Observation posts on top of hangars

Regulus · 1 October 2003, 11:24 AM

Hi,

I have some pictures of a German airfield with a listening and observation post on top of a plane hangar, which was manned during the day.
I was wondering if anyone has seen anything of the kind on other airfields ?

Best from Johan

Dan_San_Abbott · 9 October 2003, 10:34 AM

Regulus:
Yes, I have Johan. Generally what you will find in the background in photographs of German air fields, are an elevated platform(tower) with a view above the trees and hangars.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Regulus · 9 October 2003, 10:42 AM

Thank you very much Dan-San !

Haven't seen much of these in this area of West Flanders. I have pics of a such a post, a tower on top of a hangar of the II MFFA at Nieuwmunster !
At Jabbeke airfield there were two posts on top of farmbuildings, and I know of one at Gistel also on a farmbuilding. At Oostende there was a tower. But it is new to me that this was a rather general part of the airfields in the form of a tower ! Great info !

Best from Johan

Dan_San_Abbott · 15 October 2003, 08:14 AM

Regulus:
I have located a photograph of a observation tower in a photograph taken at what I think is Foucaucourt Airfield about May 1918, see PFALZ D.IIIA DATAFILE 21, page 7 center photograph. the building in the right background I believe is the "Starthaus" or the Jasta 77b orderly room.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

15 October 2003, 08:42 AM

That picture is what I use for wallpaper on my computer. Thanks for the added information.

Joe

Regulus · 15 October 2003, 11:13 AM

Thanks Dan-San ! Will check it out this weekend ! I just found another example in Pfalz Aircraft of WW I by Jack Herris on p 46, at the back of Alfred Lenz his plane, and on p 51 of the same book. I had never remarked them in the past ! Unbelievable !

Best from Johan

Dan_San_Abbott · 18 October 2003, 10:55 AM

Regulus:

Johan it is the same photo I referenced in my post. That photo bugged me for along time. what opened the door was the Pratt truss above the hangar door openning. I found out there were Prussian Hallenbau and Bavarian Hallenbau units. Also I found out the Prussian Hallenbau built plain fronts over the door openning and the Bavarians used the Truss above the door for support. I then concluded that this was a Bavarian Unit. The tailplane markings were Jasta 77b.(Blue) with the fuselage and wings overpainted it had to be the Jasta führer's machine. The fat balken cross form sets the time between 17 March and 15 April 1918 when the balken cross form was standardized. The Jasta 77b Führer was Ltn.Otto Fuchs. The correct Airfield is Vraignes Airfield, 3 April to 23 April 1918.

Foucaucort Airfield had been a forward airfield and had used tent hangars.

blue skies,
Dan-San

Regulus · 20 October 2003, 11:56 AM

Thanks Dan-San, as this explanation on the Hallenbau units is quite new to me ! Didn't know the difference between them.
Ah a man learns every day they say !

Thanks, and best from Johan

Zulis · 21 October 2003, 10:25 AM

I love it when a problem is unravelled with the sort of observation Dan San describes. Very impressive.

The only little thing which nags at me a bit is the possiblity that the current occupant of that airfield may not be the one that was there when the hangars were built, so the design of the truss would have applied to the previous occupants, not the current one. Those units moved around a lot... but I presume Dan San has considered this possibility.

Thanks for the interesting post,

Dave