In Box Review of 1/35th Scale
Verlinden Productions Tobruk Pit
Military Diorama Accessories
Kit no. MDA 35105
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
Copyright 2000
I Paid $12.95 for this kit in the 2000’s.
Kit no. MDA 35105
By Ray Mehlberger
Out of production
Copyright 2000
I Paid $12.95 for this kit in the 2000’s.
HISTORY:
The origin of the term is disputed. It has been widely assumed to be a jocular reference to the perceived similarity of the fortifications to the cylindrical and hexagonal boxes in which medical pills were once sold; also, the first German concrete pillboxes discovered by the Allies in Belgium were so small and light that they were easily tilted or turned upside down by the nearby explosion of even medium (240mm) shells.
However, it seems more likely that it originally alluded to pillar boxes, sometimes called Pits, with a comparison being drawn between the loophole on the pillbox and the letter-slot on the pillar box.
The concrete nature of pillboxes means that they are a feature of prepared positions. Some pillboxes were designed to be prefabricated and transported to their location for assembly. During World War I, Sir Ernest William Moir produced a design for concrete machine-gun pillboxes constructed from a system of interlocking precast concrete blocks, with a steel roof. Around 1500 Moir pillboxes were eventually produced (with blocks cast at Richborough in Kent) and sent to the Western Front in 1918.
Pillboxes are often camouflaged in order to conceal their location and to maximize the element of surprise. They may be part of a trench system, form an interlocking line of defence with other pillboxes by providing covering fire to each other (defence in depth), or they may be placed to guard strategic structures such as bridges and jetties.
The French Maginot Line built between the world wars consisted of a massive bunker and tunnel complex, but as most of it was below ground little could be seen from the ground level. The exception were the concrete blockhouses, gun turrets, pillboxes and cupolas which were placed above ground to allow the garrison of the Maginot line to engage an attacking enemy.
Between the Abyssinian Crisis of 1936 and World War II, the British built about 200 pillboxes on the island of Malta for defence in case of an Italian invasion. Fewer than 100 pillboxes still exist, and most are found on the northeastern part of the island. A few of them have been restored and are cared for, but many others were demolished. Some pillboxes are still being destroyed nowadays as the authorities do not consider them to have any architectural or historic value, despite heritage NGOs calling to preserve them.
About 28,000 pillboxes and other hardened field fortifications were constructed in England in 1940 as part of the British anti-invasion preparations of World War II. About 6,500 of these structures still survive.
Pillboxes for the Czechoslovak border fortifications were built before World War II in Czechoslovakia in defence against a German attack. None of these were actually used against their intended enemy during the German invasion, but some were used against the advancing Soviet armies in 1945. The Japanese also made use of pillboxes in their fortifications of Iwo Jima.
Pillboxes were hard to defeat and required artillery, anti-tank weapons or grenades to overcome.
The term is found in print in The Times on 2 August 1917, following the beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres; and in The Scotsman on 17 September 1917, following the German withdrawal onto the Hindenburg Line. Other unpublished occurrences have been found in war diaries and similar documents of about the same date; and in one instance, as "Pillar Box" and as a “Pit”, as early as March 1916.
Tubruk (sometimes spelled Tubrok) is in North Africa. It was held by the German Afrika Korps in 1941 and went under attack by the British forces.
The origin of the term is disputed. It has been widely assumed to be a jocular reference to the perceived similarity of the fortifications to the cylindrical and hexagonal boxes in which medical pills were once sold; also, the first German concrete pillboxes discovered by the Allies in Belgium were so small and light that they were easily tilted or turned upside down by the nearby explosion of even medium (240mm) shells.
However, it seems more likely that it originally alluded to pillar boxes, sometimes called Pits, with a comparison being drawn between the loophole on the pillbox and the letter-slot on the pillar box.
The concrete nature of pillboxes means that they are a feature of prepared positions. Some pillboxes were designed to be prefabricated and transported to their location for assembly. During World War I, Sir Ernest William Moir produced a design for concrete machine-gun pillboxes constructed from a system of interlocking precast concrete blocks, with a steel roof. Around 1500 Moir pillboxes were eventually produced (with blocks cast at Richborough in Kent) and sent to the Western Front in 1918.
