I built the APC hull and main turret using 1/4" laminated plywood and covered everything in sheet styrene. Hull construction began with a two-piece floor panel comprised of a large panel and a smaller one just forward of the front wheels. It angles up a few degrees. The wheel-well enclosures were built on top of the main floor panel and these were glued and screwed into place. The hull side-walls, vertical posts, stringers and cross beams went up next. The roof panels were cut, set in place, and then the small sections that go between the roof and vertical wall sections were cut and fitted into place. The main turret was done the same way, pieced together as I went along.
The main turret barrel details were scratch built and then duplicated in cast resin. The turret gun carriage rails are a combination of aluminum channel and resin cast channel sections, for the curves. It was easier for me to bend the resin to the proper curve, after heating it in hot water for a bit, than to bend the aluminum. The gun carriage axles are Delrin rod with rubber tubing "wheels" that roll up and down the rails. Each rail has a small machine bolt stop.
Upside down turret showing gear drive motor, battery pack, receiver and antenna. The circular circuit board runs the flashing Red LEDs for the main gun barrels.
Switch is accessed under the starboard side turret hatch cover.
Copyright © 2006 by Christopher Chulamanis. All rights reserved.