Amusing Hobby 1/35th Centurion Mk5 build

[simmerit]

8 minutes ago, Jasper dog said:

That really is a lovely Bentley, now if only I'd  bought one of those Euromillions lottery tickets....

Remember years ago being blown away on the M6 by one, passed me like I was stationary. 

 

Great bit of etch soldering btw, never tried it myself another skill/technique to be butchered.

 

Darryl 

 

It's worth having a go.  It completely transformed the Centaur and Cromwell I built (if you've had a look).  It takes a little while to crack, but once you are there the results a great.  I'm 'average' by the way.  There are some real craftsmen out there - its an art in itself.

 

The key to it it is soldering iron temperature.  It tool a while for me to work that one out.  If you intend to get a go, get an iron that has adjustable temperature.  I solder at 450 degrees.  I also use Carrs solder paste which you paint on like paint then touch with the iron.  It's brilliant.  Not much around on youtube on soldering - I learned by trial and error.  @Dads203is a master at it.

[Bullbasket]

I have a stalled conversion of an Aussie Centurion to a Korean War Mk.lll. I remember at the time of starting it, I asked on another well know military modelling site what would be the correct colour for it. A well known and respected historian came back with the reply that Korean War Centurions were in SCC15.

 

John.

[simmerit]

1 hour ago, Bullbasket said:

I have a stalled conversion of an Aussie Centurion to a Korean War Mk.lll. I remember at the time of starting it, I asked on another well know military modelling site what would be the correct colour for it. A well known and respected historian came back with the reply that Korean War Centurions were in SCC15.

 

John.

 

I'm  not sure how definitive you can be about that to be honest.  There was a million gallons of SCC15 paint cast in the UK after the war according to the document I read - I cant quite get my head around that figure.  It is a lot of paint.  

 

It may well be that the Australians specified SCC15 in their order to the manufacturer, in which case your historian would be quite correct.  As for British kit, looking at the documentation from the Ministry of Supply, they specified Bronze Green for British orders.  When they got to Korea, units will have painted them in field workshops.  Looking at the pictures of British Mk3 Cents I've seen, they are either Olive Drab, Olive Drab and Black or Bronze Green, which fits with the document specifications I've just read and kit being painted in theatre.  At the end of the day though, the really reliable source is the blokes that were serving at the time, and 1953 is a long time ago.  

 

That said, there were some Cromwells painted SCC15 at Matt Black at the end of WW2!

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by simmerit

[simmerit]

A bit of progress on the etch.

 

 

The recovery cables attach to these.  There is one on each side.  I've also got the tops soldered onto the three toolboxes on this side.

 

 

I'm not sure how well you can see that but there is a handle which pulled under that protective cover.  I'm nut sure what purpose it served.  maybe is sprang a latch on the toolbox doors.  God knows.

 

Anyway - I'll get the latches on tomoz then that's pone side complete.  Not rapid progress, but its progress nevertheless.

 

[simmerit]

 

Here's a big one.  I've still got a couple of bits to get on the front toolbox as you can see from this one.  Quite impressed with the Eduard etch thus far.

 

[simmerit]

Here's a couple of British Cents in Korea

 

 

 

And this one illustrates the light challenge with Bronze Green

 

 

 

[Hamden]

 

This is becoming a show stopper, really outstanding workmanship on display here.

Your pull handles could be fire extinguishers external operating handles.

 

   Stay safe           Roger

[simmerit]

1 hour ago, Hamden said:

 

This is becoming a show stopper, really outstanding workmanship on display here.

Your pull handles could be fire extinguishers external operating handles.

 

   Stay safe           Roger

 

Thank you and I can't give you an 'informative' - that may be exactly what those pull handles are for - deffo makes sense.

 

This is going to be a bit of a slog because of all the etch.  I've also go 4 other panzers on the go which are ready to gloss then weather which wont help!  And the wokka.... lets not forget the wokka..

 

Did five mins this morning before the job hunting starts.

 

 

Brackets on that front toolbox now.  One more bit to solder on the front and its ready for the latches.  The toolboxes are bloody fiddly but will be worth the effort.

 

Lets hope I dont screw up the paint job!!

[Hamden]

 

Cents had 2 external extinguisher pulls, one each side mounted close to the glacis plate where the front face of the front bins are. Small housing with twist and pull handles.

 

 

Have talked to an ex Cent crewman(see above) and he confirms that the pull handles on the front of the bins are the exterior fire ex: pulls similar to Chieftain. Challenger and 432.

