Centurion Mk.5 AVRE

Gecko Models, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Andrew Judson
 

Summary

FirstLook

When I heard this kit was coming I must admit that I was excited. This is the Royal Engineers vehicle as used in the first Gulf War.

12 AVREs were deployed. None saw action on the front, although three were destroyed over a two day period due to explosion incidents.

The AVRE is modified with additional armour, has the large spade fitted at front of the vehicle and it is fitted with a 165mm gun.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Thumbnail panels:

Looking at the kit, I was immediately impressed with the box art showing a vehicle somewhere in the Gulf.

The parts contents are very nice with 12 sprues of tan plastic parts, a bag of individual snap-together workable tracks, and the lower tub for a total count of 627 parts in plastic. Take into account that 204 of these pieces are tracks.

There are also twelve photo-etched parts, mainly for the stowage basket, six brass springs for the workable suspension, a piece of thread for the tow cable, two small decal sheets for the Gulf War variant and of course a 23 page instruction manual, which includes colour plates for three vehicles in total - BATUS, NATO and GULF.

The parts are well moulded with very nice surface details, especially the one piece slide moulded barrel with rifling. Impressive.

This is going to build up into a very nice kit in the end, and I look forward to building mine in the near future.

Purchased by reviewer