Hi guys, I used to be model crazy as a kid, drifted to RC aircraft then got a cheap 1:16 Panzer 3 off e-bay. Well that sparked something off ! Last year I decided to try and build an amphibious LVT (A)1 Alligator and have it float ! quite ambitious and the first model I have ever scratch built.
Heres the result




and a link to the build thread,
http://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/vi...7b5e5f0cc5e04a3
also includes my new 1:35 RC LVT (A) 4 ! (bit of an amphibious fetish here)

oh or theres a video on youtube too...

enjoy

very cool.

Very nice.
What kind of motors did you use?
I'm in the process of getting the source material to start a 1/6th scale R/C tank, haven't decided on a subject just yet, and I can use all the ideas I can get.

Thanks

Thanks Wolf, I used Heng Long Stug III Metal Gear boxes and motors as I had them lying around and they fit the task.
The RC Gear is again Heng Long RX18 which gives all the functions I required and sound which is pumped through a satellite
speaker off my old PC 5.1 Sorround system which had died in action

I think for 1/6th scale you would have to ramp up the motor size quite a bit, Im have no experience in that scale, but from what
Ive seen they are pretty impressive models.


Im currently doing the ground work for an LVT 4 Buffalo, which is going to incorporate an improved running gear and hopefully a
deployable Jeep !

Thanks Nick, as I said, I need all the suggestions I can get LOL!
1/6th scale may be a bit much but for me it's about the optimum scale from a scratch building standpoint.
I'd like to model a WWII US tank but most of them have cast hulls and/or turrets which makes construction problematic at best.
WWII German tanks are over represented but since most of them use welded hull/turret construction it makes them much easier for the scratch builder to work with.

I'm looking into the type of motors they use on powered wheelchairs as well as the motor/gearbox combination used for power auto windows.
Fortunately I work in a machine shop so building metal parts won't be a major problem.
The construction material I'm looking at is wood, similar to the construction method used in the paintball tanks at R/C Tank Combat but geared towards detail like a scale model.
The tracks will be the most time consuming part of the build and I'm looking at ways to produce a scale appearing track instead of one that's purely functional.

Again, thanks for the info and good luck on you upcoming project.

WOLF

Hey your welcome mate, Im envious of the shop you work in, I could do with a milling maching but not sure the Domestic Commander would endure the noise/cost etc. Id love to try something in 1/6th as you say the German stuff is done to death with King Tigers all over the place. Im now wondering if a 1/6th LVT is feasable ??? now that would be quite a beast. Having said that I was lucky enough to go to the tank Museum in Bovington today, and saw this Armortech King Tiger..nice model but not cheap £3.500 UK, not sure what that works out as in US Dollars. See now you got me thinking...damn I wonder where I get 1/6 LVT plans from LOL



P.S. Just a thought what about an M10 or an M36 they have quite a straight profile, especially the turret on the M10 ??

1/6th. G.I.Joe's going to see some action?

Oh, I don't have a machine shop, I work in a tool and die shop so I have access to the machines but I wish I did have a mill and lathe at home.
I build all sort of stuff to get myself into trouble LOL!

Those Armortech models are beautiful but they cost about 8k to 10k dollars here for the ones with all the options.

I don't think a 1/6th scale model of the LVT would be any harder to build than the one you've already done and some of it would probably be easier.
Large scale means details like exposed nuts and bolts are much simpler to do.
But there are drawbacks, the main one is where to store the thing once you get it built, if you have the space then the larger scale isn't a problem.
As to plans, do what I did, take a set of 3 or 4 view drawings, the ones you used to build your current model for instance, to a printing shop where they enlarge blueprints for houses.
It should be relatively simple to find a shop that does this and have them enlarge the drawings.

I found these if they will be of any help to you.

link

link

There's some more drawing there dealing with those Amtanks plus Amtracks.

Not sure how much trouble the WWII US TD's would be, guess it would require taking a close look at the hull type.
Some of them were welded hull which usually means simple enough shapes to make scratch building possible with a minimum amount of headaches.
In fact, here's a fair set of drawings for the British M-10 ,with the 17 pounder, which looks to be a welded hull machine rather than cast.

M-10

There's drawings at that site for most any armored vehicle you might take a fancy to.

No GI Joes, there's a series called Soldiers of the World that have armored crew members from just about every nation during the war and they work very well for this.
I'm not sure I'd do an unbuttoned model though because I'm not planning on detailing the interior.

WOLF

Thanks Wolf, I got my plans out of one of the "Bradford" Books

http://www.amazon.com/World-War-II-AFV-P...654&sr=8-10

I dont know if you know them but they are excellent. He even includes a guide to up scaling them for modellers. Im my case the 1:35 plan was increased 216%. There are several volumes covering pretty much every vehicle you can think of. Err with one exception an LVT 4 Buffalo LOL. That said Im making plans in 1:16 using my original print outs and a 1:35 model as a reference. How bout a Cromwell ?? thats pretty straight sided even though there are a few odd bits here and there

I bin mulling over a BIG LVT and I see your point, it would actually be easier to do some of the complicated bits, but like you also say, Where the heck would I keep it ?? LOL

Not sure about the Cromwell but the Crusader might be interesting and doable, it's also got a welded hull and turret.
The size of a 1/6th scale model can be a problem, the King Tiger is somewhat over 3.5 feet long not counting the maingun barrel.
Most WWII tanks, barring the Russian superheavies and the gigantic prototypes, will be around or somewhat under 3 feet long.
I'm not sure about your living arrangements (house, apartment ect.) but you might be able to store your model on a self in a closet as long as you don't let the weight get away from you and you remove the batteries.
So far it looks like I'll be able to use either motorcycle or lawn/garden tractor batteries in mine, the advantage to the lawn tractor battery is it's relatively cheap here.

WOLF

Wolf, you might want to take a look at the Comet, as it has a welded hull.

I'll definately give the Comet a look, thanks.

WOLF

Have you considered windshield wiper motors instead? They seem like they're designed to operate for extended periods, which I doubt window motors are.

Thanks for the suggestion Phil, I'll look into those as well since they also have a built in gearbox and should have more than enough power.
The top speed for most WWII era tanks was less than 45mph and most were considerably slower than that.
Assuming a top speed of 30 mph you end up with a 1/6th scale model having a top speed of 5 mph so it really isn't moving very fast.
Some of the heavy tanks were even slower so the increase in the reduction gearing will actually boost battery/motor life due to lower loads.
I'm also looking at various ways to do the final drives, most tanks of that period could not do a neutral turn where one track goes forward and the other reverses so it might be possible to just use one motor.
The R/C Tank Combat site has various how-to articles that can be applied to a scale model as well as the type of models they use.
Those paintball tanks look like fun but there isn't enough interest in the R/C hobby around here to get enough people to have any competition.

One drawback to the wiper motors is they're not bidirectional, so you'd need to make allowances for reverse in the drivetrain. Perhaps there are 2-wire wiper motors available, which should run backwards when polarity is reversed.

Couple more vids for you...now I got the hang of Movie editor. First is the 1:16th LVT from the commanders position


and the second continuing the LVT theme is a Nitto 1:35 LVT(A)5 converted to an (A)4 and to RC !.


It was inspired by a vid on you tube and the remarkable work of an italian guy Massimo Dantilo who does 1:35 RC conversions this is his site

Massimo Dantilos models