A new A41 Centurion Mk.1 kit?
Alabama, United States
Joined: January 26, 2006
KitMaker: 1,381 posts
Armorama: 1,347 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 30, 2017 - 06:44 PM UTC
https://hlj.com/product/PLZGP-39That kind of came out of nowhere!
"The long-awaited 1/35 Centurion A41 from "Girls und Panzer: der Film" arrives from Platz! Based on AFV Club's kit with a newly molded upper body, it's slated to roll into stock late this year." Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 16, 2006
KitMaker: 3,374 posts
Armorama: 3,126 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 30, 2017 - 07:08 PM UTC
United Kingdom
Joined: March 13, 2015
KitMaker: 252 posts
Armorama: 194 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 30, 2017 - 07:28 PM UTC
Aha, this answers my question from my earlier post.
Regards Jason
Wisconsin, United States
Joined: April 05, 2007
KitMaker: 2,023 posts
Armorama: 1,234 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 12:51 AM UTC
Interesting.... Our club, SWAMPS, is having a group build, Centurions. Anything based on a Centurion so we have lots of Israeli armor and more than one member is doing AFV's Australian version. Nobody will be doing this one I'll bet.
Thanks Matt for the heads up on this baby !
On the bench :
A whole bunch of figures, Too many half built kits and a (gasp) wing thing
European Union
Joined: January 28, 2015
KitMaker: 2,099 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 12:54 AM UTC
Are they making a version with historical markings?
Never gonna' give EU up, never gonna' let EU down.
Massachusetts, United States
Joined: March 28, 2007
KitMaker: 1,169 posts
Armorama: 1,067 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 04:14 AM UTC
This would be fantastic, but I'm going to wait to see the kit, hopefully they don't just slap a new turret on a later hull. There is a lot of room to go totally wrong with this, I think even the tracks are different from later Centurions, weren't they narrower, or was that just the initial version with the Polsten gun?
Alabama, United States
Joined: January 26, 2006
KitMaker: 1,381 posts
Armorama: 1,347 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 04:27 AM UTC
Quoted Text
This would be fantastic, but I'm going to wait to see the kit, hopefully they don't just slap a new turret on a later hull. There is a lot of room to go totally wrong with this, I think even the tracks are different from later Centurions, weren't they narrower, or was that just the initial version with the Polsten gun?
Initial version only. As the owner of both the full and conversion Mk.i kit from Accurate Armor the good news is if they mess this one up I'll still be set. I'm really beginning to think I might get an A43 Black Prince in the near future.
Massachusetts, United States
Joined: March 28, 2007
KitMaker: 1,169 posts
Armorama: 1,067 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 04:30 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
This would be fantastic, but I'm going to wait to see the kit, hopefully they don't just slap a new turret on a later hull. There is a lot of room to go totally wrong with this, I think even the tracks are different from later Centurions, weren't they narrower, or was that just the initial version with the Polsten gun?
Initial version only. As the owner of both the full and conversion Mk.i kit from Accurate Armor the good news is if they mess this one up I'll still be set. I'm really beginning to think I might get an A43 Black Prince in the near future.
Yes, the Black prince would be awesome also.
New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
Armorama: 2,497 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 04:48 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Are they making a version with historical markings?
Why? The only reason anyone in Japan would want this is because of Girls und Panzer.
Besides Echelon is probably already at work on it and the historical markings were pretty simple. Let's give the am people something to do.
I predicted this kit over a year ago, the moment I saw the movie. When the Black Prince shows up in Girls und Panzer, then you'll get your kit. Until then, don't hold your breath. Anime and manga rule the market and GUP are the biggest selling kits in Japan after robots.
"The only thing a man should take seriously is the fact that nothing should be taken seriously."
