RE: tank construction idea [TANKS]

["Steve Tyng" <STyng-at-ACPTrust.com>]

Brendan wrote:

 

>  I was looking at plan sets from RC boat modeler (this is related to tanks) and I saw a boat that was made out of cardboard and laminated with fiberglass.  Would this system work with an extremely light weight track/suspension system, drill drive motors, and 1/4 inch plywood backing plates for mounts?  All of the cardboard surfaces could be laminated with at least 3 sheets of 0.8 mm plywood for additional support with the fiberglass (using epoxy resin to glue everything).  It could turn out to be extremely light weight and might be able to handle combat.  That 0.8 mm plywood is strong stuff at its current thickness.

 

I've found that any weight saving attempt in wood based hull construction is minimal at best.  The majority of weight is in your batteries, motors, road wheels, axles, sprockets, etc.  I used a form of ply/foam/ply composite construction in the Cromwell and I wouldn't do it again.  It's lighter than the T34 hull but not as durable.  I've already had to do some patching and repair on the Cromwell due to road hazard damage  ;-)

 

I will experimenting with ply/cork/ply composite construction in a project this weekend (curved section of a Tiger1 turret).

 

What kind of cardboard are you thinking of using for a core material?

 

 

Steve Tyng