ARMOR - Tamiya 1/16 Tiger 1 Group Build

Grrrrr! Hiya guys,

Okay, I started my Tiger up with the new wiring and it didn't work. I checked my connections and made sure I didn't do any sloppy soldering; nada. So I had to go back and undo everything and go back to the trim tabs. Sigh, can anyone tell me what to do now? I configured the DMD like the instructions said and then made my mods to the transmitter afterwards. So what is the major malfunction here?! At any rate, I consoled myself by running her around the house with the speaker turned up. (I can't even hear the telephones ring it's so loud!) It's too much fun!

Roy

Roy: I'm sorry that the modifications didn't work for your radio. You're using a Futaba four channel radio right? Mine is the AM27 version, not FM. Don't know if that makes a difference or not. I just converted my Sherman to four channel operation per the Tamiya site and it runs fine off this same radio I use for my Tiger. Do you know anyone near you that has done the modification that can look at your radio? Sometimes two sets of eyes is better than one. Good luck! Lester

Transmitter Woes?

Guys... forget the close friend to ya, ~post~pics~here~ !!

(how soon we forget we have image access...)

WhiteWolf (gotta get off his butt) McBride

And now the moment you have all been waiting for..........

Roy's build page and completed Tiger are now up and ready for your viewing pleasure!

(Sorry it took so long!)


http://www.erock68.com/okie1.html

Alright Roy!! The TIger looks great!!

You did an excellent job on hand painting the markings, the zim looks great, camo...It all looks good! Awesome job and I'm sure you're pleased with the results!

Eric

Hey guys,

I've been talking to the guys in my tank club and they say that they had problems converting the Futaba Attack as well. As for pics, come on, you know how long it takes me to post pics! However, there are pics of the original mods to the transmitter posted now on Erock's website. I made the mods exactly like the website specified and even tried the trim pots beneath the right control stick; no dice. One of my friends stated that I might need a resistor of some sort. I wish I was an electrical engineer! Now I need to check out the pics and see how they look. Your thoughts and criticism are welcome!

Roy

Roy: Great build! I only wish I could paint as well. I checked out the picture of the wiring for your Futaba and it looks just like mine, so I don't know what is wrong. That is the correct trim port connection for your guns right? Two wires to the middle connection, one to each on each side. One of the two middle wires and one side wire to one switch, and the remaining middle wire and other side wire to the other switch, right? That's how I did mine. Solder connections aren't causing any shorts between the three joints. Maybe try reprogramming your DMD again? Lester

Hiya Lester,

Yeah, that's exactly how I did it. And that is on the same trim pot that controls the machine gun and main gun. I'm still scratching my head! With the modifications installed, you can't even program the DMD since it doesn't register as having a transmitter up. You simply get two flashin orange lights. (Not good).
The initial pics of the camo paint job look scruffy compared to how it looks now. Before I applied the buff overcoat and the flat overcoat, I went back and touched up the camo so that it didn't look so faint. I have to say that the final flat overcoat really deepened the colors and gave the tank a more solid, metallic look.

Roy

Roy: Yeah, something isn't right if you can't program the DMD. After you undid the modification, can you program the DMD? My Futaba was initially set up for my Tiger, then I did the trim port mods, but didn't have to reprogram the DMD and it worked fine. I then converted my Sherman to four channels and reprogrammed its DMD with this radio and I can now run it just like the Tiger. Do you plan on adding gear reductions? My Tiger runs too fast and jerky compared to the Sherman. I'm waiting for Willy to make me a set of gear reductions and chassis reinforcement plates.

What's the difference between buff and flat overcoats and when do you use each? The metallic look you got is really nice. I haven't tried camouflage painting yet. I'm a little intimidated by it and will have to practice this plus weathering before I try it on on future projects. Good job Roy! Lester

Thanks again Lester,

After undoing the mods, I turned on the tank and she fired up like she's supposed to and then I programmed her. I then tried wiring the transmitter up to the bottom trim pot and got the same response: nothing. As for the coats, the clear flat coat gave it a more solid appearance. The buff/flat black mix darkens the coat and gives it a dusty look.

Roy

Roy: Your camo pattern, did you just wing it with your air brush, or were you following some picture? The kit was missing a roadwheel on each side? Is that how they were? Yours actually has some character without those roadwheels. When are the rest of the guys gonna post pictures, or have they not progressed any from before?
It's been awhile... Lester

Hi Lester,

I forgot to answer your earlier question about the gears. I upgraded my Tiger with the Type 4 gearboxes. They are much smoother and more to scale with the real Tiger. You are right; the original Type 1 gears are far too fast. As for the pattern, I had a good representation for the front, rear and sides, but nothing for the top! So yeah, I had to take a free hand and use a conglomeration of camo patterns from pics of Tigers in my books. I had to redo the top deck once and a small part of the turret once, but other than that, it was actually very easy. Remember, when you use an airbrush, you can have 5 or more different coats on top of one another with no problems. The hubs you see come with the kit, but they tell you that you won't be using them. Well, instead of building all the same road wheels, I built those two.
The other guys are working hard on their Tigers I assure you. I finished first for a couple of reasons: 1. I did not order the Aber PE set for this kit. This set alone effectively doubles or even triples your build time. Check out Erock's pics and you will see what I mean. 2. This is the only kit I had to work on. The other guys are working on other kits in addition to their Tigers. J-Hulk, for example, was working on a King Tiger for a competition and that took priority.