Pillboxes are often camouflaged in order to conceal their location and to maximize the element of surprise. They may be part of a trench system, form an interlocking line of defence with other pillboxes by providing covering fire to each other (defence in depth), or they may be placed to guard strategic structures such as bridges and jetties.
The French Maginot Line built between the world wars consisted of a massive bunker and tunnel complex, but as most of it was below ground little could be seen from the ground level. The exception were the concrete blockhouses, gun turrets, pillboxes and cupolas which were placed above ground to allow the garrison of the Maginot line to engage an attacking enemy.
Between the Abyssinian Crisis of 1936 and World War II, the British built about 200 pillboxes on the island of Malta for defence in case of an Italian invasion. Fewer than 100 pillboxes still exist, and most are found on the northeastern part of the island. A few of them have been restored and are cared for, but many others were demolished. Some pillboxes are still being destroyed nowadays as the authorities do not consider them to have any architectural or historic value, despite heritage NGOs calling to preserve them.
About 28,000 pillboxes and other hardened field fortifications were constructed in England in 1940 as part of the British anti-invasion preparations of World War II. About 6,500 of these structures still survive.
Pillboxes for the Czechoslovak border fortifications were built before World War II in Czechoslovakia in defence against a German attack. None of these were actually used against their intended enemy during the German invasion, but some were used against the advancing Soviet armies in 1945. The Japanese also made use of pillboxes in their fortifications of Iwo Jima.
Pillboxes were hard to defeat and required artillery, anti-tank weapons or grenades to overcome.
The term is found in print in The Times on 2 August 1917, following the beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres; and in The Scotsman on 17 September 1917, following the German withdrawal onto the Hindenburg Line. Other unpublished occurrences have been found in war diaries and similar documents of about the same date; and in one instance, as "Pillar Box" and as a “Pit”, as early as March 1916.
Tubruk (sometimes spelled Tubrok) is in North Africa. It was held by the German Afrika Korps in 1941 and went under attack by the British forces.
THE KIT:
Verlinden Productions is based in Belgium. It is owned by well known modeler Francois Verlinden. His favorite models are dioramas. His company produces accessory items in paper, metal, plaster and photo-etch.
This kit comes in a generic green shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art is a color photograph of the model in a diorama scene, that is glued to the top of the box.
It shows the pit posed in a grass field, with boxes of equipment and spent artillery shells around it. A German soldier is sitting on the roof eating a meal. He wears a field grey uniform and a brightly polished steel helmet. In an open turret ring to his left there is a MG 42 on its bipod mounted. He has a further MG leaning against the wall beside him.
This scene, with the grass around the pit and the field grey uniform does not look like Tubruk North Africa to me, but more European continent. So, the pit can be posed anywhere fighting occurred.
There are photos of 13 variations of pill boxes on the Wikipedia web site to view.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 2 white plaster castings, wrapped in clear bubble-pack and surrounded by puffed styrene beads.
Verlinden Productions is based in Belgium. It is owned by well known modeler Francois Verlinden. His favorite models are dioramas. His company produces accessory items in paper, metal, plaster and photo-etch.
This kit comes in a generic green shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. The box art is a color photograph of the model in a diorama scene, that is glued to the top of the box.
It shows the pit posed in a grass field, with boxes of equipment and spent artillery shells around it. A German soldier is sitting on the roof eating a meal. He wears a field grey uniform and a brightly polished steel helmet. In an open turret ring to his left there is a MG 42 on its bipod mounted. He has a further MG leaning against the wall beside him.
This scene, with the grass around the pit and the field grey uniform does not look like Tubruk North Africa to me, but more European continent. So, the pit can be posed anywhere fighting occurred.
There are photos of 13 variations of pill boxes on the Wikipedia web site to view.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 2 white plaster castings, wrapped in clear bubble-pack and surrounded by puffed styrene beads.
There are no figures, weapons or equipment included. It would have been nice to have had these included in the kit.
The casting is very well done.
Highly recommended.
The casting is very well done.
Highly recommended.