Comparison Huan Qi M1A2 Abrams 1:24 vs Heng Long M26 Pershing 1:30

The scale reflects the ratio of the dimensions of the model to the dimensions of a real tank — either a specific prototype (see "Copy of the original"), or some average vehicle. For example, if the width of a real tank is 3.5 m, then the width of its copy on a scale of 1:16 will be 350/16 = 21.8 cm. Of course, absolutely exact correspondence in dimensions is far from always found, and the proportions can be distorted; however, the scale makes it possible to estimate the dimensions of the model as a whole.

The smallest of modern radio-controlled tanks are made in 1:72 scale (for comparison, the same scale is the most popular among prefabricated plastic models). And the largest ones are in the 1:16 mentioned above.

The scale and dimensions of a tank are important not only in assessing the area needed for a model to drive normally: in tank battles, larger vehicles are in a less advantageous position than small ones. Therefore, if you are purchasing several tanks with the intention of arranging battles between them (and we are not talking about the "tank battle" set — see "Type"), you should choose models of the same scale. Now the following scales of models are on the market: 1:72, 1:43, 1:30, 1:24, 1:20, 1:16.

The minimum age for which this radio-controlled model is suitable. These recommendations are rather conditional, but it is still not recommended to deviate from them. "Adult" models 14+ with many adjustments, moving parts and power simply will not be able to master the baby. At the same time, models for the younger age category may not be interesting and boring for older children.

The method of firing from a cannon, provided for in the design of the tank.

— Air gun. Shooting, carried out according to the principle of pneumatics, when the projectile is ejected from the muzzle using compressed air. Many of these models even use the standard 6mm BB balls used in airsoft drives as ammunition. This option is closest to real shooting from a tank gun, it provides the most features for choosing targets: for example, matchboxes or figurine toys can be used to set up an impromptu training ground, while infrared “guns” are useless against such targets. But for organizing tank battles, pneumatics are much less convenient than IR emitters (see below), although technically it is quite applicable. One of the inconveniences of using airguns is the limited amount of ammo, but some see this more as an advantage that provides added realism. The real disadvantage is that when shooting, you must be careful: the speed of the ball is quite high, and neglect of safety measures can result in damage to surrounding objects or even injuries. Also note that pneumatics is quite high consumption in terms of battery consumption.

— Infrared gun. Shooting using pulses of infrared radiation, fixed by special sensors; in the absence of such sensors, the gun becomes useless. This limits the use of IR emitters and does not allow them to be used for firing at improvised targets like the same soldie...rs. On the other hand, this option is extremely convenient for organizing tank battles: hit sensors (see below) can be installed in several places on the tank and connected to advanced control circuits that provide hit counting, fixing points of destruction and other additional features. At the same time, the probability of dishonest play or errors in hit evaluation when using such models is reduced to almost zero. In light of all this, the presence of IR guns is typical for models designed for tank battles (including specialized kits, see "Type"). However when organizing a battle between tanks that are not included in one set, it's ok to clarify the compatibility of guns and sensors with each other. IR emitters work silently and invisible to the eye, so guns of this type are usually complemented by sound and light effects that simulate a shot.

— Is absent. In this case, the absence of one of the options described above in the design is implied. In this case, the model of the gun can be supplemented with sound, light or other effects that simulate shooting or recoil (see below; although a simple dummy is more common, without additional features). And in some models — in particular, spy tanks, see "Type" — guns may not be provided at all, even in the form of a dummy.

The longest range a tank cannon can effectively fire.

For air guns (see "Shooting") this parameter is usually indicated by the maximum range of the projectile. This allows you to evaluate not only the range as such, but also the power of the gun: the greater the range (and hence the power) — the more attentive you need to be to security measures.

For infrared (see ibid.), the firing range corresponds to the greatest distance from which a “shot” can be correctly recognized by an IR sensor of a similar model (or a second tank included in the “tank battle” kit, see “Type”). This information is useful when choosing tactics in a vast area, where the distances between opponents can be quite large.

The maximum speed at which a tank can move on level ground. Unlike real tanks, radio-controlled models are mostly designed for indoor use, where there is simply nowhere to accelerate strongly. Therefore, the maximum speed in most cases is small. This means that the main point that, when choosing according to this parameter, it makes sense to take into account is the age of the future owner: for young children, high speed (even by the standards of tanks) is all the more unnecessary, but for a grown-up “tanker” you can already choose a model faster .

The tank has an imitation of the recoil of a gun when fired.

This feature enhances the model's resemblance to a real combat vehicle. The simplest way to simulate recoil is a short engine jerk that moves the tank a few millimetres back and simulates a characteristic push. Theoretically, this method is not very reliable, because. when the tower is turned to the side or back, the return is uncharacteristic, but in most cases it is simply imperceptible, and radio-controlled models do not need absolute realism. But in advanced machines, a mechanism for simulating recoil can be provided in the very attachment of the gun to the turret.

The capacity of the battery supplied with the electric motor model (see "Motor"). Indicated only for variants using original batteries (see "Battery type"), measured in ampere-hours: 1 Ah corresponds to the capacity at which the battery is capable of delivering a current of 1 A for 1 hour.

The higher the battery capacity, the longer, usually, the tank is able to work without recharging. However, the practical time of operation on a charge is largely determined by other characteristics of the machine — scale (see above), weight, model and engine power, the presence of additional features such as turret rotation or various effects, etc. Therefore, in most cases, this parameter plays a purely reference role and in fact can only be useful when buying a new battery as a spare or replacement — capacity data will allow you to evaluate the characteristics of the new battery and its general suitability for this model. By this indicator, only models that do not have any significant differences in other characteristics can be compared with each other.

The operating voltage of the battery supplied with the tank. For models for AA and AAA cells (see “Battery Type”), it is not indicated — the specification of these cells assumes a common voltage standard, about 1.5 V. In other cases, battery voltage data does not play a significant role in everyday use, but may be useful , if you need to pick up a charger, a spare battery or a battery to replace a damaged one, but you do not have data on the battery model (see below).

Operating time of a tank with an electric motor (see "Engine") on one battery charge or on one set of batteries. Usually, this parameter is indicated for perfect operating conditions: on a flat surface, at low speed, without using additional functions (shooting, turret rotation, effects, etc.), and for models on AA batteries (see "Battery type") — also with high quality and good capacity of these batteries. The conditions of actual operation are different, respectively, and the operating time may differ markedly from that stated in the specifications. Nevertheless, this parameter characterizes the battery life of the car quite well and quite allows you to compare different models with each other.