Centurion AVLB (slow build)

[Jack L]

So back on the bench and out of SWMBO's hair, it does not help to be standing in the kitchen when she is swinging hot pans around and dodging three dogs... The pad of the forfinger is still very sensitive, but I can work with it, just got to be carefull how I get hold of things like door handles, edges of cupboard doors...
Anyway enough of the whining - progress...
The second section of the bridge is almost complete and the sides of the third section are cut out ready to start work...
View attachment 477539
View attachment 477540
So as you can see not a lot more to do on the second section which once completed is where it will be on the finished item, with the finished section shown will in fact be attached and will form the whole left hand side of the bridge... So now to dismantle it as you can guarantee it will get caught and damaged.
Cheers
Mike

It’s that big, I missed it in the first photo! Thought it was a shelving unit in the background. Looking seriously impressive Mike.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

It’s that big, I missed it in the first photo! Thought it was a shelving unit in the background. Looking seriously impressive Mike.

Me too

 

[Jakko]

Hahaha! The real thing spans a fourteen-metre gap, give or take …

 

[stillp]

Me too

+1!
Pete

 

[minitnkr]

Thirded!

 

[JR]

The plan is to have the bridge workable so that I can put it on display in the launched position. The reason for this was when I displayed my Chieftain bridgelayer the bridge is fixed in the half-way point and I was like an expectant father all day wondering if someone had damaged it. But when stored in the display cabinet it will be in the transport position.

Wibble .Hope you are going to park as near as you can to those damned steps at St Ives .Can't see it being easy to carry ! Suppose it will be many journeys as usual

Wobble .

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Hahaha! The real thing spans a fourteen-metre gap, give or take …

Got the video already - play - pause - zoom in - repeat, got a lot of info from this video.

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Wibble .Hope you are going to park as near as you can to those damned steps at St Ives .Can't see it being easy to carry ! Suppose it will be many journeys as usual

Wobble .

Wobble,
Not to panic, it may even not get finished in time, still got the base to do, but cannot do that untill it is finished. But I know there is a holiday around that time so may not even make it. First holiday in years - what do you do, do I still need to take a bucket and spade, do they give free boat rides. is it share a hotel with new friends.....
Wibble...

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Thanks for the comments, hopefully a pic later to day to show one side finished.
Mike.

 

[scottie3158]

Michael,
Bravo mate that is a superb piece of the modellers art.

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Update.
The first bridge half is now hours near to completion.
I have added most of the track side guards, with two to go on this half of the bridge.

Below is a pic of the parts that go to make up one section..

So you have the section itself, below that bottom right are the uprights, above and to the right are the four spacers, then on their left are the rear parts of the clamp that fit across from the rear of the section and over the edge of the flat strip. To their left are the same, but these wrap around the outside edge, and finally there are the 0.8mm nuts that attach the clamps (in real life).

Here is the bridge now at its full height...


And at its full length, with a Chieftain to give it some scale...

And now for a lay down in a dark room.... Only another half to go...
Cheers
Mike.

 

[Jakko]

I think I’ll wait for somebody to make this as a complete plastic kit

Although, for the Centurion bridgelayer I would most likely build, there already is. It “just” needs combining a Centurion hull with an M48 AVLB mechanism and bridge …

 

[Scratchbuilder]

I think I’ll wait for somebody to make this as a complete plastic kit

Although, for the Centurion bridgelayer I would most likely build, there already is. It “just” needs combining a Centurion hull with an M48 AVLB mechanism and bridge …

Sorry Jakko,
Different bridge dimensions and build, and different launching mechanism.
But, like all things scratch built and London busses, you wait for one and along come three... M113, scratch built - Tamiya brought out theirs... M577A1 based on the M113, again scratchbuilt one, and Tamiya brought out theirs. Another modeller I knew came out with the M10, you can guess what happened. Although I must admit it has taked a few decades to finally get the M114 in plastic...
Mike.

 

[Jakko]

Sorry Jakko,
Different bridge dimensions and build, and different launching mechanism.

That’s what I meant If I were to build a Centurion bridgelayer it would most likely be the Dutch Army version, that differs as you say.

Although I must admit it has taked a few decades to finally get the M114 in plastic...

I bought the Accurate Armour M114 (second hand) years ago but haven’t built it yet. Oh, and I have their FV 432 as well, and bought their Strv 103 a few months before Trumpeter released theirs. I did kind of wonder why they (AA themselves, at EuroMilitaire) charged me 10% less than the list price on it at the time …

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Update,
The work on the bridge has been a bit hit and miss at the moment with having to do other things, house type things etc...
But we are progressing and can see the light at the end of the tunnel - or is that the bottom of the JD bottle....
Anyway...

#3 section in the jig....

... and now getting ready for the side guides to be put on....
So more later when I should be on #4 section.
Cheers
Mike.

 

[JR]

Update,
The work on the bridge has been a bit hit and miss at the moment with having to do other things, house type things etc...
But we are progressing and can see the light at the end of the tunnel - or is that the bottom of the JD bottle....
Anyway...
View attachment 480285
#3 section in the jig....
View attachment 480286
... and now getting ready for the side guides to be put on....
So more later when I should be on #4 section.
Cheers
Mike.

That's a build in its self Wibble .

 

[scottie3158]

Mike,
Superb as always.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Those bridge sections are absolute monsters! And to have to build four of them... Top marks and hats off sir!

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Just caught u with this and gotta say..... WOW!!
That's one inspiring bit of bridge building,looks superb

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Many thanks for all the comment, most appreciated.
Mike.