G'day all - I've posted a few pics of this build in progress over in the Constructive Feedback forum, but I suppose I should post some pix of my Aussie Cent 5/1 in Vietnam in 1971 in here since it is now on a base.

Most of the groundwork in done, but I've run out of grass to finish the area behind the tank ... all that's needed now is the turret crew, a few small details and a .30 cal for the commander's cupola.





I wanted the impression of the Cent crashing its way through the foliage:





Anyway, the finish is not far off!

Mick,
I do like what you have done here you have obviously put a lot of work into your Cent.
The one thing that I can't help noticing is that the foliage in front of the Cent looks as if the tops have been cut off as opposed to just grown up to a tip, hope you understand what I mean?
Looking forward to seeing it finished.
Cheers
David

It's looking great Mick. Weathering of tank looks very realistic.

Is the grass made from real grass?

Chas

Amazing work Mick, It is great wrok. can you explain what matirials you ued for the base like grass?

Martyn

Thats a nice looking effort there Mick

Well done I like the base .


Cheers
Michael

I put down a base of Spakfilla (cellulose plaster) and then coloured it brown. After the plaster started to dry, I set the tank in place and tensioned the suspension down via a nut and bolt through the bottom of the hull:



The grass is sone sort of railway accesory, although I think it would be way oversize in HO/OO scale, and, yes, the ends were cut, so I'm going to have to spend a few hours with some scissors angling off the ends and then dabbing them green.

I really like the blend of plants in the field. I'll have to remember the tips. I guess unless your modeling a recently cut lawn it would stand out.

Like the Cent as well, and the use of the Verlinden WW2 tank driver.

Tom

Thanks for explaining that.

The cent's slowly getting there ... there is now a commander and flex .30 cal in place and I am starting to "pick out the details". The base is all but finished, and now just needs a bit of a tidy up. I really though the matt Cent looked a little out of place in the lush green, and the "mud" had dried matt and was starting to flake, so I decided to give the lot a touch up of gloss lacquer to simulate the wet tropics, and I like it!



The crew commander is the old Tamiya M113 commander with flak jacket and a Verlinden head. I have the commander talking on the PRC 25 infantry radio, and I replicated the coil lead by wrapping some fuze wire around some rod.



There are deep furrows to represent where the tanks has travelled ... I sort of figured that grass wont spring back up once 52 tons of violent steel has punched through it.







Now I just need some detail paint, a loader and a couple of sets of tow cables and this project's finished!