Israeli Centurion - Sho’t Kal C (Gimel) - IDF 1980s - Build

[BarryC]

Fantastic work Louis , great solution to the final drive and the nut & bolt do really dress it out!

Barry

[lmcq11]

Hi, thank you Barry.

This post is presenting the tracks.

These are the massive Elefant tracks provided with the Centurion basic kit.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

The tracks were installed. For sure, anyone that has build a Ludwig Centurion knows that the arms on the suspension spring inside the boggies disengage every time you lift the tank. This is not a zero gravity suspension... These arms need to be annoyingly realigned inside the central spring before depositing the model again on its roadwheel. My hope was that the tracks will keep the suspension sticking together when I manipulate the model. It helped a bit but did not solve the issue completely.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

These are the real Centurion tracks, for comparison.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

Although the width is good and they work well, they differ substantially from the above picture.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

I know, the rubber rim are not installed, these will be after painting only. It still allowed for a little joy ride around the pool to test the integration. It works well.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

View of the roller installed just behind the idler at the front in a different arrangement than at the rear. It is also a Tamiya Panzer IV ausf J single roller wheel but with also the mount, adapted for the Centurion hull. The look is close to the real one.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

View of the sprocket.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

View of the idler.

1/16 RC Centurion Shot Kal Gimel tank build

Continuing the build on following post

[lmcq11]

This is the planning phase for the turret construction.

With the hull well advanced, I am moving to the turret.

This is the empty turret deposited on the hull for analysis, in preparation for building and conversion into a Shot Kal Gimel turret. The previous owner did a good job with the basic components and did not seem to have the issues that I have seen other builders have with warping of parts.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

It is starting to look like a Centurion.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

The Mark 3 turret components are represented with a good level of completeness.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

It will be a Mark 3 based Shot Kal.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Some of the electronics being tested, such as the DKLM all metal recoil unit on the right. Main board is a Clark M26 Pershing TK-22.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Beautiful

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

It will fit the gun mantlet quite well.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

The integration with the Tank Modellbau L7 105mm gun barrel will require some engineering. No problem.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

The sleeve for the 20pdr gun was removed the hard way because it was too small. The whole thing will be replaced by a different arrangement for the L7 on Shot tanks.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

continuing on following post

[lmcq11]

The old Centurion Mk 3 sight was kept up to the Shot Kal Gimel, replaced later for the Dalet version.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

However, the kit part seems to have accuracy issues. I will need to redo most of it.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Mantlet is good but the mount for the coax MG should be wider, but I do not think it will show behind the Blazer plate.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Rear view of the turret, the rear basket that I have is the only part that Ludwigs sells for the Shot.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Turret rear with opened hatch. All good.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Overall dimensions are good.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

View of the 60mm mortar that need to be added next to the commander's cupola.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

The provided smoke grenade dischargers of the Mk 3 need to be discarded and replaced by these metal boxes on each side. It does not look too complex to repro with plasticard and brass.

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

Core construction of the hull is done and looking great but it is far from over. All the finer details still needs to be added but I am in the mood to move ahead with turret construction for a while.

Regards, Louis

Ludwigs 1/16 RC Centurion tank build

[Ad Lav]

Great work Louis, the turret was interesting to build

Glad the work we did to it was up to standards!

Keep up the good work!

[lmcq11]

Great work Louis, the turret was interesting to build

Glad the work we did to it was up to standards!

Yes, I have seen some modellers struggling to get the two turret halves aligned due to dramatic warping on the resin parts, including myself with the Marder 1A1 gun pod.

This turret core here is a perfect base, strait and well casted. Just some air bubbles to fill with putty.

Ludwigs centurion turret

Ludwigs centurion turret

Louis

[BarryC]

So......this is your next winner of TOM!

By the way, congrats on the BMP-1 win, well deserved. IMO you are the "Official Master" of the Ludwig kit!

Barry

[lmcq11]

Thanks Barry ! A Centurion is a build of a lifetime so i really want to make this one special.

In this post, i am presenting the gun barrel installation on the DKLM recoil unit, with mantlet and turret bins.

The Tank Modellbau L7 105mm gun barrel is designed for a Tiran tank converted using a Hooben T-55A. It is of excellent quality and is build and sold on request. A custom made mount is required to fit into my DKLM recoil unit. It is also too short somehow so a mixture of 6, 7 and 8mm tubing is required.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

From the tip of the barrel to the mantlet, I calculated that the barrel needs to be 251mm long.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

View of the gun barrel extension ready for installation on the recoil unit.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

To keep the barrel consistent so that nothing interfere with the fabric cover that will be at the base of the barrel, a plasticard tube was put on a good portion of the extension going out of the mantlet.

The mantlet was also modified so that 2 large bolts on each side can be used to install and uninstall the mantlet from the turret. As it came with the base kit, the mantlet is locked between the 2 halves of the turret once these are glued together. it then becomes difficult to work this area and adjust the recoil unit. The bolts will be hidden by the mantlet fabric cover.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

The Centurion turret allows for excellent and unprecedented access to the electronics inside.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

The superbly detailed Tank Modellbau L7 metal fume extractor.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

Capture5.JPG (95.7 KiB) Viewed 2887 times

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

Seen here is the AFV Club 1/35 recoil cover. Yeah, repro of this will take some engineering.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

And the mantlet cover too.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

The bins have been assembled and detailed and ready to install. Notice that they have been closed on the side that touches the turret instead of remaining wide open. The plasticard part needs to be inserted into the bin, and not applied over the bin side. This is required for proper installation on the turret.

Notices the installation points on the turret, similar to and positioned according to the 1/35 kit.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

Continuing on following post

[lmcq11]

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

It is important to calculate the proper height for the bins. I found that the AFV Model handles are a bit large. I will need to reduce them a bit more.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

Bottom support brackets for the bins are installed as seen in reference. And it is not just for the look, they really help keeping the front bins solidly in place.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

Walk around the Centurion turret bins. The fragile bin locking latches will only be added just prior to painting so that they are not damaged during the build.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

Be aware that the AFV Club 1/35 Shot Kal Gimel used as reference is based on a Mark 5 Centurion. My Shot Cal is based on the Ludwig Mark 3 so there are differences on the top of the turret that needs to be accounted for to avoid mistakes. Centurions of various marks and provenance were used for conversion into Shot Cal tanks. There are differences depending on the specific IDF tank you might look at.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

It is really starting to look like a Centurion.

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

1/16 RC Centurion tank build IDF

Next step is to work on the turret top.

Regards, Louis

[Ad Lav]

Amazing work, it’s come alive now!!