A.A.C.V.M.

Marty, SoCal escribió:The top number is the towing vehicle weight, the bottom number is the trailer weight. (in gross tons I think)

Chuck Lutz escribió:Marty has it right.....I also think the bridge plate markings are read this way...
Just a single number is the weight in TONS, rounded up...so a jeep weighing 3125 lbs plus it's rated crew of three guys @ 140 lbs or so...would be rounded up to the nearest TON so it would have a "2" on it,,,indicating max load at two tons....or 4,000 lbs.

With a number over a number, the BOTTOM number is the vehicle without a trailer....so again a "2" for your MB/GPW would be correct. The 1/4 ton trailer weighs in at 500 lbs +/- and the GROSS weight when loaded at 1,050 lbs....so a jeep with a bridge rating of "2" that is towing a trailer that weighs 1,050 behind it would have a "3" above the "2".

The trailer would follow the same rule, it weighs 1,050 so it is rounded up to the nearest TON and is thereby rated a "1".....

This is demonstrated by the trailer seen above with the bridge plate having a "0" over a "1"....which translates to..."the weight of the towing vehicle is unknown, but the vehicle this plate is attached to has a rating of "1" (one ton)"

So you can put a "2" on your jeep bridge plate or you can put a "3" over a "2" if you want to tow a trailer...the bridge plate then reads..."this vehicle is rated a "2" and if it is towing a trailer, it is rated a "3"..."

Now...did every US outfit do this? No, but I think a lot of them that were used in the UK prior to D-Day might very well have used them and certainly after D-Day, the Engineers and the MPs on bridge duty would want to know what every transiting vehicle weighed....damaged bridges, Bailey bridges and pontoon bridges come to mind.