Heya, Folks,

I'm getting near the end of the build on my AFV Club Aussie Centurion...definitely not a "Shake n Make" kit! Just a few more tools and odd bits then It'll be time to prime (finally!). I guess that would make it Prime Time...? :O

Seriously, folks, does anyone have a clear reference photo of the fasteners that hold the twin tow cables together as they sit on the vehicle...? Looks like wire is used to wrap around both cables as well as some sort of cuff which also encircles the two cables on each side of the vehicle. I would assume that this is to keep them from flapping around while the tank is one the move.

These obviously do not come with the kit and I am looking for references as to where to position them on the tow cables. I have not been able to find a picture of an actual vehicle which shows exactly where they go on the tow cables, relative to the mounting points.

As always, many thanks, folks!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.

Hi there Johnny B....

Try this site:
http://members.tripod.com/~steel-thunder/index.htm

Tons of Aussie Centurion images, maybe something here for you.

cheers

Bob

Hi Johnny

Maybe these 2 pics can help (from this walkaround on Sentinel website )




HTH
Frenchy

Hi Johnny,

These are images are from a restored cent located at the
side of the canberra war memeorial





The ones below are from variants which served in Vietnam .
They are located at the Army tank museum at Puckapunyal Victoria.
Best place to go to when chasing centurian reference.
I hope it helps with what you need.
Cheers

Thanks, Guys!

These photos are spot-on...much appreciated!

Wow! That Cent from the Canberra War Museum is beautifully restored --- looks like she just rolled off the factory floor!

As much as I can gripe about fit issues, the rubber tires and vague instructions from AFV Club, this really was a cool choice for them to make when launching their Centurion line. Now all we need is a new tooling M113 FSV, and a styrene Cent ARV, along with some good Gen 2 quality Aussie tank/APC crews and ANZAC infantry figures, of course...

Okay, back to fiddling around with those tow cables...

Thanks again, guys! Much Appreciated!!

Regards and Aloha,

John

i thought the rubber tires were going to be a problem too, but, they were the easiest part of the whole kit. The kit is by no means a " shake and make " kit, it takes a lot of work for sure. im in the middle of finishing up my Israeli 67 AFV club kit, wow , one of the hardest kits I have had to put together for sure.

speaking of shake and bake .....

I'd already started the legends conversion before the AFV club cent was released.

That was a challenge
The start


The finish


I last incentive to get the AFV club cent after going the whole deal on the legends one

Wow! Really nice job on the Tamiya/Legends Cent, Michael! I started the same conversion and got bogged down making the bustle rack from wire --- just could not get it to look right. Eventually purchased a resin one from Accurate Armour... Haven't gotten back to it and have since started and am near finishing the AFV Club Cent. And since I had already purchased and assembled the Friuls, they're going on the AFV Club Cent, too.

When I finish my Tamiya Cent, I might just purchase the AA dozer and make it a dozer tank... But that's down the line.

Are the crew figures you used from Firestorm? I am looking for additional heads with the beret and headphones --- dunno if anyone makes 'em...?

Fantastic paint and weathering, Michael. What did you use for the base color and how did you approach the weathering...?

Patrick, are you saying that the AFV Club Israeli Centurion is even more of a pain to assemble than the Aussie Cent....?

I wonder what other variants AFV Club might have up their sleeves --- more Israeli stuff, no doubt, but like I said, I'd love to see a dozer, AVRE, ARV or even a bridge layer (wow, what a diorama that would make with the infantry riding up top or an H-13 landing on it)... I'm still waiting for their announced LVTH-6 and hoping against hope for the engineer variant (as seen in "Apocalypse Now" and "The Boys in Company C") and the once-announced M42 Duster...

No surprise, plenty of kits to build and finish in the interim...

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.

Hi John,

The commander figure was the old coree commander figure with a Hornet head change.

The loader figure is firestom's but there was air bubles on the face so I changed the head for a warrior head .

The driver figure is a verlinden torso from the old 3 man commonwealth figure set and I used a firestorm head .

The centurian was base coated in Humbrol matt 75 ,flat cleared and then shaded out with oil paint which I cannot recall the colour but it looks like the faded olive drab.
Mig's vietnam earth was mixed with some ground down pastel chalk .
The pastel chalk was a cream and reddish earthy colour and I mixed both together before applying on in limited amounts around the recess areas of the tanks.

There are more finished photo's here
http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/modern/centurion5mw_1.html

Hi, Again , Michael,

Thanks for all of the info... Was that Coree figure you referenced an Aussie or British tank commander? Just curious as I might try to find it at some point.

So far the only replacement heads with berets and head phones would be the British tank crew figures from Ultracast of Canada. Gotta find an internet hobby shop that carries the Hornet line of heads to see if they stock any. Ideally, a head with no beret, just the head phones, but that would be hard to find (will probably end up making the head phones)...

I'll say it again: great job on the Tamiya kit --- it looks fantastic... You are making me want to go back and finish mine...once I finish the AFV Club kit (and get out of rehab thereafter

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.

Hi John,

Yes the coree figure was the british tank commander.
It was a close representation to the "greens the Tank crews used in Nam .

The hornet range would be the best alternative .
I do have the ultracast heads and they are good but once you get the hornet head set you will not go back.
The heads are sharper in detail and casting .
I have been buying the hornet heads direct from Historex in the UK for a few years .
They are quick on service and pretty well priced.
They give you a customer number and its a matter of place the order and its on your doorstep in 5 or 6 days .excellent service

Don't forget to show some finished images .

Happy modelling

Johnny,
If you want to look at the Hornet Heads you can download a PDF brochure from Historex Agents here http://www.historexagents.com/eBook/HornetHeads.pdf
I would agree with Michael about the good service and quick delivery from them as well.
Good luck with your build and I look forward to seeing the finished photos.
Cheers
David

Thanks, Michael David!

Appreciate the link for those Hornet heads... When I get around to the figures, I'll grab some up --- those replacement heads are like little works of art! The character their sculptors work in is truly amazing!

Scanning the Hornet catalogue just emphasizes the need for some top shelf sculptors creating affordable Vietnam War figures (yeah, I know, I've said this before, even in this thread...)

Okay, making progress. Got the beast primed.... A couple of little fixes ta do and I can get to painting very soon.

Thanks for all the help, folks!

Regards and Aloha,

Johnny B.

PS Has anyone used the AA dozer blade on the AFV Club kit...?