A quick question to you armor gurus please. In 1/35 scale how long should I cut the piano wire I’m using as antenna on my M1A1HA?
I’m guessing about 10cm but that is just a WAG.
TIA
Hey
Darson
I’m basing this of memory it is probably not 100% right. But during the 6 years I spent on M1A1 and M1A2 tanks I seem to recall the antennas being about as tall as me. And since I’m 72 inches, then doing the conversion makes the models antenna about 2 inches or 5 cm.
Of course this is just my opinion.
Hope it helps
Scott
Thanks heaps Scott, that’s exactly the sort of help I was after.
Cheers
For the '46s? Try about 12 feet…
The antennas used for FM radios on US AFVs break down into two sections, each being approx 5 ft in length. The antenna itself, on the Vietnam/later Cold War era vehicles is roughly 2 inches thick at the base and tapers to approx 1/4 inch thickness at the tip. The tip is supposed to be covered with a plastic safety cap “ball” that is taped on. On newer SINGARS radio equipped vehicles, the base is roughly a 1/2 inch thicker, but taper, break down into two elements, and length are the same. (Yes I was a commo guy later in my career)
Not having crawled around on top of an M1, are the matching units (that’s the “thing with the spring” in stikpusher’s linked pic, Darson) outside the turret? Know I’ve seen them on some 60’s… Seen US-built ones on Iraqi tanks as well… Our Commo Sergeant and his merry band of Wire Rats ripped a few off some Iraqi hulks to “make up shortages”, lol…
Thanks again for all the info guys especially the close-up shot of the antenna spring housing.
As to the ball on top that should be easy to replicate as I have two daughters and between them they have hundreds of various sized craft beads that I can use.
Cheers
To replicate the safety cap, I just strike a match and SLOWLY bring it close to the end of the sprue. When you hit the right point and distance, the sprue will ball right up. If you don’t stop, it will ball up all the way to the base or burst into flame, so practice on some sprue you don’t plan on using on the model first…
Hey
Guys
Now that Stikpusher has posted.
I’m going to agree with him. Because I think I was just remember 1 antenna half not both put together. [banghead] The reason is the top half is thinner than the bottom half. But as I now recall we did have to TIE DOWN the antenna’s when moving around areas with low hanging objects i.e. bridges ect.
This being the case go with your original 10cm. Wish should be about 4 inches tall.
Seeya
Scott
Right on with the info on the 2 piece antennas. I do remember that we got new intercom systems on our M1A1HAs and the new antennas were one piece whip antennas that were about 6 feet long. The tankers complained when we went to the range that the new antennas weren’t sturdy enough to hold a chem light taped to the top of the antenna during night gunnery. There were 2 on command vehicles of equal height. Stikpusher, did you ever see any of these varieties? I know the 2 piece ones are still in use as our new HUMMVEES came with them straight from the factory this year. A technique I have used to replicate the ball at the end is to dip the antenna in the same color paint until a small bead of paint forms on the end and you have the ball tip.
Tellis, I think I know what you are talking about with the single piece antenna. That is just supposed to be for a monitor/reciever only type antenna mount- I forget the nomenclature. you can use just the top half of the one I posted above. I also believe you can improvise attach other antenna types in there- it has been awhile since I had to do so.
FWIW, I was a tanker for close to 10 years and spent lots of time outside the turret; I’m 6’1", and the tallest antenna of the two (one on the left rear turret and one on the right) were almost 2 ft. taller than me…
In 1/35, stretch sprue to roughly 3.75" or so, and use some fine (reeeeally fine) speaker wire for the spring above the matching unit… use a blob of CA or similar for the spring “bulge”, let it set, then wrap the wire around it…
HTH
Edit… as an alternative to HVH’s antenna ball end cover, just dip the tip into regular Testors glue and let it harden, then paint the tip black…