Official Tongde US M60A3 1/16 Scale Battle Tank Discussion Thread

[Rubicon99]

Essentially done. Too clean, like just after depot maintenance. This is what I've done so far:

Tongde M60A3 metal version with metal tracks replaced with plastic ones for smoother and quieter running..
Heng Long 7.1 main board, to access additional features and smoother control.
NATO camo scheme repainted with Tamiya lacquer and acrylics
Amber NATO Beacon, switchable through CN5 wifi circuit.
JVM barrel recoil.
Increased barrel elevation and depression.
Yellow muzzle flash LED.
Servo animated commander's cupola, switchable through CN11 smoke heater circuit.
Upgraded IR LED.
Five pin socket on cupola for LegoDEI IR receiver.
Tail lights reconfigured as brake lights.

My next step will be weathering and the addition of a JVM M60 spotlight. The supplied decals are pretty accurate. They are a direct copy of Tamiya's 1/35 model, and photos of real M60's in Germany

Looking good. It's cool how you caught the IR bulb in the gunners sight "lightning up" in the second photo.

[SoCalBobS]

Since I added some features that are best seen in motion, here's a video clip showing them. I used Heng Long 7.1 electronics for the controller and main board. The barrel recoil and Xenon searchlight are by JVM3DConcepts. The extra LED's are from Evan Designs online and the amber beacon is from Heng Long via Toucan Hobbies. The cupola is servo driven, operated by a slider switch on HL's 7.1 controller. Enjoy!

[keilau]

Since I added some features that are best seen in motion, here's a video clip showing them. I used Heng Long 7.1 electronics for the controller and main board. The barrel recoil and Xenon searchlight are by JVM3DConcepts. The extra LED's are from Evan Designs online and the amber beacon is from Heng Long via Toucan Hobbies. The cupola is servo driven, operated by a slider switch on HL's 7.1 controller. Enjoy!

The video does not play. Got "THIS VIDEO IS PRIVATE" error message.

[Max-U52]

Come on, Bob, don't be a tease. Unlock that video!!!

:pop

[SoCalBobS]

Oopsie, sorry guys! It ran for me just great. Heh. Try it now.

😜

[Handy Lance]

Awesome tank

[M03]

New to hobby, my m60 is having a hard time in reverse, back road wheel on left side goes forward and touches the next one. Does anyone have a solution for this? This also occurs when turning in place.
Thanks

[Rubicon99]

New to hobby, my m60 is having a hard time in reverse, back road wheel on left side goes forward and touches the next one. Does anyone have a solution for this? This also occurs when turning in place.
Thanks

It's a known issue that I pointed out when the M60s first became available. Although only a problem when backing up over an obstacle that is an inch or two in height. Out of the dozen our more of us locally that run M60s only a handful have the issue to the point where it has caused breakages. I have never seen or heard of it happening when simply turning in place.

The only solution for the issues is to add travel stops to the hull that limits the suspension arms "forward" movement. I did this on two of my M60s that had the issues bad, my other two do not have the issue.

Photo of before travel stop was added.

[M03]

Thank you, how do you add a travel stop?

[Rubicon99]

Thank you, how do you add a travel stop?

I used two methods. First is with a plastic sleeve add over the hull protrusion and cut in half down the center. The second is a brass sleeve cut the same way. The brass sleeve is stronger and lower profile. Both are held in place using epoxy resin.

[cmdrcody]

Nice work

[AFT-CAP21]

Greetings, all. Just completed a TD M60A3 Patton that I've been working on it for about four months. I got it from DKLM shortly before MRC began stocking them. It's been heavily upgraded inside and out, with Heng Long TK 7.1 Control Board and Motors, and with a great deal of 3D Printed external parts to add detail. It has a Recoil Device and 105mm barrel from Rich Johnson, and also a smoke and flash unit installed.

[Rubicon99]

Greetings, all. Just completed a TD M60A3 Patton that I've been working on it for about four months. I got it from DKLM shortly before MRC began stocking them. It's been heavily upgraded inside and out, with Heng Long TK 7.1 Control Board and Motors, and with a great deal of 3D Printed external parts to add detail. It has a Recoil Device and 105mm barrel from Rich Johnson, and also a smoke and flash unit installed.

Looks good. The new M68 barrel and new paint really transform it👍👍

[MaverickTank]

Well, I discovered the track kink problem today. I was crawling over a grassy berm and the tank stopped and spun slowly to one side. I backed up and it happened again. On closer inspection, the metal track kinked near the top of the drive sprocket and caught the edge of the hull- something that has already been reported about this model. I'm hoping that the plastic tanks won't do this.

[Rubicon99]

Well, I discovered the track kink problem today. I was crawling over a grassy berm and the tank stopped and spun slowly to one side. I backed up and it happened again. On closer inspection, the metal track kinked near the top of the drive sprocket and caught the edge of the hull- something that has already been reported about this model. I'm hoping that the plastic tanks won't do this.

The plastic track will catch too. The easy solution is to simply sand/file the sharp hull edges the tracks are catching on. I rounded mine out which took maybe 10 minutes and the issue is now gone. Interestingly the catching is not so much of an issues on the newest tanks as it was on the first few production runs. My last two most recent M60s did not have the issue, even still I went ahead and rounded out the sharp hull edges. That once of prevention to save a pound of pain thing.

[MaverickTank]

The plastic track will catch too. The easy solution is to simply sand/file the sharp hull edges the tracks are catching on. I rounded mine out which took maybe 10 minutes and the issue is now gone. Interestingly the catching is not so much of an issues on the newest tanks as it was on the first few production runs. My last two most recent M60s did not have the issue, even still I went ahead and rounded out the sharp hull edges. That once of prevention to save a pound of pain thing.

Thanks- I'll take a look and see what I can do to round it off.

[AFT-CAP21]

I decided to try something I haven't seen anybody else do with a TD M60 and cast-texture the hull and turret. I used Tamiya Putty thinned with a few drops of Tamiya Extra-Thin Cement and applied it with a small stippling-brush. It really improved the look of the armor. Highly recommend it for those of you interested in detailing your model.

[tank_me]

I decided to try something I haven't seen anybody else do with a TD M60 and cast-texture the hull and turret. I used Tamiya Putty thinned with a few drops of Tamiya Extra-Thin Cement and applied it with a small stippling-brush. It really improved the look of the armor. Highly recommend it for those of you interested in detailing your model.

You could also look at photos and add the anti-slip texture to the tank. I did that on my M60A2.

[tdriver113]

I decided to try something I haven't seen anybody else do with a TD M60 and cast-texture the hull and turret. I used Tamiya Putty thinned with a few drops of Tamiya Extra-Thin Cement and applied it with a small stippling-brush. It really improved the look of the armor. Highly recommend it for those of you interested in detailing your model.

That cast texture looks very good. I have completed my turret upgrades and I'm going to try using AK Easy cast to get that effect.

[MaverickTank]

So, I had the track kink several times today, and I took a good look at it when it happened. It only happens to one track, and only when turning into the side that kinks. The track doesn't seem to be catching on the hull. Instead, it looks like it is wrapping around the sprocket and not letting go. Perhaps the track needs to be tightened? None of my 10 other tanks has done this.