The Centurion Mk5/2 is a version fitted with the L7 105 mm gun and a 0.30 coax MG instead of the 7.92mm one originally mounted into the Mk3.
The Danes modified their
Centurion mainly by replacing the Browning coax MG by a German MG3 and deleting
the tank commander cupola ring mounted MG which has been replaced by a 0.50MG on
a pedestal mount in front of the TC station.
All the Centurions were fitted with a basket at the rear of the turret. It is
different from the standard type.
Lastly, all the Danish Centurions were pre-fitted to tow a fuel trailer.
Depending on the vehicles, the idlers are of the 6-hole (or dish) type.
The Danish Centurions were painted green and black at the beginning of the 1980’s. From 1985 on, some were fitted with a night vision and firing device.
The AFV Club kit must be modified or adapted to match the Danish version.
The chassis is built straight from the box. Only the idlers are replaced by the Firestorm reference FS35155. The kit tires are replaced too by the Firestorm resin ones FS35159. Both references have been reviewed here. The tracks are the kit ones. They are glued thanks to standard plastic glue. To put them in place, the idlers must not be glued in the most forward position to avoid an excessive tension.
The building of the hull does not need many comments. See the Centurion Mk6 by C.Jacquemont for more explanations.
Only the rear part is modified. The telephone box must be fixed. The handle is deleted and the hinged flap modified. The towing cable bracket is lowered. Its shape is changed as it is different and looks like the right side bracket. A small rectangle of plastic card is glued on its initial location. On the right, a bracket for a stove is added.
On the lower part, the fuel
trailer equipment is added with a bit of plastic card and some copper wire.
Finally, on the front fenders, two mirrors are made of plastic card and copper
rod.
The turret requires more work.
We start by the gun mantlet cover that the AFV kit misses. AFV separately
release the reference AC35009 Mantlet cover for Centurion type B. It comes in
vinyl and does not properly fit. In fact, it is not high enough. So I cut it
under the seam and glued the edges with CA glue. Once the glue has cured, I
filled the gap with white Milliput and shaped it before it dried.
Then the 0.50Mg pedestal is done. To start with, a kind of rectangular
protrusion on the right of the coax MG gas outlet is deleted. The pedestal is
made with a bit of plastic rod and some plastic card.
On the TC hatch ring, the 0.30MG bracket is deleted and replaced by a small
rectangle of plastic card.
The coax MG is not used as the type mounted by the Danes did not jut out of the
mantlet.
The right side antenna bracket is not used and the hole in the turret filled
with thick plastic card and putty.
The new basket is made from the parts designed for the Australian type. However,
we must modify them as the basket is narrower. The jerrycan holder is moved to
the left.
All the modifications being
done, we can shift to the painting step. The base shade is XF67 NATO green with
some XF4 Yellow green to enlighten it. The black reference is XF1.
A coat of gloss varnish is sprayed before setting the decals. The numerals come
from a pdf file available in the
howitzer.dk site.
A coat of mat varnish seals the
decals then the weathering can start. Some oil dots (ochre, yellow and white)
are laid all over the vehicle then merged to create a worn-out effect to the
paint.
Finally, the dust is made by airbrushing thin layers of XF57 Buff and XF52 Flat
earth with variable dilution.
I would like to thank Kjeld and Kenneth for their valuable help.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||