Hi gang,
Those are in progress shots of Aussie Cent I'm currently working on. Being my first AFV Club kit I was kinda shocked to find that everything fits just lovely, even most fragile parts such as bustle rack...Only details that had to be reworked IMO were: gun travel lock's support, some molded on wires, comanders MG ammo can and its support and I improved tool clasps with some aluminium foil. It still needs the gun shield canvas and searchlight wiring, and I need to decide which tank I want to model. I wanted 'Pussy Eater' or 'Lolita' with sun canopy. But with those being late tanks, they'd have to have stowage boxes reinforcements and shortened front fenders, which I hesitate redoing since the tank is actually glued together. So I guess I'll add the smoke launchers and find some earlier tank photo to model after? I also have a question about the australian stowage: can I use American equipment from Vietnam with this tank, and what type of jerrycans Australians used then?
Anyway here are the photos, comments and suggestions are as always welcome.

Cheers
Greg

Well I think it looks pretty good so far. Very clean build, as for the mantlet cover; any ideas on how to do that? I am working on the very same project and cannot figure out how to do it. Also I havent decided on whether to use the rubber band tracks of get the indy ones also availiable, it s a shame they didnt include them. its kind of Tamiya'ish of them, but none the less it is still a great kit so far. Also one more question, how did you do the gun barrel? Did you cut it in two or use the option they call for in the directions. Can't wait to see it with some paint and weathering it her



Herky

There is an excellent build and a section of reference picturs in the latest November edition of Model Military International Magazine, that will show you a great build by an Australian modeller.

John

Hi Jeremy,
First of all thanks for your comments For the mantlet cover I was considering some two part designs like front + sides/top in one stripe or three part cover made of front/top + two half round parts for the sides, all made of tissue soaked up in dilluted white glue + some aluminium foil for straps and details? The problem is I don't have a clue, how was it tailored on an original tank and therefore can only imagine.

I don't think indy links are necessary, tracks on Cents in photos are mostly quite tight and the rubber bands in the kit are the nicest tracks of the type I have ever seen in my short life. Therefore, unless you want to depict a tank with broken track or sth like it I wouldn't consider the indys for this one.

About the fume extractor, well I went by the instructions route, pressed the bigger part onto the barrel, then after a slight trim I pressed the last part onto the barrel and glued everything together (I don't think part I57 even touches the barrel).

John,
Thanks for the references, I don't think the MMI is readily available in any of the stores in my city that I know of but I'll definitely look for it.

Cheers
Greg

If this is any use guys , this is how i did the mantlet cover on my cent

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/81752#679530

Ian

Thanks for the link Ian, I also considered if to sculp mantlet cover, but I only have Greenstuff on hand and I don't think It's as suitable for the task as milliput. I might tie two methods together: foil for the details, mantlet from tissue, smoothed with Greenstuff where needed.

Greg

Pedro,

I honestly think it might be worth obtaining a copy of the magazine for your build. The company have a website and you can order a copy online and the cost for Europe is not too expensive.

I hope this might help you.

http://www.modelmilitary.com/

John

They make a replacment mantlet cover in several styles in resin with corrected MG openings. You can buy just the covers pretty cheap.

firestorm

Does your kit have the corrected fume extractor or did you have to cut the barrell?


Looks good! I have that one on my must-buy list in the near future

John,
Thanks for the link, though I've found one press vendor that carries MMI in my area ,but for now they only have the previous issue so I'll wait until they get the latest

Kevin,
I'm actually mostly too cheap for aftermarket stuff , so I think I'll go with scratchbuilding anyway. Thanks for the heads up though I've put on the fume extractor without any major surgeryjust pressed the parts through the tip of the barrel, with only I57 being slightly trimmed.

Cheers
Greg

Pedro,
The latest copy only hit the shelves here last Friday, so I would expect it to get to your supplier sometime in the next couple of weeks.

John

I like it.

definately a cool looking tank that will scream for attention in the case

Aaah, finally :-)
After I got MMI couple weks ago I decided to add most of the late 'Nam mods to my Cent (to go with the 1971 markings I intend to use, and it supposed to be built oob :-) ) So here it is, mods added and ready for paint. Enjoy the pics and comment and criticize as you wish

Cheers
Greg







reinforced, cutdown fender, stowage bin reinforcements and boot scraper:


replaced details with wire, alufoil stowage straps:


sunroof mounting detail:


mantlet cover, tissue, alufoil and PE bolts :




tissue sunroof:

There really is some incredible work done to that Cent! Lovely job!

I'm looking forward to beginning mine. I hope I make as good a job of it as you have.

Can't wait to see it painted.

hi greg looks good . think this model will be on my xmas wish list i mostly build tamiya and trumpeter dml but i guess it is time to try this company model on!!!

Thanks for the Kudos Murdo! Much appreciated

Jeffrey, go for it, you won't regret it, it almost falls together, like Tamiya, just has more parts :-)

Greg

Pedro,
I am glad that you managed to get the MMi and it looks like the references that it contains have been useful. Still a very nice looking build and your additions look just the part, so hopefully we will soon see it with some paint on.

John

Thanks John for the heads up on the MMI, it sure came in handy, especially their walkaround and website adresses which I didn't knew, with http://members.tripod.com/~hydetft/ARSVN.htm carrying a wealth of original 'Nam photos being awesome reference.

And while we're at references, for those building Nam Cents go for the AMMS website: http://www.ammssydney.com/ as it has many nice references in the way of walkarounds

Cheers
Greg

Great looking Cent, Pedro.
Which tissues did you use. So far manlet cover looks great but I'm wondering how will it look like after painting.

Thanks Marcin,
I'm hoping that mantlet cover will look only better when panted, right now it's shade is uneven with spots from the marker pen and it got transparent in places as I used some diluted maskol to primarly seal the tissue. Under uniform color it should only get better. oh and the tissue is a generic one, I don't normally use tissues, snatched it from my sister some time ago for my my modeling materials box.

Cheers
Greg

Very nice build. I think the mantlet cover looks very realistic.

The overhead tarp looks very well done