Samuel Butler, Victorian satirist
Steve Willoughby
Nova Scotia, Canada
Joined: November 03, 2012
KitMaker: 667 posts
Armorama: 639 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 06:36 AM UTC
yup, Mk1. had a 20mm polsten cannon, which wasn't favorably looked upon by crews. it was replaced by a Besa, which resulted in a turret redesign, and then .30cal
war is too important to be left to politicians. they have neither the time, training nor inclination for strategic thought
"On the 8th Day God Opened the Gates of Hell and Out Rolled the 11th Cav"
a russian tank regiment is just a collection of tar
Warszawa, Poland
Joined: March 26, 2003
KitMaker: 4,342 posts
Armorama: 3,938 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 08:33 AM UTC
Quoted Text
yup, Mk1. had a 20mm polsten cannon, which wasn't favorably looked upon by crews. it was replaced by a Besa, which resulted in a turret redesign, and then .30cal
Mk1 (A41*) already had Besa. Only some of the prototype/trial A41s had Polsten, but production Mk1 already had Besa, still the same turret though with separate mount for the MG.
Mk2 had uparmored hull and a new all-cast turret where Besa was coaxial in the large mantlet.
.30 cal Browning replaced Besa in Mk5.
Pawel "Vodnik" Krupowicz
Professional Certified Rivet Counter.
Warszawa, Poland
Joined: March 26, 2003
KitMaker: 4,342 posts
Armorama: 3,938 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 08:38 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I think even the tracks are different from later Centurions, weren't they narrower, or was that just the initial version with the Polsten gun?
Only prototypes/trial tanks had 20" tracks and Polsten. Production Mk1 (A41*) had standard 24" tracks and Besa.
Pawel "Vodnik" Krupowicz
Professional Certified Rivet Counter.
Massachusetts, United States
Joined: March 28, 2007
KitMaker: 1,169 posts
Armorama: 1,067 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 03:32 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
I think even the tracks are different from later Centurions, weren't they narrower, or was that just the initial version with the Polsten gun?
Only prototypes/trial tanks had 20" tracks and Polsten. Production Mk1 (A41*) had standard 24" tracks and Besa.
That's good news, one less thing that could go wrong with the details in the kit. I found mentioned in reading about the A41 prototype, trying to find info about the track width, that some of the prototypes had a Besa mounted in the rear of the turret instead of the hatch. Was this true? I only read it in one place, and there was not a photo.
Warszawa, Poland
Joined: March 26, 2003
KitMaker: 4,342 posts
Armorama: 3,938 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 06:45 PM UTC
Quoted Text
some of the prototypes had a Besa mounted in the rear of the turret instead of the hatch. Was this true? I only read it in one place, and there was not a photo.
Yes, initially it was intended to mount Polsten at the front and Besa at the rear of the A41 turret. But only one or two test vehicles were built in this configuration as far as I remember and the rear gun was quickly removed as it proved very impractical.
I recommend Haynes new "Owner's Workshop Manual" book about Centurion - I read it now, that's why I'm so smart
Pawel "Vodnik" Krupowicz
Professional Certified Rivet Counter.
RobinNilsson
TOS ModeratorStockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 07:06 PM UTC
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
New York, United States
Joined: March 04, 2015
KitMaker: 125 posts
Armorama: 125 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 08:48 PM UTC
What ever gets us the kits...we're modelers we change Marking all the time. Just give us the base kit. So if Girls und Panzers gives me a Centurion Mk1 and maybe a Black Prince then so be it, I'll just get some aftermarket markings. Its not like we don't change tracks and barrels...so why whine.
Personally I think Girls und Panzers and World of Tanks have done great things for the hobby, even if some of the kits are flawed we get new vehicles, instead of what we've always complained about twenty new Panthers and Tigers, and two new Shermans...
So in short bring it, as long as we get it, does it matter why?
