RC Tanks Australia Forum

Hi all

Here are some pics of my M1A2 Abrams. It represents an M1A2 deployed at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.















It is built from an H/L Abrams, and has had the following mods and detailing.

IBU2 Pro control system with custom Abrams sound set.
Tarr1 smoke unit
Audio Amp
Uprated speaker
Viper volume control
Servo Turret rotation
Servo Gun elevation
LiPo battery
Henntec idler adjuster
3-1 Taigen steel gearboxes
JP Power 400 motors
Metal Wheels, swing arms idlers and modded metal sprockets with cutouts added
Metal tracks with rubber pads on both sides of links
Anti slip texture finish added to hull and turret
Details added to hatches, and periscope lenses added
Gunners thermal sight doors made functional and sight lens details added
Paint: Tamiya light sand
various stowage added
Verlinden tank commander figure


Hope you like it.

Quote "hope you like it"
LOL scalawag it's a sensational build mate, I've been following the build on the other forums.
You didn't muck around on this and I think everything that could be upgraded/modded was, I especially liked the textured paint job it's as close to the real thing as you could get and looked very easy to do compared to a lot of other methods.

Keep up the good work can't wait to see what you will do to the Chally II

Cheers
Gra

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Gra's Heavy Tank Regiment
HL Tiger 1 - El Mod, Tiger 1, K T Porsche turret, Panzer III & IV, Stug G & E, Panther D,
Matorro KT, Jagdtiger and Sturmtiger, HL Sherman and T - 34, A7V (WIP)
Panzergruppe South Member

Cheers Gra,

Glad you like it. The anti slip texture was a bit of a gamble as I didn't know if the method I decided on would even work, or if it did how durable it would be, but It has turned out really well, and seems to be very durable so far.

I am collecting bits for the Chally 2 now. Have an IBU2 pro for it and a few other bits and bobs. I can't wait now to get my hands on mine and start working on it. I intend to do a UK based one in green with all the mounts for the added armour, but no actual armour added on. I saw one earlier this year at an air show here in Eastbourne, and managed to get some reasonable detail pics to work from. It was with the household cavalry armoured regiment.

Nice looking tanks this one and the ZT for sure but how do they drive and sound?

How about some video to compare those IBUs to an Asp

Also love to know where you got some of those accessories

Cheers
KG

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rctanksaustralia.com

Which accessories are you wanting more detail on? I can provide links to most things

I'll have to see what I can do with videos Kevin, but as far as I am concerned they drive and sound how I want them too. Whilst I think comparisons can sometimes be helpful, I am not that interested in discussions about which systems are better or worse, I haven't really ever seen that sort of discussion be that helpful for the hobby in general. At the end of the day all systems have their strengths and weaknesses, and all that can be really said is that they are all different from one another, and thank goodness for that. Variety is the spice of life

I do have these, but they are videos from early in the builds and both sound sets have been tweaked and the tanks have had the servo mods since these were made. They don't show how they run either.

It's not really for a discussion about better or worse. In general people aren't really interested in better or worse usually more interested in brand name or what everyone else tells them they should be using. It is really just for me as I do want to be making the best possible units and if I can see something that I can make better I will. In most forums such a discussion would be pointless but here actual changes to a products specs can be made almost overnight.

As I say a Lamborghini wouldn't be a Lamborghini if everyone drove one. I guess that is my slant on 'variety is the spice of life". Sorry but I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to make a Lamborghini.

But anyway.... As they also say...Imitation is the best form of flattery and I really like what you have done with your Abrams and I'm not ashamed to say that I think I'm going to copy you. I'm also pretty sure that many other readers will want to know ...

Decals ----- from Peddinghaus???
The cooler????
The drink bottles????
That camo net.???

I'll probably have to make mine IR as that observation tower is a great place to fit a Dragon Dome IR emitter which I hope will crack the 50m range barrier.

Also for the ZT - what colours did you use. I'm so stuck in WW2 camo that I'll admit I know nothing about modern camo.

Cheers
KG

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rctanksaustralia.com

Here is a quick video showing the servo gun elevation and turret rotation mods in action. These run direct from the IBU2 Pro board, and servo operation can be adjusted via settings on the micro SD card (ie. direction, speed, servo type for standard servo or continuous rotation)
The servos are much quieter than the H/l motor drives. They are smoother too, and there is no more barrel elevation cycling. When the barrel reaches full elevation it just stops at that point until the input for barrel depression is added. This tank is also fitted with a slip ring for turret connections so has full 360* continuos turret rotation available. All very nice.



Hope this is helpful.

Paul

Thanks for all those links and vids.

I will process all eventually.

Cheers
KG

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rctanksaustralia.com

No problem Kevin.

I hope you find some of it helpful