Arnhem Bridge

Photos of my attempt to produce a terrain board to represent the defence of the northern bridgehead by elements of 1st Parachute Brigade, under Lt Col John Frost.

The overall board is 4' x 3', I have used a ground scale of 1:300, though the intention is to use 10/12mm figures for gaming. This ground scale allows virtually all the buildings held by the paras to be represented.

The Road Layout

This views is looking North, with the Rhine in the foreground.

White lines diagonally across are the position of the bridge ramp, yellow outlines are buildings.

Bridge approach ramp

The bridge approach ramp is very long, the white hill continues for the same length again to reach ground level.

Side on view of ramp + tunnel

A couple of stands of paras to give an idea of scale.

24th March Updates

Looking south, approach ramp shaped and base coated. Bridge ramp scratch built and base coated. River bridge from a HO Faller kit. Some houses added, most are Kestel plastic kits, that may not be used in the end as the roofs are wrong. Most of the Arnhem houses have roofs that slope on all 4 sides and are then flat on top.

View looking east, King Tigers of schwere Panzer Abteilung 506 advance, half-track from Grabner's attack on the bridge ramp.

This seemed to be quite a few houses but there needs to be at least the same number again, especially in the fore ground of this shot, as well as a large factory in the far corner.

Low level view looking west (not the best picture ever). The building near the bridge ramp is a paper model of the 'milk factory' made as close to the real one as I could from aerial photos and maps.

22 April 2007

Not the most productive month.

Various bits and pieces purchased, Pumas, Flak halftracks and towed flak.

Finally finished painting the 1st Battalion of paras, and have started to base the 2nd Battalion, going for a "ruined walls" look for these stands.

 

14th May

Finally got the 2nd Battalion and various guns finished (apart from flocking) photos moved to the British Paras page

31st March 2008

After a rather long hiatus in updating this page I have made some considerable progress behind the scenes. I have also realised that it is now a year that I have been working on this project. Probably rather more off than on.

German Flammpanzers (Char 1 Bis) bought and painted (for Osterbeek rather than Arnhem Bridge)

German 9th SS Aufklarer Abteiling vehicles bought and painted

Various German armour and AA guns bought and painted to represent the units attacking the bridge, including Pz IIIs and Pz IV for KG Meilkie, some Stugs and various 20mm and 37mm AA guns both ground mounts and on half-tracks.

Extra British Paras bought and mainly painted to represent the whole of 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Parachute Batalions, 1st AntiTank Battery, 75mm Howizer Regiment and Recce Squadron. The later two are at full strength as part of the 1st Airborne Division. No photos yet.

I have bought several more houses, but haven't made much progress on painting these.

7th April 2008

Updated photos of the bridge area, mainly so I can check where I am with houses.

Looking south, numbers correspond to the numbers given in the plan of the bridge defense in Middlebrook, I have added a few "a"s to number buildings not used in the plan.

Aerial photo (from other direction) with same numbering on it.

Location
 Unit Building    
1a
 none Kestral?    
1
   GET    
2
 Brigade HQ Hovels 15mm    
3
 2nd Battalion HQ Paper    
4
 Part of Mortar Pltn GET    
5
 RASC Pltn GET    
5a
 Mortuary GET    
7
   GET    
6
   Hovels 15mm    
8
      
9
      
10
   Kestral row of houses, build  
11
   Fieldworks    
12
   GET    
13
 Vickers MMG Kestral town house, to be built, may need second set?    
13a
   GET    
14
   Hornby barn    
15
   Kestral town house These had double dutch style roofs which I am looking to build from paper.  
16
   Kestral town house  
17
 Milk Factory Paper    
17a
   GET small double roofed "shed"  
18
   GET    
19
 Factory Kestral Factory biuld outhouse + chimney  
21
 May be off board GET    
22
   Kestral Farmhouse    
23
   Paper    
24
 RAOC & Signals Kestral row of houses    
25
 HQ Troop RE & Signals Paper (poor)    
26
 School Fieldworks    
27
   GET    
bridge
   Faller    
ramp
   scrarch built from laminate floor board.    
embankment
   foam insulation board    
trees   railway trees (Faller?) Make up  
river bank pallets   Minifigs pallets Finished!  

 

 

View looking from above the factory. Shows bases containing Minifigs pallets to acts as markers to show areas filled with industrial materials that will be impassable to vehicles, but provide cover for infantry.

August 2008

Some photos form a quick solo play test -- more houses and trees added. The houses are starting to have a decent desinity now -- but not particularly dutch so far.

Low level shot looking south towards Arnhem road bridge. British Paras reinforcements assembled to enter the board in the foreground. While others move along the eastern road.

 

Higher level view of the Para advance

 

View looking east to see the 2nd Para Battalion moving up to the bridge.

A later time, when the Germans attempt to advance on the paras inside the various houses covering their approach -- this proved rather uneaven -- lots of close range firing by defenders in buildings against attackers in the open.

I think to be playable the Germans have to be able to enter the board, before getting shot to peices.

To Do List

Scenics

Bridge Ramp/Hill

Buildings

German Forces

British Paras -DONE see here

Market Garden Notes

My notes to complement Court Jester's OMG BKC campaign

Paper House Files

I have put together a paper version of the milk factory, I have used the various photographs and maps to make it realistic. It is scaled for a ground scale of 1/300 and a vertical scale of 1/144 -- with some lea way to make sure the parts are big enough for figure stands.

Milk Factory Walls (jpeg 700kb)

Milk Factory Roof (jpeg 120kb)

West Arnhem Approach Maps

One of my earlier ideas was to look at the West Approach to Arnhem. Here are a couple of composite images from an aerial photo, and overlays from Middlebrook

Small (with grid) (jpeg 268kb)

Large (no grid, some key terrain coloured) (jpeg 1,365kb)

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