"1/72 scale Centaur AA turret" Topic

Are there any 1/72 scale Centaur AA turrets or conversion kits about, or a good conversion guide?

I was buying some Cromwells for my Brits and was gonna convert one into a Centaur AA, but should have taken a closer look at the AA turret as it's not a simple thing to change it.

Dan Levy of Vac-U-Cast Plastics offered one at one time. I saw it at his house on display. I believe it might have been 1/76th as I think he used a Matchbox Cromwell as the basic hull. The conversion kit was well under $10.00 USD!

Dan has been dormant for the past three years while he worked as a contractor for Northrup-Grumann off and on in Africa.

Dan did a lot of armor conversion kits.

Model blau:
link

Mr Models:
link

Brittania have a complete vehicle which is probably cheaper than buying a turret:
link

As far as I know Centaur AA's only served as part of the anti-V1 barrage along the coast of England. Better to get a Crusader AA which actually served in Normandy. Same turret I think.

There are images of Centaur AAs in Normandy. Neither it or the Crusader saw much action due to the Allied air superiority.

Thanks, John. I knew of the first two, but the 3rd one seems reasonable and on top of it, they also got nice cheap Stuarts too.

I have both of the AA kits offered by Vac-U-Cast. At the time I was thrilled to get them. I replaced the AA gun with brass on the MkII and substituted an airfix bofers gun on the MkVI. I have a few of the the MMS kit now and they are great. Milicast also do one too. I would love to have more of the Vac-U-Cast line. Any word on weather Dan Levy will produce them again, they go for a premium when you can find them on ebay.

I believe it might have been 1/76th as I think he used a Matchbox Cromwell as the basic hull.

If so that would have been a Matchbox Comet, which with minor modifications can pass for a Cromwell (or Centaur) hull.

I am pretty sure Dan will bring them all back. Question is "When?". He's been doing a long haul trucker gig for over a year now and have not been sucessful in contacyting him for months. Talked to his wife, Mary Ann but my timing is bad.

Tom

Well that is the most fantastic news ive heard in a long time! Thanks for passing that on Tom. Something to look forward to again.

I've asked Milicast a few months ago but they told me that the Crusader AA isn't in production at the moment and they don't sell turrets separately. Friendship Models may be casting some in the next couple of months from the CMSC range (1/76). If you are really ambitious, there is an article in Airfix Magazine in 1972 (!) on how to scratch build one but it isn't easy. There is also a 1/72 one produced in the Czech Republic by HRModel (CO7230 Crusader AA turret). I have two on the Armourfast kit carved out of balsa with plastic overlaid on them but I'm not really happy with them.

@JHZitting;

Can you show me some AA Centaurs in Normandy pics? I've never seen any. Only Crusaders. Either with the 40mm Bofors or with Twin Oerlikons.

Have a look on Missing-lynx.com. According to Peter Brown, the Centaur AAs were manufactured after the Crusader AAs were withdrawn (as there was no threat from the Luftwaffe). As a result they were never issued.

@JHZitting;
Can't find any. Can you post a link for me? As far as my sources are concerned, no Centaur AA tanks ever left Britain. Even their use against V1's is not documented firmly.

As far as I can find out the only Centaurs ever used by the British Army in action were the CS 95mm Howitzer versions used by the Royal Marines. Some were also given/sold to Portugal.