Bunkermeister | 18 Jun 2015 5:35 p.m. PST |
What did a WWII German divisional engineer bridge column B formation have? Some sort of multi-part bridge I suspect. What bridge? How long a vehicle span could that make? Are their good pictures on the web of it? Did the Germans use any other bridges? Thanks. Mike Bunkermeister Creek Bunker Talk blog |
Neroon | 18 Jun 2015 6:06 p.m. PST |
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Bunkermeister | 18 Jun 2015 7:00 p.m. PST |
Thank you. Mike Bunkermeister Creek Bunker Talk blog |
Andy P | 19 Jun 2015 4:48 a.m. PST |
To break it down further for you.. Half pontoons carried by Trestle Wagon Pf. 10, Pontoon Wagon Pf. 11 and Ramp Wagon Pf. 12, motorized and horsedrawan was possible. The bridges consisted of a fixed and a floating part; supports in the fixed part are trestles, in the floating part half or whole pontoons, depending on the type of bridge: ramp parts or crossing parts linked the fixed and floating parts of the bridge. Bridges that are built only on fixed supports are called trestle bridges. With the equipment of a Bridge Column B, the following can be built: 8 ton bridges to a length of 83 meters 16 ton bridges to a length of 54 meters Possible bridge widths are: Trestle and pontoon stretches to 3.14 meters Ramp parts to 3.14 meters 8 ton bridges were built on half-pontoons Trestle and pontoon stretches had 8 stretch carriers, 2 rack carriers, 2 underpieces and a simple covering Trestle stretches had 12 stretch carriers, 2 rack carriers and 2 underpieces Pontoon stretches had 124 stretch carriers, 4 rack carriers and 3 underpieces From Bridge material B the following ferries could be built: 4 ton ferries 8 ton double ferries 8 ton simple ferries 16 ton ferries These ferries could be: Motor ferries special boats carries were available Rowed ferries Trail or cable ferries The equipment of a Bridge Column B consisted of: 16 half-pontoons 8 trestles 2 ramps 8 shore-planks 8 crossing rails-16 ton 2 motorboats |
Starfury Rider | 19 Jun 2015 5:18 a.m. PST |
There were multiple other bridge units on the books. The Bridging Column K was used in Panzer Divisions, later being titled as a Light Panzer Bridging Column. Bridging Col J was supposed to become a fixture of Pz Divs from late 1943, but I think only two or three Army Pz Divs ever had one. The J Bridge was required for Panthers, and later became the Heavy Pz Br Col. There are also KStN listed for a Br Col C and T. The B and J Bridges also had an attached 'Begleit Kommando', which was effectively a working party, and later seemingly retitled as a Pio Pl. |
Bunkermeister | 19 Jun 2015 12:53 p.m. PST |
Thank you all for this wonderful news. This is The Miniatures Page at it's best. No jumping the shark, just good solid information that will help me to organize my wargame army. You are all very kind to provide these links and to type in all that information! Mike Bunkermeister Creek Bunker Talk blog |
Major Mike | 19 Jun 2015 6:44 p.m. PST |
There is a video on youtube, Pioneere Vorwarts, that show German bridging equipment and construction. I found it while searching for something else and I cannot locate it again. But I found another: This is either a pre or early war film of bridging. YouTube link |
yankincan | 19 Jun 2015 10:45 p.m. PST |
Andy P has some very thorough info! This link under section VIII-92 has some good info. link |
Griefbringer | 20 Jun 2015 3:41 a.m. PST |
Out of curiosity, is there any miniature manufacturer out there producing those pontoon trailers in any scale? Or has somebody scratch-built them? I can not really see using them in the type of games that I am interested, but I guess in very large scale river crossing games they would have an important role in providing crossing ability for the heavier equipment once the advance forces have crossed with boats. The defenders could then try to put up a counter-attack with their reserves before the bridge gets completed. Considering that the bridging column was a divisional asset and that putting together the bridge would take quite a number of hours, this would certainly need to be played at quite a high level – meaning that the bridging column itself could probably be represented by just one or two vehicles. |
Griefbringer | 20 Jun 2015 3:54 a.m. PST |
On another note, what would the bridging column do once they have completed the bridge? Most (if not all) of their pontoons are now placed on it, and the bridge cannot be disabled until a better bridge is captured intact or built by engineering troops. Besides this, someone also needs to guard and maintain the bridge, as well as direct the traffic. I could see a lower level scenario where the infantry division has crossed the river with the bridging column men and a handful of military police left to take care of it until higher level formations will be taking control of it. However, after a night or two a large group of partisans launches a raid at it, in an effort to demolish the bridge. There might also be some secondary objectives, such as the bridging column vehicle park and any supplies that might be stored in the vicinity. The forces defending the bridge need to hold off the attackers until reinforcements will show up. |
yankincan | 20 Jun 2015 11:22 a.m. PST |
Raventhorpe make the trailers with loads. They are basic but accurate. Raventhorpe and SHQ make a couple bridges and I think it was Mk72 that made a really nice pontoon bridge. |
Andy P | 22 Jun 2015 4:18 a.m. PST |
The bridging column used one of the Pioneer companies from the attached Engineers to actually build the bridge.The column just provided the equipment not the man power. So you could simulate an assault river crossing, the initial assault using the sturm boats to cross and form a bridge head then further troops ferried across to start on far bank trestle while on home bank same is happening then small ferries are built to improve bridgehead while actually bridge is built in stages. |
wargamer6 | 24 Jun 2015 10:04 a.m. PST |
The TOE is very useful, I am not sure about the halftracks shown on it though . If you look at the video they used a special Pioneer version of the Sdkfz 6 with four rows of bench seats not the artillery tractor version shown on the TOE chart. Another common tow vehicle for pontoon trailers was the big Henschel 33 4x6 truck. |