About | Desert Armor Korps

About Desert Armor Korps

Our Mission

Desert Armor Korps is a Phoenix, Arizona club that uses 1/16 scale radio-controlled armor to teach hands-on engineering, electronics, 3D design, scale-model craftsmanship and military history to builders of all ages.

Our Story

DAK began as a group of serious plastic modelers who caught the R/C tank combat bug and decided a model could be both a looker and a runner: it could win on the battlefield and on the contest table.

At Tamiyacon 2006, SCAT club president Steve Patton put his Snow Tiger on the contest table and won an award from Mr. Tamiya himself. Both DAK founders realized there was no turning back. Many thousands of dollars and several local, regional and national contest awards later, we gladly share our tips and techniques with anyone who wants to learn.

What We Do — and What It Teaches

Mechanics

Assemble and tune

Building Tamiya-compatible kits, gearboxes and suspensions teaches mechanical assembly, tolerances and troubleshooting.

Electronics

Wire and test

Radios, speed controllers and Infra Red battle systems teach basic electronics, circuits and signals.

Design

Design and print

3D-printed turrets and conversions teach CAD, additive manufacturing and iteration.

Art & Craft

Paint and weather

Acrylics and watercolors teach color theory, materials and finishing technique.

History

Research the vehicle

Tracking down markings, units and service history teaches military history and primary-source research.

Engineering

Build the field

Casting concrete, laying brick facades and shaping terrain teach project planning, scale design and teamwork.

Teamwork

Run a battleday

Rules-based play with other clubs teaches sportsmanship and safe operation.

Communication

Document the work

Build write-ups and battle galleries teach technical writing, photography and archiving.

Our People

Ethan Dunsford — DAK CO.

Craig Pierce — master painter and weathering instructor. His work has been featured in several magazines and on many websites, and he teaches members to paint, weather and finish using acrylics and watercolors.

Craig Thompson — host and master mechanic.

Where We Meet

Since 2006 DAK has built and run four battlefields across the Phoenix area, each one expanded by members with help from generous hosts. We are now in our fifth season at our Sun City location. See the field and its history.

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