Here we see the sparking mechanism, with the spark-channel - unused on the Battle-Space version. A simple gravity feed presses the flint onto a carborundum coated wheel revolving as part of the 'pull-back' motor.
A comparison shot, front to back; Roco-minitanks Conqueror, Minic 'Tank', Airfix Centurion and Roco Centurion. It seems that the Triang vehicle has the wheels of a Conqueror, and a hybrid deck that's more Centurion than Conqueror, with a turret that's more Conqueror than Centurion!For 'Old School' war-gaming you could use it as a 1:87/HO Conqueror, or a 1:76/72 Centurion.
[The Airfix example was painted by me in about 1976, and if anybody can guess the colour (from a photo' - which is never easy!) I'd love to track down a tin, it's an old Humbrol Authenticolour in a yellowish-olive and along with the Azure Blue, was one of my favorite tins as a kid. I used the Azure for German Paratroop helmets!]
The three types of 'Pull-back' kinetic/stored-energy/flywheel motor used in the Minic plastic range. You can see how the carborundum was just adhered to the main flywheel.Earlier versions of these trucks - especially the civilian ones - are subject to warping and were made with some form of phenolic plastic, later ones however; are a more stable styrene compound.
A comparison of the scales used, the Minic/Triang-Hornby/Battle-Space tank is big at around 1:72 and had a tendency to collide with track-side accessories, particularly if you placed them on an inside bend, as the low-loader that carried it would 'cut' the corner! The truck range and limousine are approximately 1:76 (a bit narrow in the case of the lorries), while the little tank and armoured car were 'silly size' say...1:100'ish. The Triang-Hornby/Minix cars are a reasonably true 1:87/Ho scale.
"it's an old Humbrol Authenticolour in a yellowish-olive"
ReplyDeleteLooks like it could be "MC21 French Artillery Green" from their Napoleonic Authenticolour range?
HU179 from the current range might be a good match.
Very interesting blog!
Thanks Red, I'll give your suggestion a go and try to track down an original. H
ReplyDeleteThe Tri-ang MINIX cars are 1:76 scale, not H0, with the exception of the bus which pretty much matches the old Matchbox double deck buses.
ReplyDeleteHI Bernard -
ReplyDeleteI guess they are a bit bigger than Wiking and the like...
...I hate everything to do with scale/ratio/size as you need a computer for a brain and to go constantly equiped with a ruler and set of tables to stand any chance of being accurate every time!!
Thanks though,
H