Bridge laying tank M48

Bridge laying tank M48
General properties
crew	2 (commander, driver)
length	8.19 m (with bridge: 11.23 m)
width	3.66 m (with bridge: 4.01 m)
height	3.05 m (with bridge: 4.04 m)
Dimensions	44 t (with bridge: 58 t)
Armor and armament
Armor	Front tub 120 mm, front tub side 76 mm, rear tub side 51 mm, rear tub 44 mm, floor 25 mm
Main armament	without
Secondary armament	without
agility
drive	Continental AV-1790-5B, air-cooled 12-cylinder gasoline engine with magneto ignition and 33.49 liters (2045 cubic inches), 821 PS (810 bhp) or 645 kW
suspension	Torsion bar with shock absorbers and truncated cone springs
Top speed	51.5 km / h (reverse 8 km / h)
Power / weight	15.93 hp / t
Range	463 km max.

The armored vehicle launched bridges M48 was (until the introduction of the bridge-laying tank Biber ) composed of American -derived production standard bridge layers of the Bundeswehr . With the pioneers of the US Army it was replaced by the M60A1 AVLB .

Development and description

First troop attempts with a 12-meter bridge on the chassis of the M46 , which had become unusable for battle tanks , began in 1958. Since this variant had proven to be unsatisfactory (the 12-meter bridge was too short and the mileage of the M46 chassis corresponded to it not meeting the requirements), the decision was ultimately made for the chassis of the Kpz M48, which was already in use, with a folding bridge that was eight meters longer. This combination proved to be extremely successful, not least because of the very easy-to-use and low-maintenance bridge hydraulics and also because of the fuel costs, which at that time were irrelevant; The fuel consumption of the vehicle was 500 to 700 liters per 100 km when driving off-road. It was the heaviest and only vehicle of the Bundeswehr that could only be driven with a class F 4 driver's license.

The basis was the armored hull of the M48 with six rollers, three support rollers and a rubber-padded connector chain . The two fuel tanks together held around 1300 liters of gasoline. The vehicle was equipped with a 250 cm³ auxiliary motor, which could also be started manually, for battery charging and heating. (The auxiliary motor allowed the number of batteries to be limited to four). Where the tower was originally located, a plate was placed over the opening and a cupola was attached to the left and right for the driver (left) and the commander . The domes were equipped with so-called cinema blocks (viewing slits with armored glass) and not with corner mirrors . The driver's view to the right in front was blocked by the support frame; as a result, he was completely dependent on the attention and support of his commander when moving vehicles. The tank was not armed.

In 1980 the Ordnance Corps began to try a 31-meter-long bridge (model 80), but this was not realized. The vehicle here was already equipped with a diesel engine.

Permanently laid bridge for driving over exercises

bridge

The almost 20-meter-long folding bridge was laid or lifted with a total of four hydraulic cylinders. One after the other, the erecting cylinder and the laying cylinder as well as the folding cylinder of the bridge were actuated parallel to the lowering and lowering (or picking up and folding in) (the ejecting cylinder was only needed in difficult terrain). After the bridge was laid down, it was unlocked and the two hydraulic connections were automatically disconnected by reversing. A disadvantage compared to the beaver was that when lifting the bridge, a man had to leave the vehicle in order to connect the hydraulic connections. The bridge could be laid up to 19% up and down and with a cross slope of up to 8%. For rail transport and also for transport on the low-loader trailer (15 t), the bridge could be stored completely folded (in the event of a defense, each bridge-layer should have two additional bridges on trailers). The prescribed speed over the bridge was around 4 km / h, but up to 20 km / h was possible in practice; this depended on the experience and skill of the respective driver.

use

In the US Army , four division pioneers were assigned to each battalion and two to each tank battalion. In the Bundeswehr four of them were led in the armored engineer companies of the brigades. The model is still in service with many armies around the world.

In the British army, the Centurion tank was equipped with the laying device of the M-48.

Centurion bridge-laying tank, equipped with the M48 laying device in the HGM in Vienna

Bridge laying tank M48A2 relocates the scissor bridge

Technical specifications

• Ground clearance: 400 mm
• Chain width: 710 mm
• Total weight: 54.3 t
  • Tub: 20 t
  • Motor with gearbox : 6.0 t
  • Engine cover: 2 t
  • Chassis: 2.0 t per side
• Transmission : converter transmission with 2 forward / 1 reverse gear; Turning around the vertical axis is possible
• Fuel consumption on the road: approx. 300–400 liters per 100 km
• Fuel consumption off-road driving: approx. 500–700 liters per 100 km
• Fording depth 1220 mm (2400 mm with special equipment)
• Maximum height of an obstacle to be driven over 914 mm
• Maximum width of a trench to be overcome 2600 mm
• Gradeability: 60%
• bridge
  • Length: 19.2 m (2 × 9.6 m)
  • Width: 4 m
  • Height: 0.9 m
  • Weight: 13,290 kg
  • Usable length (span): 18.3 m
  • Load capacity: MLC 60
• Short bridge
  • Length: 13.1 m (2 × 6.55 m)
  • Width: 4 m
  • Height: 0.9 m
  • Load capacity: MLC 60

See also: M48 (battle tank) .

Web links

Commons : M48 Bridge Laying Armored Vehicle  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Laying process on youtube
• http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/m48patton.html

swell

• FM by Senger and Etterlin : Tanks of the World 1983. Arms and Armor Press, London 1983, ISBN 0-85368-585-1 .
• Tanks and other combat vehicles from 1916 to the present day. Buch und Zeit Verlagsgesellschaft, Cologne 1977.
• Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide
• Panzerbaer
• Technical service regulation (TDv 5420 / 006-12 AA 1)