Tiger I back in the snow!

The last few weeks the temperature was around +5C - all the snow had melted. Finally cold front came into the area, overnight temperature dropped to -15C and we had some snow. Great time for my Tiger driving...

T-72M1 finally arrived

Well, the long-awaited VsTank Pro T-72M1 has finally arrived at my doorstep. And there is much to be happy about!

First of all because T-72 is the most mass-produced modern main battle tank (MBT) and it is in service in over 40 countries worldwide. Secondly, up until now no other manufacturer has made an RC version of T-72. And finally the fact that ToyEast is the first to make one sets the benchmark high enough that we are not only talking RC tank, but an RC tank that rivals in details and appearance static collector tank models.

Let's look at the outside of the tank. This modification of the T-72, the T-72M1, is actually a soviet export version, with thicker armor, and 7+5 smoke grenade dischargers on turret front. The tank also comes with external fuel tanks mounted at the rear. A notable detail - under the external tanks there is a wooden log that would be used on the prototype in case the tank gets stuck in deep snow or mud. Another notable detail - turret's shape and texture looks exactly like the real cast turret with minor wobbles and bumps. The tank has front headlights that light up when tank is moving forward. In the dark room they look particularly nice!

Overall the outside appearance of the tank is so detailed - the tank can be used as a stationary model alone! But why stop there, let's put in it some batteries and see what it is really capable of.

First, the controller. For those familiar with other VsTanks Pro, nothing has changed here. The controller includes

• 3 Forward speeds
• 2 Reverse speeds
• Left and Right turn buttons that together with different forward and reverse speeds can give different turn radii
• Buttons to rotate in place at different rates
• Turret rotation
• Gun elevation
• Cannon fire
• Machine gun fire
  

The controller used 6 AA batteries. Based on my previous experience fresh set of batteries lasts about 6-12 month depending on how often I play with the tank.

The tank itself needs 8 AA batteries to run. I always use NiMH rechargeable batteries. The manufaturer's claimed runtime on freshly charged batteries is 60 minutes, though I think this is conservative - I find it is close to 90 minutes before batteries need recharging.

The tank comes with soft rubber threads. One word - superb traction! You may have seen promo videos where the tank is climbing 60 degrees. Well, this is thanks to these rubber threads and low center of gravity (well and strong engine as well, but that's a given).

When running indoors I rarely use speed higher than 1 - the tank is strong enough to climb books and other obstacles. When running outside in the snow where there is a lot more resistance I have to run at speed 2. At speed 3 motors produce so much power that tank goes way too fast under even heavy running conditions. The only time it may be needed is when playing in a group and one wants to tow a disabled friendly tank off the battlefield :)

One notable feature of the tank's movement is that at the low speed the movement starts gradually, not the abrupt full speed gain. This makes it look realistic, as if the driver accelerates realistically.

Another interesting and usefull feature is the turning ability at the speed 2 and 3. If you press the lower turn button while moving one thread stops and the other continues to move giving the tank very sharp turn radius. But if you press the upper turn button then one thread slows down and another one continues to go at full speed giving the tank a larger turn radius. Needless to say, this is how it all works on the real tank as well :)


The tank I received is an arisoft version - the cannon shoots 6mm airsoft BB's.

Ah... the infamous VsTank airsoft cannon. Put some empty tin cans in your running area and go for a shooting spree! Aiming, firing, seeing cans bounce is fun all by itself. Just remember to wear safety glasses and be careful that there are no other people or pets in the vicinity.

Well, there you have it folks. Another tank in a VsTank Pro series, encapsulating all the latest and greatest of VsTanks in a never before produced model - Soviet T-72. Great running capabilities, great detail, long battery runtime, powerful airsoft cannon. All in one and all for just a hundred bucks!

Where to buy: eBay or www.ToyEast.com

Tiger in the snow...