Hover tank challenge

The challenge: build any kind of hover tank without using a tank kit's hull or turret - because nothing saus 'fun' like 70 tons of floating mayhem.

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photoguy
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Post by photoguy »

So I was just looking through the stash for inspiration, and my wife sees my obvious displeasure at NOT being able to find the right base kit. She pulls a PL Scorpion kit from behind her back and announces that she found it on a clearance rack today for $3....

Hmmmmmmm. :idea:
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DEC
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Post by DEC »

OT - sorry: but i've got to say it Photoguy
YOUR WIFE SOUNDS AWESOME :D :thumbsup: You lucky guy.

DEC
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Post by Old Wombat »

Oh, dear! :oops:

Here I was, quietly reading this forum & then my mind shifted to 2 toys I have in the shed slated to become space-fighters & their potential to be... dammit!... HOVERTANKS!!!! Aaaarrrrggh! ](*,)

(I've got too much on the "to do" list as it is! :cry: )

OK, I'm in, but don't expect them to be built soon! :censored:
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Post by artships »

Say "hovertank" to me and my first thought is a conventional tank with the bottom lopped-off where the wheels would be. But, I also always thought of this little diversion as a hovertank, except I had to add engines and little guns so it wouldn't offend anybody looking for a fighter. Which means any flat-ish aircraft fuselage - Say, the top of an F-111 - Could be the basis of a hovertank. This could be fun!
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DEC
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Post by DEC »

Hello Artships
Say "hovertank" to me and my first thought is a conventional tank with the bottom lopped-off where the wheels would be.
You'll need to read the begin of the thread, the observation you make is exactly what HWR MkII was trying to get away from, while it may make for a nice looking model it goes against the ' plausable reality' to just have a real world tank with out suspension and tracks.

I've seen your great looking models so I'm sure you could go the whole way with a unique body design.

regards
DEC
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Post by Melw »

So I guess the ones on the cover of John Ringo's,
Eye of the storm would be right out.:D
To see a small pic of the cover got here and scroll down.
http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=jringo
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Post by Blappy »

Melw wrote:So I guess the ones on the cover of John Ringo's,
Eye of the storm would be right out.:D
To see a small pic of the cover got here and scroll down.
http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=jringo
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Wow. Tanks dropped from orbit. I was thinking of doing that and here I see someone else has already thought of it.
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Post by Joseph C. Brown »

Old school rpg called Traveller (well, MegaTraveller). Back in the '80's:

"The Rapid Deployment Aeroshell (RDA) is a weapons delivery system. The RDA is an ECM-laden atmospheric reentry module designed to fit any combination of four Astrins and Trepidas. Use of this system allows the vehicles to be delivered at high speeds to a planetary surface. When the RDA reaches low altitude, it deploys its carried vessels and attempts to return to the orbiting mothership on its grav drive. The RDA is unmanned being piloted by either its onboard computers or remotely. "

Trepidas were the heavy grav tanks, and Astrins were their supporting grav APCs.
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Post by Kylwell »

Some of my early works on hover tanks.
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DEC
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Post by DEC »

Hi Kylwell
The 'Early fan' design is most interesting and its body shape very similar to what i'm working on. Wide with a lot of scoops and fans- makes sense especially for a 'early' design / proof of concept vehicle.

DEC
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Post by Buzzbomb »

Kylwell wrote:Some of my early works on
Great stuff there.. something for everyone
It's not a toy!.... it's an accurate scale representation of a craft that doesn't actually exist.
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Post by Kylwell »

Thanks all (or should I say "Tanks All").

I've got sketches that date back nearly 30 years. Been drawing for quite the time. Somewhere I've got one done by Bob based on a Subaru XT.
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Post by DEC »

Buzzbomb are you working on something for this challenge, I know you love AFV's and are incredibly skilled so i'm sure it would be right up your street.

