Centurion Mk.5 during the Suez Crisis

[AceTemeraire]

I'm looking at starting a 1/35 Centurion from the Suez Crisis, ideally a Mark 5 carrying the type B 20 pounder with the fume extractor. I've got my eye on using one of the AFV club kits but their mark 5 doesn't, as far as I know, come with the type B barrel and my searches for an aftermarket one are drawing a blank.

Does anyone know where I can find a metal type B barrel, and whether this would need the single fin or three fin fume extractor given the period I am trying to depict. 

Any help is appreciated.

[diablo rsv]

I have a feeling that this one had the type B 20pdr in it with both fume extractors. I seem to recall that it also had a lot of parts from the earlier boxing's. 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/afv-club-af35159-idf-centurion-shot-mk5-1-1967-six-day-war--100217

 

Wayne

 

[Bullbasket]

Accurate Armour do a resin one. B35008. I've had one of their A type barrels for several years now, waiting to be used on a Korean Centurion, and it's still as straight as a dye.

 

John.

[Kingsman]

The AFV Club Australian Centurion has a metal barrel with plastic fume extractor for a Type B, but doesn't come with the side plates so making a British Mk5 OOB is troublesome.  Eduard do etched brass ones but I'm sure plastic card could be used.

 

The 1967 Sho't Centurion kit also has the metal barrel and comes with the side plates.  As it's pre-IDF upgrade it can, as far as I can see, be built OOB as a UK Mk5 by omitting the M2 MG mount and US antenna base(s).  If you get a 2nd-hand kit you might find it also has a metal L7 barrel: the first edition came with this extra.

 

One point to note about these kits is that the wheel rims are moulded as part of the vinyl tyres provided, which is a bit odd and may have long-term problems for paint adhesion.  This is done to allow the circumferential rim reinforcing ribs to be depicted, impossible with injection moulding.  You might want to think about replacing them.  Someone (Firestorm?) does resin replacement tyres, but £££.  Best value is the Panzer Art resin set if you can track them down.  Don't get the Legend set as they don't have the ribs.  Brach do a nice set, and I believe the MR Modellbau set is still available.

[AceTemeraire]

Thanks for all the advice here, I'll certainly take a look at what's about. Thank you especially for the tips on the wheels as well, much appreciated.