[MOC] Imperial TX-225 Occupier tank (armoured carrier) with "working" suspension

[Max_Lego]

Hello, everyone!

I would like to present you my first serious Star Wars MOC - a model of the Imperial tank from Rogue One.

I loved this vehicle since I saw the leaked images of the official LEGO 75152 set. Learning that the actual tank is a tracked vehicle amazed me even more. Eventually, I hated the movie, but the tank remains one of my favourite Star Wars vehicles.

I initially wanted to purchase the 75152 set, but after building my CP-H speeder I decided to build my own, more accurate version of it. Instead of building the hovering version, I decided to do it the hard way - not only my MOC must have had tracks, but also a working suspension!

The model currently looks like this:

Before its redesign, it was considerably longer and taller, and also had an orange crate in the back. I shortened and lowered the model, so now it's more accurate, but the crate is now too long to be placed on the flatbed.  Nevertheless, I am quite satisfied with the finished build. Maybe I will design a shorter crate one day...

Rear view:

Crew cabin view:

Same view, but without the driver and commander. The interior details (including the white mug) were taken from the tank's official cross-section:

Here is a view of the "working" suspension. I based it not on the real-life Alvis Stormer (the basis for the movie vehicle) suspension, but rather on how it looked like on the cross-section. It should have worked with small rubber bands, but the model is way too heavy, so it doesn't work. I still decided to leave it there, because it adds realism to the build:

Hope you liked my MOC! May the Force be with you!

[KennoMonkey]

This is great! Nice job. And FWIW I had to watch Rogue One a few times before I "got" it. Now it's one of my favorites :]

[Max_Lego]

1 hour ago, KennoMonkey said:

This is great! Nice job. And FWIW I had to watch Rogue One a few times before I "got" it. Now it's one of my favorites :]

Thanks!

[Leo_Lego]

Dear Max, My son is a big fan of your TX 225 occupier tank moc. His birthday is coming up and I was wondering if you have an instruction of your Moc you could and would share? You would make him very very happy. All the best Jo

[Max_Lego]

1 hour ago, Leo_Lego said:

Dear Max, My son is a big fan of your TX 225 occupier tank moc. His birthday is coming up and I was wondering if you have an instruction of your Moc you could and would share? You would make him very very happy. All the best Jo

Dear Leo, I am very sorry, but I don't have any instructions of my TX-225. I would like to help so much, but there is nothing I can do at the moment. Would it help if I shared the design for the suspension? 

Edited January 9 by Max_Lego

[Leo_Lego]

Dear Max, thank you very much for your quick reply. I totally understand. It is very kind of you that you offer to share the design of the suspension. That would be great! Maybe you can share some insights on the bricks you used as well. All the best 

[Max_Lego]

29 minutes ago, Leo_Lego said:

Dear Max, thank you very much for your quick reply. I totally understand. It is very kind of you that you offer to share the design of the suspension. That would be great! Maybe you can share some insights on the bricks you used as well. All the best 

So here's how the suspension is done:

The main idea is to squeeze the small white rubber bands through the holes in the Technic beams, attach them to round 1x1 plates and then cover them with the long plates.

As for bricks, the most important part in my model is perhaps the 1x4 SNOT brick (BrickLink code 30414), to which the suspension is attached.

If you have any more questions, please ask!