Gino, you've been quiet on the AVLB piece lately. Inquiring minds want to know!

Funny you should ask. I was just about to post an update.

I have been working on some new details that I found after receiving some good images of the bridge sections from Andreas.

I added the hydraulic lines and connectors to the end of the erector head.



On the bridge sections, there are quite a few missing pieces.

Both sections should be identical, with the exception of the piston and its parts used to raise them. The rest of the basic structure is the same though. First is a missing box brace (1), I rebuilt one and added the second missing "X" brace (2), then there should be a box and hydraulic hoses on each piece (3), not just one side as Dragon modeled. Lastly, there is a rod at each pointy end of the bridge (4).



I also added the curved hydraulic hoses between the upper and lower bridge sections out of flexible tubing. Dragon gives you a hard plastic part for these, which will not allow the bridge to move if installed. Lastly, inside the section behind the first brace on the bridge, I extended the hydraulic line back to the second bulkhead with a piece of styrene rod so it wasn't just floating in mid-air. You can just see the white rod in the below shot.



Now each bridge section is identical, which will allow either bridge section to be picked up.

I think it is now ready for paint.

Looking great Gino, really enjoying this build

Thanks James. I have been enjoying it as well.

Excellent work Gino! My M60 project stucks a little bit, because I work parallel on my M93
A1 Fox.

Thanks Andeas. Your pictures were a big help. Keep at it and I'm sure yours will be just as nice.

Excellent work Gino! It bring back memories from the late '70: I was 7 or 8 years old, when parts of the 3rd AD came through my hometown to get into a FTX. A small bridge in the main street wasn't stable for the following M60A1, so they decided to lay a mobile bridge over it. So the first M60AVLB came along after a few minutes and started. After the bridge was errected, the folding mechanism didn't work! After a few curses and engine roaring, the bridge swang back on the tank. Now it took several minutes for the second AVLB to arrive on the scene. With the second one everything worked fine and the column could move on. It was a very interesting Sunday afternoon!

Thanks Mirko. Sounds like a good memory.

I'm recording the detailed insights and anticipate the primer/base coat

Thanks KoSprueOne. Hopefully it will be helpful. Unfortunately, life is getting in the way of finishing this one. Hopefully I will get some paint on it soon.

no hurry, standing by

I finally got some paint on it. It is depicting vehicle 14 from B Co, 10th Engineer BN, 3ID during the initial invasion of Iraq in March '03. It is a PrePo stocks draw vehicle as part of 2 BDE. I used the below picture of a USMC AVLB as a reference.



I was able to find a few other pics of it that showed all the stenciling on the bridge. I created all the decals in PowerPoint and printed them on my home printer using computer decal paper.



I painted it using Testors Model Master Modern Desert Sand (FS33722) in the small spray can. It is a little more yellow than their Sand (FS33531) that I usually use. It looks pretty good and should represent modern CARC Tan/Sand pretty well once weathered.

Here it is so far.






Here is the bridge with all its stenciling.




Next is the tracks and weathering it a bit. Then I will add some gear to it and a couple of figures.

Very well done Gino! Inspirational.

As an aside, when the first style of bridge get replaced/upgraded to add the extra span portions?

Looking good, Gino

Great work Gino!

Nice clean build. The home brew decals look great.

Thanks guys. It is coming together.

Jim, I don't believe the bridge has been lengthened, but it has been strengthened to hold up to 70 tons.

Here is the same bridge section on a first series M48 AVLB (different piston position and mechanism to raise the arm) from 1971.


Here is one from '67 with the same bridge.


Here is one dated '62 in Germany with the same bridge.

The stenciling looks great

Great work Gino ... very interesting build!

cheers
Walter

Looks great Gino!
Just a tip for the bridge, if you really want to have a 70to class bridge, remove the bolt heads and add some plastic sheet (they are located next to the decal "70" marking, the bolts connect the two bridge sections of each scissor bridge halfs) or remove the "70" decals. Because the kit bridge is a 60to class bridge. Check out your Fotos.

Andreas, could you please share two pictures 60t/70t to see the different?
thanks
Tom

OK Gino. Apparently my memories are based on the old Revell AVLB which has a shorter bridge span. 1:40 scale from 1960.

Hello Thomas,
if you compare the kit bridge pictures with those pictures from the real vehicle&class 70 bridge, you can see that the extension (middle part) of the bridge is not bolted together with the ramp section but fixed in place which seem to make the connection stronger enabling the bridge to carry 70to loads. In the kit this connection is bolted with large removable bolts.

Andreas

Thanks guys. It has been a fun build so far. Almost done.

Andreas, good catch. That should be an easy fix. It looks as though the top has a fixed pin and the bottom has a plate. Back to the bench.

great build Gino well done .