Maunsell fort

[invisible officer]

A quick and a bit crude fast project.

I wanted a coastal battery, but not the usual on shore that would hardly get a S-Boot in gun range . So a Maunsell Fort was the logical choice. One of the four naval ones.

The two supporting towers were divided into seven floors, four for crew quarters, the others for generators, and for fresh water tanks and antiaircraft munitions and storage. On these towers rested the gun deck that also carried the Bofors deck.
At one end a framework was added to allow entry from sea level. A crane was added to transport stuff.

One of the four is credited with the destruction of a Schnellboot. Tongue Sands Fort, near Margate, sighted in the night from 22nd to 23rd January 1945 many radar echoes.
The fort opened fire with the 3,7” guns. To avoid getting hit in the dark night S 199 changed course and collided with S 701. It was badly damaged so the crew scuttled it.

It was rare for coastal artillery to sink a S-Boot. S 34 was hit by those at La Laletta entry 30.4.40. The abandoned wreck was sunk by a German plane next day.

My fort is made from trash. The cores from paper rolls (from …) , cardboard from chocolate boxes, the gun barrels made from plastic sprues (drawn over a candle). Even the base is made from two pieces of wood left over.

The gun deck does not look right. I used the measurements from a great looking plan. But later I found out that the ratio between the Bofors gun deck and main deck was slightly wrong. So the fort looks longer. Or the 3,7” to small.

Well, it’s a toy.

“She” gave it a look and grin. And said that last time she used such a roll for handicraft was in Kindergarten. Women can be soooo cruel.

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[Paul G. Overend]

Great work as usual IO!

[Charge The Guns]

An interesting design that seems quite modern; puts me in mind of many of the current North Sea oil platforms.

The camo patterns looks great. It will be a an interesting piece of terrain, or even an objective for games, I expect.

[Richard]

The Principality of Sealand!

[elcee]

An interesting design that seems quite modern; puts me in mind of many of the current North Sea oil platforms.

Well it is similar, the Pillars were mounted on a pontoon and were towed to their designated position, where they were “sunk”. The “normal” oil platform is often build on pontoons as well, though its a semi-submersible platform and is not in direct contact with the ground.

[Gareth]

Had to look this up on google images as I was only aware of the four legged version of these things. You learn something new every day and very well done sir.

[invisible officer]

Thank you all.

Yes, a very modern design. The Tongue Sands Fort`s Ponton did not land smooth so the fort started to break fast post WW II.

Old farts like me remember the pirate Radio from the forts. Outside 3 mile Zone. Well, today international standard is 10 and so all the forts are within British sea legal borders. Including “Seeland”.

[Author]

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