1:35 Bruckenleger auf pz.Kpfw. II ausf D1

Bridgelayer tank on the Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. D1 chassis 1:35 — Bronco

An injection-molded plastic kit of the German bridgelayer tank on the chassis of the Panzer II in the Ausf. D1 version in 1:35 scale from Bronco. The vehicle carried a folding bridge with which the engineers spanned a ditch or a ruined culvert, so that a whole unit could drive across it.

The real subject

Unlike the usual versions, the Panzer II in the Ausf. D version had running gear with five large wheels on torsion bars, because it was designed for a rapid advance with cavalry units. It was precisely this chassis that was then used for several conversions. The bridgelayer version carried a frame with a folding bridge in place of the turret; only a tiny number of vehicles came about and they were used at the beginning of the war. For the modeler it is a very unusual subject, because engineer machines of this kind are hardly ever made by model manufacturers.

Building and painting tips

The frame with the bridge is a large and conspicuous assembly, so check how it seats dry before you glue anything, and decide whether you will build the bridge folded or extended. Finish and paint the interior of the hull and the running gear before you close the hull up. Assemble the running gear with its five large wheels carefully and check that both sides are at the same height. Early German vehicles carried a dark gray color without camouflage, which takes a more pronounced accenting of the edges with a drybrush; the wooden parts of the bridge, if there are any, will come to life with a wash.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of German engineer hardware
• Modelers looking for an exceptionally unusual subject
• More advanced builders, because of the seating of the bridge
• Builders of dioramas with the crossing of obstacles

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.