Your tool boxes look the dogs! Looking forward to seeing this in paint

 

     Stay safe           Roger

[simmerit]

2 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

Cents had 2 external extinguisher pulls, one each side mounted close to the glacis plate where the front face of the front bins are. Small housing with twist and pull handles.

 

 

Have talked to an ex Cent crewman(see above) and he confirms that the pull handles on the front of the bins are the exterior fire ex: pulls similar to Chieftain. Challenger and 432.

Your tool boxes look the dogs! Looking forward to seeing this in paint

 

     Stay safe           Roger

 

Painting may take a while.....  I've got six toolboxes to do

 

 

 

I sometimes think modellers are insane.....

 

[viper-30]

Very neat work mate most impressive.. always fancied soldering photo etch .. what do you use ..oh and have you thought about getting a manicure….

[simmerit]

1 minute ago, viper-30 said:

Very neat work mate most impressive.. always fancied soldering photo etch .. what do you use ..oh and have you thought about getting a manicure….

 

People are put off by it as it looks like a right faff and rock hard, but its actually easier that using glue and it is obviously a tad more permanent - like it doesn't fall off.  I bought a soldering iron from good old Aldo for about 20 sheets.  It's a workzone.  You can set the temperature range from about 220 - 450 degrees.  I solder at 450 as any cooler tends to mess up the job as its just not quite hot enough.  450 melts the solder straight away.  The only thing you have to watch is making sure you have the piece held in place when you touch the solder.  I use the tip of a pair of very sharp/pointy tweezers - not the ones in the shot.  The tip fo the tweezers is like a pin, so you can apply them to hold the piece in place whilst you solder it then there is no risk of movement just when the solder melts, resulting in the bit being in the wrong bloody place.  Needless to say I speak from experience!  I use Carrs solder paste rather than a reel of solder.

[viper-30]

4 minutes ago, simmerit said:

 

People are put off by it as it looks like a right faff and rock hard, but its actually easier that using glue and it is obviously a tad more permanent - like it doesn't fall off.  I bought a soldering iron from good old Aldo for about 20 sheets.  It's a workzone.  You can set the temperature range from about 220 - 450 degrees.  I solder at 450 as any cooler tends to mess up the job as its just not quite hot enough.  450 melts the solder straight away.  The only thing you have to watch is making sure you have the piece held in place when you touch the solder.  I use the tip of a pair of very sharp/pointy tweezers - not the ones in the shot.  The tip fo the tweezers is like a pin, so you can apply them to hold the piece in place whilst you solder it then there is no risk of movement just when the solder melts, resulting in the bit being in the wrong bloody place.  Needless to say I speak from experience!  I use Carrs solder paste rather than a reel of solder.

Nice one mate thank you 

[simmerit]

Last post then I'll crack on ad finish the other five.  I may be some time!!

 

 

 

[Jasper dog]

Those boxes are pretty impressive,  really must crack on with my Shot Kal. As you I've a bunch of half finished projects to get knocked off first...

 

Is all solder paste the same the same do you know. I'd just assumed it was flux that still required the real of solder. (Haven't found any of the Carrs stuff yet).

 

Cheers 

[simmerit]

42 minutes ago, Jasper dog said:

Those boxes are pretty impressive,  really must crack on with my Shot Kal. As you I've a bunch of half finished projects to get knocked off first...

 

Is all solder paste the same the same do you know. I'd just assumed it was flux that still required the real of solder. (Haven't found any of the Carrs stuff yet).

 

Cheers 

 

Thank you.  You should have a crack if you've got an old bit of etch around.  It wont take you long to crack it.  I stuck a video up for someone on my own youtube channel if you want the links.  I tried to simplify it as the few videos there are us soldering with Carrs arent the best.  If I can find the videos I'll pm them to you.

 

Made a bit of progress yesterday but no much.  I'll post this so you can see what they look like in progress

 

 

[metadyne]

amazingly clean PE work Si, are those solder joints as strong and permanent as they appear?

[simmerit]

8 minutes ago, metadyne said:

amazingly clean PE work Si, are those solder joints as strong and permanent as they appear?

 

Thank you - a quick tidy up with some wet n dry and its fine, and yes the joints are strong.  Here's a close up which gives you a better look at the joins

 

 

It's well worth the effort.  Looking at that clap, you can also go for a combo which is solder the vulnerable parts that attache to the toolbox the glue the clasp.  That may retain the detail a little better.  Carrs is ace but a soldering iron sometimes loses the detail.  I should probably buy a jewellers iron to be honest - one that's used for soldering rings and the like.  The one I've got it too big for the really detailed work really.

