.0 uses without penalty? Give the fan motor and heater their own plug as it were? Or am I better and safer off getting a new style smoker?

TTFN,
Rob

[Rob1970]

Okay, that Tiger I just came in. Box smelled to high heaven... definitely -not- a smoke-free home. But I didn't buy it for the box. Controller was... sticky. Let's keep it at that. The kind of sticky you get if you keep something on top of a cupboard in a smoker's home. I bet if I lick my finger I will get a nicotine rush... ewww... thank the gods for alcohol wipes...

According to the seller it was a TK5.x... I put in a fresh loaded battery and took it for a (slightly sticky-fingered) test drive. Everything works. Drive, turn, shoot. Turret... hey, it goes 360... odd... on a TK5.x. Better not push it. Smoker... hmm.. doesn't work. Notice the engine noise... Uhm... Tiger, Check. Leopard...? Uhm... okay. Abrams... rrright... T90? Okay, now I am getting curious. So. unscrew the bottom of the beast...



Okay, now I know why the smoker doesn't work. It's the old type. And that DOES NOT WORK WITH A TK6.0!!!
No slip ring on the turret, and it shows. The wiring to the turret is a nice tightly-twisted snake. Already evidence of wires ripped loose and re-soldered. But a slip ring I can get for... 10 bucks? Nylon gearbox... I think I can life with that until it strips itself and I need to replace it. With the full metal tracks, wheels, exhausts, bow MG and other stuff, and an unexpected bonus TK6.0... oh, and I talked the guy down to 150 euros including shipping...

I robbed the guy...

[Rob1970]

Maybe you can stop when there is no more space for them in your room. But on the other hand, if you don't buy, those manufactures might be out of biz. So....don't stop :-)

Uhm... yeah... about that. That problem is solved as soon as I buy -another- tank after this one. To quote SWMBO; "You can keep them on -my- side of the bed..."

I -think- she was joking... sort of...

[RichJohnson]

That doesnt work David, every time I run out of parking spots I rearrange my garage to make more space.

[DavidN]

Maybe you can stop when there is no more space for them in your room. But on the other hand, if you don't buy, those manufactures might be out of biz. So....don't stop :-)

[Rob1970]

eBay anonymous helped me….

Myeah... I tried them, and they looked at my Ebay history. What do they mean "lost cause"? I've never lost a bidding war in my life!

But that Tiger is still on the way. Talked the guy down to 150 euros...

[RichJohnson]

eBay anonymous helped me….

[Rob1970]

Seriously, I think I have a problem...
Help?