Centurion AA (Rapier) - Done

Wardukw · February 19, 2023, 10:35:45 AM

That's why I brought that Tamiya Gepard Chris cause I'm going to build my own version of the Marksman turret and you can't do that without the guns

Captain Canada · February 19, 2023, 02:21:02 PM

Very cool. The Centurion is probably my favourite tank !

buzzbomb · February 24, 2023, 02:36:17 AM

Progress.
More turret work and running gear. First up, there are a few bits missing, like one road wheel and the idler axles. Should be able to sort that out.
The original tracks are long gone and it appears that AFV Club rubber jobbies are a bit long, again, sort outable.

This is about it for the Turret and missile mounts, sans the scrub guards around the missiles. Procrastinating on that.

Turret top details.

Couple more sessions and should be paint shop time.
Thanks for your interest

NARSES2 · February 24, 2023, 03:22:34 AM

This is going to be some build

PR19_Kit · February 24, 2023, 03:52:20 AM

That's pretty darned impressive.

Old Wombat · February 24, 2023, 03:52:48 AM

Moving along nicely, BT!

Gondor · February 24, 2023, 04:53:45 AM

It would be ironic if you fitted a machine gun for self defence in an AA mount

Looks great though. The missile rails are nice and high up the turret so that the lowest missiles will not get in the way if they have to rotate almost vertically

Gondor

Weaver · February 24, 2023, 05:57:06 AM

Quote from: Gondor on February 24, 2023, 04:53:45 AMIt would be ironic if you fitted a machine gun for self defence in an AA mount

Looks great though. The missile rails are nice and high up the turret so that the lowest missiles will not get in the way if they have to rotate almost vertically

Gondor

Russian SA-8 Gecko SAM systems were fitted with retrofitted with MGs over the commander's hatch IIRC.

Wardukw · February 24, 2023, 11:32:00 AM

Coming along superbly Buzz man ...looks freakin cool and I'm thinking it's gonna look even better with paint

kerick · February 24, 2023, 03:00:16 PM

Awesome job! Yes, a brush guard around the missiles would look good. Don't want a multi million dollar missile taken out by a tree branch. You could replace one missile with an anti tank missile like a Hellfire or even a Maverick. Just my $0.02.

rickshaw · February 25, 2023, 02:48:01 AM

Quote from: kerick on February 24, 2023, 03:00:16 PMAwesome job! Yes, a brush guard around the missiles would look good. Don't want a multi million dollar missile taken out by a tree branch. You could replace one missile with an anti tank missile like a Hellfire or even a Maverick. Just my $0.02.

Wouldn't work. The two missiles use completely different guidance methods. Now, a Swingfire would work well with a Rapier system 'cause they both use a Semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) system (if he is using a Tracked Rapier as a basis). The SACLOS was adapted from the Swingfire system.

Weaver · February 25, 2023, 03:38:14 AM

Quote from: rickshaw on February 25, 2023, 02:48:01 AM
Quote from: kerick on February 24, 2023, 03:00:16 PMAwesome job! Yes, a brush guard around the missiles would look good. Don't want a multi million dollar missile taken out by a tree branch. You could replace one missile with an anti tank missile like a Hellfire or even a Maverick. Just my $0.02.

Wouldn't work. The two missiles use completely different guidance methods. Now, a Swingfire would work well with a Rapier system 'cause they both use a Semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) system (if he is using a Tracked Rapier as a basis). The SACLOS was adapted from the Swingfire system.

Alternatively, the proposed but never-built Sabre missile was an air-to-ground weapon based on a Rapier airframe with a bulged nose for a bigger warhead. Sabre had semi-active laser guidance, but I don't see why you couldn't make a SACLOS version to give Rapier launchers an emergency anti-tank capability. Might make more sense as one round on a eight-round launcher than one in four though.

The only Sabre missile models I know of are in 1/72nd, offered by Freightdog as part of a Hawk conversion, but it wouldn't be hard to make one: it's just a fatter tube and nosecone on the front end of a Rapier body.

Old Wombat · February 25, 2023, 04:59:36 AM

If your AAA is mixing it with enemy armour, something has gone terribly wrong & their best bet is to bug out, fast!

Steel Penguin · February 25, 2023, 05:18:24 AM

Rapier had AT as a secondary aspect, the BAc house paper from Filton had pics where it was undergoing trials as part of the ADAT competition in the US ( if i remember correctly this was late 80s early 90s i think) wile it was (only) a trial Saracen APC that it was targeted at, it certainly caused a fair amount of damage.
The proposal was the standard Tracked rapier carrier with one or two .50 MGs for ant infantry work, with the carrier vehicle being based from the M113 load carrier the US already had the spares in house. Never went any where as far as i remember.

Weaver · February 25, 2023, 09:10:12 PM

Quote from: Old Wombat on February 25, 2023, 04:59:36 AMIf your AAA is mixing it with enemy armour, something has gone terribly wrong & their best bet is to bug out, fast!

SPSAMs and SPAAGs are armoured because they're expected to operate near the front line, which means that the chance of things going terribly wrong is in their top six possible outcomes per day they spend there. Also bugging out is not always an option: sometimes the big-picture priority is to hold out with whatever you've got to hand at any cost.