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  • Tongde Models

    This thread is for discussing the new 1/16 scale tanks by Tongde Models, now that they're actually arriving in tankers' hands. Tank-me found these two videos - good find! I'm sure there'll be more soon enough.



    Twenty six tanks, and not done yet!

  • #2
    The M60 has been on my wanted list for a long time. But I will wait for Tongde to establish an US inventory so that the shipping is more compareable to that for a HL. Any chance of MotionRC interested in this?

    Comment


    • #3
      Looks like the H-L products. Nice to have choices.

      Comment


      • #4
        No, not mine! I subscribe to the Hong Kong Tank Club. This showed up there. Not vaporware!


        Click image for larger version

Name:	Screenshot 2023-01-08 082923.jpg
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ID:	366428

        Hmm, maybe I should paint the ERA panels silver for IR battles, so the beams get deflected!
        😉
        Twenty six tanks, and not done yet!

        Comment


        • #5
          White works better.

          RC tank parts and accessories I make
          www.RichardSJohnson.net/id28.html

          Comment


          • #6
            Do we know if these tanks are HL/tamiya battle compatible yet?

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by SoCalBobS View Post
              No, not mine! I subscribe to the Hong Kong Tank Club. This showed up there. Not vaporware!


              Click image for larger version

Name:	Screenshot 2023-01-08 082923.jpg
Views:	1468
Size:	248.0 KB
ID:	366428

              Hmm, maybe I should paint the ERA panels silver for IR battles, so the beams get deflected!
              😉
              SILVER!!! That’s just evil way to bounce shoots.....love it!!!!

              Comment


              • #8
                Ok, mine arrived today. 8 days from Hong Kong to California.
                I'll have to give it a red light for now. I'll be looking at it more in the daylight.

                It's packed like a standard HL type product. That's good.
                First thing I checked was the interior. It doesn't come with a battery since it's shipped air freight. I had one ready to go.
                The MFU, speaker and my battery are not fastened down to anything, just sitting loose. I expected that from the early pictures, and I plan to mount a plate inside to hold these components.

                Now the bad stuff:
                One gearbox isn't working, our greatest fear. Slipping and grinding, and finally quit. I'll be disassembling it tomorrow.
                The plastic isn't as robust as HL. Two of the four posts to mate the top and bottom hulls were broken. I intended to use magnets anyway to hold it together to make battery replacement easier, but the plastic looks cheaper, but not 3DP as far as I can tell.
                The main gun pintle broke after a few elevation cycles. Again, cheaper plastic.

                Other observations:
                Controller is 95% similar to HL, just some cosmetic differences. It uses four batteries, not six like HL. Buttons have the same basic functions.
                The tank is painted tan overall with darker highlights, a la HL. The actual plastic is white.
                It has headlights and taillights that flash until the start button on the controller is pressed, also like HL
                Lots of accessory parts.
                The smoker is bolted to the hull (!) I haven't activated it yet.
                The turret traverse & gun elevation motors look to be the same as HL.
                The

                Acceleration and braking (before it "tanked") has momentum. I don't know if that is programmable.

                One photo for now, a size comparison with my M26 Pershing.

                Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_3178.jpg
Views:	1300
Size:	169.2 KB
ID:	366858

                Looks like I have a project on my hands!
                Twenty six tanks, and not done yet!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by SoCalBobS View Post
                  Ok, mine arrived today. 8 days from Hong Kong to California.
                  I'll have to give it a red light for now. I'll be looking at it more in the daylight.

                  It's packed like a standard HL type product. That's good.
                  First thing I checked was the interior. It doesn't come with a battery since it's shipped air freight. I had one ready to go.
                  The MFU, speaker and my battery are not fastened down to anything, just sitting loose. I expected that from the early pictures, and I plan to mount a plate inside to hold these components.

