Tamiya German Panther Type G - RTR - # 23652
(Radio Controlled Model Review)

  Released by Tamiya on September 30, 2010, the 1/35 R/C German Panther Type G Late Version (# 23652) came Factory Finished with a 4-channel radio system.

  At the beginning of WWII, German tanks were defeated by Russian T-34 medium tanks and in order to counter them, Germany created the Panther V and were deployed to frontlines in 1943. It featured excellent defensive abilities, had sloped armour plates, powered by a 700ps Maybach HL230P30 4-stroke V12 gasoline engine which provided them with a top speed of 55km/h.

  It was armed with a 70 calibre 7.5cm long barrelled tank gun which was as powerful as the Tiger It's 8.8cm gun. Evolved from the Type D and A, the Panther Type G was put into production from March 1944.

  Later in 1944, the Type G received more extensive modifications which included an angle-bottomed gun mantled, exhausts with flame dampers and heater units on top of the engine grilles. Overall 2,953 Panther Gs were produced until the final factory was captured by Allied forces in April 1945. The Panther G went on to serve as Germany's main battle tank until the end of the war.

  This model comes with metal bushings, that after a short while, when dust and grit get into them, can actually wear into the metal drive shafts that spin in them - we recommend these should be replaced by a full set of steel shielded ball bearings ASAP.

Rating: 4 RCScrapyard

Servos for RC Models

   Servos are found on all kinds of Radio Controlled Models. RC Touring Cars, Buggys, Trucks, Truggys, Monster Trucks, Rock Crawlers, Airplanes, Helicopters, Boats and Ships for Steering, Throttle Control, Rudder Operation and Wing Flaps.

   For complete RC beginners, choosing the right servo can be confusing, so here are a few tips to point you in the right direction.

   The standard, plastic bushed (bearings) type servos are fine to start with but come with plastic/nylon gears that can break easily in collisions. So, to protect your servo gears to some degree, make sure you have a good "servo saver".

Radio Frequencies - be Careful be Safe

   After buying your first car, it won't be long before you need more than simply bashing around the back yard, or out on the street. So you will be looking around to find a club that is not too far away where you can do some serious racing.

   Before you can start racing, you will need at least three different sets of crystal frequencies. The race organisers will note down all your available frequencies when you register at the track and allocate one of those frequencies to you for your heat. To avoid change over problems from one heat to the next, they generally try to give you a frequency that no one in the heat before or after is using, but always check to make sure before you put your car down on the track and switch on.

   There is nothing more annoying than to be in the middle of your best qualifying race and some idiot switching on their transmitter in the pits, on your frequency. Not only could it spoil your race, but it could cost you a lot of money if at the time you are travelling at top speed along the straight, loose control and crash head on into the wall.