"My Kingdom for Modern AVLBs" Topic

Okay, there really isn't a kingdom, or even a little hut anymore, but from a marketing standpoint, it sounded good, right, and got your attention.

Perhaps more appropriate than 10,000 quatloos for an AVLB, time period wise.

So, would love to see T-55 and/or M48 based AVLBs produced, both in carrying mode, and in bridge fully deployed mode, in 1/144th scale.

If pressed, I need the deployed bridges (flat, as if crossing a stream/river) most, and the Soviet one is needed more than the American one at the moment, though both would be nice.

I suspect some other people might like them too.

For the bridges being carried, they can either include the base vehicle carrier (probably preferred for those that don't have spare tank hulls laying around), or just be the folded bridge(s) with the hydraulic mechanism attached, which can then be attached to a spare vehicle hull.

I'd probably go with a magnet type mounting, so they can be switched out with a regular tank turret, when not needed for bridging on the tabletop.

That makes two of us at least Mako. Does anyone make these?

Try S&S models. They make these sorts of things as add-ons for 1/72 scale models. Maybe you could convince them to make them in the scale you want.

You'd have better luck with a Shapeways out fit….

There's a multi-bridge vehicle on Shapeways, that has three bridges on it, in 1/144th scale, but that won't work for me, since it appears to be an ultra-modern type (post-Cold War) from the looks of it.

I found one in a kids toy set at Walmart, but it is 20mm

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Tally Ho!

Trouble is bridge layers are a lot of work and sell very few. We commissioned the Pz 2 on shapeways to get it. Put in a big order and you may get one. Otherwise it may have to be a commission by some folk. However the BMP 2 listed at €26.00 EUR makes a commission sensible as that may only be the price of 2 or 3 vehicles at €26.00 EUR each!

The other thing is you probably don't want a full extended bridge. It is excessively out of scale with the ground. We tried it and it looks daft and plays worse. I did a reduced size bridge for it in place. Much better. Will try and get a picture tonight.

You could get away with a bridge on a turret less T 55 and never tell. We have done this. As long as it's reasonable excessive a curacy does not make for a better game.

Yea, I can see that.

I get the scale thing, but undersized bridges would look very odd to me, I suspect.

Perhaps scratchbuilding is the way forward for a generic bridge to be placed, to cross rivers/streams.

I have seen the Roskopf Leopard I AVLB on Ebay….Maybe you could take the scissors bridge from that and adapt it to a resin M-48

Pretty sure S&S have been working on some bridgelayers, and I thought at least one version was for 15mm…

If you're looking for 1/144 scale, have you tried hobbylink Japan?