135
Tuesday, December 12, 2017 - 01:03 PM UTC
Dragon's M48 family comes the most ambitious version yet – a fantastic model of an M48 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB)
Hulls from M48 tanks were converted into AVLB's in the 1950's. Turrets were removed and a scissors-type bridge of 60-ton military load classification (MLC 60) was installed atop the hull, so it could be lowered over any gap up to 18m wide that needed to be crossed by other vehicles.

Hydraulic cylinders raised the 14.65-ton bridge from the hull, lowered it to the ground and then unfurled it, a process that took just 2-5 minutes.

The M48 AVLB weighed 57,470kg and measured 11.3m long with the bridge stowed.

This 1/35 scale kit is impressive in terms of its bulk, let alone the level of intricate detail inherent in such a vehicle and the MLC 60 bridge.

This stunning kit makes use of Dragon’s previously released M48 tank releases. However, the massive scissors bridge is totally new from Dragon, making it the first such AVLB to become available in plastic.

To make it all the more attractive to modelers, the bridge can be stowed in stowed mode, fully launched or in any intermediate configuration. Such versatility means modelers can place the model in any kind of diorama.
Click Star to Rate
5 readers have rated this story.
Get a daily email with links to all our latest news, reviews, and features.

Comments

I'd LOVE to see Dragon or Trumpy do an M1 based AVLB. I'd go sell a couple pints of blood for that!
DEC 12, 2017 - 07:28 PM
Fond High School memories of building the old Revell kit though an odd scale by today's standards. Have had hopes of seeing a CORRECT bridger in 1/35th for sometime now. Not sure it is here yet but we can only hope.
DEC 12, 2017 - 07:43 PM
My bet would be on Rye Field Models doing an M104 based on them doing the excellent Abrams-based M1150 ABV. Fingers crossed.
DEC 12, 2017 - 07:48 PM
Hoping that AFV Club will take a stab at an AVLB but in the interim I'll settle for this.
DEC 12, 2017 - 08:08 PM
That might be a realistic option considering AFV Club's M60 releases combined with their parallel company Hobby Fan and their previous release of a full resin M48A5 AVLB. If the masters from the Hobby Fan M48A5 AVLB could be re-tooled for injection molding and modified for an M60 hull an AFV Club produced M60 AVLB might be a viable and marketable kit option.
DEC 13, 2017 - 12:31 AM
Agree - I am also skeptical... Inaccuracy at high price is what I am afraid of- Dragon has been putting out turds recently - especially with black plagues even though this one is in the "Smart" kit group. There probably won't be improvements over the CADs most likely.
DEC 13, 2017 - 01:45 AM
Looks like another fine addition to the stash...
DEC 13, 2017 - 09:13 AM
Hopefully a kit like this will get Takom looking at a Chieftain AVLB!
DEC 15, 2017 - 12:53 PM
Wow, that's something unusual, will be fun to build one
DEC 16, 2017 - 04:35 AM
THIS STORY HAS BEEN READ 11,059 TIMES.
ADVERTISEMENT

Photos
Click image to enlarge
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
  • move
Dragon Models ReviewsMORE
Panzer IV Ausf G. In-Box Review
by Cody K
Bergepanther mit Aufgesetztem Built Review
by Andrew Jerome
IJA Type 97 In-Box Review
by Russ Amott
M3 Halftrack Built Review
by Pete Becerra | of 2 ratings, 100% found this helpful
Sd.Kfz 251/1D Built Review
by Jesse
IDF Magach 3 w/ ERA In-Box Review
by Sebastian Schoof
StuG.III Ausf.F Built Review
by Matthew Lenton
M67A2 In-Box Review
by Federico Collada
King Tiger with Zimmerit 1/35t Built Review
by Karl Flavell
Sdkfz 250/4 mit zwilling MG34 In-Box Review
by Karl Flavell
M752 LANCE Missile Launcher In-Box Review
by Jon Arnold
Sd.Kfz 250/7 In-Box Review
by DJ Judge
T54E1 Build In-Box Review
by Shawn | of 1 ratings, 100% found this helpful
Vollkettenaufklärer 38(t) Built Review
by Talal Mashtoub
Jagdpanzer IV A-0 Built Review
by Adam Mann

ADVERTISEMENT