Tamiya has just released a new rendition of the British MKIV (Male) WWI tank in 1/35 - new tool all the way. You can get it from some Japanese sites now, so it will be here soon. (I’ve seen some box reviews and Brett Greene among others is giving it three thumbs way up.) The thing is motorized! I know this was popular in the 60s but I’ve never heard of anyone actually building one of these things. This isn’t completely abstract as Takom has just launched a 1/35 MK IV which is available at Pacific Coast now - both Takom and Tamiya are over $50 but seem very neat models and far better than the old Emhar. Anyway, has anyone built a tank that could double as a toy? I kind of like the idea.
I’ve built plenty of motorized Tamiya tank models. The very first model I ever entered in a contest was the original M1 Abrams that came with a 3-motor wired remote. One motor turned the right tracks, one the left track and the third traversed the turret. One of my favorites was the motorized M113, that little shoebox was quite durable and didn’t have a turret to get beat up (I’d pull off the .50 cal so it didn’t break).
I know they also released a line of 1/35 scale models that came with wireless remotes. The Panther, Tiger and Abrams was part of this line. I have the M1A1 Abrams version.
I also have the 1/16 scale Tamiya Tiger I and King Tiger. The Tiger I is full R/C and the KT is static but includes the motorization gearbox.
I used to covet the motorized Tamiya kits back in the 1970s. My friends and I would conduct “tank torture tests” in the backyard. We would dig up the dirt, make obstacles from pebbles, create mud puddles, then run each of our models through this grueling course to see who’s tank made it across the finish line! There were all manner of accidents, like thrown track, grass/mud buildup in the running gear, and short circuiting motors. The all-time champion was my friend’s M41 Walker Bulldog, which flew across the battlefield like the wind, never threw track, and even ran underwater! Heady days! Then there was the “ballistic test range” for our retired tanks, but that is another story.
Regarding the new Tamiya Mark IV, I don’t think it runs at the advertised “scale speed”, as the model moves way too fast. Didn’t the real things cross the battlefield at something like 2-1/2 mph? I have seen the kit in the flesh, and it does look very nice.
