Well as the Pixies haven't built this kit for me, I thought it was about time I did.
Accurate Armours 1/35th Centurion AVRE-165, resin, metal, brass P.E, and some not very good instructions, enough to give you nightmares .
Here is the obligatory box lid and contents pic's.


I started with the suspension. Pic of the parts, not including the lower hull.

Several hours later.

Fit is pretty good, but there is a lot of sawing and sanding the parts off the casting sprues.
Next up is fitting the wheels and return rollers.
Stay tuned, this could all end in tears .
Andy

Having built this and the other version, with the additional armour, I can tell you it isn't as bad as you think, just wrapping the tracks around the beast can be a bit of a chore. Sorting out the Hydraulic arms can be fiddly.

But a great kit never the less.

Keith.

Hi Keith,
I'm glad someone else has built this kit, so I will know who to ask when I get stuck .
The dozer blade and the facine cradle look scary, so I'll probably leave them till last.
DocDio did tell me to read and re-read then re-read the instructions several times before starting this kit as they are a little all over the place, but they are making sense at the moment (famous last words).
I fell in love with this kit a soon as I saw the kit on AA's website, mind you I fall in love with most of their kits .
Andy

All the wheels are now on.


Had enough for tonight, the adventure will continue tomorrow.
Andy

Hi Andy, what method did you use to remove the sprockets from the resin blocks? I haven't had the opportunity to ever have to undertake that type of surgery, so I was curious.

I have worked with resin before, but not such detailed pieces. Oh, and it does look good so far, that's a lot of work!

Thanks Jeff.
I basically scored the edges of the teeth with my knife, until they came away from the resin block. They are only attached at the tips, unlike the wheels.
Andy

Well I was supposed to start building the upper hull, but I picked up the demolition gun instead, so the turret got built first.
The parts, not including the P.E fret.

Had a bit of trouble with some part placements, but just about managed to find the right places for them (he says hopefully). There is even some 1/35th padlocks on the stowage boxes.
Finished turret.

Andy

Hi

this kit is of a AVRE 165 1980 to 1999 gulf war 1
there is a one inch gap around the turret bins.
no gap around the gun cover.
Binos required for commanders hatch .
if you want registration number i have all. want pictures just got around 2000
want user hand book etc got all
oh and i spent 14 yrs on AVREs, bridgelayers and AVLB's and CHAVRE
one thing you will need to put in the rear basket is a 100 foot and a two legged wire rope ALL AVRE had them so we could par buckle fascines on useing another tank hence The V in the back basket and the two sets of rollers on the turret
hope it helps
ossie

The other item missing from the kit are the X9 Periscopic Binos for the commander. If I remember rightly he did NOT have a one piece sight head...

Keith.

Andy intereasting subject you have!. Good luck mate!.. You seem to be off to a solid start. I look foward to seeing more updates. So where are you going to glue the wings?

ATB

did this end up getting finished? can u/did u post any pictures elsewere? id love to see it as im looking into getting on and anyhelp will be appreciated
kind regards
dan

I was once given one of these kits.
It was a very early production one with white metal wheels, idlers, sprockets etc.
The rear hull was badly formed (probably the reason i was given it), so i took all the AVRE bits and put them onto a modified AFV Club hull and chucked the rest into the spares box.
Don`t get me wrong, i`m not having a go at AA, i`ve built a few of their kits and not had any problems but their Cent kits are so much better since they started using resin for the wheels etc.


Malcolm

Hi ANdy,

Nice progress, this is a classic vehicle, off to a cracking start.

Al

Hi Andy,

some moons ago I had build this kit. In the good ole days, I build it in 1997, AA supplied the kit with lead road wheels. The assemblied kit is heavy as a quarry's load!

I really enjoyed building it. I added the AVRE Stores/Facine Trailer. A nice combination for this beast.

Greets

Hauke

hi
here is mine i built for a friend of mine who was a AVRE commander .
RIP Benny.
Ossie