Eduard 1/35 Centurion Mk.5/2 Detail Set First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

AFV Club recently started a series of kits covering the British Centurion series. The first release was the early Mk.I while the second release rendered the Mk.5 up-gunned with the 105mm main gun (reviewed here). Straight out of the box, the kit offers some beautiful detail not captured by earlier offerings of this subject.

Of course you know that Eduard won't stop at the level of fidelity of details that are rendered in styrene. The magic of photo-etch will really turn a great model into a very detailed scale replica.

This detail set is consists of three frets of photo-etch and five panels of color instructions.

The conversion starts by providing maintenance access hatches on the underside of the hull. The edges of the fenders are naturally the thickness of the styrene which is significantly too thick. Eduard has you remove a fraction of the front fenders and replaces them with photo-etch to render scale thickness when viewed from the front.

This set systematically goes around the hull and turret, replacing latches and handles that are molded-on 'lumps' with nice photo-etched replacements. Even the pioneering tools loose their molded on brackets and receive nice photo-etched brackets in their place.

The instructions have you remove the molded-on heat shields from over the exhaust mufflers, file them to shape, then install photo-etched shields in their places.

The smoke grenade launchers loose their molded-on footing and are replaced with more realistic turret mounting frames.

The set is rounded out with detailed periscope frames and shields, sprare track mounting brackets, and a new mounting frame for the jerry can.

The details in this set are small and will require patience, experience with photo-etch, and be made easier when used with good tools.

This set is definitely recommended!

My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!