Hello everyone,

OK, this is an obscure question, but here it goes. I recently purchased a kit from a company called Fortress 44. The kit includes a concrete bunker armed with a tank turret. The bunker sits next to a segment of railroad track with steel beam barriers blocking the track.

I bought the kit because I thought it looked cool, but my research has failed to give any details. I am assuming the kit represents an authentic, historically correct fortification, but where would this likley have been found: French coastline, protecting U-boat pens? Please give me your thoughts. I want to make a diorama, and like to have at least a little historical backround before I start.

Thanks,

Irish

I would say that you could use it for an old fortification thing. I think the Russians had naval guns in bunkers on the Eastern Front. Also, you could maybe put it at or near the entrance of a railroad yard.

~Chip

Without seeing your kit it's hard to say. The French mounted plenty of turret bunkers as part of their Maginot Line. Lots of the European old school defenses used this type of defense after lessons of WW1.

There may be no information available as many of these bunkers were built with what was on hand and not any standard design

Is this the one?


http://www.kitlink.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ItemId=ff35014

Biggest coincidence I've ever come across if it isn't! :-) :-) Would that be a French tank turret though?

That is classic early French tanks - its a Renault R35.

As stated these types of barricades would/could have streatched all allong the Maginot line. Another option would be a later 'recycling' of the turret of a blown out tank, that could have been anywhere in France.

I'm no expert, but I think this is a German "Tobruk" bunker fitted with a french R35 turret.
Some info on German "Tobruk" bunkers :
http://www.strijdbewijs.nl/hinder/bunkereng.htm

Frenchy

That's interesting Frenchy. I knew the Germans used Panther turrets, didn't realize they also used R35's. That site is very good.

Thanks

You're welcome Scott. After June 1940, the Germans had plenty of readily available french tank turrets they could use for their "architectural program" (R35, R39, H35, H39, FT17.....).
Here's a list of different german bunker variants using tank turrets (not only french ones) :
http://www.atlantikwall.net/components_bauforme.htm
Frenchy

Thanks for all of the replies.

This is indeed the correct kit. I guess I assumed it was a German fortification along the Atlantic Wall with the captured French R35 turret. I never considered that it could be a Maginot line emplacement.

Would the purpose of this fortification to be permanent blockade of the track? The steel beams dont look very mobile.

Thanks again for all of the information.

irish

My guess is that the steel beams can be removed by crane to allow trains to pass and to be closed in times of danger. Just like the tank baricades allong the siegfried line:
http://www.missing-lynx.com/library/german/pztrap_dmourtizsen.html