                  Now the bad stuff:
                  One gearbox isn't working, our greatest fear. Slipping and grinding, and finally quit. I'll be disassembling it tomorrow.
                  The plastic isn't as robust as HL. Two of the four posts to mate the top and bottom hulls were broken. I intended to use magnets anyway to hold it together to make battery replacement easier, but the plastic looks cheaper, but not 3DP as far as I can tell.
                  The main gun pintle broke after a few elevation cycles. Again, cheaper plastic.

                  Other observations:
                  Controller is 95% similar to HL, just some cosmetic differences. It uses four batteries, not six like HL. Buttons have the same basic functions.
                  The tank is painted tan overall with darker highlights, a la HL. The actual plastic is white.
                  It has headlights and taillights that flash until the start button on the controller is pressed, also like HL
                  Lots of accessory parts.
                  The smoker is bolted to the hull (!) I haven't activated it yet.
                  The turret traverse & gun elevation motors look to be the same as HL.
                  The

                  Acceleration and braking (before it "tanked") has momentum. I don't know if that is programmable.

                  One photo for now, a size comparison with my M26 Pershing.

                  Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_3178.jpg
Views:	1300
Size:	169.2 KB
ID:	366858

                  Looks like I have a project on my hands!
                  I am happy to see that someone with real hobby skills finally got their hands on one of the M60s. Looking forward to what you discover Bob🤞🤞

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    So it arrived broken, and then major parts began to break as as you started to use it.
                    Doesnt bode well for the use of these things.
                    RC tank parts and accessories I make
                    www.RichardSJohnson.net/id28.html

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      This whole project by tongde seems strange. Didnt they claim it was aimed at the toy market, Not the scale rc modeler market? Then they use weak plastic? Toys are going to take more abuse than scale models because: kids. Then they give it simulated momentum? People buying toys dont care about momentum, that is a niche within a niche market.

                      Trying to sit on two stools at once, they will fall on their butt.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Update, "the morning after":

                        Oldwolf, I looked at the manual (!) and acceleration and braking momentum are programmable, including eliminating it.

                        I emailed DKLM RC last night and already got a reply, saying there'd be no problem replacing the gear box.

                        To the meat of the matter. I took the gear box out. Broken case, but not fatal. Opened it up. The reduction gears are seated in bushings, and one was out. I reseated it, secured the bushings with a touch of glue, reassembled it and it runs.....at least for now. We'll see how it lasts. I'll still get a replacement. Looking at the possibility of substituting HL gearboxes, there are mounting holes in the chassis that match HL's. However, the TD drive shaft is much longer that HL's, so that would be a problem.

                        The smoker works. No smoke oil, also probably due to international shipping constraints. I got lots! The airsoft launcher works. I haven't opened up the turret to see if the pintle is repairable.

                        Broken mounting posts, glued back.
                        Click image for larger version  Name:	IMG_3179.jpg Views:	0 Size:	125.6 KB ID:	366913

                        Cracked gearbox. (There are rumors of metal replacements, show up on Banggood, don't know if they will be available.
                        Click image for larger version  Name:	IMG_3181.jpg Views:	0 Size:	63.5 KB ID:	366915

                        The TD MFU. Slots are identical to HL's. Haven't checked if there are multiple soundtracks, but the stock one is pretty cool on startup.
                        Click image for larger version  Name:	IMG_3180.jpg Views:	0 Size:	151.7 KB ID:	366914

                        It's off to inspect the turret. Oh, one more thing, it does have adjustable track tensioners on the idlers.
                        Twenty six tanks, and not done yet!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thanks for sharing. Disappointing for sure that it was broken out of the box.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I wonder if the drive shafts could be installed in a Heng Long style gearbox?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I don't know enough about the driveshaft/gearbox connection to say.

                              I have the tank working now, after some hours of tinkering. Still more to do, but it runs, turns, shoots, elevates. It remains to be seen if my fixes endure. Seems like a lot of the defects could be factory assembly failures - tighten before everything is in place, etc. I turned off the momentum. It was really goofy, took forever to turn because the outside track accelerated so slowly.

