Airfix Gun Emplacement

1/72nd

I intend the piece to be part of a series of forts for a wargame, the other two pieces being the Coastal Guns and another Gun Emplacement. The scheme is a traditional late-war Atlantic Wall.

There are quite a few changes to the original, so much so that it almost classifies as a heavy conversion rather than an original:

• The entrance is now at ground level so the garrison doesn't have to expose themselves to fire when they enter and exit.
  
• The gun was swapped out for a resin 105mm U-Boat deck gun.
• The searchlight was swapped for a resin example. An etched brass staircase provides access.
• The radio room is now a generator room (with associated flue and exhaust pipes), with scratch-built roof.
• The hexagonal pillbox has been altered to give the sides some sloping, and a couple of observation slits added.
• The underground magazine (I assume that's what it was) has been altered to become an ammunition 'ready room' off the main gun pit.
• The underground magazine s now represented by an external tunnel entrance and an internal blast door off the gun pit. There is a hatch from the emplacement upper works. I am imagining that the actual magazine is reached by a small lift.
• A telephone cable has been run around the trenches and several small telephone boxes added to the walls.
• A few ladders have been added within the trenches.
  
• More sandbags added. You can never have too many sandbags.
• A signal lamp added so that the emplacement can communicate with friendly shipping and interrogate unidentified ships.