Make Rc Panther a Tank

Hello, this project, I bought the Tamiya model Panther A scale 1:25 and try to make in to Rc tank by using the remote control and board from Heng Long ver. 6.0 I saw the color pattern and want to paint it the same way with some weathering. The result looks good. This time it will be basic paint use 3 colors, and weathering. It fun to play with. The tank make machine gun, engine sound, forward, backward, turn left, right and looks realistic to the scale model. The step is simple, basic and easy to do. The result looks great. Let’s begin.

Supplies that you need to do Weathering Panther A’s project.

1. Heng Long remote and main board (or other brand )

2. Tamiya Panther A model 1:25, Tamiya twin motor gearbox, Small speaker, Tamiya cement, Tamiya X-20A Thinner.

3. Arcylic paints, (black, dark yellow, red brown), paint tray, and paint brushes different sizes.

4. Tamiya’s color XF-9 Hull red, XF-59 Desert yellow, XF-84 Dark iron, XF-89 Dark green 2.

5. Masking tape, shrink tube, sand paper, baby oil, and paper tower.

First, I need to assembly the Panther A in to parts by attach the wheel and try to place twin motor gearbox into the lower hull. Then assembly the upper hull and turret with all the small details. Next I separated some parts, so it is easy to paint. After that clean the plastic model with alcohol, so that when i apply paint will be smooth.

I draw the line with white chalk to make the pattern of what color will be, by looking at the pictures. Next I masking tape the stripe at the front, sides, rear, upper hull, turret and canon with green (XF-89 Dark green 2) paint. Let it dry. Next apply the paint (XF-9 Hull red) as the picture shown at the lid, rear panel, turret and upper hull. For the last color use (XF-59 Desert yellow) in the small strip around the tank, make sure to use masking tape so the line will be straight and to prevent other area. Next paint the road wheels, sprockets, drive wheels, and hub caps. For the exhaust pipe need to paint separate and cement it to place.

Now attach Tamiya twin motor gearbox, the metal drive shaft need to be cut at the same length as the plastic drive wheel. I need to pre assembly first to get the measurement. Now attach the gearbox to the tank by drill the holes and fasten with nut and bolt. This step take some time to get it right. Because the drive shaft need to go into the hole on the side of the lower hull. The metal drive shaft is smaller than the wheel gear hubs and need to fill in with epoxy, make sure you attach it straight, if not the track will come off when the tank move. At this step need to cement glue parts of the driving wheels, so it will not come loose. Next use soldering to connect all the wires; each motor will connect to the main board, I look at the diagram wires from Heng Long. So I connect the motors, on switch, speaker, and battery outlet. That it.

After that I do the weathering on the tank. Then I mix the dark red brown color by adding water and apply to the to the edges around the tank, where it might have rusted and wheel, for the tracks, I paint random and next is apply dark yellow with water, by using the smallest brush, I paint over the dark red brown, (the weathering step need to apply paint more than one time) I also paint on the edge and side of the track as well. Next I apply the decal, rub off some decal, and write numbers over the decal as well on both side of the turret. I paint all of the accessories that come with the tank such as the spare track, tools that metal (use XF-84 Dark iron), and others. I also paint, all wood handle look like wood and other things paint the color as it would be. For the exhaust pipe, air intake, radiator fan, and wheel hubs. I paint black acrylic and apply the body oil to make it shine. When the tank finished, it looks good, looks real, and fun to play. That it.

Thanks