These working miniature cannons are the centrepiece of an 18th-century-inspired siege artillery diorama featuring Playmobil redcoat soldiers. Rather than simply displaying the models, I wanted to capture the atmosphere of a battery in action: artillery crews at their posts, guns behind field defences, and a photographic sequence showing smoke and flashes during firing.
The two model cannons have very different origins. Both were adapted for my miniature scenes, combining older decorative models, traditional model-making and a little family workshop craftsmanship.
An 18th-Century Miniature Siege Battery
For the setting, I arranged the guns and Playmobil artillerymen among field defences and military supplies. The figures wear red uniforms and tricorn hats, evoking the armies of the 18th century. The outdoor landscape behind the miniature battery helps the scene feel larger than its actual scale.
The photographs explore the same battery from several angles, including two separate firing sequences and a final night-time view.
Two Working Model Cannons with Different Origins
The first gun comes from a Mantua Model kit inspired by a late-18th-century American coastal cannon. I kept its original gun carriage and coloured the carriage red using an acrylic paint marker.
The second gun is a personal combination of parts: I bought its wheeled gun carriage on eBay and mounted the barrel of a decorative desk cannon onto it. This gave an old display piece a new role in my historical miniature collection.
Both barrels were machined by my uncle on a lathe in his workshop. His help was essential in adapting the models for the photographic firing experiments shown below. These are personal model-making projects, not commercially manufactured Playmobil cannons.
First Miniature Cannon Firing Sequence
The first sequence follows the battery through three consecutive moments. The static artillery position gives way to the dramatic effects of firing, with smoke and light briefly changing the appearance of the miniature battlefield.
The accompanying video offers another look at this miniature artillery experiment.
Second Miniature Cannon Firing Sequence
I also photographed a second sequence from the artillery position. Comparing the frames is part of the fun: even when the models and soldiers stay in place, a brief flash or cloud of smoke can make the same diorama look completely different.
Close-Up Views of the Miniature Artillery
Beyond the firing effects, I wanted to document the miniature guns themselves. The close-up photographs show their proportions, wheels, barrels and carriages, as well as how naturally they can be combined with Playmobil figures in a historical diorama.
One of my favourite aspects of this hobby is finding new uses for objects collected over the years. A model kit, an eBay carriage and an old decorative cannon can all become part of a miniature battlefield.
The Miniature Battery After Dark
The night-time photograph gives the artillery position a different atmosphere. Against the dark blue sky, the soldiers and miniature guns become silhouettes, while the lighting brings a new sense of drama to the scene.
Working Miniature Cannons
This miniature artillery battery features two cannons adapted for my Playmobil dioramas. One is a Mantua Model reproduction inspired by a late-18th-century American coastal cannon, with its original carriage coloured red. The other combines a gun carriage purchased on eBay with the barrel of a decorative desk cannon. My uncle machined both barrels on a lathe in his workshop, making these miniature artillery pieces a particularly personal project.
More Playmobil Artillery and Historical Dioramas
These experiments with miniature cannons are part of my wider interest in 18th-century military history and Playmobil battlefield photography. For a larger scene featuring artillery in action, see my French and Indian War siege diorama.
Safety note: These photographs document past experiments with modified miniature artillery. Firing devices and pyrotechnic effects can cause serious injury or fire, and should not be reproduced around toys, people or flammable scenery.
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