01/13/06

ADVANCED MODELING - PAGE 1

How to convert a Tamiya King Tiger into a Tamiya Tiger I Full Option status including DMD, sound, recoil, ect.

By Paul Howald  6-20-2001

Disclaimer:  Read the article completely before attempting the modification.  If you do not understand the modification, do not attempt it.  Find someone who understands the modification to help you.  FRAG accepts no liability for any damage caused as a result of this process.

This conversion can be used with either the static kit (#36201) or the R/C version (#56007 or 56008).   Some of the following parts will not be required if you buy the R/C King Tiger version.

NOTE: Where Tamiya Tiger I kit parts are referenced, a “YES” will be in the TIGER PART column.  If a part number is from the King Tiger kit, there will be a “YES” in the KING TIGER PART column.  If nothing is listed in either column, it is a generic Tamiya part number.

PARTS REQ’D TO UPGRADE TAMIYA KING TIGER TANKS:

NOTE 1:  The MF-01 Full Hop-Up Package (#53446), T-03 DMD (#7255012), and Motor/Gear Boxes can be obtained from Dave4what.com or Tamiya America.

NOTE 2:  The MF-01 Full Hop-Up Package (#53446) includes some hardware needed, but not all.  The remainder can be purchased at your local hobby shop or hardware store or you can order Screw Bag A (#9415561) and Bag C (#9465563).  Keep in mind that you will only use some of the parts in Bags A and C. 

The hardware you will need includes:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING TAMIYA FIRING/SOUND SYSTEM INTO THE TAMIYA KING TIGER I.

All of the following comments are based on converting a King Tiger into a Full Option tank like the Tiger I. PLEASE READ EVERYTHING BEFORE STARTING TO CONVERT.    My list of tips are not in order of construction.

1. Having built the Tamiya Tiger I first is definitely a benefit in knowing how things go together.  Having the Tamiya Tiger instructions also helps to understand how to adapt the King Tiger kit.  If you don’t have a copy, send an email to FRAG, give us your address and we will mail you a copy.

2. There is ample room in the KT hull to mount all the Tamiya goodies.  The 7.2 volt batteries lay one on top the other on the right side (as if you are in the tank looking forward).  The MF-01, T-03 and R/C receiver all set on the left side of the body, with the MF-01 on top of the U shaped metal bracket and the T-03 unit underneath the bracket.  The R/C receiver is on the floor behind the MF-01 and T-03.  I glued the R/C receiver wire around the inside of the hull body, but not over the motors.  Run the last bit of antenna back down the center of the tank toward the speaker unit.  The speaker unit is in the rear and I cut the plastic box down to just house the speaker.  The other half of the box is not needed.

3. I fit the black Turret Ring to the inside of the KT turret.  I did not use the 3 black nylon rollers.  NOTE!!!  If the Turret Ring has a blind spot (no teeth in the ring) so that the ring will not rotate a full 360 degrees, positioned this blind spot at the front of the turret, and make sure the Turret Rotation Motor is at the back. This will allow the turret to rotate 350 degrees, with half the turn in each direction. NOTE:  Tamiya now makes a ring without a blind spot.

4. There is a little black on/off switch box that goes to the T-03 unit.  I mounted this to the rear of the hull body, between the exhaust stacks and installed a spare track link over it to disguise the switch.  I cut a hole in the body so the switch could stick out.

5. Do not glue the plastic barrel together without first inserting the gun flash unit.  There is not enough room to slide it in afterwards.  Cut a piece of styrene tube about the same diameter as the rear barrel. Glue this to the rear part of the barrel so that the barrel is extended back a little bit into the turret.  The length depends on how far the Barrel Recoil Unit sets from the pivot point of the inside of the Mantlet.  There is a little black clip bracket (J3 and J4) on the Barrel Recoil Unit that the styrene piece slips into, after you cut it to fit.  I fabricated styrene plastic shims to this inside area, so that I had something to screw the Barrel Recoil Stay to.  You have to make this all up to resemble the Tiger I inside assembly.  Be careful to get the right positioning of everything so that the barrel retracts strait and level.

6. I was able to screw mount all the goodies that go inside the Turret.  This is how Tamiya does it in the Tiger I.  The only thing else I had to do, was modify the length of the threaded rod that connects the two white plastic adjuster clips that go over the brass ball connectors.  These two white pieces have to be the right length so they don’t bind up inside the turret. 

7. DANGER:      Do not hook a 4.8v battery direct to the R/C receiver.  Each R/C transmitter usually comes with a 4.8v battery pack to plug into the receiver.  Do not do this, as the receiver draws its power thru the MF-01 from the 7.2v battery.

8. Be sure to solder a capacitor across the + / - terminal of each motor.  This helps to eliminate interference with the R/C receiver.  However, if you get a high pitch sound as the motors start up, you will have to solder 2 additional capacitors, one from each terminal to the motor case.

9. I originally installed a 6 channel Futaba 6XAS unit and until I recycled the MF-01 and T-03 units thru their “self check” sequence, one of the functions would not work.  Either the main gun or MG would not fire.   This self correction process does not work all the time. So it is far better to use a 4 channel system than a 6.  Tamiya designed this goodie package to go with a 4 channel, not 6.  But if you are going to add an Infra Red firing system other than Tamiya’s, you may need at least a 5^th channel. You really need the Tamiya Tiger 1 instructions to know how to operate and service the whole MF-01 and T-03 system.

10. The most difficult problem of converting, is making the styrene shims and installing the  Barrel Elevation Unit so the barrel elevates properly.  The next biggest challenge is making sure that the barrel is lined up, down the centerline of the retraction gearing of the Barrel Recoil Unit.  Otherwise the barrel will bind and not retract properly.  Also, do not paint that portion of the barrel which retracts inside the Mantlet.  You will have had to sand or grind this opening a bit bigger (but not very much bigger than the barrel) and if you paint this area, then it binds.

11. I made the wire screen assemblies (2) that install over the rear deck, removable.  These need to come off in order to remove the two Phillips screws which hold down the deck to the frame.  To make the screens removable, I inserted about 5/16th inch of small wire into the curved portion of the screen and drilled a corresponding hole in the deck plate.  Push the wire down in and the screen stays in place, but can be pulled loose if access is needed to the screws.

Have fun and send pictures when you are done.