1/12 scale M41 [TANKS]

[George Mastoras <idiom-at-optusnet.com.au>]

Hi all,
wanted to show you all what I have been working on.
Have put up some pics, the first 2 where taken about an hour ago, the rest
show some of the detours it took till I realised I like bulldogs.

IT started as a king tiger, then considered making it a T55, then it was a
Sheridan for a couple of months b4  I found the tank the Sherridan replaced
and just knew thats it.

Its 3mm steel all round, has accurate torsion rod suspension and bump stops.
It hoons along at about 1000rpm and a first for me is it has a track
tensioner  as well as a compensating idler wheel. The idler pivots on an arm
and is linked to the first road wheel arm so as the first road wheel lifts
it pushes the idler wheel forward maintaining track tension at all times.

I found excellent reference pictures of the compensator for the Chaffee, the
tank the Bulldog replaced.

Apart from not having the V shaped hull its fairly accurate in a mechanical
sense.
Notice the drivers compartment, that took ages.

It was cut out with an angle grinder and I got a friend to weld it. The body
cost nothing and the springs where a few bucks, steel is everywhere so dont
ever pay for it.

The tracks are too wide for it as I want them to tuck in with the guards and
have side plates as per the danish M41 so will make another set soon which
will mean another set of sprockets. The sprockets at the moment are based on
a  Pershing/Paton tank.

I obviously could not decide what to build when I started


http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l206/robot_tank/