Re: Paintball markers and design ideas [TANKS]

[Rick v100 <rickv100-at-yahoo.com>]

Probably some variation of the M4 Sherman horziontal
volute suspension, not sure how true to prototype it
would be.

Rick 

--- Frank Pittelli <frank-at-rctankcombat.com> wrote:

> Michael Brix Husted Henriksen wrote:
> > 
> > I see that many of the tanks have no suspension. I
> would prefer to add 
> > this and I don't find it complicated to do, just
> more work. I wonder how 
> > much difference it makes when driving the tank
> though. Even my tiny 1/64 
> > scale tank seems to drive better since I added
> suspension to the road 
> > wheels. Any thoughts?
> 
> This is probably "the" technical topic for this
> building season.  I 
> think it is generally agreed that a suspension
> system would improve the 
> vehicles and would reduce the fatigue on the whole
> vehicle.  But, it is 
> also generally agreed that it adds complexity and
> more moving parts that 
> could lead to failure.  So, the first generation
> tanks were built and 
> battled without suspensions to reduce the number of
> variables. 
> Everything worked, but we did have some failures of
> various parts that 
> required us to "heavy-up" after the initial battles.
> 
> Suspension systems are starting to be seen on the
> second generation 
> tanks, with a number of different approaches being
> tried (innovation is 
> the cornerstone of this hobby).  With any luck,
> we'll see a number of 
> the different designs on the battlefield and we'll
> be able to see if the 
> added complexity and components is worth the effort.
> 
> Here's a quick review of the suspensions being built
> in the Maryland area:
> 
> Last year, Will "Heavy Metal" Montgomery built his
> SU-100 with a 
> swing-arm for each roadwheel axle, using a spring in
> tension for 
> suspension.  Since he uses  an attachment chain
> track, the addition of 
> the suspension was straight-forward.  In battle, the
> suspension could 
> clearly be seen in action as the vehicle gently
> rocked whenever it 
> started or stopped, clearly absorbing the torque of
> the motors at 
> startup and the momentum of the vehicle when
> stopping.  I think that is 
> the most important advantage of a suspension system
> for our tanks.
> 
> Joe "One Word - Plastic" Sommer is in the process of
> building his M1 
> Abrams with a torsion suspension (last time I
> heard/saw).  Since he uses 
> plastic tracks, his approach is relatively
> straight-forward, although 
> I'm sure he's tried various alternatives for
> materials and configuration 
> until he gets everything perfect.
> 
> Steve "Wood Is Good" Tyng is designing a second
> generation TTS that uses 
> a drive sprocket instead of a friction wheel,
> thereby allowing him to 
> use a Christy (sp?) suspension for the roadwheels. 
> His prototype is 
> both simple and effective, and in typical Tyng
> fashion, can be made out 
> of wood and aluminum solely with a tablesaw (I
> thinks he cuts bread and 
> lunchmeat using that thing as well).
> 
> Paul "Full Of Air" Pittelli is considering a
> suspension based on 
> pneumatic cylinders for his S-Tank.  The hull will
> be designed to pivot 
> like a see-saw over the center of the roadwheels to
> allow the gun (which 
> is fixed in place relative to the hull) to be raised
> and lowered.  The 
> pistons will allow the relative positions to be
> adjusted and will also 
> absorb dynamic shocks when the vehicle goes over
> something, or when it 
> starts and stops.
> 
> Anyone else building a suspension system this
> winter?
> 
>       Frank P.
> 



                
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