Tamiya 1/16 Centurion build and field test.

[Rubicon99]

I have just seen the step # in the manual of this last picture. The step # is at 75 . For the Jagdpanzer IV that I built, it has 46 steps. The KT I that finished only has 37 steps. Oh boy, I will be quite busy when I receive this tank in March.

The Centurion is by far the longest and most involved Tamiya build yet. It is not hard and goes together smoothly, it just has a lot of screws and small steps that must be done correctly.

[sclui56]

Rubicon, what's your opinion of the single-pin resin tracks thus far?

[Rubicon99]

Rubicon, what's your opinion of the single-pin resin tracks thus far?

Real Centurion tracks are single pin so no short cuts there. Tamiya track are a reasonably tough nylon material. The tracks are well put together with clean detailing. The pins are stainless steel so the tracks run smoothly.

Durability remain to be see, but Tamiya nylon tracks are generally superior to HL plastic tracks (as a comparison). I will have a better idea about the durability aspect once I get the Centurion on my trials course and run some obstacles.

I will say regardless of the outcome of testing the tracks I will be buying a good number of spare links and a full track set once they become available. Better to have and not need then need and not have when it comes to Tamiya tracks.

[Rubicon99]

Tamiya 1/16 Centurion tank.

Accessory and small parts day. Next it is off to weathering and then the real fun part begins.....TRIALS COURSE & IR target range/zeroing.

[Evan D]

That looks absolutely fantastic. I wish I could take the time it takes to do that/ have the skills to do it. I assume you do a lot of that with an airbrush. Do you paint the wheels off the tank when you have metal wheels? Remove the rubber part? On this and the Abrams I really like the load out you have, packs, bundles, tarps, etc. Can you tell me how you make things you make or if you are 3D printing or buying where you get them? Same question for figures. I've only been learning about tanks for a month, not even, 27 days now and already have four and two more on the way. Your posts have been very informative. Thank you!

Evan

[SoCalBobS]

the Tank Museum got a Centurion too!

https://tankmuseum.org/article/swiss-tank-donation?utm_source=The+Tank+Museum&utm_campaign=61a90f82bd-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_06_21_08_39_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9f8e541a11-61a90f82bd-98243624&goal=0_9f8e541a11-61a90f82bd-98243624&mc_cid=61a90f82bd&mc_eid=7c68377668

[DavidN]

R99 is probably catching up with things at work. I can tell you where I bought my accessories:

German: www.andyshhq.com
Allies & German : www.forgebeartanks.com
hwww.rctank.de

[Rubicon99]

One final step before I closed up the turret cargo bins. I added small magnets to the inside lids. This is to accommodate later accessories and have the ability to mix and match new items at will.

[Rubicon99]

Tamiya 1/16 Centurion tank.

Finished most of the base weathering. Went with a light dirty look as the tank will become naturally weathered with dust, dirt, dried mud and grime rather quickly. Which in turn tends to hide applied weathering.

The first test drive video of the tank in dirt is also now up on my Instagram @ fsttanks.

Tamiya Centurion 1/16 RC tank in IDF theme

Tamiya Centurion on test course.

[Rubicon99]

That looks absolutely fantastic. I wish I could take the time it takes to do that/ have the skills to do it. I assume you do a lot of that with an airbrush. Do you paint the wheels off the tank when you have metal wheels? Remove the rubber part? On this and the Abrams I really like the load out you have, packs, bundles, tarps, etc. Can you tell me how you make things you make or if you are 3D printing or buying where you get them? Same question for figures. I've only been learning about tanks for a month, not even, 27 days now and already have four and two more on the way. Your posts have been very informative. Thank you!

Evan

There are only four colors of paint used on this tank. Desert Tan, Black, White and Rust. 98% of the tank is desert the other 2% is on small parts that were hand painted.

On this tank I painted the wheels on the tank but could have just as easily painted them off the tank.

On this tank the rubber was not installed before paining the wheels. I have paint both with rubber on and off the wheels in the past.

All my accessories are “kit bashed” from other tanks, bought or I make them by hand.

[oldwolf]

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

[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.

[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]

New videos are up on Instagram @ fsttanks.

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

Screen shot from obstacle course video.

[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.

[DavidN]

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

[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]

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]

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.

[SoCalBobS]

Thanks for the great post-mortems, guys.