Author Topic: Lunar Exploration tank  (Read 10168 times)

Offline Spey Phantom

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Lunar Exploration tank
« on: February 13, 2014, 08:04:42 PM »
got the idea from a TinTin comic book.



i have a 1/72 Armourfast Crusader tank leftover from a 2-vehicle kit, with some work im planning to build it as a moon explorer tank, but one modification has to be the turret, im planning to replace the gun with a dish antenna, and place a glass dome on the top.
another modification would be to mount a FLIR turret on a mast behind the turret  8)
im gonna have a dig in the spares ox to see what i can find  8)
on the bench:
-various models

on the drawing board:
-various 1/72 TinTin aircraft
-1/72 Eurocopter Tiger (Belgian Army)
-various other 1/72 and 1/144 aircraft

Offline deathjester

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2014, 10:10:49 PM »
Nice idea! 

How about multiple track units, or multiple wheel units for added damage resistance/mobility?

And perhaps an Airlock device, for the odd EVA mission...?

Offline ChernayaAkula

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2014, 06:55:49 AM »
Awesome project!  8)
Cheers,
Moritz

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Offline taiidantomcat

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2014, 04:46:27 AM »
So out of the blue  :-*
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Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2014, 08:35:03 AM »
So out of the blue  :-*

? It looks entirely in blue to me.... ;)

Sounds cool!

Offline mrvr6

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2014, 02:21:33 AM »
why use a tank to explore a dead world?

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2014, 02:36:15 AM »
why use a tank to explore a dead world?

Why not? ;D
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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Offline Weaver

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2014, 04:27:14 AM »
why use a tank to explore a dead world?

Make sure it really is dead?  ;)
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Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2014, 01:41:04 PM »
why use a tank to explore a dead world?

Just because it's dead doesn't mean there aren't dangers & armour increases your chances of surviving the unexpected.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline jcf

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2014, 01:25:59 AM »
It's all about the size of the rocket.  ;)
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Offline Goonie

  • When the guy does a red tank, he does a RED tank!
Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2014, 07:17:59 PM »
It's all about the size of the rocket.  ;)

But thick armour could probably save the crew in case of unsuspected space debris shower ;)

As for the tank, can't wait for development of this project :)
« Last Edit: February 27, 2014, 07:19:58 PM by Goonie »
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2014, 07:33:25 PM »
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Weaver

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2014, 08:52:58 PM »
I suppose, being sensible, it's not, strictly speaking, a "tank": it's a tracked exploration vehicle that just happens to look like a tank. It has no gun that I can see, and there's not much point it's hull being very thick when it has clear domes for the crew to see out of .

Nevertheless, you just know that if you were on that mission, you'd be calling it a "tank" after five minutes, right?  ;)
« Last Edit: February 28, 2014, 03:14:36 AM by Weaver »
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Frank3k

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2014, 12:56:09 AM »
There's also this Von Braun Mars tank. Great if you have a left over Stuart and some round Christmas ornaments:


Offline Weaver

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2014, 03:18:12 AM »
I always love the slim and stylish space suits, with a neat pair of tanks on the back, in these old pics. Compare and contrast with the huge, bulky, hours-to-put-on real life suits.....
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

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Offline Spey Phantom

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2014, 01:02:40 AM »
Update,

i hardly did anything on this build as i have some doubt on some of the planned modifications.
i was planning on using the glass dome from from a 1/72 TBM avenger's gun turret, but it doenst show off that good.

so ive decided to leave off the entire top turret and replace it with a cabin, similar to a tank training vehicle.
this cabin would be stationary and built out of pieces of clear polyester sheet.
but instead of a moving rotating cabin, this one will be stationary.

for example:



i havent really start building yet, as im currently looking through spare parts and donor kits for usefull parts.

pictures soon...
« Last Edit: March 04, 2014, 01:04:45 AM by nils »
on the bench:
-various models

on the drawing board:
-various 1/72 TinTin aircraft
-1/72 Eurocopter Tiger (Belgian Army)
-various other 1/72 and 1/144 aircraft

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2014, 02:25:37 AM »
Not sure what they're like in Belgium, but over here, it's worth checking out the party treats/cheap toys sections of supermarkets and discount/thrift/pound shops. You can often find things like stampers and novelty pens that have clear domes on them.

Check out my More Found Objects Stuff thread on What If: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,26614.0/highlight,found+object.html

Having said that, your idea for a cabin with big windows is perfectly sensible. in fact it would probably be easier to shield flat windows against radiation/solar flares that it would be for domes (and that shielding might also be a good reason for having such a hefty vehicle if you plan a long stay on the moon).

"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #17 on: March 08, 2014, 11:45:46 PM »
Having read all the wonderful Tin Tin books I could as a boy, I'm really excited about this project!

Nils, you might be able to use the blisters from a 1/72 B-29. I might have some from a B-36,  but they could be too large.

Looking forward to more,
Brian da Basher

Offline Kerick

  • Reportedly finished with a stripper...
Re: Lunar Exploration tank
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2014, 09:34:54 AM »
I'm looking forward to this one! Will it be blue or white with shiny metal parts? Don't forget some gold foil>