Roy

And lest I forget, Thank you Eric for hosting the build website and posting my pix! Now I can't wait until you guys finish yours to see how they turn out. (Especially with your Aber sets!)

Roy

Transmitter Mods:

Put a meter on your button switches, and see if they are momentary or push-on/push-off (you have to get the momentary terminals that are momentary ~on~, not momentary ~off~)

If they are push-on/push off, there is your prob, but the wrong momentary terminals could do it as easily.

Just an electronics thought (was trained as Electronics Engineering Technician)

Just looked at Erock's page...

Suddenly I feel ~very~ inadequate about my modelling skills A ~very~ well documented assembly Eric, and one I hope to recommend to other assemblers in the future (with your permission)

You considered a Tips & Tricks set Like noting where the front fender-trim curve is on the underside? And the gap under the front armor plate by the underside of either sponson? And noting the Type 4 spacer problem? As far as I know, no-one has done this (though FRAG has some hints) Noting details of the Aber too would be helpful (like the fragile etched chains)

I'm now facing a complete dis-assembly for painting [sigh} and have noted the plastic hull sides bulge slightly from the inner aluminum framing. Anyone considered a few microbolts to close the gap, or double-stick tape

Also

I'm still looking for track hangers (any not using their Aber's?) And need the part numbers for the turret traverse parts. With Eric's permission I'll reference parts from his photos... (anyone gonna order parts from Tamiya USA? ~beg~ )

WhiteWolf

Guys:

I've found someone willing to machine (aka on a lathe) ammunition masters for me (they aint quite cheap, I'll be using them for personal cast masters)

I'm asking those of you with reference materials to look and see if you have images of US & German tank rounds, with a scale inset in the image.

I specifically need US 76mm & 105 Sherman, 90mm M36 Jackson, and both Tiger 1 & King Tiger 88 rounds (L/56 & L71)

WhiteWolf

WWMcB, I'll see if I have any refs like that.

ROY! Your Tiger's brilliant! I'm really digging the camo. Almost to the point to where I'm thinking of doing mine in something other than Panzer Gray...hmmm.....(still working on that darned King Tiger, by the way! Didn't make that deadline, either...Tamiya has a contest at the end of January that I'm shooting for now!)

Glad we finally got to see the pix. Well worth the wait!
I like what you did with the battle unit thingy, too. Anything looks great with a balkenkreuz on it! (I'd better watch out...that's precisely the kind of comment that'll have the PC police calling me a Nazi sympathizer!)

Hi All,

GREAT job Roy! Congrats!!!

If you dont mind, I'd like to steal barrow your idea where you painted your battle unit and added the cross on top! VERY impressive!

I agree with WWMcB...test the bottons and make sure they work. Just hook a meter to both wires and see if they are OPEN when the botton is not pressed and CLOSED when it is. It should OPEN again when you release the botton. Just an idea.

Mike

Roy: Like WhiteWolf suggests, test the switches to see if they are momentary on. I went to Radio Shack for mine and they had both momentary on and off and push-on/push-off types. I made sure I got the momentary on ones. Thing is, if you got the off ones and nothing else was wrong with your setup, then the guns should be firing continuously with those until you held the buttons down, which would stop them. I don't know about the push-on/off types. Good luck. Lester

Hey, do any RC tankers have their vehicles set up for 2 operators? That is, a driver and a "commander/gunner?" I think that'd be pretty fun!

I agree...

... with the guys about the painting of the TaBU (what the RC-battlers call it now) Its odd that they never thought about painting theirs, though a few tried moving it over to the other hatch. Gonna point 'em at those images so we can see how many use the idea!

I like the camo job too! The simplicity of it is about what I'm capable of , but half the time I'd manage to screw that up. Will have to practice with my Paasche airbrush and try to replicate that kind of pattern for my T1 and KT.

I'm currently trying to arrange a trade for a Tamiya 35218 Deuce & 1/2 (CCKW 353) and the 35231 Accessory set for a scaleup model for my King Hauler. Only probs point at the chassis being too wide, and not being able to get bartreads out of Smith-Miller.

WhiteWolf

Another option to the twin controls that I'd like to try is mounting one of those small cameras to the barrel (I bought one on eBay for less than $40. It's color, has sound, runs off a 9v and is suppose to transmit out to max up to 1000ft ).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48632&item=3059481696

I know this has been done before, but not sure if they took it a step further.... The commanders need to then either turn their backs or leave the area! Then fight it out using only what the CAMERA can see and hear! Limited view and paranoia just like a real commander might have felt!

