Tamiya 1/16 Centurion build and field test.

[DavidN]

It comes with brass bushing that can be replaced with bearings.

The brass bushing are good and work well enough, but adding bearings just makes everything run more smoothly.

Can you let me know which metal bearings bag to order from AAF? They don't disclose how many bearings in each of their bags? Or does it have the right amounts for the type of tank they are intended.
I can go to the manual of the tank to see how many bearings are included. I can't get the bag for the Centurion since it is new so no parts are available yet.
Are all bearings the same sizes?
Is it better to get them from Ebay? I would like to get from AAF (if the price is reasonable) and ask them to put the bag inside the tank box for me before they ship the tank out.
You mentioned before that we need 28. So I just want to get enough or more for future use. I don't want to get less :-)

[Rubicon99]

Can I confirm if the NIB Centurion will come with plastic or metal bearings? I just want to be prepared. Thank you!

It comes with brass bushing that can be replaced with bearings.

The brass bushing are good and work well enough, but adding bearings just makes everything run more smoothly.

[DavidN]

Can I confirm if the NIB Centurion will come with plastic or metal bearings? I just want to be prepared. Thank you!

[sclui56]

Hi Rich, totally forgot about Semijoe. Thanks!

[RichJohnson]

eBay or Semijoe’s rc semi truck shop.

[sclui56]

Rubicon99, where do you suggest sourcing the 5x8x2.5 sealed bearings from? This will be my first Tamiya non-corded remote tank, can't wait.

[Rubicon99]

Forgot to post this last photo. Taken at the Feb 2022 LA Tank Clubs battle day.

[Rubicon99]

Can you provide some the Tamiya paint colors or code #s for this tank? Or the Tamiya picture of those recommended colors for the tank? I would like make some decisions and purchase the colors in advance before my tank arrives :-)

The primary color is TS-2 Dark Green. Keep in mind there were only a handful with US markings and only used for a short time during the Korean War. Tamiyas paint and decal theme is of this handful.

[DavidN]

Can you provide some the Tamiya paint colors or code #s for this tank? Or the Tamiya picture of those recommended colors for the tank? I would like make some decisions and purchase the colors in advance before my tank arrives :-)

[DavidN]

Yeap, my Tiger I was cornered in by Aime's KV-1 at my front right and your T34 on my other side. The Tiger took 9 hits before the barrel tilted down :-)

[Rubicon99]

Thanks for the great post-mortems, guys.

Would have loved to have you there Bob. But totally understand why you could not.

[SoCalBobS]

Thanks for the great post-mortems, guys.

[Rubicon99]

The centurion was a tough opponents when battling with the big tanks. I was using all my new tanks to battle in the morning to get them "dirty". In the last two battle of the afternoon, I returned to my favorite little HL Panzer III and I was able to knock out the centurion in both battles. The first one, R99 was confused and thought that I was on his side. In the second battle, we were fighting under the army truck with many obstacles to hide. I knocked out the T34/85 first. Then the panzer III from quitcherbitchen was my next victim. Lastly the centurion appeared and it too was my prey. By then Aimee's KV-1 approached. We battled head one. Her tank was fresh with no damage. My panzer III was blown up. She was an tough tanker. She scored 2 kills on me and I got one 1 kill against her yesterday.

The under the truck kill was on the Centurion when it only had two hits left. Rich had already put three hit on it during my dual with him. I didn’t expect it to survive that run under the truck. Just wanted to tie you up shooting at me until Amie was in possession to get to you. Anyways I owed you the kill from earlier when my T34 cleaned your Tigers clock in the square.

The ambush with Panzer was made possible because of poor communication. I did not know they had switched your side/team and I was operating under the impression you were on my team. I kept wondering why you were shooting holes in me....LoL

The last battles of the day are usually the most fun, fast and confusing.

[DavidN]

The centurion was a tough opponents when battling with the big tanks. I was using all my new tanks to battle in the morning to get them "dirty". In the last two battle of the afternoon, I returned to my favorite little HL Panzer III and I was able to knock out the centurion in both battles. The first one, R99 was confused and thought that I was on his side. In the second battle, we were fighting under the army truck with many obstacles to hide. I knocked out the T34/85 first. Then the panzer III from quitcherbitchen was my next victim. Lastly the centurion appeared and it too was my prey. By then Aimee's KV-1 approached. We battled head one. Her tank was fresh with no damage. My panzer III was blown up. She was an tough tanker. She scored 2 kills on me and I got one 1 kill against her yesterday.

[Rubicon99]

After a week of test driving and making small tweaks to the detailing here and there the Centurion was taken to its first IR battle day at the Feb 2022 LA Tank Clubs field of armor. A world first “official club battle” for the Tamiya Centurion (I don’t know for sure I am just guessing on the world first thing...LoL).

So how did the Centurion perform? Well let’s just say the field favors small and medium size tanks and the Centurion is not either of those. Still it handled well, ran smoothly and gave as good as it got. In fact it was more often on the winning team and still running at the end of battles then not.

Considering the limited maneuvering space I was satisfied with it. Will it be the first tank I choose to take to another LA Tank Club battle day? Probably not, I have other tanks that perform better on that field. But the Centurion did well enough to be considered as a front line tank for the more vastly open San Diego Tank Clubs field. I suspect it will excel as an open country battle tank.

Here are a few photos from the battle day.

This last photo is courtesy of HS member David that attended the day. Here the Centurion has just “taken out” the Panther to the top right and is engaging the Panther in the foreground. It defeated the two Panthers, but due to the damage sustained while fighting them ultimately did not survive to the end of the battle.

[DavidN]

Nice desert paint! It is so blended in with the terrain. I am looking forward to see it in action.

[Rubicon99]

A few photos from IR battle practice day. Getting ready for the Feb 2022 LA tank battle day. it will be the Centurions first battle day.

[Rubicon99]

New videos are up on Instagram @ fsttanks.

Test course obstacle and a wide open “run and gun”

Screen shot from obstacle course video.

[oldwolf]

The suspension movement is smooth although the “horseman” system being used does not have the overall range of movement that a torsion bar system has or ones like HL that mimics a torsion bar system.

The track is typical single pin flexible. Not quite as good as the dual pin tracks on tanks like the Tamiya Pershing or M4/51.

In the video I am driving the tank under minimum throttle input. It is faster for sprinting across open areas but also can be drive quite a bit slower then shown in the videos.

I will be posting more test videos on Instagram @ fsttanks later today.

Good to know. Personally I like scale speed for tanks and like them to be more ponderous than quick. Seems to me scale speed should be about .67 yards per second for the centurion. You looked to be nailing it quite well.

[Rubicon99]

The track and suspension looks very flexible and speed seems good in your videos.

The suspension movement is smooth although the “horseman” system being used does not have the overall range of movement that a torsion bar system has or ones like HL that mimics a torsion bar system.

The track is typical single pin flexible. Not quite as good as the dual pin tracks on tanks like the Tamiya Pershing or M4/51.

In the video I am driving the tank under minimum throttle input. It is faster for sprinting across open areas but also can be drive quite a bit slower then shown in the videos.

I will be posting more test videos on Instagram @ fsttanks later today.