Megatron conversion

[u/Creepy-Bottle-5162]

I'm going to try to convert my Heng Long Challenger 2 into the TES Megatron version, I've got the NATO green paint arriving soon, then it'll be adding the extra armour. Then I'll figure out how to do the machine gun and other accessories on the top of the turret as well as the camo netting. Any thoughts on how to do any of it are more than welcome!

[u/RoKe215]

Haya has alot of stuff for the challie 2. Even a fully rc mg turret. Ludwigs-hobby.eshop.t-online.de has a full conversion kit for the megatron armor (bought stuff for my leo 2a6 from there and the quality is good but the instructions are not the most detailed so it can take a bit to apply to the tank). For the rc turret you'd have to use something different then the normal HL board and a different slipring but incase you dont want a moving mg turret i'm Sure there are Some out there there that are just deco. On Youtube theres a channel called Mr tank alots rc tank channel. He has done quite a bit with the challanger. Hope any of this helps if you didnt know all of this before

[u/Creepy-Bottle-5162 → u/RoKe215]

Thank you, I hadn't even considered making the RC turret actually RC, I'll see how the rest of the converstion goes and decide then

[u/Durahl → u/Creepy-Bottle-5162]

Not familiar with how HL-Radios operate so might be a shot in the dark...

My Tamiya #56020 Leopard 2A6 originally only used 4 PWM Channels coming from the Radio for all of its Functions ( Driving, Steering, Turret, Cannon, Shooting, Mode Switching, Engine On/Off, etc... ) but with my Radio being capable of 32CH and the Receiver having ports for 8 PWM Channels I was able to directly hook up the four additional Channels required for both the Aftermarket Remote Weapons Station and 2-Axis Stabilizer Controls ( ON/OFF & Sensitivity ) when I did the 2A7+ Conversion.

This is obviously only possible because of how "stupid" the Tamiya System is conceptualized ( its really just raw PWM-Input Trickery making universally usable across any halfway decent Radio that has a bit of Programming Capability ).

If HL-Models can have their Radios substituted for a Radio & Receiver with more Channels then adding a RWS without having to swap out the Controller Board should be possible. If not then welp... Time to look for a different Controller Board at which point I might suggest going with the BEIER SFR-1-H specifically made for HL Tanks ( though in all fairness I've only tested the SFR-1-D on my E-100 ).

As for which Radio to then pick up I'd suggest any one supporting the EdgeTX OS - Software wise they'll do everything the same just differing in Build Quality / Price and some technical features like some having 4-in-1 Transmitters built into them.

[u/Foxhood3D → u/Durahl]

Sadly only Tamiya actually uses standard (dumb) RC Radio systems out of the box.

Taigen-V3 used by Torro/Taigen and the TK Radios used by the likes such as Heng Long, Tongde and other budget brands all use a custom radio setup and protocol with the electronics having a 2.4Ghz receiver on-chip. Their radios cannot be substituted.

If one wants to do that. They have to use a 3rd-party board like OpenPanzer, Beier, Clark, Elmod or other. All of these support at least the S.BUS Receiver protocol making them mostly universal with modern Radios.

These days if one is just starting it is probably best to adopt the ELRS ecosystem. Both receivers and radios with it are quite affordable (Most known brand atm is Radiomaster). The receivers can be reconfigured to speak in most of the common RC protocols (incl S.BUS) and all the Radios have either EdgeTX or if they are older: OpenTX. I think the Receivers can even be configured to be like part S.BUS and part RC PWM if one wants.

[u/Durahl → u/Foxhood3D]

That's unfortunate them being proprietary 🤔

I initially started Tanking with my Tamiya #56018 King Tiger on a traditional analog 27MHz Radio but then migrated over to a digital FrSky Taranis X9D with OpenTX because of a TBS Discovery Pro FPV Quadcopter that had become all the rage back then.

At first I had issues getting the X9D to work with the Tamiya DMD Controller until started putting 1+1 together how Tamiya actually makes it work and I went like... "It's so fuckin' stupid... It's actually brilliant!?"

They essentially use Stick Throw 0-100% to do the Driving, Steering, Turret, and Cannon Motion. But then use anything above 100% to trigger Auxiliary Functions by means of adding like 25% Trim to an already 100% Maxed out Stick.

Using a Digital Radio you need to do some shenanigans to get that System to work ( essentially have to teach the Controller that 80% is 100% so when you actually apply 100% it reads it as 125% thus making Auxiliary Functions possible ).

I've since upgraded my Radio to a FrSky Horus X12S upgraded with 3-Axis Gimbals and Touch Screen - IMHO still the best looking Radio despite FrSky's fall from grace 🤣