Tricks like stopping and turning off your tank to HEAR whats close by or being able to see someone else who isnt pointing their camera at you and then backing up and setting up an ambush!

The fun is limitless this way . Teams could sit in the same area/room and talk to each other (simulating radio contact).

THIS would be fun !

Rocad:

Only one problem: those have no audio channel.

As yet no-one's determined if we can get them tuned to operate over a range of frequencies within a band. Then a team that has a video-conflict just swaps out their in-tank Tx & base-station Rx with someone else (much like we swap radio freq's when we conflict at meets) and game on!

The audio is nice though, but you'd have to have a soundproofed battleroom that the tanks run in, otherwise the observers talking will overwelm the tank-sounds.

I like the unit comoo though, and had thought of limiting the team with those Radio Shack vox headsets (or something similar) I used to use a set with my co-GamesMaster when I ran BattleTech in full miniatures mode . It saved me from loosing my voice screaming across a 12' x 8' table in a room with at least 4 other games!

WhiteWolf

Quote: It has built in video function and it has vivid pictures and sounds like real time.

I will have to test mine and see...hummmm, am going to attach to my video camera and view it on the screen on back.

more later!
Mike

Back to work!

Here are 2 before and after pics. I have a bunch more, of all the work done in between, that I will post on the site. I finally applied the primer today. Once dry, I will go back and fill-sand the parts that need attention.

Feels good to be working on this beast again

Alright Eric!! I can't wait to see the paint going on too!! Looks like a good clean build so far!

Mine is moving slow, but I'm building all the tool clasps, brackets etc in the Aber set. I'm going to do everything that will improve it and that's going to be a bunch in this scale.

I'll check out the site in a bit to see some more of your pics.

Eric

Great looking Tiger Eric! Hi fellas. One of the guys in my tank clubs said he used a 10K resistor soldered to the wires in the center trim pot. I'm sure my buttons work, cause' I tested them, I just have to figure out where I messed up. Thank you all for the kind words regarding my camo and the TABU. The pattern was very easy and my only regret is that I didn't make it "messier" and more broken up. "Splotchy" if you will. But then I can still go back and change it if I want... The TABU was easy to paint. I just took it apart first and went from there. The decal was bit of inspiration near the end. I'll keep you guys posted on the transmitter mods. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with for your Tigers. I'm telling you, the camo is a nice extra, after having already done the German gray Tiger. Thank you all again.

Roy

Dragon's Wittman on sale!

HobbyLink Japan has the Wittman sitting on the Crombell turret display on sale at $30.84:

http://www.hlj.com/cgi-perl/hljpage.cgi?DRA18001

Okieboy:

Damn, I shoulda remembered that [bandhead]

The trim adds a certain abount of extra resistance, as thats all a joystick pot is, a variable resistor. If you can put a meter on the terminals and then adjust the trim to full, you'll seen how resistance the trim adds. Then it should be just a matter of putting the next size up of resistor in-line with the momentary button. I THINK ! I'm not 100% sure (aint done it yet meself)

Why not post this prob to the Yahoo ArmorHut & RC Armor Forum, as someone probably encountered this already. Willy also might have the answer too... (gonna be chatting with him this weekend) Mention that the directions on the FRAG site dinna work, as a few idiots will point you there first off... I dunno why people can't write decent instructions these days... probably the education system going to h*ll.

WhiteWolf

Not a bad price on the Whitmann vignette. It's not much cheaper on the shelves here! Best I've seen recently is about 25 bux US. But with shipping, it'd be more than $30.84 , easy.

Erock! Looking good, Mister!
One Q: is your barrel in the full recoil position? Did you prime it that way? I remember Roy saying he ran into that surprise after he had painted.
But man, looking good!
I really have to get off my keister and get cracking!

Eric

good to see you back working on the tiger again

i couldnt help notice how little PE you have used, did you buy a full Aber set or just the bits you wanted?

J-Hulk,

That's one thing I made sure of before priming, barrel fully out! I'm now going over and filling in a few spots and sanding. After the PE was put on, I was sure there would be more spots that needed attention but, I just need to work on one. A bit of Glue on the bottom of one of the track hangers!

box1,

I did get the full Aber set but didn't use too much for fenders and such. I used mostly the stuff for little details (Screens, hangers, jack, hatches, exhaust, smoke launchers and so on) Some are also hard to see, such as the PE bolt heads used on the exhaust mounts. I am surprised how much detail Tamiya put into this kit. If I were to start again, I would only have ordered about 4 of the specialty sheets they offer. Oh well, it didn't actually go to waste as I have sent some to WhiteWolf for his project.

All-in-all, I am pleased with the details added and am having a BLAST building it!