Hi all,

Just want to show you my latest project.......... M3 GMC. I have the excellent Torro M16 for a while now and it is actually a very nice RC vehicle, with metal subframe, servo steering and single motor via metal transfer arm to drive the half track portion for movement, plus front and back lights as well as the full motion quad .50 cal. The only problem is that there is no engine sound, and it comes with its own electronics and radio control.

  

Then I found on Shapeway a M1897A5 75mm gun that is designed for this mod so I took the plunge and here is what it looks like so far:



Plan is to put in a Sherman Clark board and make it full IR battle ready using my own Turnigy 9XR radio and hopefully look something like this:



I will have no use of the stock electronics or the Quad 50 cal. so if anyone has a busted M16 let me know and the bits are yours. I have also seen someone use the quad 50 cal. to make a trailer as well.

don't have mine anymore it has a new home in Australia, i miss it but it lives on and looks cool to

MikeC wrote:

Hi all,

Just want to show you my latest project.......... M3 GMC. I have the excellent Torro M16 for a while now and it is actually a very nice RC vehicle, with metal subframe, servo steering and single motor via metal transfer arm to drive the half track portion for movement, plus front and back lights as well as the full motion quad .50 cal. The only problem is that there is no engine sound, and it comes with its own electronics and radio control.

  

Then I found on Shapeway a M1897A5 75mm gun that is designed for this mod so I took the plunge and here is what it looks like so far:



Plan is to put in a Sherman Clark board and make it full IR battle ready using my own Turnigy 9XR radio and hopefully look something like this:



I will have no use of the stock electronics or the Quad 50 cal. so if anyone has a busted M16 let me know and the bits are yours. I have also seen someone use the quad 50 cal. to make a trailer as well.

can't wait to see it done Mike it's going to look Awesome

Rubber tracks? Great looking concept BTW.

Can't wait see it ir battle , that be cool , curious too see how it handles with the front steer

German Halftracks were better cross country and steering due to the longer track length engaging the ground and turned better due to the partial braking during steering. US Halftracks had a much smaller length of track contacting the ground which allowed for more slippage when the front wheels turn. (It actually relied on the front wheels to turn, vs. partial track braking to turn assist).

Jarlath wrote:

Rubber tracks? Great looking concept BTW.

Rubber tracks and rubber wheels...... Just like the real thing.........  :-)

Battery compartment that exists is for AA batteries or a JST plug? I assume you'll Lipo the heck outta it.

Jarlath wrote:

Yup.

Jarlath wrote:

Battery compartment that exists is for AA batteries or a JST plug? I assume you'll Lipo the heck outta it.

Both. Torro makes a custom set of NiMH for it which is actually 9.6v. I used the Hobbyking Lipo battery finder and got a 2S (7.4v) lipo that also fit into the battery compartment.

Gee Mike, I've only been asking you about how to put a Clark board in my M16 for 2 years now.

This the exact same project I had in mind. Do you have a link to the M1897A5 75mm gun?

Stince, you did ? It was actually pretty easy once you open it up.......I already has it up and running on a Clark board. Will post a quick video for it.

Here is the link to the 75mm.......

https://www.shapeways.com/product/B4RWJKNNX/1-16-scale-m1897a4-75mm-at-gun?optionId=57376765&li=ostatus

For Stince........ Basically you have to nip off all the custom connectors and replace them with Clark compatible connectors, but the wiring is pretty straight forward. Everything else plugs in to Clark other than the servo connector, which I use a separate channel on the radio as then I have more control over speed etc. I just mapped it to be the same as the steering channel on Clark.

Thanks Mike!

These half-track are good runner on the grass, even in their stock set-up, should be fun to battle with.

Is the barrel able to recoil or do you need to modify it?

Still wishing for that 'proper' German halftrack in 1/16, sighhh, but this looks really cool!

Stince wrote:

Thanks Mike!

These half-track are good runner on the grass, even in their stock set-up, should be fun to battle with.

Is the barrel able to recoil or do you need to modify it?

The barrel slides so it is recoil ready. The trick for me is going to be the gun shield.

MikeC wrote:

Stince wrote:

Thanks Mike!

These half-track are good runner on the grass, even in their stock set-up, should be fun to battle with.

Is the barrel able to recoil or do you need to modify it?

The barrel slides so it is recoil ready. The trick for me is going to be the gun shield.

why is the gun shield going to be tricky?

Because I can't scratch build even if my life is depended on it..........

He is an electronics and kit bash wizard. But outside the sprue he's all thumbs to exteriors. You still put most of us to shame.

Stince wrote:

Thanks Mike!

These half-track are good runner on the grass, even in their stock set-up, should be fun to battle with.

Is the barrel able to recoil or do you need to modify it?

By the way during test run I found out that there is a specific mode Clark board has to be in for this to work. You need to make sure that it is set to mode 2, which makes Ch1 control left track and Ch2 control right track (Like in a real tank) and only plug the single motor into the right track (i.e. control by Ch2 only in a normal Heng Long style set-up).

I can tell you why but it will take too long. It just works this way. I will do a quick video of the test run. It is pretty sweet actually.

Jarlath wrote:

He is an electronics and kit bash wizard. But outside the sprue he's all thumbs to exteriors. You still put most of us to shame.

Speaking of electronics wizard you will need to be one to get the Quad going. It is in the mail and should be there before the end of the week. I have taken it apart and then put it back together, but left the parts that prevents it from taken apart out so you can just unscrew the whole thing and it will come off easily. The electronics is not so easy as there is a modified slip ring inside. Good Luck.

Airbrushler wrote:

MikeC wrote:

Stince wrote:

Thanks Mike!

These half-track are good runner on the grass, even in their stock set-up, should be fun to battle with.

Is the barrel able to recoil or do you need to modify it?

The barrel slides so it is recoil ready. The trick for me is going to be the gun shield.

why is the gun shield going to be tricky?

Can I commission you to build me one Greg?

MikeC wrote:

Airbrushler wrote:

MikeC wrote:

Stince wrote:

Thanks Mike!

These half-track are good runner on the grass, even in their stock set-up, should be fun to battle with.

Is the barrel able to recoil or do you need to modify it?

The barrel slides so it is recoil ready. The trick for me is going to be the gun shield.

why is the gun shield going to be tricky?

Can I commission you to build me one Greg?

ya i have styrene i just need a good pic and get some sizes

MikeC wrote:

Speaking of electronics wizard you will need to be one to get the Quad going. It is in the mail and should be there before the end of the week. I have taken it apart and then put it back together, but left the parts that prevents it from taken apart out so you can just unscrew the whole thing and it will come off easily. The electronics is not so easy as there is a modified slip ring inside. Good Luck.

I just want it to have for S&G. I may look at making a trailer prop for a future M4/US WWII tank. Maybe find the parts to make an M17 trailer.