British Tank Destroyer FV4005 Stage II

by: Andrew Taylor

Evaluation
Model Nr: 2
Class: Military Ground Vehicles / Equipment
Skill: Intermediate
Optional Criteria: Decals / Markings
Type: Injection Moulded
Manufacturer: AFV Club
Scale: 1/35
Description: This is a rare, heavy self-propelled anti-tank gun, with only three built before the end of the program due to British observations that the Russians were moving from heavy toward main battle tanks; one was built in an open turret configuration, the other two in an enclosed “splinter-proof” 14mm thick casemate. The chassis was the already established and largely unmodified Centurion Mk.3 hull, and the FV4005s were unofficially named “Centaur”. A hand-cranked winch was attached to the rear hull to operate the spade (“earth anchor”) to transfer recoil forces from the chassis to the ground.

Only one Stage 2 turret remains, and it was mated with a Centurion hull where it stands on guard at the Bovington Tank Museum.

There are four marking options for this model, but as the only color photograph I could find was an overall green version of the Bovington Tank Museum’s gate guardian (on a newer Mark 12 Centurion hull), I chose a fictional option in khaki brown with the iconic Royal Tank Regiment Chinese Eyes.