1/35 AFV Club Centurion - Replacement tracks

[Peter Browne]

Building the AFV Club 1/35 Centurion (RAAC version).  Looking at replacing the rubber band tracks with something better.  

 

Looking at @PlaStix GB, which is excellent, he used individual workable links from AFV Club.  I notice they also produce a Quick Assembly set which has the horizontal fixed sections and the individual links around the drive and idler wheels, similar to the current 1/35 Tamiya kits. 

 

Given there are 108 links on each side, I'm planning on going with the easy option.

 

Any thoughts either way?

[Kingsman]

Metal options are also available, but expect prices in the order of £30+.  Not that the AFV Club sets are cheap for plastic, pushing £20 at most sellers. 

 

You also need to think about replacing the vinyl tyres as they are always harder to paint, impossible to satisfactorily remove mould lines and add distressing and are still likely over time to react with the wheel and track plastic to cause softening.  Sovereign 2000 replacement wheels are probably easiest to find, under £20 a set.  Historex Agents usually seem to have them.  Panzer Art, Brach and MR Modellbau (Accurate Armour?) also offer replacement wheels if you can get them.  Panzer Art are a bit cheaper than Sovereign.  You might try Wildcat's Models for those.  He might have a Eureka Centurion copper tow cable set too.  In their latest Centurion-based kits, AFV Club have substituted solid plastic wheels.

 

My issue with link-and-length tracks like the newest AFV Club offering is painting.  And I have the same concern about non-workable indy links. 

• Indy link "workable" tracks in any medium can be assembled and painted off the vehicle and then fitted.  Wheels, sprockets, idlers are also more accessible for painting from all angles.
• Kit manufacturers seem to think that we will assemble link-and-length and non-workable indy links to the vehicle and then paint them later.  Which is almost impossible to do satisfactorily.
• Individual non-workable links around sprockets are the real difficulty.  Because of the geometry of the circular disc with protruding teeth it is almost impossible to pre-assemble a length of links as they will not then fit over the teeth.  You might get away with doing it in 2 halves with a join at the front.  Other than this area you can pre-assemble sections around the suspension for separate painting and later fitting.
• If you fit non-workable tracks to your Centurion, glue up the workable suspension solid first.

Conclusion?  I would still go for the workable individual links.  They come pre-cleaned-up and just clip together, so are less tedious than many others.  The Amusing Hobby Centurions come with very similar pre-cleaned clip-together links.

[Peter Browne]

Thanks @Das Abteilung  Comprehensive answer as usual!  I actually ordered the Firestorm Centurion Wheels (replace rubber AFV Club set) FS35159.  Will look at the individual links.

[Kingsman]

I didn't mention the Firestorm tyres as they seem hardest of all to find - at this end of the world at least - and are expensive compared to complete wheels. But I failed to notice that you live in Oz..........

[SimonL]

I used the AFV club link and length tracks on my Centurion I built at Christmas, and I think it came out OK. 
 

Build thread is here if you want to see how they went on. I pre-painted them before fitting them.

 

 

I’ve seen them in a local hobby shop for $35 (south of the river 😉).

[Peter Browne]

16 hours ago, SimonL said:

I used the AFV club link and length tracks on my Centurion I built at Christmas, and I think it came out OK. 
 

Build thread is here if you want to see how they went on. I pre-painted them before fitting them.

 

 

I’ve seen them in a local hobby shop for $35 (south of the river 😉).

 

Thanks Simon..  Yep, I know HobbyTech well, best in Perth.   

 

Pity the images in your build don't show though... 

 

Heatwave, yes I remember those, could do with a bit of sun now...but come summer, will be wishing for winter (not likely...).

 

Peter

[SimonL]

Ah - must be the issue with Village Photos. I’ll fiddle around and see if can post some images this evening.

[ABeck]

The individual link tracks work fine and fast!

[SimonL]

Peter @Flat Chat, here are a few pics of the AFV Club link and length tracks on my Centurion.

 

First what they look like out of the box:

 

Then what they look like on the wheels:

 

 

And the completed item:

[Peter Browne]

@SimonL thanks for posting the pics! Very nice Centurion and tracks!

 

Enjoy!

 

Peter