Home > Reviews > Britain > SMM Item No. SMM3552X - Centurion Mantletless Turret Conversion Set

Centurion Mantletless Turret Conversion Set

Scorpion Military Miniatures

Reviewed by Peter Brown

Summary

Title:	Scorpion Military Miniature Item No. SMM3552X - Centurion Mantletless Turret Conversion Set Available from SMM’s online shop
Scale:	1/35
Contents:	Cast resin conversion parts for AFV Club plastic kit
Review Type:	First Look
Advantages:	Saves the work of scratchbuilding.
Disadvantages:	None noted.
Recommendation:	Should be very useful.

FirstLook

The Centurion Mantletless Turret was a 1960s attempt to combine the improved protection of the Chieftain’s shaped turret front with the Centurion for export as Chieftain was too expensive. Three turrets were produced, one was fitted with a 20pdr gun and another with a 105mm while the third was used firing trials. Today only one forlorn gutted turret survives at the Tank Museum, Bovington.

SMM’s conversion provides parts to convert an AFV Club kit to either gun option. The instructions list suitable base kits but you will need to convert the hull to Mk 7 standards which to date has not been produced as a kit. Luckily SMM can provide sets of parts for that too.

Parts are cleanly cast with only some thin flash to clean off. Turret comes as a hollow casting with separate lower section which is fitted with one of two roof plates. Another 20-odd parts provide the stowage bins, commander’s Mk 4 No 1 cupola with its distinctive domed hatch flaps, loader’s hatch flaps and small fittings including a jerrycan and several 3D-printed tie-down loops. Where all these go is shown using photos of a completed model with separate sections for each gun type. Some reference photos of both are included.

One of the less well known versions of the Centurion, this will make an interesting addition to a model collection.

(Note that this is not the “40 Ton Centurion”, while this used a similar turret it was shorter and used a different engine. Maybe One Day we will get a kit of that...)

This one can be ordered direct from SMM.

Text and Images by Peter Brown
Page Created 22 March, 2025
Page Last Updated 22 March, 2025