1/35th British A41 Centurion Prototype 1945

[Geoff_B]

 

Spotted this in one of the blogs Homebee posted up on Shizuka Trade show, its under misc section so no idea who's doing it as yet but pretty sure some will find this very tempting as and when it appears 

[Kingsman]

That colour scheme and design is very reminiscent of Voyager after-market detail sets, but I don't see them branching into complete kits or very major conversions.  Is this perhaps a portent of a Voyager set for an Cent Mk1 being done by someone else?  There is a Shizuoka walk-round over on TMN with a lot of armour content but nothing on a Cent 1 - although the failing grey matter in my head seems to recall hearing somewhere that a Cent 1 was coming.  AFV Club would be the most likely suspect as they already have some tooling, unless HobbyBoss are intending to branch into Cent gun tanks.  Could this perhaps be Hobby Fan?  They already do the Strv 122 Centurion.

[Panzer Vor!!!]

If some one can read  Japanese it would extradite matters 

[Mig Eater]

電ホビ

ガールズ&パンツァー  劇場版
1/35 巡航戦車 A41 センチュリオン 大学選抜チーム

鋭意製作中

 

Electric hobby

Girls & Panzer movie version

1/35 Cruise Tank A41 Centurion College Selected Team

The bottom line says "being dedicated" or "intensive production" I think it means now in production tho.

[MikeR]

That means Platz will be involved - they have the licence for Girls und Panzer. I thought that World of Tanks or War Thunder had something to do with it's appearance, but I'm not in the least bit surprised that it has something to do with GuP. The tank makes an appearance in Girls und Panzer Der Film, which was rather popular in Japanese cinemas last year!

 

I'd imagine that a non-GuP version will appear at some point, probably under the main manufacturers branding.

 

Mike.

[Mig Eater]

Mah Japanese google-fu confirms that it's being made by Platz, here is another version of the same image:

 

Edited May 14, 2017 by Mig Eater

[MikeR]

Thought so.

 

Mind you, if anyone thinks this will be a toy because it's tied in to a cartoon, think again! Platz have re-issued kits from Asuka/Tasca, Bronco, and (especially) Dragon under the GuP label. Apart from the decals, the kits are identical to the regular releases.

 

Mike.

Edited May 16, 2017 by MikeR

[Sgt.Squarehead]

The Dragon kits released under the GUP label are not what you might expect. 

[Mig Eater]

AFAIK the GuP Dragon kits are missing some of the more complex parts like photo etch & also have vinyl tracks instead of the usual magic tracks. They also cost a lot more then the normal Dragon kits, so the only real advantage of getting the GuP kit over the normal ones is the decals for the GuP versions.

 

So far all of the GuP kits have been re-boxes of older kits, so where do you think the A41 comes from? Or do you think they have got one of the above mentioned brands to design a new kit for them.

[MikeR]

On 14/05/2017 at 7:24 PM, MikeR said:

I'd imagine that a non-GuP version will appear at some point, probably under the main manufacturers branding.

 

Well, I did post the above. I haven't yet seen Platz issue a kit of their own under the GuP label, up until now it's always been someone else's kit. Now, Platz could have decided that since no-one was going to do an A41 they would do one themselves but the balance of probability says otherwise. So a cheaper, non-GuP version will probably appear. It's then that we'll find out whether it's a Platz original or not.

 

As for the Dragon kits, I know that they normally have the DS tracks rather than Magic Tracks - the audience they're aimed at aren't going relish the thought of indy links. I wasn't aware of the lack of PE, but TBH that doesn't surprise me either, for the same reason.

 

Mike.

 

Edit: Done a bit of Google-fu myself and it seems that this is a Platz original tooling, so that's a first for them with the GuP line. It also reduces the chance of a non-GuP version so unless you really, really want an A41 it may be an idea to skip this one as it will quite probably be simplified for the anime collectible market.

