(I invite you to click on the photos for larger views)
This is a follow-on to my post from yesterday.
In late November I decided to buy another tank (the last, truly) a Heng Long 1/16 Pershing tank.
The tank, like the Sherman in my previous post, is fully functional, right down to shooting BBs out of the 90mm gun barrel.
Here it is right out of the box (it still has Styrofoam crumbs on it). These are referred to as "R2R", or, "ready to run". They are good to go right out of the box, so the very first thing to do is run it through all of its functions (including exhaust smoke) to make sure that everything works.
Here it is in its final livery, all painted, detailed, and weathered.
The 90mm gun is massive; though it frequently misfires.
When I first saw this model, I didn't think that the Pershing was particularly attractive, with its squat, plain architecture; but painted, weathered, and detailed with lots of stowage, it has become very pleasing to my eye.
Figuring out the logical attachments was much of the fun of detailing the tank, and there are loads of photos of WWII Pershings crammed to the gills with exterior stowage.
These latest-generation radio-control vehicles are a marvel right out of the future. When you open it up you are confronted with electronics that weren't even within the realm of imagination when I was a kid pushing toy tanks around the floor. The manufacturer of these tanks (Heng Long) states upfront that unless you are comfortable with constant tinkering, these tanks may not be for you...indeed, I have these tanks on the bench frequently.
The frailty of this massive ten-pound tank, is its rear-sprocket drive. Everything that gets picked up by the tracks immediately wraps around the sprocket, and I have to pause the action to get the track back on.
After one particular patrol, I fished all of this leaf litter from behind that one sprocket; it was the same on the other side.
And clay is the absolute nemesis of the Pershing; it will pack so tightly that the tank will stall out. Despite its rugged looks, the Pershing is no match for the Sherman when running off-pavement.
The bow machine gun has an LED light, which flashes (along with recorded sound effect) when fired.
The driver's hatch opens to reveal the on/off switch.
I really enjoyed painting the details.
The wire-wrapping of a guitar-string makes for some pretty convincing barbed-wire.
The loader's hatch gives access to the BB magazine as well is the port for the infrared sensor. I/R battles with other tanks are a blast. Every time you hit your opponent, his tank shudders, and after five hits it shuts down and needs to be restarted. These tanks make for much raucous fun.
The large size of this tank makes the mud splashed on the tank looks very much to scale.
Despite its significant shortcomings, this tank is a blast and I'm very happy to have it in the motor-pool.
Just three minutes from my house, lives a good friend who is also a tanker. He has two different ranges in his basement, including this fort set-up. Today was a bad day for the Germans and Confederates.
Here's a little video of this tank in action:
Stay warm, stay cool, and...
Soldier on!
Mannie