DEC
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Post by shadowbeast »

chrisjon65 wrote:
shadowbeast wrote:Ridiculous as a steam powered hovercraft sounds, there is a gaming miniatures range where the humans have steam tanks and the kits are released in both wheeled or hover versions...
I also thought a steampowered hovertank wouldn't really work but when the steam power is generating tubines that produce electricity that drive 5000rpm fans then it would work :wink:
Until you run out of water.
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Post by chrisjon65 »

:) Good point but no matter what power source is used it will run out sooner or later,the thought of radioactive materials and other volatile fuel sources on a tank concerns me so i decided having boiling water spray all over the crew would be more exceptible :D
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Post by Blappy »

chrisjon65 wrote::) Good point but no matter what power source is used it will run out sooner or later,the thought of radioactive materials and other volatile fuel sources on a tank concerns me so i decided having boiling water spray all over the crew would be more exceptible :D
My Zero Point Energy Module will tap into its energy source forever. You just turn the dial up or down as needed. It is not stored in the device the device simply "taps" into it. It is also solid state so no moving parts to wear out.

:P
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Post by chrisjon65 »

:) Yah gotta love Sci Fi modelling where there are no boundaries and only Sci Fi modelers can power hovertanks with Zero Point Energy Modules :wink:
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Post by DEC »

Hi Blappy

I'm reading about Zero Point energy right now. All good stuff even if its still out of reach. I wonder about
No moving parts
?

The accounts I read have a ceramic disc rotating at high speed as the intiater of AG lift. While there are far less parts to wear out than a conventioanl engine I interpret that to start the revolutions some mechanical devices are needed?

Neat idea though.

DEC
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Post by Butters »

Oh, dammit! Now I've gone and found THIS thread.

When's the challenge date?

:roll:
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Post by HWR MKII »

Umm now to whenever. But completion before were all dead would be nice. :D
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Post by bigh827 »

HWR MKII wrote:Umm now to whenever. But completion before were all dead would be nice. :D
Oh great so nows there's a dead line. :P
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Post by HWR MKII »

Another reason for no deadline is i have another thing i want to make. I have some leftover hoverfans from the gundam hovertruck. Some ideas have come to mind.
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Post by DEC »

Butters good to have you on board! so..... Watcha building?

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Post by DEC »

Butters good to have you on board! so..... Watcha building?

DEC. oops double post, how did that happen.
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Post by Butters »

Hey Dec.... sent you a PM.

Well, I don't know exactly what my project will be, and hopefully I can beat the deadline! :D Just have to finish Just Glue It, first!
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Post by modelnutz »

I've been noodling away on a few things for this challenge ( my first ! )

My concept is a light infantry support tank...used in urban warfare.
Levitated by the now famous C/BT device and using polarizing panels to manouver within the Earth's magnetic fields....armed with an electromagnetic gun of varyable power...( heavy charge for vehicles and maximum damage...smaller, less compressed, charge can act as a massive taser, knocking out ground troops.) Also armed with 2x 30 cal. chain guns for the ones who just won't stay down :D
Also, did I mention....no driver...it's an un-manned hover tank.
Reduces the need for armor so the tank is much lighter and much more manouverable. Typically controlled by a remote operator...but, it can be switched over to a hand held control unit...quite the RC tank !

So far, I have the main gun fabbed up as well as the gun's APU ( Advanced Power Unit )....next, I move on to the "brains" ( satelite up-link unit ) and then to the C/BT Levitation Unit.
Whole tank is designed in the "building block" concept.
Easy to replace modular components are the rule.

Gonna be mostly a space frame type vehicle...with internal ceramic armor in key locations....it may also feature "slat" style armor as that seems to be a pretty effective solution to RPG type weapons and is easy to field repair.

Question...any ideas as to the ideal urban camo ?

I'd love to show a few pics, but I don't have a pic hosting site yet...can anyone help post a few pics ?
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Post by DOMENECH1776 »

onezero wrote:Oh, I just had a Very Bad Idea.....

I've been hoping for you to expand on this. Share!
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Post by Butters »

modelnutz wrote:Question...any ideas as to the ideal urban camo ?
Ideal? Camo that can change color, adapt to it surroundings, and display a nearly infinite choice of stored images.

B*tch to paint, tho.
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Post by shadowbeast »

chrisjon65 wrote::) Good point but no matter what power source is used it will run out sooner or later,the thought of radioactive materials and other volatile fuel sources on a tank concerns me so i decided having boiling water spray all over the crew would be more exceptible :D
Managing water in a steam engine is more complex than fuel for an IC/hybrid/more exotic power pack.
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