[MOC] Mini tanks from WW1 and WW2

[Tamas Juhasz]

Thanks guys.

@LOTRfan: Panzer IV is in progress, coming soon.

@anakin066: Every tank is possible, the only question is, how many and what kind of compromise is necessary in the building. Anyway, an M4A1 Sherman is also in progress, almost done.

If someone needs instructions about any of them, let me know here or in PM (basically I don't upload LDD file, just a rendered picture).

Edited October 31, 2014 by Mbmc

[gnggnggng]

Hi Mbmc

Those tanks are beautiful, I love them :). Will you able to share with us the ldd file or instruction? Tks.

[Tamas Juhasz]

Thanks! Instructions/LDD file: if you or anyone else would like to build them, send me here or in PM the list, which tanks is interesting for you, and I'll upload the LDD file as instructions. Sometimes additional explanation is necessary, like the length of rigid flex hoses (in LDD there isn't so large selection of them) or fixing the track with strings. In some cases stickers are necessary.

[gnggnggng]

Hi Mbmc

I will like to build the icon tank of WW2. Tiger 1. :) thank you.

[Tamas Juhasz]

Ok, here is the lxf file with building instructions for the Tiger I:

www.brickshelf.com/gallery/mbmc137/Mini-Tanks/Tiger-1/mini-tigeri-building-instructions.lxf

Only one important note is necessary: cut the rigid flex hoses to the size, which is needed for holding the overlapped wheels. Maybe there are original sized hoses in Bricklink, which fit to these places. In LDD, all wheel-holder "3 mm D rigid hoses" are placed symmetrical between right and left side. All parts in LDD exist in the same color in reality.

If you finished with building, I'd appreciate a few photos about it.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Mbmc

[gnggnggng]

Hi Mbmc

Tks for the file. I do not have all the parts to build. Will need to brink link the missing parts. Will post photo if I manage to complete it.

[Tamas Juhasz]

Ok. The rollers can be "pearl dark gray", "flat silver", or even "light bluish gray" from bricklink. I reccommend the pearl dk gray, it's the most close to dark bluish gray. Sadly, the 98138 part (roller) doesn't exists in dark bluish gray. (they are dkbl gray in the render, because it's complicated to set up the pearl dk gray color in pov-ray)

Edited November 6, 2014 by Mbmc

[Tamas Juhasz]

The promised ones:

11. Panzerkampfwagen IV

The most used german battle tank, served during the entire WW2. Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_IV

Big picture: http://www.brickshel...IV/panzeriv.png

The building started with the base of Panzer III. It has two more small rollers, bigger tracks and taller upper part.

I think the small LBG lever fits here as front mounted machine gun.

12. Sherman M4A1

Sherman is one of the most famous ww2 tanks, it was THE tank for US army. Produced in large numbers with simple manufacturing technology, was reliable --> was succesful. Info: http://en.wikipedia....wiki/M4_Sherman

Big picture: http://www.brickshel...4a1-sherman.png

It was really hard to build. The proportional track part seemed to be easy at the beginning, but the number of chains was too less or too many (can be only integer). Sherman has a tricky, rounded shape with angles too, so some compromise was necessary. The front part consumed around the 1/3 of the beuilding time, I tried many variants, and that won, which can be seen in the picture. I appreciate suggestins to make the front more realistic.

As always, feedbacks are welcomed.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Mbmc

[Tamas Juhasz]

New one:

5. M1918 Ford 3 Ton

The first US tank in series production. It was rather a "tank destroyer", because it has no rotating turret. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_3-Ton_M1918

Big picture: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/mbmc137/Mini-Tanks/Ford-1918/ford-1918.png

As it's a very small tank, the building was tricky. The Lego track chains are too wide (the original has very narrow tracks), but there isn't other option (except of rubber bands, which could be fixed hardly, and the look wouldn't be good).

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Wow, I just stumbled across this topic. This is great!

I did not think it was possible to build these tanks in such an accurate way in this small size.

Tiger and King Tiger are fantastic, well the others too

[LOTRfan]

Your PKW iv is very nice, and really accurate! Could i have the LDD file?

I wonder if someone will make Hobart's funnies with the Sherman

[Captain Braunsfeld]

First german tank in combat, famous in ww1 theme. It was quite unsuccesful, but became on of my favourites in ww1. Easy to recognize from it's angular shape. Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A7V

First of all: great mini tanks! Very cleverly designed!

And then I am surprised. I always thought that the Germans did not have any tanks in WWI1.

Your model looks more defined than the original...

[Tamas Juhasz]

Thanks all.

@LOTRfan: I've uploaded the LDD file of the Panzer 4:

www.brickshelf.com/gallery/mbmc137/Mini-Tanks/Panzer-IV/zpanzer4-instructions.lxf

If you want to build it, ask me about details, because some 3 mm D rigid flex hoses requires special lengths (which LDD doesn't have).

Edited November 9, 2014 by Mbmc

[LOTRfan]

Thanks all.

