Tamiya Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.J - Full Option Kit - 56025
(Radio Controlled Model Review)

  Released by Tamiya on July 16, 2008, the German Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.J (#56025) is the Full Option Kit version, with a battery, charger and 4-channel radio system included.

  A front-mounted double gearbox, with two electric motors, operate together or individually to produce forward/reverse running and pivot turning. Metal torsion bars and suspension arms combine with the wide tracks to smoothly absorb bumps and dips in the terrain and provide high manoeuvrability. In addition, realistic engine sounds accompany the tank as it starts up, drives and stops to idle. The main gun can be elevated, depressed and swung to the left and right.

  The German "War Horse" type IV tank was used for the whole period of World War II and gathered the confidence of German army troops. Its final production version type J, was mass produced in 1944 and was aimed at strengthening the character of its defensive warfare and simplifying its equipment. The main gun mounted a long barrel 48 gauge 7.5 cm cannon, was inherited from H type. A new grenade launcher was attached to the top of the turret in order to prevent enemy infantry approaching during battle. The auxiliary engine for turret swing was removed and was modified with 2-speed transmission and fuel tank, to increase the cruising distance. The increased armour board Schultzen, which had been introduced from the type G continued to be installed. The IV type J was a new type of tank, such as Panther and King Tiger and fought as a major part of the German tank core 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

Getting into RC

   When I first got into racing RC, all I had was a three year old clapped out Tamiya Boomerang, a silver can stock motor, three step mechanical speed controller, two 1400Mah stick batteries and basic Acoms stick transmitter.

   I was the newbie and most of the guys I was racing against had all the latest models, modified motors, matched batteries and top spec radio equipment, but I was still beating them easily. Why? The answer is simple:

Ride Height

   To allow the suspension on any RC model to do its work properly, it needs to ride in a position where it is able to react to any bumps and holes it may encounter on the track. Therefore, it needs to be adjusted to somewhere in-between those limits. That position is commonly termed "ground clearance" or "ride height" and is generally measured as the distance between the underside of the chassis and the ground, with the motor and battery etc installed.

   Simply speaking, determining the optimum ride height is dependent on the specific track conditions and "droop" setting (see my previous article). For Off Road models the rule is simple, the bigger the bumps and the deeper the holes, the higher the ride height. And for On Road, the lower the ride height, the better.