M48A5 AVLB
Planning out the hydraulic lines under the bridge decking.
Planning out the bridge section arrangement and hydraulic lines at the end section.
Templates to cut the kits styrene sheets
Templates next to the kits parts. Rather bland aren't they?
Templates and the revised kit parts
placing the revised braces, leaving the second side of the bridge off for painting.
placing the revised braces, leaving the second side of the bridge off for painting.
placing the revised braces, leaving the second side of the bridge off for painting.
Bridge sections with corrected panels and hydraulic lines installed.
Bridge sections with corrected panels and hydraulic lines installed.
Bridge hydraulic assembly completed and waiting for install in bridge substructure.
Bridge sections with corrected panels and hydraulic lines installed.
Bridge section nearly completed and labeled. Sub structure to be painted before final assembly.
Bridge section nearly completed and labeled. Sub structure to be painted before final assembly.
Bridge hydraulic assembly completed and waiting for install in bridge substructure.
Bridge hydraulic assembly completed and waiting for install in bridge substructure.
Close up of the hydraulic line & fittings
Close up of the hydraulic line & fittings
Close up of the hydraulic line & fittings
Close up of the hydraulic line & fittings
Close up of the hydraulic line & fittings
Close up of the flange
Thinking through the camouflage layout and scale
base coat done along with the brown. Some splatter that will disappear later.
base coat done along with the brown. Some splatter that will disappear later.
base coat done along with the brown. Some splatter that will disappear later.
Panzer Putty is a great masking tool. Time for the faded NATO Black.
Replacing the kits rubber track with workable T142 link from LO Models. Found them on eBay for $6. Never heard of LO Models before.
Simple instructions.
Decent detail on the individual links. Pin holes needs addressing.
Decent detail on the individual links. Pin holes needs addressing.
Pin holes are significant - must fill them in
Pad and connectors are acceptable
Mr. Surfacer 500 to the rescue
Mr. Surfacer 500 to the rescue - all filled in to dry and sand
all done.
Bridge camouflage base coat done. Time to add a filter
Bridge camouflage base coat done. Time to add a filter
Bridge camouflage base coat done. Time to add a filter
Launcher painted, weather and detail to follow
Launcher hydraulic lines need accent painting to bring them out
Launcher hydraulic lines need accent painting to bring them out
Launcher needs grease and hinge pivot wear marks from constant use
Filter applied - compare before and after
A ground view, looking up from under the bridge in the "A" position.
weighting down the hull with lead.
an early concept look before finishing the hull
connecting the upper and lower hull together
smoothing out the mold seam lines
road wheels completed. weathering to follow
weighting down the bridge sections while the glue dries with a bean filled stocking.
initial weather on the upper hull
initial weather on the upper hull
weathering the hull underside
test fitting the track and drive sprocket
tracks installed
Bridge and Launcher assembly test fitted to hull.
AVLB mounted to the base
AVLB sitting aside a desert road
Figures placed for concept
Driver taking a break
figures test fit
I think he sees a hydraulic leak.
AVLB fixed to base, waiting on figures, stowage and tools.
I found the hydraulic leak!
Hozzászólások
14 18 March 2020, 20:35
Marcus JAwesome project and nice build, mate. 👍 Where did you get the detailed info for the inside parts of the Bridge from?
19 March 2020, 17:05
Brian EberleI found some walk around photographs as a starting point, then I went the technical manual for both the bridge and the launcher & chassis. Very good resources. I also have some first hand experience with combat engineer vehicles that helped to know what wasn't correct. Research gave me the missing details.
19 March 2020, 18:42
Brian EberleTM 5-5420-202-10 LAUNCHER, M48A5 TANK CHASSIS
NSN 5420-01-076-6096 (EIC: ARE)
19 March 2020, 18:45
Brian EberleTM 5-5420-203-14 BRIDGE, ARMORED-VEHICLE LAUNCHED:
SCISSORING TYPE CLASS 60 & CLASS 70, ALUMINUM, 60 FOOT SPAN
19 March 2020, 18:46
Brian EberlePrime Portal has been a great resource for many of my builds. There are multiple AVLB walk-around photo essays of AVLBs and many other vehicles found here. primeportal.net/the_battlefield_armor.htm
19 March 2020, 18:49
Brian Eberle70 is the military load class (MLC) of the bridge. How much weight it can support. Measured in short tons (2,000lbs per ton). 140,000lbs. This bridge was recently upgraded (reinforced bracing) from MLC 60 - thus the newer color on the 70.
15 May 2020, 11:05
Brian EberleThe latest set of pictures are now up. Finished the figures and stowage. A few final items to do and then a little light dusting. Building a custom acrylic case top for this. An unusual set of dimensions. The figures were challenging - faces in 1/35 scale is not a strength of mine. Scratchbuilt the camouflage system net and pole bags. After market lifts don't make these correctly.
27 May 2020, 20:48
Michael KohlThere are too little bridge layers around here! Great to see yours. Good tank, great bridge.
15 March 2023, 09:50
bossy122That's Sgt. Hynemann telling Pvt. Savage, "Well, there's your problem". Nice!
16 March 2023, 08:30
Album info
This build is an M48A5 chassis AVLB during the 1991 Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) with the M48A5 chassis painted in U.S. Army San, and the bridge painted in Woodland camouflage (or an earlier green camouflage pattern).
Update- the bridge and launcher are done. Moving forward on the M48A5 chassis.
The build starts with the launcher and then the bridge sections. Each of these sections is almost a kit in itself. Since I want to display the bridge in the "A" position (almost vertical), I am spending significant time working on scratch building the hydraulics for launcher and the bridge sub structure, plus correcting the solid support panels under the bridge. The kits part are solid sheets of styrene whereas the real thing has either triangular cut outs or "L" shaped cross plating to reduce weight and retain strength.
