Post by larryc1 on Dec 12, 2019 21:20:23 GMT
Luftwaffe control bunkers (gefesstanden) were built at or near night-fighter bases and named with a alphabetic letter the same as the nearest town - e.g. 'GYGES' near the town of Grove, Danmark. (The name of the bunker at Oberschleissheim is unknown). The bunkers were known colloquially as 'opera houses', because of the theatre-like interiors where the fighter-bomber interceptions were carried out.
The bunkers themselves were three story buildings 60x50x15 meters and were placed around Germany in order to intercept incoming Allied aircraft. Interestingly the eastern approaches appear to be sparce, I am not sure why this is.
The gefessstand building program began from 1941-42 and accelerated thereafter; this probably reflects the increase in the Allied bombing program as the war progressed.
The bunkers received information on enemy aircraft from 'Freya' and 'Wurtzburg' radars which was then displayed on a transluscent 'Seeburg' screen. From this display, controllers were able to direct night-fighters toward enemy aircraft. When the fighter was close enough to the target it could then employ its own radar set in order to complete the interception. The bunkers also provided FLAK and search light sites with target information.
I have included information on some of the 'flugplatzen', some of them have intersting histories.
Luftwaffe Control Bunkers..kmz (3.99 KB)
The bunkers themselves were three story buildings 60x50x15 meters and were placed around Germany in order to intercept incoming Allied aircraft. Interestingly the eastern approaches appear to be sparce, I am not sure why this is.
The gefessstand building program began from 1941-42 and accelerated thereafter; this probably reflects the increase in the Allied bombing program as the war progressed.
The bunkers received information on enemy aircraft from 'Freya' and 'Wurtzburg' radars which was then displayed on a transluscent 'Seeburg' screen. From this display, controllers were able to direct night-fighters toward enemy aircraft. When the fighter was close enough to the target it could then employ its own radar set in order to complete the interception. The bunkers also provided FLAK and search light sites with target information.
I have included information on some of the 'flugplatzen', some of them have intersting histories.
Luftwaffe Control Bunkers..kmz (3.99 KB)
