Folding swimming bridge

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Folding swimming bridge of the Bundeswehr 1983/84. PiBtl. 5 / 220L
FSB segments in ferry operations across the Danube

The folding swimming bridge is a large military device in pontoon design that was used by the pioneer troops of the German armed forces in the 1970s and 1980s . With it, bodies of water up to 140 meters could be bridged, wider bodies of water could be crossed in ferry operation. The system was used by several NATO partners (e.g. the USA and the Netherlands ). The individual segments were standardized so that they could be combined as desired and also transported on different so-called "bridge transporters" of the respective alliance partners. The load-bearing capacity of the bridge was MLC 70 (63.5 tons), which was more than the weight of the common Leopard versions and other NATO main battle tanks.

development

In the 1960s, the Soviet Army developed a completely new concept for the pioneer bridge: the "Ponton Park PMP". A fully pre-assembled, foldable bridge segment consisting of several steel cells, which was transported by truck to the direct location (bank) and brought together by motor boats. During the Six Day War in 1967, the Israeli forces captured parts of this new system that the Soviet Union had delivered to Egypt. The pontoons were handed over to the USA for investigation. On this basis, but using significantly lighter aluminum and simplifying technical handling, the US Army constructed the "Ribbon Bridge System" from around 1969, which went into series production in 1973 and was sold to the US Army and the Marine Corps was issued. German license production of the system started in 1978 at Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern (EWK) , followed by its introduction to the troops. At the same time, the Schottel shipyard developed the “M-Boat (small)” for the FSB system, which replaced the (less manoeuvrable) boat previously used for the hollow-plate bridge. From the mid-1980s this boat was again replaced by the "M-Boot 3". This type had improved shallow water communities and no longer needed its own trailer for transport, but could be loaded onto a bridge transporter. The bridge system itself was replaced by the "FSB II" system from the 2000s.

description

The units using the device (so-called "bridge trains") were mostly integrated into the 5th companies (technical units or PiMasch units) of pioneer battalions . The STAN- like scope of an FSB train was: 18 middle and 8 ramp sections, 12 M-boats (until 1984 "small", afterwards "M3"), 26 bridge transporters ( MAN LKW 7 t mil gl ) and 12 trailers (for the transport of M-boats). This stock was sufficient to be able to build two transfer ferries MLC 60 (54.4 tons) and a 140 m long bridge.

The inner sections were 6.70 meters long and 8.12 meters wide. The weight was 5.4 tons. The ramp sections were 5.60 meters long, plus two 2-meter-long foldable ramp sections that could compensate for height differences on the bank. The width of the carriageway was approx. 4.10 meters. The outer segments could not be driven on, but could be used as a footpath.

In general, it can be said: In contrast to the hollow slab system used previously (or at the beginning still in parallel), the FSB system represented a considerable improvement in the logistical, personnel and time sectors. In contrast to the FSB bridge, the hollow slab required extensive accessories and required a high level of personnel commitment: four pioneer trains (hollow plate ) against one train (FSB). The new FSB system shortened the time to build a bridge over a 100 to 130 meter wide body of water from 3–4 hours with the hollow slab to 15 to 20 minutes (with M-boats already launched).

The process of building a bridge

In advance of the bridge section, consisting of several bridge groups, and a ferrying group is in a near-shore as possible available space situated. From there, the individual parts of the train (staggered according to their deployment) advance to the bank. First the M-boats are brought into the water, which are normally manned by 3 men (drivers, so-called "jumpers" and "drummers"). On the first boats there are additional crews (coupling troops) who later connect the individual sections with one another. Since the FSB is a system that primarily bridges rivers, i.e. flowing waters, several boats remain connected to the bridge being created while the bridge is being built (in order to secure it against the current), while others detach to move further sections bring.

At about the same time the anchoring team is brought to the other bank in small assault boats by the transfer group. Then the trucks pull up to the bridge with the individual sections. The sections are unlashed, unlocked and then lowered into the water, where they unfold on their own. The waiting M-boats each take on a section: the driver maneuvers the boat as close as possible to the push rods on the bow so that the soldier (“jumper”) in front can get onto the section. On the section he covers the two cleats with the steel cables prepared on the boat, which are lashed on the boat by the "drummer" with the help of winches (which look like drums) , then he locks the section to prevent it from accidentally collapsing to secure (by the flow pressure). First, several inner sections are floated together and coupled, then the ramp section is attached to each of the shore ends. These two segments are then maneuvered (“floated”) to the opposite “bridge points” and anchored there by the anchoring team using pegs and pulleys . Now the gap between the two “bridge points” (from this point onwards, so called militarily) will be filled with further inner sections. Finally, the last inner section is "floated" into the bridge and coupled. The corrections necessary for the final "bridge" are made using the pulley blocks located on the bank.

gallery

  • Recording of an interior section by M-boat. Ramp section and partial ferry in the background

  • Lashing an interior section while it is being floated to the ferry

  • Return of an interior section to the truck

  • Bridge train prepares to march

  • Loaded interior section

  • The M-Boot 3 on a trailer, introduced in the mid-80s

  • The Soviet / Russian original version "PMP" (Hungarian Army IFOR 1996)

Web links

Links (films):

Commons : Improved Ribbon Bridge  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "Bundeswehr Classix" on YouTube Info film of the Bundeswehr on the introduction of the FSB. Quote at (1:42)
  2. ^ "Bundeswehr Classix" on YouTube Info film of the Bundeswehr on the introduction of the FSB. Quote at (2:25)
  3. ↑ pioniertechnik.de / PMP bridge. Accessed December 1, 2019 .
  4. ↑ pioniertechnik.de / PMP bridge. Retrieved December 7, 2019 .
  5. ↑ pioniertechnik.de / Ribbon Bridge. Accessed December 1, 2019 .
  6. ^ "Bundeswehr Classix" on YouTube Info film of the Bundeswehr on the introduction of the FSB. Quote at (2:05)
  7. ^ "Bundeswehr Classix" on YouTube Info film of the Bundeswehr on the introduction of the FSB. Quote at (0:10)
  8. ↑ "Visit to the Pioneers 2012" on YouTube Documentation of various possibilities for pioneers to cross a river by BW pioneers. Quote at (17:20)
  9. ↑ pioniertechnik.de / Faltschwimmbrücke. Accessed December 1, 2019 .
  10. ^ "Bundeswehr Classix" on YouTube Info film of the Bundeswehr on the introduction of the FSB. Quote at (1:41)
  11. ↑ panzerbaer.de / information on the folding swimming bridge (drawing from the TDV / Bw). Accessed December 1, 2019 .
  12. ↑ "Pioneer Battalion 2, 15 months in Hann. Münden, episode 3 “on YouTube Amateur documentary (participating soldier) about the construction of the hollow plate. Quote at (1:25)
  13. ↑ "army training film V0132" Engineering machinery exhibition "Part C: About setting means and bridge devices" on YouTube Events Video Bundeswehr on construction of the hollow plate. Quote at (19:07)
  14. ↑ "army training film V0132" Engineering machinery exhibition "Part C: About setting means and bridge devices" on YouTube Events Video Bundeswehr on construction of the hollow plate. Quote at (19:10)