Henglong 1/8 Scale M1A2 Abrams

So I pulled the trigger on Henglong’s 1/8 scale Abrams late September and it finally arrived today.

Looking at the exterior, it’s basically just a scaled up version of their 1/16 model. Same aesthetic choices, although the handles are actual handles and not molded out of the hull. Some of the hatches on the back of the hull open on this, where they do not on the 1/16 model.

On the turret, the doghouse doors open and close, the commanders cupola rotates, but the CITV tower does not. Like the 1/16 model, the recoil is mistimed with the firing of the Airsoft pellet (which is 9mm in diameter instead of 6mm). The mantlet cover has a hinged plate on it, instead of being molded flat on the 1/16 model. When the main gun button is held down there is a little laser aiming light that comes on until the machine gun button is simultaneously pressed to fire the main gun.

The lights are very bright, and it makes it rather easy to drive in the dark. The speaker seems adequately loud. The sound isn’t correct for an Abrams, but for now it’s close enough. You’d think for what its costs and the amount of work they put into this they could pull down the correct sound files for the model.

The model uses the exact same remote you’d get with any of the 1/16 models. There is no way to use your own remote without putting in a completely new MFU that allows you to use your own RX/TX. I plan on doing this eventually. The controls are a little bit more sensitive than I remember HL’s being, but it may be because of its size. You can really make the model move fast, which is a little frightening because of the size.

Other issues are there are no instructions I could find, and there don’t appear to be an accessories (stickers, AC unit/generator, machine guns, combat ID panels), and if the model is on an incline while it is not being told to move by the TX, it will slowly roll downhill rather than staying in place.

I have yet to open up the tank, I just hand enough time to unbox it and drive it around the driveway tonight. I think I’m going to have to make some kind of ramp up to some blocks to drive it on. Like the 1/16 model, it appears as though to open up the interior you have to remove screws from underneath the chassis.

While on paper the model is around 130 pounds, it feels heavier than that. Maybe because of its shape.

In all, the size is just crazy. Pictures and video don’t do it justice. It has its flaws, but I wanted a larger model, I wanted an Abrams, and this seemed like my only option. ArmorTek isn’t making an Abrams right now, and I don’t have a 3D printer, nor do I have to know how to put together something like that.

I was excited to put an FPV camera on it and go driving, but I don’t think I’d feel safe doing so without a spotter. It’s huge, it’s heavy, it’s fast, and the controls are a little over sensitive.

That’s all I got tonight, will update as I get time.