Military Model Scene

A large and impressive new 1/72 kit from Model Collect, who continue to find some interesting subjects for their 1/72 range.  In this case we see a coastal gun position from Norway, the Austratt Fort.  The Germans built it to protect Trondheimsfjord in 1941.  The central element, the subject of this kit, as a tripe 28cm SK C/34 (11in) gun turret taken from the Gneisnau after the ship was damaged in Kiel.   As per the history given within the instruction booklet, this 800 ton turret could fire 730-pound shells up to 24 miles.  This site used Caesar turret, while Bruno was used in a similar emplacement at Sotra, near Bergen and turret Anton was split into three separate barrels which were used at Rozenburg in the Netherlands.  Though it was test fired, it wasn't involved in any engagements during the war.  Post war the Norwegians kept it operational until 1968 and today it, and the underground rooms and ammunition stores are open to the public as a museum.

The kit includes a two part base unit, along with the huge triple gun turret.  Some large plastic mouldings for the base and the turret but nothing difficult to build.  To accompany the large gun emplacement in the kit there are two other elements, a pair of their fine twin mounted 128mm AA guns.  What we see in the kit is the external gun turret and concrete emplacement.  In reality, much of the fort is underground, the ammunition rooms etc.  It is well worth checking out on the web to see more details of the fort as it exists today.

I bought mine via the UK importer, Tiger Hobbies.

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Robin