Picture shows the bridgelayer or Bruckenleger for the German army.
As early as 1939 the commander of the armed forces asked the Heers procurement office to build a bridgelayer to be used by the armored engineerbatallions of the panzerdivisions.
Initially 50 vehicles were ordered.
6 vehicles (ausf C) had allready been chosen to be used for this new role.
In january 1940 the COC of the Heer asked to have at least 12 vehicles to be ready for use at the end of march that year.
Magirus and Krupp would provide the first vehicles.
Each panzerdivision would receive 3 vehicles.
By the end of april 20 vehicles were build, 30 were under contract.
1st to 5th panzerdivisions which allready had a 3 company strong engineer batallion were earmarked for delivery of the tanks.
The crews of these divisions received training, the other divisions (6th to 10th ) had to wait for the other vehicles to be ready.
The first prototype saw action during at an exhibition at Klausdorf.
An additional order of 60 vehicles was placed but only a month later high command canceled the order.
All existing vehicles were to be rebuild to tanks due to the shortage of PZ iVs.