Derek
RobinNilsson
TOS Moderator Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 09:08 PM UTC
Ours is not to complain
ours is to fix and replace
ours is to buy aftermarket when we can't fix it ourselves
ours is to offer thanks to the gods of styrene for our daily fix
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
Alabama, United States
Joined: January 26, 2006
KitMaker: 1,381 posts
Armorama: 1,347 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 05:27 PM UTC
HobbyLink Japan has a show photo up of the kit:
England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: August 31, 2009
KitMaker: 256 posts
Armorama: 250 posts
Posted: Friday, September 29, 2017 - 01:05 AM UTC
Hi All
it is based on Bovington tank museums Mk 1.
its been a labour of love in getting this tank correct and it looks cool I have yet to see one in the flesh yet .
Ossie
California, United States
Joined: June 23, 2017
KitMaker: 195 posts
Armorama: 179 posts
Posted: Friday, September 29, 2017 - 01:40 AM UTC
Quoted Text
What ever gets us the kits...we're modelers we change Marking all the time. Just give us the base kit. So if Girls und Panzers gives me a Centurion Mk1 and maybe a Black Prince then so be it, I'll just get some aftermarket markings. Its not like we don't change tracks and barrels...so why whine.
Personally I think Girls und Panzers and World of Tanks have done great things for the hobby, even if some of the kits are flawed we get new vehicles, instead of what we've always complained about twenty new Panthers and Tigers, and two new Shermans...
So in short bring it, as long as we get it, does it matter why?
Derek
Have to agree, however bizarre the reason for someone making kits like this might be, at least they are making the kits. If online games, comic books (is it okay to call them that or is there a penalty for not referring to them as "graphic novels"?) and so on are the reason companies are releasing model kits and the reason kids are building those kits, it would be very odd for us not to be pleased by that. As the old saying goes, don't bite the horse that feeds you, or is it don't look a gift hand in the mouth? Now I just need to figure out how to explain to my wife why I'm watching a series about Japanese high school girls on YouTube....
What do you mean we don't have a Plan B?
RobinNilsson
TOS Moderator Stockholm, Sweden
Joined: November 29, 2006
KitMaker: 6,693 posts
Armorama: 5,562 posts
Posted: Friday, September 29, 2017 - 02:40 AM UTC
Quoted Text
.... Now I just need to figure out how to explain to my wife why I'm watching a series about Japanese high school girls on YouTube....
That'll be a hard one to explain .....
In memory of Al Superczynski:
"Build what YOU want, the way YOU want to....
and the critics will flame you every time"
Alabama, United States
Joined: January 26, 2006
KitMaker: 1,381 posts
Armorama: 1,347 posts
Posted: Friday, September 29, 2017 - 10:25 PM UTC
The angle makes it a little difficult to tell but it looks like the hull is an early long-hulled variant.
United Kingdom
Joined: August 31, 2010
KitMaker: 365 posts
Armorama: 351 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 01, 2017 - 03:23 AM UTC
Well if they've based it on the Bovington vehicle they have little excuse for getting it wrong. But how many times have we seen manufacturers mess up kitting vehicles that still exist?
However that is a very early Polsten-equipped vehicle (P9), IIRC one of the original Op Sentry vehicles. Looks like early narrow tracks in photos. It doesn't have the turret rear BESA. Yes, the upper hull is "long" - extending back past the trackguards but with a long overhang to the lower hull rear plate.
Some Mk1's were sold to Jordan and used in the '67 war. I've seen artwork of one in a book before, but can't find it now.
Alabama, United States
Joined: January 26, 2006
KitMaker: 1,381 posts
Armorama: 1,347 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 22, 2018 - 04:29 AM UTC
I have the kit in hand and it appears to be a beautifully engineered kit. However, it appears to be a short hulled kit with the 24" tracks which will knock it out for an Operation Sentry tank without some aftermarket from Accurate Armor.
Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Sunday, July 22, 2018 - 06:17 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Some Mk1's were sold to Jordan and used in the '67 war. I've seen artwork of one in a book before, but can't find it now.
Centurion in Action, Squadron/Signal Publications Armor No. 13
A strong man stands up for himself; A stronger man stands up for others.
Admit nothing. Deny everything. Make counter-accusations.
He is not Khan who calls himself Khan. Afghan proverb
