I got a NIB Sherman in a trade (my first tank) and really wanted to build this one.....
The kit is like all Tamiya kits nicely detailed and everything fits as it should. The early models have metal tracks that need to be assembled from about 300 parts for each track! This took me a few hours and gave me sore fingers.
The chassis is an aluminium tub where the suspension is bolted to. The suspension consists of mainly metal parts and works real nice.
This model has no bearings opposite to the later types so I think if you want to run it often you will be better of with the newer models.
To build this kit make sure you have some spare time...this is not a TL01 you can build in 1 night.......A lot of parts need to painted and assembly is a lot of work too, but this is why I wanted to build it in the first place.
When I finished the chassis I took it for a small testdrive indoors.......It is very nice to drive and easy to control.
The DMD unit works like 2 ESC's and a mixer....you just connect it to the 2 channels of you receiver, programm it and drive! It can really make all the moves a real tank can too.
Tip: do mount the antenna as indicated in the manual....for the first testdrive I left it in the alu tub and had a lot of intereference....I switched receivers to solve the problem but that didn't help.....never thought it was the antenna
Tip 2: when you buy the Tamiya spraycans...get 3...1 is not enough...I found that out on sundaymorning so was stuck waiting for the LHS to open.....It's a lot of surface that needs paint....!
I installed a turret drive motor in mine so the turret can rotate. A servo (3rd channel) is connected to an on/off switch that controls the motor in 2 directions.
It works great but I find it a bit noisy.
Conclusion: you don't have to be a tank or militairy enthousiast to enjoy this kit, it's a perfect kit for people who like to build....and for the real pro builders/painters it has endless oppertunities.
Reviews
Martin71RS
I got a NIB Sherman in a trade (my first tank) and really wanted to build this one.....
The kit is like all Tamiya kits nicely detailed and everything fits as it should. The early models have metal tracks that need to be assembled from about 300 parts for each track! This took me a few hours and gave me sore fingers.
The chassis is an aluminium tub where the suspension is bolted to. The suspension consists of mainly metal parts and works real nice.
This model has no bearings opposite to the later types so I think if you want to run it often you will be better of with the newer models.
To build this kit make sure you have some spare time...this is not a TL01 you can build in 1 night.......A lot of parts need to painted and assembly is a lot of work too, but this is why I wanted to build it in the first place.
When I finished the chassis I took it for a small testdrive indoors.......It is very nice to drive and easy to control.
The DMD unit works like 2 ESC's and a mixer....you just connect it to the 2 channels of you receiver, programm it and drive! It can really make all the moves a real tank can too.
Tip: do mount the antenna as indicated in the manual....for the first testdrive I left it in the alu tub and had a lot of intereference....I switched receivers to solve the problem but that didn't help.....never thought it was the antenna
Tip 2: when you buy the Tamiya spraycans...get 3...1 is not enough...I found that out on sundaymorning so was stuck waiting for the LHS to open.....It's a lot of surface that needs paint....!
I installed a turret drive motor in mine so the turret can rotate. A servo (3rd channel) is connected to an on/off switch that controls the motor in 2 directions.
It works great but I find it a bit noisy.
Conclusion: you don't have to be a tank or militairy enthousiast to enjoy this kit, it's a perfect kit for people who like to build....and for the real pro builders/painters it has endless oppertunities.