Unofficial Coolbank M5A1 Stuart 1/16 Scale Light Tank Discussion Thread

[SoCalBobS]

This is more like it. The barrel is fully extended and recoils appropriately. If you check the earlier pics you'll see it's pushed back into the turret. It's a servo actuated recoil and it just got pushed back accidentally.


I tried to access the tank's interior but was unsuccessful. There are two screws under the hull rear overhang. I removed them and nothing loosened up. I'm guessing the top hull snaps onto the chassis, but I'll leave that discovery to others for now! Fortunately I was able to stick my fingers through the two large turret hatches to fix the recoil.

[MaverickTank]

So glad I ordered one of these. Bob, did it come with the grousers that are commonly hanging around the turret?

[SoCalBobS]

So glad I ordered one of these. Bob, did it come with the grousers that are commonly hanging around the turret?

Yes. I'm waiting until I paint the tank before adding mine. If you zoom in on the box art at post #1 you'll see them.

[SoCalBobS]

Just a note of caution for future Stuart drivers; the tow hook at the rear is very vulnerable to being knocked off when driving on rough ground. (Ask me how I know!) I've re-glued it and pegged it down with a couple of pieces of music wire.

[SoCalBobS]

FWIW, someone on RC Tank Warfare opened the transmitter.


Another someone said that to open up the tank one had to remove the tracks. There will be four screws hidden there, plus the two visible under the rear deck. Haven't tested it, though! Here are some shots of the interior, filched from ColemanCollector on RCTW:

[Max-U52]

Tracking now says mine is here in Detroit so hopefully it will be here tomorrow. Tracking on this one was a bit strange, and if you just do a google search for the tracking number it says that number is no good, but if you plug it into 17Track it comes right up. It would also come up if I plugged it in at the usps website, but that would just say they're waiting for the item. Now it says they've received the item but they list delivery for Tuesday, but it's right down the street this very minute so hopefully it will be here tomorrow. That happens to me rather frequently, that I get stuff a day or two before the projected date.

Is anyone else using 17Track? It's free and I've been using it for a few years, and it usually has better info than any other tracking service I've used. It even tracks e-packets with the Chinese tracking number.

As promised, I'll do a box opening video so anyone that wants to can see exactly what comes out of the box.

[Max-U52]

Just a note of caution for future Stuart drivers; the tow hook at the rear is very vulnerable to being knocked off when driving on rough ground. (Ask me how I know!) I've re-glued it and pegged it down with a couple of pieces of music wire.

How do you know? Bwahahaha



This is why nobody sends a donkey to college. Bwahahaha

[Milspec1]

I was just putting some of the detail parts on my new M5 and I'm missing a couple of the parts off the E marked board, who can of is there anyone that can send me the parts, does coolbank have a website?

[Milspec1]

Sorry the B marked board

[tank_me]

My Classy Hobby kit is going to be here on Tuesday. I may have some parts left over as I'm going to use it to detail my Stuart.

[Milspec1]

OK please let me know. Nothing worse than waiting all this time for the tank and not having the parts to complete it. Thank you.

[tank_me]

OK please let me know. Nothing worse than waiting all this time for the tank and not having the parts to complete it. Thank you.

Are you thinking that there are 4 empty places in slot 9? Cause mine has the same 4 slots empty on sprue B #9 on both my tanks.

[Milspec1]

It's one of the number 8 grab irons.

[Max-U52]

Tracking says mine is out for delivery so I should be able to get a box opening video posted tonight.

[Max-U52]

Box opening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha7bdXnfxgw

[Max-U52]

Well, it's not a bad little tank and I'm glad I bought it but it does have its drawbacks. There are a lot of knobs and switches on the controller that I still haven't figured out and the manual can be challenging. Chinglish, dontcha know. It's also way too fast and very rabbit-like. I also had the same problem as Bob with the barrel being back at the recoil position and stuck in place, but Bob was right, you just reach in through the hatch and you can push the barrel forward and then everything is cool. The manual mentions a battle mode so I don't know if it actually has any kind of IR capability of not, but I doubt it. I need to get all of the accessories attached and eventually I will definitely paint it, but for now I'll just go with the accessories and once those are attached I'll post some still photos.

[SoCalBobS]

Max, glad to see you got yours! I agree that it needs painting to eliminate that plastic-y surface. So guys, to do a good paint job the tracks need to be removed, and it looks like the only way to do that is to drift a track link pin out. First person to do this let us know how it went! The road wheel tires should also be removed, but that looks easy.

Milspec, you may have done this already, but have you placed all the grab irons onto their spots on the tank? I didn't find any missing parts, in fact there are spares of many on the sprues.

Just a general observation for everyone. I've seen folks worry about the slack track. I did not remove any links and have driven mine a lot including on rough terrain and I've had no problems. Give it a try first before you mess!

[Max-U52]

OK, you guys probably saw this coming, so here it is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbR7CIZ__qI

[tank_me]

Box opening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha7bdXnfxgw

Might get more views if you change the title to Coolbank as this isn't a TongDE tank. TongDE was the company that brought Coolbank's other tanks to market, but this one is being marketed under Coolbank with no middle man.

[PanzerLoco]

I didn't receive yet my Stuart from the AlieExpress Coolbank store.
Concerning the unrealistic ''rabbit like'' speed issue of the tank.
Since i am too lazy (desire) to change the electronic;
I considered to put a counterWeight/counterbalance underneath the tank and/or inside the hull.
By doing so; increasing the weight of the tank.
Searching the same result as putting metal tracks on a tank; more weight = more realistic speed.

Any ideas? and/or suggestions are welcome!

Thank you RC Tank Community for the reviews & pictures in the wake of receiving this little beast!