Two more questions about the Centurion

[KRK4m]

Digging here and there I'm unable to determine the production run details (numbers) od Centurion variants.

Were the Mk.III and V the mainstream ones with Mk.I, II and VI-XII only short-run series?

How many of the 4423 manufactured were "real" tanks and how many were just the auxiliary AFVs using the Centurion hull?

And the second question - is the ACE kit still the best Centurion in Braille scale?

What about the Dragon one (still not listed by Scalemates)?

Cheers

Michael

[Kingsman]

My books are packed away, so I can't look up the production figures in Bryan Perret's book.  Yes the Mks I and II were low-volume and most if not all IIs were converted to 3s (the numbering format changed here from Roman to Arabic numerals).  The 3 was the first "real" service variant.  IIRC the number you mention is about right for new-build gun tanks, excluding new-build ARVs etc.

 

The main new-build production versions were the Mks 3, 5, 7 and 8.  There was no Mk 4, the projected 95mm howitzer CS version.  The Mks 6 and 9-13 were essentially conversions and upgrades of earlier versions.  IIRC there were very few Mk 9s, possibly only 1.

 

As for kits, Ace seem to be the only show in town in injection plastic - good, bad or ugly - and they continue to expand their range.  The old Airfix Mk 3 offering is almost as old as the genuine article.  Never heard of a Dragon one.

[Yorkshire man]

This one I think he means :

Kit no.7548 due out 31st December.

 

[KRK4m]

@Yorkshire man - exactly you're right. 7548 was announced in the USA in January with availability expected "from May 2018". It's December already... Do you mean Dragon will follow with Korean war Mk.3?

@Das Abteilung - today I have found a book, where total 2833 is stated for Mk.3 alone - this makes all other variants true "short runs" :)

Nevertheless thank you, gentlemen, for your interest.

Michael