Edited May 17, 2017 by MikeR

[Mig Eater]

Are there no other 1/35 A41 kits available? I do know of several conversion sets for the Mk.5 but they are a bit pricey tho especially when you have to get a donor kit first. I might be interested in getting one if it's cheap in comparison to the conversion sets, would look good along side a Panzer E-50 & T-54-1. 

 

With all this talk of the GuP kits and even with my slightly negative feelings towards them I decided I need to have gold & pink tanks in my life So I ordered the Platz kits of the main five GuP tanks (Panzer IV, Panzer 38t, Stug III, M3 Lee & Type 89). I'll do a mini review & post sprue pics once they arrive, then maybe in the future do a GuP themed multi-build.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2017 by Mig Eater

[TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED]

Tiger Hobbies will be the UK Importer for the Platz Centurion and Sherman Firefly from the Range.

Delivery late 2017 or early 2018  more info will be on my thread.

[Kingsman]

I think we'd all like some sprue and assembled model pictures as soon as you can get your hands on them.  CAD renderings can often, sadly, be quite different from the final product.  The A41 is an extremely significant tank, arguably the first true MBT.  If it takes an odd Japanese TV series to stimulate a kit of it, that's fine by me.  But we're all hoping not to be disappointed when we open the box.  I'm sure there will be a premium on the price, which is getting ridiculous for kits anyway, and hope the content quality matches.

 

Do you have any idea who is actually doing the moulding?  I'm sure that Platz haven't invested in an injection moulding plant or the toolmaking capability.

 

There has been talk on another forum of the possibility of a Black Prince, which I understand also features in the series somewhere.  Do you have any information about that?

[MikeR]

Platz are co-operating with AFV Club on this - LINK.

 

Quote

Manufacturer	:	Platz , AFV Club
Scale	:	1/35
Original	:	Girls und Panzer
Release Date	:	Dec(Aug. 29, 2017 Pre-order start.)
List Price	:	8,532yenabout75.78USD
Sales Price	:	6,715yenabout59.64USD
Points Acquired	:	201pointsOther Currencies
JAN code	:	4545782042023
Item code	:	GP-39

 

It'll be interesting to see how accurate in it's fundamentals this kit is as AFV Club have only tooled the later versions so far. I'm guessing your referring to the discussion on Armorama? LINK. In it Ossie262 does write that the kit's based on the example at Bovington. Of, course, since this is a GuP kit there will be those who won't touch it with bargepole no matter how accurate it might be!

 

Mike.

[Kingsman]

AFAIK the Bovington vehicle is the only surviving A41.  But we've seen what happens when manufacturers have real surviving vehicles to refer to and still mess up.  Conquerors, anyone?  My worry is that corners will be cut because the intended main market won't be overly concerned about absolute accuracy and a defeat will be snatched from a potential victory.

 

From the AFV Club collaboration angle, little of their current kits usable.  At best, lower hull and suspension.  Upper hull is different, most especially behind the turret,  Turret is completely different.  Tracks are narrower.  I just hope they make a good job of it.

 

I for one don't care about the branding, as long as I'm not paying through the nose for it.  The price quoted above is about £45, which is comparable.  I fancy doing a Jordanian Mk1 in that squiggly red-over-sand scheme of the time.

 

Perhaps after this AFV Club could be persuaded to do a decent Mk3, which has more in common with their existing Mk5 variants.

[TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED]

link to a picture of the pre-prod model at a Japan Model show

 

About half way down the page under the pit road Yamato

 

https://hlj.com/alljapan-2017-report

[Kingsman]

Well it looks alright from that distance.

[MikeR]

HobbySearch has more images up now: LINK.

 

Mike.

 

 

[Kingsman]

I'm seeing a few redundant locating outlines and holes, presumably from the previous kits.  And there are 2 pin marks on each spare link.  Nothing critical or unexpected.  The lower glacis plate should extend further above the upper glacis at the join, with a distinct step.  Smoke grenade dischargers are missing.  Turret stowage bins are mounted too closely: there should be a distinct gap as they were mounted on studs.  The turret side reloading port is too thin and possibly too square in profile.  There is too large a gap at the base of the turret.  The bin latches look a bit 2-dimensional.  It may just be an illusion, but the inner end of the muzzle brake appears to flare where it meets the collar - which it should not do.

