Thanks to Hobby Link Japan, and my credit card, I’m now the delighted owner of AFV Clubs most expected Centurion kit. It wasn’t easy though – in the best tradition of my compatriot H C Andersen’s fairytale I had to injure much before reaching my goal. Last February I made a pre order for the kit that was promised by April. Between April and mid June it was delayed on a two weeks regular schedule.
But now it’s here, and what a truly delight it is. Even for a AFV Club kit this is something else. The box is in Dragon stile cramped with parts. Plastic parts, rubber parts, metal, etch, clear, mesh, you name it – it’s there. The quality is excellent, truly a masterwork here. A few years ago, it seemed that everything was compared to “The Tamiya standard”; well those days are over by now. Dragon, and with this kit, AFV Club have moved past Tamiya.
Though it may seem naturally to compare it with Tamiya’s old Centurion kit there really isn’t any comparison – and thanks for that. I wont go into the kit in detail that has already been done by Perth
( see http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/afvclub/afv35100.htm ) but here are some personal thoughts about the kit.
Good things:
· The kit is of an Australian version but all the Aussie stuff are add ons, so it’s no problem to converted it to other versions. You don’t even have to fill holes as they are to be drilled out to take the Aussie parts.
· The potential with this kit is enormous and it’s made with that intension. There are parts in the set that is clearly intended to be made to other versions later. An early Mk III is almost already there except for the gun.
· All the hatches have details inside and out which cries for an interior (anyone? Blast? Accurate Armour? CMK?)
· Loads of small detail everywhere
Bad things, well there really isn’t any except for two things:
· The assembly of the gun is a bummer. The fume extractor is to be filled and inserted over the end of the alu tube, which will need fillers once in it’s position. It must surely could be made easier for the modeller.
· Do we really need those working boogies? I’m personally getting a little tired of these toy stuffs that from time to time is getting into the kit.
I intend to make a Danish Mk5 with a dozer from Accurate Armour. And even though it’s warm this summer I’m already building it.
