Well, this is pretty close to a record for me ... three weeks, and the project is painted, marked and sitting on wheels!:





In reality, about the only kit markings which should be applied to the AFV Aussie Cent built "OOTB" is 31B, ARN 169066.

I was dubious about the two styles of "3" between the fuel tank and basket callisign, but checking Shane Lovell's book, this is correct ... what was missing from the kit's markings was the tac sign and ARN for the fuel tank. I took the ARN (Army Registered Number) from the leftover marking from the Very Diabolical Project, and the tac (tactical) sign came from a Mousehouse decal sheet, once again, left over:



Another tac sign was needed for the front. While the "Red Rat" 1 Troop decal settled down nicely over the turret letter casting, it does appear underscale:



Comparing Three One Bravo at this stage to Four Charlie "The Very Diabolical", it just illustrates the craftsmanship which is needed to transform an object that looks like a diecast toy in to a real life representation:



I'm going to let the matt lacquer harden for a few days before I pick out some details and do some weathering ... as much as Four Charlie looks world weary and displays the mods born out of extensive operational experience in the jungle of Vietnam, I plan to depict Three One Bravo early in its deployment and basically configured (naively as it turned out) as a standard British/NATO issued tank painted in lustreless olive drab with Aussie markings with the headlights removed and spare wheels on the glacis.

In the first year of the Cents' deploment in Vietnam, the RAEME crews were working overtime replacing damaged bits with standard items, so I suppose this tank will represent one fresh from repair. Just for soemthing different I might paint the odd bit British deep bronze green, which many of the replacement parts were delivered in.

The Osprey Vanguard boon The Centurion Tank in Battle also has a nice illustratration of 1 Troop's Callsign Three One in 1968 with a large number in white on the engine deck, and I am trying to determine the authenticity of this.

Mick 3 weeks to get to that stage . I am impressed its takes me alot longer usually 3 months!. . Great work!

hows the tubs?

With none of the details picked out and a drab coat of factory fresh plain green, this Cent looks about as bland as they come:



The markings have settled down nively, and I have installed the spare wheels and the infra red light complete with cover in to its basket:



The mantlet cover has been painted, but again, is yet to be washed and weathered:



I'm going to gine the lot a coat of Dullcote tomorrow and will probably let it set for a week before giving the tank a wash:

Looking good Mick

Mick cracking work! looks the buisness!

The firestorm makes a real differences I hope to visit Firestorm and get a few bits for when I eventually make a centurion!

After a brief break in proceedings letting the lacquer harden, I decided to get this sucker sitting in tracks, and to test out a diorama base concept I'd had in mind for a while.

I went down to the local import junk shop and bought a photo frame for $4, some water-based art paint for $2 and I had some $4 celluluose plaster laying about (or a remnant thereof):



I took out the glass and the pretty picture, and then drilled a hole through the base of the tank to the backboard of the frame, with the tank at a position and angle that looked good at the time, and then put a 3 inch bolt through the base:



You sort of get the idea:



I then filled the base with plaster, which I let solidify:



I then mixed a smaller amount, which I mixed with the brown paint, and trowelled it on ... the end result looks like some baking nightmare:



After the top brown layer started to "go off", I slid the tank hull over the bolt and slowly tightened the nut to give the vehicle a "heavy"appearance and put some weight on the suspension:



I then added some random Cent and other vehicle track, and stippled the surface with a brush ... the base is just that - a base. When I get time in the next few days I I'll add some more texture to it, and maybe a patch of grass. I'm sort of toying with a tarp layed out with some ammo on it.

The tank definitely needs a touch up, but I decided I'd get it set on the base befpre a wash and dry brush, which makes handling easier, and will well and truly make it part of the scene.

The Very Diabolical was in the wet, and I reckon for something different, I'll depict this tank in the dry season, when it only rained one day in three.

Anyway, I'll let the base settle and ponder my next course of action ....

Gave the tank a wash of raw umber/black and it has started to lose its "toy like" appearance ... painted the base with burnt sienna oils - it will take at least a couple of days to dry, but the method to my madness was that it will be sticky when I give everything a red dusting ... at least that's the plan!

Mick nice work !. Its looking good are you still going to put the tarp down next to the tank because the sounded like a good idea!.

keep up the good work mater.

Back to square on on the base .... the concept is good, but mixing the water-based paint with the plaster didn't work, so I'll need to look at other colouring options.

The positive aspect is that the tack is intact, and not much had been done to the base.

The Cent is now looking a lot less "toyish":









There's a bit happening over the next few days, so I might just have to ponder the base before I have another crack at it ...

Fianlly got the Cent lurching forward again and have just re-done the base. Still toying with ways to colour the plaster and artist's pigments are looking good, although they are pricey.



