Ricks' Ramblings

[Rick Lowe]

And here they are.

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[zenrat]

 

Good job on one so small.

[NARSES2]

Good job on one so small.

It is indeed   

[Old Wombat]

Excellent micro-modelling!  

[Rick Lowe]

Thanks, all. 

[frank2056]

It looks great! I thought it was 1/35 at first.

[Rick Lowe]

It looks great! I thought it was 1/35 at first.

I'll take that! Thanks, Frank.   

[Rick Lowe]

Another article I originally wrote for the IPMS newsletter, way back when – which is why it's a bit longer than my usual ones.
Info taken from 'Centurion Tank' by Simon Dunstan

1/76 IDF Centurion **real world**

The Centurion Tank in Israeli Service

In the late 1950s Israel was wanting a more modern Battle Tank as their WW2-vintage Shermans were beginning to show their age, and to better counter the surrounding Arab nations' use of Soviet T-54/55/62s.
However, most Western governments were still reluctant to sell to them.

Eventually, Britain agreed to sell them Centurion Tanks and the first 30 arrived in 1959-60, a mixture of Mk5s & 8s. More Mk5s arrived in 1961 & in 1962-64 with the same number of 105mm L7 main guns, to replace their old 20 pdr (84mm) guns.
There was an agreement to license-produce the 105mm gun and ammunition in Israel, approved in the 1960s.

More tanks were bought from Britain & Holland during the 50s & 60s. US Continental AVDS-1790-2AC V-12 diesel engines were also bought to upgrade them.
The Centurion thus became one of the most common and effective tanks in IDF service.

Initially they were not well received: serviceability and main gun accuracy were pretty abysmal and most troops assigned to them felt it was a punishment, despite the tank being sent to the IDF's premier unit.
Most of the problems could be traced back to inadequate maintenance, driver training and poor leadership.
When General Israel Tal was made commander of the Armoured Corps in Nov 1964, he instituted strict maintenance procedures & gunnery training, the guns also being properly zeroed in.
The result was improved efficiency and morale and the units were able to give better account of themselves in the sporadic cross-border artillery sniping then going on - regularly destroying Enemy vehicles at up to 11km by indirect fire and up to 4-6km by direct fire with as little as two shots!

The main guns were, as stated, the first things to be upgraded, but attention then turned to the reliability issues.
The original thirsty Meteor petrol engine was not well suited to a desert environment (and most tanks were well used, engine & gearbox well on the way to being clapped out), so a replacement was found in the Continental diesel.
The brakes, cooling, air filtration system and gearbox were also replaced and the vehicle was thus able to achieve its potential.
Used in combat from the 1967 war on, the Centurion was well-regarded and indeed proved remarkably resilient to Soviet 100/115mm projectiles and even Snapper ATGW missiles, as compared to the US Pattons.

The Centurion was modified on what became a permanent IDF production line, though not all were upgraded with all the changes at the same time - indeed, some were still not re-engined by the 1973 war.
Later variants incorporated "Blazer" Explosive Reactive Armour.
The Centurion has been replaced as a gun tank by later models of M-60 and the Merkava.
Variants still soldier on, notably in Engineer & APC versions.

The Model: 1/76 Airfix kit.

I'd been wanting an Israeli Centurion for a while, and had gotten as far as partial assembly, but further investigation re the revised engine deck, with all its louvres, stalled the project: then I read about having to make a larger, correctly-sized turret & it went further down the 'to-do' list.
However, a short article from "Tankette" Magazine addressed the turret issue, I got some plastic microstrip and finally got going.

Hull

The hull was lengthened between the three suspension units by 1.5mm each, totalling 3mm.
The replacement engine deck was built up; the central raised part first, then individual pieces of 10thou strip separated by 20thou spacers glued on around it. Thankfully I found a shot which showed how the different sets of louvres were angled.
The rear hull was reshaped and detailed, the trackguards lengthened & air filter boxes made and installed.
There was a sheet of 20thou glued onto the glacis plate and all fittings were built and attached.
The drivers' hatches were detailed inside and out.

Turret

This turned out not to be as difficult as I had thought, though the kit item becomes more of a framework for the finished article. Basically, everything is undersized.
It was quartered, and 4mm inserted between the front and side pieces, and 2.5mm at the rear. Then new base and roof plates had to be made, as well as a new mantlet. The kit's main gun would pass as a 105, so that was fine.
The right side stowage box was cut and extended, and they were all were laminated with card to beef them up and bits of 10thou added for the new tops.
The kit cupola was used, but the hatch modified to depict the Israeli-produced 'Urdan' unit.
The top plate was detailed. Turret basket stowage was assembled and the basket made around it, since this was easier as the basket materials weren't sturdy enough to be crammed full of bits.
The mesh took a bit of finding, but a net curtain proved to have a small enough weave.
New bazooka plates were made from 10thou sheet.
ROCO Minitanks .30 & .50 MGs were mated to scratch mounts.

I should also have extended the hull in front of the turret, as the turret doesn't quite clear the driver's hatches, but - oh, well; I'll do that when I build the Aussie version.

The crew were made from various bits I had to hand – even though making bonedomes in 1/76 is doable, next time I'll start with modern jet pilots to save the hassle.

Paint is Xtracolour Sinai Grey.
Washes and drybrushing were Artist's Acrylics.

This will eventually be incorporated into a larger diorama, but for now it's done.

Thanks: Tankette, Google and Microstrip!

References:
Israeli Military Vehicles: the first 50 years, 1948-1998 (includes plans by Phil Dyer)
                                                           John Myszka

Centurion Tank
     Simon Dunstan

Tank Battles of the Middle East Wars (1) Wars of 1948 - 1973
                                                           Steven J Zaloga


Airfix Magazine articles, Feb 1973; Tim Neate
                                      June 1976; Jeremy Broughton

Unknown issue of 'Tankette': Building the Airfix Centurion
                                                            Dave Rhodes


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[Rick Lowe]

And the completed shots.

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[Old Wombat]

Nice!    

[PR19_Kit]

That looks really good Rick. 

[Rick Lowe]

Thank youse, Gennulmuns. 

[Pellson]

That's a very very nice tinbox 

[Rick Lowe]

Cheers. 

[NARSES2]

Nice!    

It is indeed