Zeebrugge naval base - crane on the mole

[jamo]

Hi Forumites
Is there anybody who has a photo showing the crane on the mole at Zeebrugge which was used to lift seaplanes in and out of the sea? I am planning to build a model of one and need a good photo to guide me. There are some not-very-good photos in Alex Imrie's book on German naval aviation, and I have the Hansa Brandenburg W.12 datafile, so I am looking further afield than these references. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Varese2002]

Originally Posted by jamo

---- photo showing the crane on the mole at Zeebrugge which was used to lift seaplanes in and out of the sea? -----

Hi James. I found two pictures of the Zeebrugge big crane in full view. Hope you have enough information then.





It would not surprise me that drawings were published in that time, somewhere in contemporary German magazines or books. As the Germans were almost four years in Zeebrugge I think they have used different cranes or developed ones. Looking at the two pictures the crane looks remarkable the same.

Kees

[jamo]

Thanks very much Kees! Those photos are fantastic, better than I had hoped for. I really appreciate you taking the time to scan and post the photos. Look in the Models part of the 'Drome in a few months for a diorama of a Hansa Brandenburg W.12 and the crane . . .

Warm regards from EnZed
James

[Varese2002]

I found more on the internet, inclusive a picture after the Germans have left Zeebrugge. This picture gives that there were more than two cranes in Zeebrugge, at least two. There is also a map of the Zeebrugge harbour.

Zeebrugge _mole seaplane base

Kees

[Kilian]

Very nice images Kees. May i ask whats the source? Image captions remind me of sanke airplane cards ;O Like they want to give us something to think 90 years later

[Varese2002]

I looked further for Zeebrugge scenes with crane(s) and found another one of the same scene. There are at least two pictures of this busy scene in Zeebrugge, probably seperated by less than an hour. I tried to piece the puzzle together with two pictures, not knowing which was first and even not knowing how many other pieces there were [ 8 other pictures ? Or are these stills from a movie ? ]. The sequence may be as follows

Scene 1



In front is the prototype Friedrichshafen FF41A (Marine nummer 678) twin-engined torpedo carrying seaplane. Clearly can be seen its three-finned tail. There is a crew positioned in the neighbourhood of a float. No action there.
In the background left can be seen a Hansa-Brandenburg GW (Marinenummer 701). This is the version of the GW with a single fin and a slightly more rounded nose. A lot of people can be seen around this machine.

Scene 2



The second picture (hopefully labeled with a handwritten 10) gives the same perspective but then 15 to 30 minutes later. A Hansa-Brandenburg GW (Marinenummer 701) is hoisted up or down in the water. This is the version of the GW with a single fin and a slightly more rounded nose.
Behind the still motionless Friedrichshafen FF 41A prototype (no crew to be seen) has come another Hansa-Brandenburg GW (single fin and rounded nose, for the series 700-704). No action there either.
Behind this Hansa-Brandenburg can be seen a big single engined seaplane, most likely a Friedrichshafen.

Clearly can be seen that the Friedrichshafen FF41A is standing with its floats right on the concrete. It is not resting on wheels. Moving of the machine is only possible with the crane. The Hansa-Brandenburg behind the Friedrichshafen has wheels, so can be moved (with a lot of people).

Well this is what I could see on these two pictures. If there are eight missing (or even a movie), perhaps one of the forumites can contribute , so it is possible to know what really happenend on that day at Zeebrugge. As the Hansa-Brandenburg GW (series 700-704) were produced between September 1916 and January 1917. The Friedrichshafen FF41A prototype was built about end 1916 / begin 1917, which would date this scene in Q1 / Q2 of 1917. It can be more precisely defined because it is known that Hansa-Brandenburg GW No.701 was delivered to the Austro-Hungarian Navy.

First picture is from Nowarra - Marine aircraft of the 1914-1918 war, 1966. I don't know where the other picture and the copy of the pictures in the German (gothic) book comes from.

Kees

[Regulus]

The photo's of the BAHA site are from someone who's very active with the Marinekorps Flandern...