I'm working on a small diorama that takes place in Normandy. It has 4 12ss soldiers talking to a three man crew of a 12th SS Wesp. I want it either to be located at the edge of the town or in a opening within the town. What I would like to know is if the roads around Buron/Auhtie were covered in ashphalt. Also if they were what would the damge be from succh a small tank.

Thanks Jordan Baker

Jordan

The road through Authie and Buron today is the D220,
but in those days it was GC220=Chemin de grand Commune 220, and the road color was blanc/non existent.

In France the roads have color markings next to the road number-Red for Main roads= Route National-{N.13 Bayeux to Caen}, Yellow for Secondary roads = Chemin Departementaire-{D.15 Ste-Mere Eglise to the coast}and other smaller roads like GC , and IC= Chemin d'Interet Commune(sorry for the '^ marks), VO= Chemin Vicinal Ordinaire and RF= Route Forestiere.

N-.. and D-.. roads where almost certain asfalt they were maintained by either Central Gouvernment or Department (province) other by the Commune - the village etc. all depending on money. so they could be
Cobblestones partly repaired with patches of asfalt.

Even to day , smaller roads are just sprayed with tar and covered with a layer of greyish/pinkish gravel.

Hope it helps
Ron Perry
[email protected]

Just another question. In many of the photos taken at these locations during the war the roads apear to have very hard packed surfaces. Is this just dirt compacted or something else.

Just wondering.

Also would the Wespe do lots of damage to ashphalt.

Jordan Baker

Jordan

Yes the roads are very dusty.

Imagine what happens;
It's June weather is dry,there is a lot of dust, there
is not much trafic on the roads (most, if not all civil transport is on foot or cart and horse- there are no civil cars, there is no fuel) so, not like on
modern roads with a lot of traffic where most debris or dust is blown to the sides, any dust stays there.

Than the military comes with tracked vehicles passing each other, taking the borders with them, turning to tight/to wide and again there is dust, so it is a good idea to make it look dusty but as I said before the road you intend to make (G.C.220) almost certainly is hard faced.

About the damage; The Wespe weights about 11 ton, the ground pressure is 0.76 KG/CM2 (had to look it up)
an avarage person would do about 0.25 KG/CM2 so, apart from some scratches of the tracks on the surface there is no damage from a single vehicle.

The most damage to roads was done by columns of heavy transport at higher speeds.

Regards
Ron Perry
[email protected]

Thanks for your help. I have made up the road as a small cobble stone one. I might then apply some patches of ashphalpt to it if it think it needs some breaking up.

Thanks again

Jordan Baker