 

Most critically, the upper hull rear and radiator outlet louvres are wrong and will be very hard to correct without after-market intervention.  The A41 and Centurion Mks 1 and 2 were 4.5" longer here, about 3.5mm in scale.  The shortened rear overhang and narrower louvred vent depicted on the kit came in with the new build Mk 3 (although Mk 3 reworked from Mk 2 kept the longer hull).  This is a hang-over from basing the model on a Mk 5.

 

Some sources say that the A41 and Mk1 had narrower tracks than later Marks, but Simon Dunstan's comprehensive-if-dated Centurion book doesn't mention it.  However, surviving A41 photos do appear to show a narrower track with shorter spud extensions on each side and without the triangular reinforcing web between shoe body and extended spud.  The Bovington A41, P9, does have standard width tracks but these are probably not original. 

 

Ironically, IDF found that the extended spuds on standard tracks were bent too easily on rocky ground, preventing the pins being withdrawn, and it was common practice to cut off every 5th or 6th end.

[Kingsman]

I had a good look at the Bovington Mk1 tracks today, looking to see if they were any different.  Very surprisingly, I discovered that it runs on bog standard Comet wheels: exactly the same, but different axle hubs of course.  It's parked right across the walkway from the Comet and so is easy to compare.  Looking at the later Centurions there and doing a bit of measuring it seems that all Centurions ran on Comet-derived wheels.  The only difference with later models is that they gained a second annular reinforcing rib inside the rim and these ribs got considerably thicker.  The Comet wheels just had a single thin rib.  The Mk3 at Bovington is also on Comet rims.

 

The limitations of injection moulding means AFAIK that no-one has actually got the later Centurion wheel rims right yet.  To get the correct indents the wheel rims would need to be made of 2 stepped rings attached to the wheel dish.  So AFV Club might have got the wheels right for a Mk1 by accident, although I believe the Mk5 should have had the improved wheels.

 

So when there is mention of narrower tracks on some (all?) original Mk1's, they might well have been standard 18" Comet tracks - which are a generally similar pattern but with less pronounced end horns.  

 

I found some interesting and surprising dimensional differences between the tracks on the different Centurions at Bovington.  The Mk1 is on 56cm/22", which is still a bit narrower than the others.  The Mk3 is on 59cm/23.5".  The Strv104 is on 58cm/23".  The Mk13 and the Mk7 hull are on 60cm/24".

[Lothian man]

I've got this kit and those comments are most interesting, thank you.

 

For all I know it is 100% correct for the anime series, but for the British Army 1945 on it's not quite right for either of the two main options, both with Besa secondary armament (the A41 with Polsten cannon option is not provided). The kit tracks look like normal Centurion tracks. But there are no smoke dischargers. 

 

It would seem that one can make

 

(a) A41 (prototype series) and ignore the track (or wait for someone to issue it) (unless one can find a photo of a prototype with replacement tracks)

(b) A41* = Mark 1 production proper, which so far as I can see needs turret smoke dischargers robbed from another kit, most obviously the original AFV Club Centurion kit in boxings where they are not used, e.g. the Australian vehicles in Viet Nam or some Israeli machines.   

 

In both cases the rear hull needs to be dealt with. There is what purports to be a rear upper hull louvre grill to A41 standard on the sprues but it is not mentioned in the instructions! Presumably this will still be too narrow from front to rear. However, the rear rubber bump strip may or may not be present - which may make it easier to do a visually acceptable fudge (not sure of this). The rear engine deck does have the strengthening ribs. 

 

And there are no British (or other) army markings other than the anime series.

 

We badly need a decal supplier to make 01AB23 style number and letter sheets.

[Mig Eater]

Bit of a bump but AFV club have finally announced that they will be releasing a normal non-Girls Und Panzer version of the Centurion Mk.1 kit. So we should hopefully be able to easily get a hold of this kit in Europe & US soon.