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Skutina Fortress
Skutina Fortress was planned around Skutina hill near the village of Sedloňov in the Orlické Mountains. Six structures were planned (N-S 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 52a). These comprised two fortress infantry blockhouses (N-S 48 and N-S 49), a structure housing an artillery turret with twin 10 cm howitzers (N-S 50), and a structure housing a mortar (N-S 51). The largest structure was to be an artillery blockhouse with three vz. 38 howitzers of 10 cm calibre (N-S 52). Access to the entire fortress was to be provided through entrance block N-S 52a. This was also the starting point of the planned underground passages and support facilities, which were to connect all the structures deep below ground. The main passage was designed to be 1350 metres long. A narrow-gauge railway was to run through most of the underground passages, carrying wagons for transporting supplies and ammunition. Beneath the infantry blockhouses, rubber-tyred carts were to be used instead. The planned combat garrison was to comprise 464 men from the 5th Battalion of Border Regiment No. 18, reinforced by an additional infantry company.
The surface of the fortress was to be protected by continuous anti-tank obstacles, with each structure also surrounded by its own anti-personnel obstacles.
Only the two infantry blockhouses mentioned above were completed in concrete. The remaining structures, including the underground works, were at various stages of construction in September 1938. Work on the fortress was finally halted on 30 September 1938.
Following a tendering process, construction of Skutina Fortress was undertaken by the Prague construction firm Dr. Karel Skorkovský. All the fortress structures were designed to resistance class IV, the highest level. Construction began on 14 December 1937, and the original contract amount for the entire fortress was 31 843 990.40 Kč. Additional millions would have been required for the armoured components and internal equipment. By the end of September 1938, approximately 10 million Kč worth of construction work had been carried out.