[vaoinas]

Very neat PE work.

 

One thing I would suggest is to fill the perforated folding line either by soldering, or with filler.

[simmerit]

42 minutes ago, vaoinas said:

Very neat PE work.

 

One thing I would suggest is to fill the perforated folding line either by soldering, or with filler.

 

Thank you.

 

On the perforations, they are really quite odd.  Bends on the etch are normally an etched line, but on these toolboxes, the bends around the toolbox top that you can see are very fine holes.  I did spend a lot of time looking at Mk3 Cents to see if the real ones has a similar pattern but I could find no evidence of it.  The only reason I could come up with for having them on the big ones was ventilation, but given the conditions panzers operate in that makes no sense, and you'd end up with a toolbox full of wet kit.

 

I did try to solder them on one of the boxes I've not done yet, and the paste and solder strip runs straight through the holes, so it doesn't solve the problem.  I was going to try spraying Mr surfacer to prime them to see if that does the job.  Fine paint may fill them in (possibly), but I could end up in the same boat as with the solder I tried, which is the holes wont fill!

 

I've no idea why Eduard did these bends the way they did, but unfortunately they have.......  Let's see how I get on with Mr Surfacer.  Hopefully that will sort it.  I should have gone with Voyager PE is the learning point. Bit late now!

[vaoinas]

As I've had an experience with a few PE sets, it seems to me that they often use a etched line to allow sharp bend 

but where a more rounded bend is needed they sometimes have these holes. Usually one can fill the inner corner with 
solder once it's bent and then sand the outer corner nicely round.

[fatfingers]

This is turning out to be a great build. Them there brassy fender boxes are superb. I also particularly like the finish on the track👍 Can i ask how you did them? Currently making the Cent version with the mahoosive gun and turret on and off and the front plate on that kit was also a bit tricky to get sitting right.

 

Keep it coming.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

[simmerit]

8 hours ago, vaoinas said:

As I've had an experience with a few PE sets, it seems to me that they often use a etched line to allow sharp bend 

but where a more rounded bend is needed they sometimes have these holes. Usually one can fill the inner corner with 
solder once it's bent and then sand the outer corner nicely round.

 

Looking at the Voyager etch, I'd go down that route if there was a next time.  The do a set specific to the Mk5/1 and the Mk5/2 and there are no perforations in the bends.  I think Eduard dropped the ball here - looking at the real ones, the tool boxes dont have curved bends in them anywhere.  A bit irritating, but that's always the downside of Eduard etch - they often 'make things up'..

[simmerit]

38 minutes ago, fatfingers said:

This is turning out to be a great build. Them there brassy fender boxes are superb. I also particularly like the finish on the track👍 Can i ask how you did them? Currently making the Cent version with the mahoosive gun and turret on and off and the front plate on that kit was also a bit tricky to get sitting right.

 

Keep it coming.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Hey Steve,

 

the tracks were dropped in Mig track fuildy stuff for 5 minutes - the blue liquid.  The problem with them was of course the masterclub track pins which are plastic and the track fluid only works on metal, so I sprayed the edges with Mig Dark Dracks, which is very similar to the shade I got having steeped them in Mig Track fluidy blue stuff.  I then ran some light rust wash fliud over them and when that was drat, went over the with gun metal pigment which has worked pretty well - I'm pleased with the result.

 

One thing I noticed, which I've not considered before, when doing the two Chally's I've got on the go (which are in another build thread), the rubber tyres on the wheels polishes the metal to the tracks to I highly shiny (near chrome almost) finish - which makes sense - the friction of he metal in between the rubber (fnar) will polish.  I've no doubt the Cent will have been the same, as will any other vehicle with tracks and rubber tyres on the wheels.  I've not finished the tracks yet, but have a look at the Chally builds - you may be able to see the tracks on them.

 

HTH

 

Cheers

 

Si

 

In fact here you go - have a look at the raised teeth that sit in between the two tyres.

 

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by simmerit

[simmerit]

A little bit of progress, having had a weekend shooting and drinking.  

 

 

Thats the second one done, and finally got the claps on the first side.  Second lot of toolboxes are ready for the claps and handles to be fitted

 

 

Once these are done I'll sort out the warped glacial armour.  I wonder if the AFV Club Cent has the same problem?