The Belgian Leguan replaced twelve ageing M48A2 AVLBs and, with the Pionierpanzer AEV, are the Last of the Breed of Leopards (or any tracked, armoured vehicle) in service in Belgium.
The name Leguan is an adaptation of the German word legen, meaning ‘to lay’. The main task of an AVLB (Assault Vehicle Launch Bridge) is to provide an armoured and/or mechanised combat formation with a fast solution to overcome natural obstacles, or artificial obstacles created by the enemy. This enables an attacking unit to have the element of surprise, not limiting the unit to the available intact civilian road and bridge infra-structure.
This Model Foto Focus takes a thorough look around these fascinating machines.
For the modeller, this is the ultimate walkaround for an accurate model.
For the armour enthusiast, it describes the Belgian version of this rare bridge-layer in great detail, and shows you how it operates.