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| Type: |
FV103 Spartan |
Armament: |
None |
| Built: |
June 2009 |
Armor: |
25mm |
| Builder: |
Mike Mangus |
Rating: |
0/2 |
| Status: |
Operational |
Battles: |
2 |
| Owner: |
Mike Mangus |
Points Earned: |
1,750 |
| Call Sign: |
unknown |
Points Given: |
500 |
| Notes: |
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Powered by two 350W scooter motorsSabertooth 2x25 speed controllerFirst Tracked Support Vehicle
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Click Photo For Enlargement (196 Kb)
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The FV103 Spartan is a British made APC based on the Scorpion CVR(T) light tank chassis. The vehicle weighed a mere 8 tons and was well suited for running on soft ground. Outfitted with a Jaguar engine, it was officially capable of 50 mph though there are stories of the APC hitting 82 mph, making it the fastest tracked vehicle in the world. |
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The basic hull was made out of 3/4" ply (sitting on top). Slots were routed on the inside of the side pieces for the torsion bar suspension. A doubler adds strength and locks in the torsion bar arms.
The hull on the bottom is the Merkava IV MBT (currently on indefinate hold) |
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Click Photo For Enlargement (352 Kb)
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Click Photo For Enlargement (883 Kb)
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Slots were routed in the hull bottom for the 5/32" dia music wire torsion bars. Simple design that works well enough for light vehicles. |
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One end of the torsion bars slides into the side slots. The bars themselves are held in the slots with metal tabs and screws.
Model airplane technology at it's best. Heh. |
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Click Photo For Enlargement (246 Kb)
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Click Photo For Enlargement (264 Kb)
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Suspension in place with 4" dia road wheels on. The wheels are actually small for the scale size, but why complicate things trying to make them bigger? |
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Test fitting the 350W scooter motors and front drive shaft. The Spartan will have a live axle drive shaft. Gearing is ... ah ... somewhere around 8 mph. ;) |
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Click Photo For Enlargement (952 Kb)
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Click Photo For Enlargement (289 Kb)
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The front drive sprocket. Nothing new here, it will be a TTS track system. |
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The sprockets were hand cut on a scroll saw. They came out fairly good, but I would love to have had a computer drawn pattern or even a laser cut sprocket. |
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Click Photo For Enlargement (281 Kb)
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Click Photo For Enlargement (336 Kb)
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TTS tracks are test fitted on the hull. Sorry, no pictures of the tracks getting made. Besides, there are other much better photos of the track system in other vehicle photo albums. :)
Motors and drive line in place. Yes, that is diamond plate aluminum. You make do with what you can scrounge sometimes. In this case, it was scrap metal from work.
The motors are mounted SOLID! They will not move! (Oct 2011 Edit: They did move and needed additional support) |
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