The Bridge at Remagen - N Gauge Rhine Crossing in 1944.

[Al.]

I've not just been working on the two ship projects. (See The two Royal Navy threads in the scenery section), but I'm also continuing with more detailing on Remagen.

 

Those with a keen eye my have spotted the lurking in the background of the piano pics.

 

This is my scratch build tank transporter trailer and Sdkfz8 half track with a PzIV munition panzer.

 

Once finished, this will form part of a Morser Karl convoy that'll be heading south on the west bank road.

 

 

 

Al.

[Al.]

72 years ago today, on March 17th 1945, the Remagen Bridge finally succumbed to the damage inflicted on it during the previous weeks and collapsed into the Rhine, killing 28 American engineers and injuring 93 others.

 

Dubbed the "Miracle of Remagen," the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge in 7th March 1945 opened the way for Allied troops to drive into the heart of Germany and marked the End Game of the War in Europe.

 

In the first 24 hours, and while engineers from the US 51st and 291st Engineer Battalions battled to repair the damage caused by the demolition charges and battle to seize it, over 8,000 men flooded across the bridge to gain a foot hold on the east back of the Rhine.

 

In the months preceding it’s capture, the bridge had been under continues air attack as Allied tried to destroy every bridge over the Rhine. During the battle to capture the bridge sustained major damage from a failed demolition attempt. And while in Allied hand the German High Command, desperate to destroy the bridge, targeted it with everything at their disposal including jet powered Arado Ar 234 bombers, massive Karl-Gerät 600mm mortars and V-2 ballistic missiles. Final, 10 days after its capture, the bridge could take no more and collapsed.

 

There are no accurate records of the number of tonnage put across the bridge, but during those 10 days 6 Armoured Divisions; totalling over 25,000 men, with tanks, trucks and armour, crossed and established a 25 mile wide bridgehead on the east back of the Rhine. The capture of the Ludendorff Bridge had removed the last obstacle to the Allied advance. Seven weeks later German finally surrendered and the War in Europe was over.

 

To quote an Officer from the US 51st Engineering Battalion. “The real mystery is not why it fell down, but how it ever stood up under the weight of traffic we sent across”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LNER4479]

Interesting to see that in the background of one of those pictures they've set up a pontoon crossing from the town itself.

 

Thanks for posting.

[Al.]

Interesting to see that in the background of one of those pictures they've set up a pontoon crossing from the town itself.

 

Thanks for posting.

I believe they built two pontoon bridge during the 10 days the bridge stood up. Which is why it's collapse had very little impact on the advance on the east back.

 

 

Al.

[PhilJ W]

I remember passing what was left of the bridge when I visited Germany in the 1970's, all that was left was the towers on the east bank. The line that the bridge carried was abandoned after the war and the bridge was never rebuilt.

[lezz01]

I've not just been working on the two ship projects. (See The two Royal Navy threads in the scenery section), but I'm also continuing with more detailing on Remagen.

 

Those with a keen eye my have spotted the lurking in the background of the piano pics.

 

This is my scratch build tank transporter trailer and Sdkfz8 half track with a PzIV munition panzer.

 

Once finished, this will form part of a Morser Karl convoy that'll be heading south on the west bank road.

 

image.jpeg

 

 

Al.

Hi Al.

I thought the Karl series mortar's were transported by rail. They certainly couldn't go very far on their own tracks or very fast either. If you put it on a Zamo and trailer you would have serious clearance and weight issues, not to mention the lack of speed. They had retractable tracks and suspension to get them within loading gauge for movement by rail and even then they were pushing it. Do you have any photo evidence to support them ever being in a road convoy other than from the railhead to their firing position? You need at least local air superiority to move them around in daylight because of the size and speed of the damn things and from 1944 on the Germans just didn't have it any more, not there anyway. They were a WWI weapon really and obsolete by that part of the war. Still I look forward to seeing it all done and painted up. Maybe cammed up along a hedge line off the road waiting for dark would be a better place for it???

Regards Lez.Z.     

[Al.]

Lez.

 

Here you go.

 

[lezz01]

Lez.

 

Here you go.

 

image.jpeg

Hi Al.

Road wheels in the retracted position and slack tracks very nice mate. Did they pull it with one Famo or two like they needed to recover a Tiger?

Regards Lez.Z. 

[Al.]

Not the best photo as its all still very much work in progress.

 

Double headed Sdkfz8's (to be replaced with Sdkfz9's once I get a couple) towing the Morser Karl on a 6 axle trailer.

 

 

The convoy will include the munitionpanzer, a couple of support trucks and escort.

 

 

Al.

[Al.]

I was at Ally Pally model railway show today, and after a brows though the second hand stalls I came across a very nice Fleischmann BR-52 at a good price.

 

 

The DB logo is soon to be removed and a weathering to be applied.

 

 

Al.

[Al.]

Update on the Morser Karl from this morning.

 

 

All base coated and ready for highlighting and weathering.