                              I'd still give it a red light for those who want a RTR, non-problematical product out of the box unless others prove to have better luck than I. Not a toy for kids! Get them a Sherman. I'd give it a yellow light for those who want to tinker, like I do. I'm confident enough to start adding the external details.

                              One minor irritation, something not unique to this tank, is the on/off switch. It's placed under a hatch in on the rear deck. When the turret is centered it's partially obstructed by the rack on the back. This follows the proud tradition of my HL Panther G, Sherman M4A3 and Mato M36 Jackson. All of these require the turret to be turned to get to the hatch and switch!
                              Twenty six tanks, and not done yet!

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Originally posted by SoCalBobS View Post
                                Update, "the morning after":

                                Oldwolf, I looked at the manual (!) and acceleration and braking momentum are programmable, including eliminating it.

                                I emailed DKLM RC last night and already got a reply, saying there'd be no problem replacing the gear box.

                                To the meat of the matter. I took the gear box out. Broken case, but not fatal. Opened it up. The reduction gears are seated in bushings, and one was out. I reseated it, secured the bushings with a touch of glue, reassembled it and it runs.....at least for now. We'll see how it lasts. I'll still get a replacement. Looking at the possibility of substituting HL gearboxes, there are mounting holes in the chassis that match HL's. However, the TD drive shaft is much longer that HL's, so that would be a problem.

                                The smoker works. No smoke oil, also probably due to international shipping constraints. I got lots! The airsoft launcher works. I haven't opened up the turret to see if the pintle is repairable.

                                Broken mounting posts, glued back.
                                Click image for larger version Name:	IMG_3179.jpg Views:	0 Size:	125.6 KB ID:	366913

                                Cracked gearbox. (There are rumors of metal replacements, show up on Banggood, don't know if they will be available.
                                Click image for larger version Name:	IMG_3181.jpg Views:	0 Size:	63.5 KB ID:	366915

                                The TD MFU. Slots are identical to HL's. Haven't checked if there are multiple soundtracks, but the stock one is pretty cool on startup.
                                Click image for larger version Name:	IMG_3180.jpg Views:	0 Size:	151.7 KB ID:	366914

                                It's off to inspect the turret. Oh, one more thing, it does have adjustable track tensioners on the idlers.
                                I have a bunch of questions. To many to ask here. Keep up the investigation and information.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  I'm pretty much done troubleshooting for now. I'll use it for a time to see how well it lasts. I'll bring it for the show & tell on 1/22. I'm beginning to add the external detail, but I don't expect to have it all pretty by then. I'm going to spray it with an overall "iraqi sand", which will lighten it up to simulate sun bleaching. Question for the 1:1 scale tankers out there: what are the ERA brick surfaces made of? Do they rust?

                                  Some more random points; the tracks are double pinned. The suspension arms are plastic. The wheels are bolted in from the inboard side of the suspension arms. Hubs will conceal the bolt heads outboard.

                                  The worst of the three defects is the broken pintle. I've glued it and it works for now.

                                  Click image for larger version  Name:	M60 pintle.jpg Views:	0 Size:	98.7 KB ID:	366963
                                  Twenty six tanks, and not done yet!

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Great details! Been looking for an M-60 or M-48! Bummer about the flaws out of the box! Keep us posted on how the repairs hold up and other issues that arise due to the plastic quality! Thanks a Ton!

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      That front idler connection looks like it will work it's way loose eventually. There doesn't seem to be any Loctite or a lock washer on that nut. Tightening another nut against the existing nut would probably keep it from coming loose as adding Loctite might hurt the plastic mount point. That plastic looks kinda similar to the Hooben plastic on my ZTZ-99A only the Hooben plastic doesn't seem as brittle.

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-GolVLBz2M

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts_yMTwFWHM

                                        Comment

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