Marx Battleground and Training Center Playset Pieces - Marx Exploding Machine Gun Nest REDUX

Just a little over a month ago I posted one of these exploding machine gun nests, but it was missing the metal trigger and the plastic pieces were mis-matched colors. (SIDE NOTE: Even though these are referred to as 'machine gun nests' they were also included in Blue & Gray sets as a "bunker that actually explodes").  The cobbled together piece previously posted was an expedient way of trying to get as complete a piece as I could back in the day. The last time I was actively trying to search for and buy one of these many years ago, the bloody things were going for well over $200-$300 per! Fortunately, I was able to acquire one recently for far less than that, but was still a bit pricey at just under $100. The trigger's and spring loaded firing mechanism's tend to get lost, and the plastic pieces are often broken from use, so finding an intact assembly can be a bear. And no, I did not try to test this! Why? Plastics get brittle and are easily broken and I'm not chancing breaking this!!!

Ed

The trigger is inserted into the base at a 90° angle, then twisted around and locked into place

Metal Trigger

Marx Battleground and Training Center Playset Pieces - Pillbox / Bunker

In the Sears Christmas Wishbook for 1958, Marx referred to this as a 'pillbox', which is correct. Others call this a bunker, which can also be correct. I found this definition on the Internet:

Pillboxes and bunkers are both military structures, but differ in the following ways: 

WWII Forums+1

• Pillboxes give hard cover to one machine gun or infantry base, while bunkers give hard cover to two machine guns, three infantry bases or one towed cannon base.
• Pillboxes are able to fight from it and are small in size, while bunkers are living quarters and are larger in size.
• Bunkers have a machine gun firing slot that covers the entrance to the bunker.

About a couple hundred feet from our first apartment in Germany there was a pillbox. Our house was on the main drag through town and situated at the bottom of a hill. Walking up that hill, the paved road gave way to a dirt road overlooking a valley. Near the beginning of that dirt road was a pillbox. It was definitely a pillbox - small, rather round-ish, only able to accommodate two (maybe three) soldiers. Be Blessed and Relish Life! Ed

Taken in 1986 in Rittershofen, FR, this bunker was situated just outside of town at the intersection of two roads.

Marx's pillbox/bunker measures: 6.25" (15.87cm) W x 2.5" (6.35cm) D x 2.75" (6.98cm) H