 

I've still need to build up three motorcycles, a Kubel and a Nag truck to finish the convoy off.

 

 

Al

[Al.]

And this I how they look on the layout.

 

(M/C, kubel and truck borrowed from the bridge garrison.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Al.

[knottyAl]

Wow what a superb layout! Hope you've sorted the tracks at the west side, so running can restart. Thank you for a magnificent creation, and another demonstration of the possibilities of N gauge. My wife and I have really enjoyed watching this grow. Alan

[Al.]

The timber for the new fiddle yard got cut today. Build should start this week and into the long Easter weekend.

 

 

 

Al.

[Al.]

The first of the new fiddle yard boards got built and trial fitted today.

 

Constructed from 12mm ply, it hangs off the back of the back screen as a shelf. At 150mm wide, it'll only hold 4 roads - 2 east, 2 west. But each road will be subdivided into 8 sections 900mm long with the trains stacking up nose to tail.

 

It's quite stable at the moment, but I do have a few concerns about it being lent on during shows. I'll have to see how that goes.

 

 

 

 

 

Al.

[Al.]

Slow but steady progress on the layout. Most of today has been spent clearing junk out of the workshop to clear some space to move the layout about.

 

With the three left hand boards (west bank boards) on the worktop, it's time to get the backscenes fitted to all boards so I can get the new fiddle yard boards positioned.

 

[Al.]

New signs for Remagen arrived today courtesy of Custom Layout Signs.

 

 

Two were ordered which will go at either end of the layout, one beneath the Erpeler Ley and the other beneath the church

 

Both signs look superb. Good quality, good finish. I would certainly recommend them. They don't appear to have a website, but do have a Facebook page. Do give them a look.

 

 

 

 

 

Al.

[Al.]

I started on the second big scenic feature on the layout today - the Apollinaris Church.

 

The actual church sits on the north side of Remagen, west bank, over looking the Rhine. On the layout it'll sit on the far left board to mirror the Erpeler Ley.

 

So far I've it's just the basic structure of the church ground done. I hope to have the retaining walls clad by the end of the weekend, and if progress on the fiddle yard goes to plan I might get it positioned on the layout.

 

 

 

Al.

[bescotbeast]

And this I how they look on the layout.

 

(M/C, kubel and truck borrowed from the bridge garrison.)

 

image.jpeg

 

image.jpeg

 

image.jpeg

 

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Al.

Would something this important and slow, move in daylight hours? By this time Allied aircraft "Jabos", ruled the skies over the Western Front, I was under the impression that the Germans moved trains and road transport at night to counter Allied interdiction.

[Al.]

Would something this important and slow, move in daylight hours? By this time Allied aircraft "Jabos", ruled the skies over the Western Front, I was under the impression that the Germans moved trains and road transport at night to counter Allied interdiction.

I don't disagree with you. By summer of '44 the balance of air power was defiantly in the Allied's favour. However, modelling Remsgen at night wouldn't make a visually interesting layout.

[Al.]

The fiddle yard is coming along.

 

 

This is half of the yard. Four tracks, each split into four sections. All tolled, they'll be 32 track section.

 

The track is in place but still needs fixing, and train detection needs adding.

[Al.]

I've not posted for a while, so here's a couple of pics of the BR-52 with condenser tender at the head of the Messerschmitt train emerging from the Erpeler Ley tunnel.

 

 

 

 

Al.

[Al.]

It's been a busy day on the new fiddle yard board. The first two have been painted, ready for the electrics to be fitted and the back scenes have been strengthened to take the additional weight.

 

Next week I plan to start fitting the train detectors and track section droppers.

 

 

 

 

 

Al.

[glenng]

Frustratingly slow progress on the layout for a number of reasons, notably, lack of time and materials. However I've not been idol. With the little spare time I've had I've been working of the rolling stock. The latest is the 'Heavy Armour Train'.

This will be a BR50 or 52 hauling a short train of flat cars carrying JagdTigers and the mighty Maus tank. The JagdTiger flat cars are completed and once decals added will be weathered. The Maus wagon still need a bit more work, but is getting there.​

 

Remagen181a.jpg

 

Remagen182a.jpg

 

 

Also been working on some of the tanks for the 'Operation Grief Train'. I'm sure most of you have seen the film Battle of the Bulge. During the early stages of the offensive, the Germans use troops and tanks disguised as Americans to deceive the Allied troops - This was Operation Grief.

These are M10 Panther used by the Germans during the Ardennes offensive. Due to the lack of captured armour, they welded steel plates onto a unit of Panther tanks to make them look like American M10 Tank destroyers. Despite initial success, they where quickly found out - probably something to do with them shooting in the wrong direction- and were knocked out. However, they did cause enough confusion among the American lines to result in several friendly-fire incidents.

 

[attachment=686593:Remagen180a.jpg

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Whereabouts did you get the n gauge military vehicles from please?

[Al.]

The Maus and Jagdtiger are from Dragon, the M10 Panthers are Takara