The MF&FMLR model railway project: The Mucking Battery or Fort Bean (Part 2)

Whilst the PVA glue used to construct the pivots was drying, I began work on the guns and mountings. Luckily, I had two old resin kits of Italian Cannone da 149/35 A that I was able to use as a basis for my guns.

The real gun was slightly less than six-inches in calibre but was close enough for my needs. I cut the existing trail down to length and cleaned up the resin castings. To these I added two small 1-inch nails and two small circles of plywood and drilled small holes through the centre of the latter.

I then drilled a small hole at the breech end of the gun trails ...

... and using Araldite epoxy resin glue, I glue the nails through the trails.

(These nails were intended to act as pins around which the guns would be able to pivot once they were in position in the completed battery/fort.)

Once the epoxy resin glue had cured, I reinforced the join with small pieces of basswood that were glued in place with Superglue.

I then glued the barrels of the guns in place using Superglue.

I then used Superglue to glue a circle of plywood under each gun's trail, with the nail going through the centre of the circle of plywood.

Once I was sure that the Superglue was dry, I offered up the completed guns and mountings to the pivot points.