Can anyone point me in the direction of a 1/35th bridge (European theater) that would be suitable for armor traveling across? I've looked at Miniart, but as I am new to this, I don't think that one is for me. Thanks in advance.

Like this?

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/115245-bronco-cb35012-wwii-allied-bailey-bridge-type-m2

Scroll down for other types.

Mike,

Not to sound like an smarta$$, but have you tried googling 1/35 bridge?

I came up with some hits, but there was also a lot of images of 1/35 scale bridges. Some were from Verlinden, which OOB now, but should be available on ebay.

There's a few options out there. What kind of bridge? Stone, wood, steel.....

Steve

Thanks Tony for the link.

Steve--thanks for the tip. I did a Google search and found the Bronco kit that Tony referenced and a few others that were really expensive and perhaps out of my skill level. I should have included that information in my original post. Anyway, the bridge can be of any material (stone, brick, steel, etc). Thanks again.

Hi Mike,

Here are some options. Based in the UK though, which may make shipping to the US a little pricey.

http://www.greatnorthroads.co.uk/product-category/bridges/

/Sven

Have you considered building your own?

I know this bridge has already been mentioned but while you are Googling anyway, Google "Bailey Bridge". You should find a huge-mongus selection of wartime application images.

Also the beauty of the Bronco model (and the real bridge) is that it can be assembled in so many different ways and multiple kits can be combined.

If you are really energetic, you can build a demolished bridge in the background as the reason for the Bailey.

Still manufactured today and used the world over.



I was fortunate to have driven over one here in Kentucky about ten years ago. It was being used by the highway department as a temporary bridge (otherwise called a shoo fly) while a rural road bridge was being replaced.

One more note on Bailey Bridges. You will be tempted to stretch you bridge supplies to their limits. However you must stay aware that (for instance) a ten section (ten frames long) single frame bridge IS NOT going to hold a Sherman.

You are going to need at least a double frame, (two bridge sections side-by-side on each side) or a double double, (two frames side-by-side and another one or two frames in a second row above the first.)



In another words you need to adjust your bridge equipment for the length of the span and the load you expect to carry.

p.s. You might want to remember - the construction engineers often used a center pier or column to increase the carrying capacity of their bridges. You could use an existing masonry pier that was left standing from the old bridge, or a stack of logs or steel I-beams built up like a narrow log cabin under the center of the bridge.

Adding a center pier can allow you to build an overall lighter weight bridge that calls for less of that expensive Bronco Bailey equipment.

Relative easy to build :

http://www.phoenix-models.com/product/showproduct.php?lang=en&id=141

&

http://www.phoenix-models.com/product/showproduct.php?lang=en&id=142

You can combine the above kits and make a bigger or damaged bridge

Or more modern (you haven't specified the time period)

http://www.phoenix-models.com/product/showproduct.php?lang=en&id=152

HTH,

Sam.

Since you mentioned European theater this could be stretching the bounds of credulity a bit, but one option might be to pick up an ICM IT-28 Bridgelayer kit on the cheap on e-bay and simply cannibalize the bridge from it.

Some will say a Russion bridge would never be seen in the European theater, but my experience is that every time someone on this forum states that such-and-such a thing never happened or never existed, someone else will immediately post a photo of that very same thing...

Good luck!

Hi Mike,
I've got this bridge from Verlinden if you would be interested.


Jesse

plus models has a nice one but its expe$$$ive $100.40 usd !!

I would also suggest doing some research in the model railroad section of your LHS. I know Kalmbach Books publishes an A4 sized paperback covering nothing but bridges and trestles.

Then too, smaller scale plastic RR bridges can often be repurposed with some judicious cutting to serve the larger scales.

Woodland Scenics makes a number of large and small arched stone railroad tunnel entrances that when doubled up make for very good stone arch bridges such as the one used at the end of "Saving Private Ryan".

Sorry these suggestions were not forthcoming sooner.

WIP and not the best photo - Here is an example of an old HO Atlas Deck Truss bridge salvaged from the scrap box. Now reworked into a skewed Thru Truss bridge in S Gauge. Underpinnings built from bass wood. I think it will end up working nicely.

Something like this ?

Exactly what I was thinking. Use WS tunnel entrances to form the archway in the bridge. Tried to find a photo to illustrate the concept but could not.

___________________________________________


The above pictured bridge would be built of brick or stone with the upper two-thirds covered with stucco for a smoother, more finished structure.

Bailey Bridges were totally modular and the panels were combined in different ways to get the desired load rating. The genius of the Bailey Bridge is that no part was more than a two man lift and it could be built on the near bank and pushed across the gap on rollers as the bays were built. I built more than a few of them and yoou'd be surprised how fast a reasonably well trained Engineer platoon can build one.

That bridge looks like it's still sitting on the launching rollers. Perhaps that's because it's temporary, but that would reduce the capacity of the bridge. Usually they were jacked off the launching rollers and sat on either permanent or improvised abutments.

Bastion 35 do a couple of wooden trestle-type bridges, which I think were reviewed on here some time ago; I can't seem to pin them down at the moment.

Stone arch bridge employing six Woodlland Scenics, 2 track HO tunnel portals:

Please pardon my limited drawing ability. This bridge should in reality support either a Sherman or Tiger tank. The bridge could be built as either a single or two lane structure. Want a shorter bridge? You would need only two or four tunnel portals then.




Build the roadway out of cardboard, foam core, plastic or thin plywood. Fill in the undersides of the archways with curved paper or plastic sheet.

Sadly the Bronco Baileys are full of inaccuracies and lack some of the essential bits for a decent representation. For a start they are both the wider M2s which weren't used WW2. Worse, the panel dimensions are incorrect.

Mike,

An excellent idea. I was thinking something similar.
And the drawing looks great too...

That is unfortunate. I did not know this. I previously WAS simply glad to have a source for the Bailey Bridge equipment, not knowing there were war time and post war differences. Also, always thought the Baileys components should be sold/marketed in packs of x number of panels so that any size bridge could be built.