@LOTRfan: I've uploaded the LDD file of the Panzer 4:

www.brickshelf.com/gallery/mbmc137/Mini-Tanks/Panzer-IV/zpanzer4-instructions.lxf

If you want to build it, ask me about details, because some 3 mm D rigid flex hoses requires special lengths (which LDD doesn't have).

Don't worry about the hose, I'll probably just use one of those short bars. Thanks!

[Tamas Juhasz]

I did some experiments with custom stickers. The A7V got german Iron Cross and a skull & crossbones sticker, like original A7Vs:

http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/prodimages/WWI/WWI-119.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AXwgcBiHkjo/US6Ml5QGwsI/AAAAAAAAAOM/te_ylpzk5bo/s1600/panzerkampfwagen-a7v-heavy-tank-02.jpg

Large picture: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/mbmc137/Mini-Tanks/A7V/a0-a7v-stickers.png

What do you think? Does it look better, or not? The skull could be more autenctic, but hard to find a good one.

[Stormbird]

Hi there

Very impressive tanks I would love to see ALL ! the LDD files as there is some interesting build methods , especially the Stug 3 and T34 I may have the wheels for this one

I had a quick go at the Tiger I with the limited pieces I have and found I could not attach the 2 larger pieces to the rear of the turret ? is the inner of the 2 special in some way ?

Keep up the good work Paul

[Vliebricker]

Thanks Mbmc for shareing these beautiful extra small models. Amazing that one can make such recognizable vehicle with just so fe bricks. Great job!

[Vliebricker]

Great creations in such a small scale and yet so recognizable. Carry on, please.

[Tamas Juhasz]

Thanks!

I've been busy in the last months, but I start to make and upload them again. Saint Chamond will coming soon (I build it in color = no gray), and

some ww2 tanks also here: http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=100891

Edited February 13, 2015 by Mbmc

[Tamas Juhasz]

Thank you!

Hi there

Very impressive tanks I would love to see ALL ! the LDD files as there is somi interesting build methods , especially the Stug 3 and T34 I may have the wheels for this one

I had a quick go at the Tiger I with the limited pieces I have and found I could not attach the 2 larger pieces to the rear of the turret ? is the inner of the 2 special in some way ?

Keep up the good work Paul

Hello!

I'm sorry for the late answer in mini tanks of ww2 topic. I was pretty busy in the last months, and I nearly forgot about them.

But since now, I can deal with them again, and I'll watch the topic more frequently.

Good to hear you like them. The wheels of t34 and stug 3 are normal racers rims from 4s wide lego sets:

Pz3 series: http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=93593

T-34: http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=93595

But I will change it on the Panzer 3 and 4 series, because these rims are a bit big, with these the track section is too high. Only one plate diference in height can cause unproportional looking in this size. T-34 is ok.

Tiger1 turret:

Everything fits well there, but I know, it's easy to identify the needed part incorrectly. The same happened with one of my hungarian clubmates. So the secret is in part: http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=15573 This one has stud connection in the middle too. In ldd, I used also this.

I built about 10-12 of the mini tanks, to see, are they enough strong in reality. Except one/two, they were. I surprised, how strong the Sherman is. When you build it in LDD, it doesn't seems to be strong in every cases. It could be also vice cersa: in LDD it seems to be ok, but nearly falls apart in reality. I think only that one can build models in LDD which are enough strong compared for the pre-set goals, who has a few years practice in real build. LDD designing can be tricky, when you came to the real building part.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Mbmc

[Tamas Juhasz]

6. Schneider B16 Saint Chamond

The second French heavy tank in ww1, equipped with hybrid (IC engine --> generator --> electric motors in the wheels) drive system. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Chamond_%28tank%29

Big picture: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=6228256

I started the building with the tracks, it was the most difficult part. I used again the small binoculars as support wheels. These tanks were often more colorful than German an British ones, so I thought about building it also in colors. I attended to use only existing colors of parts, everything is official in this mini tank. The front armor is also hard to build, it's angled in two directions, so I used slopes and angled plates to create it.

Hope you like it.

If you need more pictures or LDD file, just ask here.

[Tamas Juhasz]

13. T28/T95

It was an experimental super heavy tank destroyer by the US army. In 1945 it became "105 mm Gun Motor Carriage T95", but one year later it was renamed to "T28 Super Heavy Tank". It was designed to break through German defenses of the Siegfried Line. More info: http://en.wikipedia....uper_Heavy_Tank

Big picture: http://www.brickshel...y.cgi?i=6228258

The building wasn't easy in this case. The two narrow front track part, which goes ahead from the body, is covered in side with armor plates, but it can't be wider than 2 studs and the cover plate. The track chains are connected with strings (not shown in the render) to the front. It's incredibly wide, my first 7 studs wide in ww2 series. The dark bluish gray 1x1 round tiles are in reality pearl dark gray. This tank has a very characteresitic gun and gun mointing, that was easy to made. The front armor around the cannon is nearly impoosible to build proportional and authentically. If you have any ideas how to make it better, feel free to tell me here.

I made variations there two hours long.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Mbmc

[LegoGunInstructions]

Thanks for the instructions!

[LegoGunInstructions]

Highly impressive!

[Tamas Juhasz]

Has anyone some request? Which other tank(s) would you like to see here?