Tamiya German Panther Type G - RTR - # 23659
(Radio Controlled Model Review)

  Released by Tamiya on December 17, 2008, the German Panther Type G (# 23659) is an Online Limited Sales Series version, Factory Finished, Limited Edition, with the DMD Control Unit, MF-01 Unit and a 4-channel transmitter in an aluminium case.

  The front-mounted gearbox contains two Type 380 motors that can 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.

  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

Rechargeable Batteries
for RC Models

   At the time this article was written, there are four types of Rechargeable Batteries that are commonly in use for Radio Controlled Models.
Ni-Cad (Nickel Cadmium) Batteries have been around the longest. My first stick battery, purchased way back in 1987 was rated at 1200Mah (Mili Amp Hours) and with a silver can 27 Turn motor my Tamiya Boomerang would run around in the back yard for a good seven minutes before slowly coming to a stop. Ni-Cad development continued until around 1998 to a maximum rating of around 2000Mah and matchers pack builders and battery technicians were able to put together six cell packs with voltages approaching 7.4 Volts, to give those that could afford them, an edge over the rest.

   Ni-Mh (Nickel Metal Hydride) Batteries came along in the late 1990s, and by the year 2000 were available at ratings up to 3000Mah. Again, matchers and pack builders worked hard to provide the ardent racer with packs to provide that little bit of extra power, and ESC manufacturers also chipped in with improved controllers to take full advantage of this new technology.

   Now the problem wasn't gearing the car to get to the end of the race using the available battery power, but to find the brushed motor that could handle gear setting that provided the speed and acceleration without the motor overheating and wearing the commutator too much so it needed a skim after every 2 runs. My favourite at that time was the 9 Double.

   More recently, Li-Po (Lithium-Polymer) Batteries have appeared on the scene, providing are a huge step forward in performance when compared with Ni-Cad and Ni-Mh batteries.

Bearing Seals

   If you were to ask anyone with a modicum of experience in RC, they will tell you that the best modification you can make to a basic RC model, is to add a set of ball bearings.

   Quite a few of the entrance level models at the time this article was written, come with plastic and sintered brass ring type bearings. If these bearings are installed in the model and coated with grease as advised in the car manual, dust and grit can be caught in that grease and be dragged into the bearing where it can abrade the shaft that spins in it and it won't be long before it becomes a very sloppy fit, causing all kinds of problems.

   But what should you look for when buying bearings? There are a number of types of seal used on ball bearings, and there is much debate concerning which is the best for RC.