[WIP] M4 Sherman tank 1/15 (RC) and variants suggestions

[Tommy Styrvoky]

I have been planning to create instructions for one of my large scale RC Tanks for a while and after some thought, the M4 Sherman seems like a good model to build because of the large variety of variants and available modifications that you can do to it.

Here are some examples of the variants that i will probably be building

This will be my base model, the M4A2

off of the original model it could be converted to a Sherman Crab with mine flail

The next variant, the M4A3E2 it has a modified mantlet and additional armor

M4 with bulldozer, there are variants of it on the M4A3E2 hull and on the M4A3E2 hull

M4 with mine rollers (Not sure how I will create the discs for the rollers)

another variant of the rollers ( i will probably build the first one only )

M4A2E8, note the larger tracks

Plans for the Model

This vehicle will be designed to be modular and allow for ease of user making their own modifications to it

Functions

2 speed transmission ( similar to my Tiger I's)

360˚ turret rotation (no motors in the turret)

gun elevation/depression

lights

opening hatches

crank start function for turning on battery box

V6 engine that operates continuously

a separate transmission that will be shifted my the main one, to control parts like the mine flail/bulldozer bade

working suspension

adjustable idler tensioning for tracks

suspension

there are 2 variants of suspension, The VVSS (vertical volute spring suspension) on the early M4's and HVSS (horizontal volute spring suspension) on the M4A3E8

VVSS

my versions They aren't sprung vertically because they would be too tall, not sure what version yet

version 1

Lego M4A3E2 by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

version2

Lego M4A3E2 by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

HVSS

my version

Lego M4A3E8 by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Feel free to suggest ideas and modify the parts to make them more realistic, i'm trying to make this one of my best builds, so others can improve and modify it to fit their needs.

[grum64]

I'd love to see the Sherman Crab with mine flail

Edited August 19, 2014 by grum64

[Black-Build]

I like to see a mine clearing machine aswell, I'm building one myself. (Its no sherman)

[darksheep]

This looks really cool , the mine clearer would be cool , using LA's to move it up and down :)

[Doc_Brown]

I agree with the other comments, Mine clearer with lego chains! Awesome!

Love your suspension setup too.

[anton1678]

I really want to see it the flail, liftable with LAs and able to spin the chains around

[Sariel]

I think both your suspension solutions, clever as they are, make the road wheels spaced too far apart. Originally the gap between two wheels seems small or equal to a single wheel's diameter. But that's just me.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Sariel

[Mark275]

I think both your suspension solutions, clever as they are, make the road wheels spaced too far apart. Originally the gap between two wheels seems small or equal to a single wheel's diameter. But that's just me.

I agree with Sariel, you could try a rubberband suspension system hidden in the hull of the tank, something like Zackhariah Macasaet used in his abrams tank (

) so you can place the road wheels closer to eachother.

[Tommy Styrvoky]

I agree with Sariel, you could try a rubberband suspension system hidden in the hull of the tank, something like Zackhariah Macasaet used in his abrams tank (

) so you can place the road wheels closer to eachother.

his tank uses modified parts for the suspension, i also would like for the suspension to be independent from the tank hull.

[Tommy Styrvoky]

Screen shot 2014-08-21 at 12.40.46 PM by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Screen shot 2014-08-21 at 12.45.27 PM by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

here are the blueprints, i'm not sure if i can fix the problem with the suspension, because it would require using 4 wide wheels.

i think I will leave enough space in the bottom of the hull for possibly this conversion M4A2E4

Edited August 21, 2014 by Tommy Styrvoky

[Sariel]

Maybe you could upscale the model a little bit and use these wheels then. They're 4.6 studs big, should look really accurate for this last version you've shown in the post above and hold the track better than expected: http://www.bricklink....asp?P=56145c03

Edited August 22, 2014 by Sariel

[Tommy Styrvoky]

Well here's some progress on the vehicle, the transmission is complete,though I might change the final drive ratio to a 1:3 instead of the current one because it nearly doubles the output torque.

Lego M4 sherman transmission by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Lego M4 sherman transmission by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

[Dapper-D2]

Gotta love the Sherman and looking forward to the progress.

