Gordon's Fort Khartoum from Airfix Fort Sahara
Dated: October 16, 2008.
A very easy conversion using all stock parts. The 1980's-1990's re-issue of this blockhouse is made from a softer hard-plastic. I only used a paper cutter/X-acto knife to cut the walls, top of tower, and put an entrance and small window in the back/bottom of the tower under the stairs to match the barracks facade. If you have an extra set of doors, then cut off the hooks and glue them to the back of the final doors. You get nice, thick, double-sided doors that feel realistic.
The architecture is consistent with local buildings in The Sudan, as well as the movie "Khartoum." Gordon Pasha's relief column is in the picture (HaT's new Camelry), but there is no one in the blockhouse ... I'm waiting for HaT to make some nice Egyptian Infantry to garrison the fort.
For HaT fans and skeptics of this kits usefulness due to it's small size, see "Uniforms Illustrated No. 21, Victorian Colonial Wars" p. 31. Many blockhouses very similar in design and the same size to the stock kit were used to protect caravans through Khyber Pass. You'll be able to garrison this blockhouse with HaT's new Colonial Indian Infantry due out this year. And in The Sudan, the Egyptians had many smaller fortresses to guard both sides of the Nile River.
Garrison Clay
USA
Many thanks to Mr. Clay.