I gave the tank a was of raw umber with ochre pigment and I'm liking the result:





That is not a flag of surrender on the ground - it's going to be a tarp with 20 pounder ammo laid upon it. I may also put down a row of captured weapons and other bits and pieces to to add some detail:



It's cold here in Sydney, so I might go out to the workshop and plant some more grass!

Looks good Mick,

Your making me wonder whether I should do a Vietnam centurion next! A bombing up scene will look good with a nice splash of colour . Where are you getting the 20 pounder ammo from?

Maybe add a series III landrover with 9F coming to check on how the boys are going.

Cheers

W

Hey .. why stop at one?

AFV Club produces brass 20 pounder ammo, and I'm trying to track some down.

A Landy would be a nice touch, but maybe a Bridge Too Far with this project.

Have weathered the base, coloured the grass with food dye, painted the tarp, glued the turret in place, given the lot a final dusting with pastels and "unwrapped" the frame (turned out well - there's just some minimal tidy up needed).







Now I'll start accumulating a stash of captured weapons and looking around for the AFV Club 20 pounder ammo set.

Found this excellent shot of a "bomb up" in progress on a veteran's site:



I reckon all the ammo on the tarp and a pile of captured weapons will detail the base nicely!

Looking great mate, never knew we made our equipment so unique.

One concern is the screw can be seen through the hatches, but i'm sure youve got it down-pat. interesting colour for the dirt must've reminded the troops of the red sands of outback Australia

Cheers,
Mat

hello mick , i'm loving your centurions , looking great . may i ask what colour did you paint the mantlet cover ? i was gunna use khaki but it looks too light and similar to the od .

Just back from Canberra, where I photographed a real Cent at the Australian War Memorial ... it is fitted with a new mantlet cover, but they would have become oil and dust stained:

Like the long grass. What is it?

What paint did you use for the cent? Is it the mouse house olive drab?

I made this kit myself and used as I remember Tamiya olive drab, but I toned it down with buff I think, but still looked too dark. Here are a couple of pics.

BTW, I used the wheels from the kit. Everybody hates them, but I'm probably the only one who liked them.

Finally, an interesting point. I know that some cents were bought by some Americans for use in movies and turned into Abrams tanks. If you watch some recent movies with Abrams you'll notice they are dressed up cents by looking at the wheels and tracks. Of hand (I could be wrong) I think The Hulk and a movie called D-war and some others I can't remember used them. Apparently, the American tankers that drive them absolutely love them.

Rock on cents...

Nice Four Charlie, which was, of course, "The Very Diabolical". You've got all the mods right, and and about all that's missing is some tac (tactical) signs and a nickname on the left of the barrel. Here's my finished 4C:



Yes, an "Abrams Centurion" would be a interesting project!

Back to Three One Bravo .... I've started detailing the "bombing up" scenario and am working on a crew figure. I've used two packs of the excellent AFV Club brass 20-pounder ammo set (some detail painting still required) and, to keep it all AFV Club (not intentional, but they were great products for the right price) I used the individual boxes from their .30/50 cal ammo box set.

I'm nutting out a few more figures and I reckon there'll be a few more supplies like boxes, rat packs and jerries, but you get the idea:



A close up of the ammo stack ... because the Aussie Cents primarily carried canister and HE, I stacked all the AP rounds underneath where the projectiles can barely be seen. The HE rounds need some silver caps and I'm still ponering how to get a red ring around them:



Although the tank has spare wheels mounted on the glacis, on extended road runs a few more were thrown on to the engine deck, and the one I've placed there is clean olive drab, indicating that it came as part of the resupply.

The space is starting to fill rather nicely ... jerries and other stores won't be a big deal, but I need to research some shirtless figures.

heres my 2 cents. you should have the loader throwing the shels down to the spent shell pile, maybe you could do this by zapping it onto the tips of his fingers or some thing, and you should have another crewman taking an unused shell from his mate on or near the tarp.

also, to paint the shells red ring, you could either, put 2 rings of masking tape around the shell and aibrush, or lightly tighten it into the chuck of a low speed drill and hold a wee brush up. put it ina drill press if u have one beccause its not fun to have your drill moving and the line getting messed up.

Awesome job Mick! I have 2 sitting on my shelf waiting to go!

Mick great work the tarp on the floor with the ammo and stuff is a great idea!.
Its coming together very nicely!

Keep it up dude!

How about something like this for the red rings:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=XPS4

Hi guys,

Can anyone provide a clear photo of the different shells with the colours and stencil. I have AFV Club shells and would like to paint them correctly.

Thanks in advance,
Angel

Google is your friend:

http://www.armouredacorn.com/Reference/Ammo/Default.htm