[Tommy Styrvoky]

I will probably postponing this build, until I can get proper parts for the roadwheels. This means this build will be pushed back to january or february.

Here's an idea I saw for roadwheels that would work perfectly for my model in both the E8 and E2 versions.

1:15 Scale Sherman Easy Eight WIP by Daniel Siskind, on Flickr

So since I won't be building this model until later on, I have some models that could be built with my current supply of parts.

Lego GW Tiger by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Lego GW Tiger by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

lego Matilda II by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

lego Matilda II by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

[Tommy Styrvoky]

Well I thought I would revive this project and start from scratch with a new suspension design, so far it utilizes torsion bars and provides proper spacing for the road wheels. Though there is some bad news too, after the completion of my Universal carrier, I have had some issues involving my parents and my time allotted to building, they still insist on "growing up" prior to college... But this means that this could be my final model prior to college, so I intend to make it my best, and I decided to focus on building the Crab variant with the flail. so I plan to mount 8-9 motors as it is, right now I have currently 2 XL's and they seem to work fine with a 16:20 reduction between the transmission's 1:1 and 12:20 ratios, there is space in the front for an additional reduction if a user chooses to modify this model.

so far here is my current bits of work on the hull.

Lego M4 Sherman Crab by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Edited May 6, 2015 by Tommy Styrvoky

[Kelkschiz]

Looks like it will be another good one :).

[Thirdwigg]

I'm a little late to this thread, but I like the improvements you have made, particularly to the suspension. I think Sariel's comments were spot on re. scale, and the improvements show. I do still wonder if the 5l tracks will work better at this scale. Good luck with fitting the rest of the components in the hull. Watching your builds has inspired me to do another tank.

As a side, college was were I exited my Dark Ages. You'll have the ability to "grow up" and continue your work at school. Just make sure your far away enough from home. Keep it up.

[Tommy Styrvoky]

I'm a little late to this thread, but I like the improvements you have made, particularly to the suspension. I think Sariel's comments were spot on re. scale, and the improvements show. I do still wonder if the 5l tracks will work better at this scale. Good luck with fitting the rest of the components in the hull. Watching your builds has inspired me to do another tank.

As a side, college was were I exited my Dark Ages. You'll have the ability to "grow up" and continue your work at school. Just make sure your far away enough from home. Keep it up.

The 5L tracks would be better for a M4A3E8 Sherman, as with Sariel's scaler says that they would be 3 studs wide with the current tires being 3.75 studs wide.

[Tommy Styrvoky]

Lego M4 Sherman Crab (RC) by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

I got the Flail mounted on along with all of the remaining motorized components. The most difficult part so far, is the transmission housing on the front between the drive sprockets, this is the 5th rendition of it, and I think it's as close as i can get without having to remove the knob gears that drive the sprockets.

video below (click on image to view)

Lego M4 Sherman Crab (RC) test by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Edited May 10, 2015 by Tommy Styrvoky

[Tommy Styrvoky]

Lego M4 Sherman Crab Tank (RC) by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

More progress on this beast, the insides are becoming packed with PF components, hopefully I will find a decent mounting point for the IR receivers. So far the model contains 6 motors, and it's missing the turret, that will be powered by an additional 2 motors. The PTO for the flail has been changed to match the original vehicle. Some of the basic shrouding has been mounted for the mechanisms to power the flail. Due to a lack of IR receivers, I combined the function of shifting the gearbox, and lowering the flail to being connected by having two motors power each component, this allows the clutch in the mini LA to let the other M motor provide power to the worm gears that drive the large LA's.

Lego M4 Sherman Crab Tank (RC) by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

I have also adjusted the design of the transmission housing to cover up the knob gears that drive the sprockets

Lego M4 Sherman Crab Tank (RC) by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Lego M4 Sherman Crab Tank (RC) by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Here's a couple photos of the flail in action from a couple photos where a 1/400 shutter speed was selected.

Lego M4 Sherman Crab Tank (RC) by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr

Lego M4 Sherman Crab Tank (RC) by Tommy Styrvoky, on Flickr