PMMS
AFV Club
Centurion Track Links
AFV Club1:35 Kit No. AF 35102
Review by Terry Ashley

As a prelude to the release of their Centurion Mk.5/1 kit (AF 35100) shortly AFV Club have released the individual working track links from that kit as a separate set for anyone who has the Tamiya or any other available kit as an update set.

The individual links are moulded in dark brown plastic with the only cleanup being a small moulding scar on the front lip of each link but there are also four small pin ejector marks on the inside of each link to be removed. This is fairly easy to do as most are slightly raised above the link making removal easier then indented pin marks but is still time consuming.

AFV Club

Detail on the links is excellent with the ribs cleanly depicted as are the indentations along the lower lip with the end pins also cleanly moulded.

AFV Club

Each link has small pins designed to clip into corresponding indentations (holes) in the next link but during test fitting I found that the links are very rigid and the pins so small they tended to snap off if you just clip the links together.

AFV Club

After experimentation if found the best way to assemble the links is to fit the first pin into the corresponding indentation on the next link and use a rigid pair of tweezers to flex the end pin outwards and over the locating hole of the next link there by avoiding any damage. This required a bit of practice to get the right amount of flexing pressure but once established the links went together fairly quickly and easily.

AFV ClubAFV ClubAFV Club

The resulting track lengths fit tightly together and so don’t “flop” about like some individual link tracks such as the metal Fruil tracks but does articulate okay. This is not really a problem as there is no track sag with the Centurion track and the links will go around the drive and idlers easily for a natural sit.

The tracks as you would imagine fit perfectly to the drive sprockets from the AFV Club Centurion kits (#AF35100, #AF35122) without any issues for a straight replacement for the kit vinyl tracks.

AFV ClubAFV Club

I also test fitted the assembled track run to the old Tamiya Centurion Mk.III (re-issued kit #89555) drive sprockets and found the tooth pitch matched the AFV Club links perfectly but the Tamiya teeth are far too thick. After reducing the tooth thickness by half the AFV Club track then fitted the Tamiya drive sprocket nicely, so if you have this old kit this track set is a huge improvement over the vinyl track included in the kit.

AFV ClubAFV Club

Conclusion:
A nicely moulded and detailed set of tracks with a minimum of cleanup required before assembly that gives a good hint of what to expect in the full Centurion kit when released and while there is some effort needed to assemble the workable links the resulting track runs are excellent.

Recommended for existing Centurion kit owners or if you just want a preview of the kit to come.

See the Centurion Subjects listing page for other sets available for the Centurion.

Tristar ShopThanks to AFV Club for the review kit.
Tristar Shop is distributed in Australia by J.B.Wholesalers



Page Created April 17, 2006

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