Help!
Which would be the most suitable AFV Club Churchill AVRE to go with the Resicast SBG Bridge?
I have both the AVRE Mk III and IV.
My thoughts head towards the Mk IV.

Good, thanks and ta.

At first I would have said Mk IV, but it seems that Mk III is a valid option :



(from Panzerserra's blog )

H.P.

Thanks for that info. Appreciated

I wish someone would do a 3D version. I have the US Treadway bridge from Shapeways. They are amazing!

https://www.shapeways.com/product/TT35J4XSY/treadway-bridge-section?optionId=65978617&li=marketplace

The equipment fittings on an AVRE were standardised so any fully converted AVRE (MK III or Mk IV) could be fitted with the full range of AVRE gadgets. (I say fully converted because the AVREs used in Italy did not always have the equipment fittings on the sides of the hull - the kits were shipped out to Italy and existing gun Churchills were converted in base workshops, unlike the UK where they had the luxury of being able to convert the vehicles prior to D-Day).

The Mk IV was definitely the more common variant but there were more Mk IIIs used than many people realise.

Regards,
John

I used the Mk.IV when I built mine, you'll need to load up the hull of the tank with a suitable counterweight to stop it tipping forward onto the bridge, but not so much as it sits flat, they had a noticeable nose down attitude when carrying the bridge and when they stopped for any extended period - or even overnight, they lowered the bridge to the ground.

http://p-two.net/Scale_Models/AVRE/Churchill%20AVRE%20Bridgelayer.html

Yes - it wasn't unknown for the forward bogies to generate so much friction (because they were compressed so much) that they caught fire. The bridges could be towed behind the tanks on single axle bogies for longer trips between locations and there were also plans to try a folding version but I don't know if it was ever tested.

The SBG bridge should be painted white if you are doing one from the D-Day landings - I assume they were white so that they didn't show up as much when sticking up in the air in the landing craft. Later operations in NW Europe appear to have reverted to darker coloured bridges.

Yes Roy the treadway looks good.

John Thanks for the information, most helpful.

And Bernard nice model. If mine turns out half as good I will be more than happy. And yes I knew about the weight in the hull factor.