Archives: Gmedia Albums

We think this relic, welded to a heavy gauge H beam, may be a points switch for a railway line. But do you know what it is, and what it did? If you do, please tell us.

This part has a helicoid or screw shape, it seems that it might have been designed to screw into a pipe of some kind. But do you know what it really is, and what it did? If you do, please tell us.

We know this is a clampy-chainy-hooky thing – but do you know what it really is, and what it did? If you do, please tell us.

This is a close up of the mystery item, referred to on our Enigma page, found firmly anchored to the floor a few metres inside the east wall near aisle 20 of IW (near location of internal railway line).

This is another close up of the mystery item showing the mechanism in more detail. It can be found firmly anchored to the floor a few metres inside the east wall near aisle 20 of IW (near location of internal railway line). See map below for location.

The photo shows a Lichtstrahl empfänger (In English: Light-beam receiver) environmental protection case, originally one of a group of 40 or so we first found in 2010 abandon in an area adjacent to the train platform for the administration block. On subsequent visits this number has declined to just ten or so, mostly very decayed examples. The environmental casing was vital to the Lorentz Light-Beam equipment on-board the V2 missile as the critical radio frequency would otherwise drift with the large change in temperature as the missile climbed into the stratosphere. The case was thickly insulated with rock wool or fibre-glass strands and designed to help maintain a stable temperature – indeed, the same temperature as the radio equipment was when at ground level when calibration and adjustment was completed before launch. The F1 pre-production hall is located about 200m North-West of the point where this photo was taken. Scroll down to see map below (click map and switch to ‘satellite view’ for clearer indication of location).

Picture shows parts of V2 missile fin structure laying on open ground near area between admin offices and F1 (near Admin. block railway platform, see map).

Picture shows metal debris within the F1 factory boundary walls. The purpose of the part buried liquid storage vessel in the foreground is unknown but it is not a vessel capable of being pressurised. Other assorted metal debris include pipe and cable wall cleats, as well as steel armature rods from reinforced concrete castings (powerful demolition explosions have freed the steel rods from the concrete). These reinforcement rods are a common sight in the environs of Fertigungshalle Eins (F1) and the nearby Repair & Maintenance Hall (R&MH).

This picture shows a small debris field of steel fragments from the V2 missile 130m South-East of F1, and just 20m to the North East of the foundations of a small heat distribution building. Various body and frame parts can be seen and in the middle foreground a 350mm segment of curved missile body ring is visible. These parts have almost certainly been dug up and exposed by the action of metal detectorists. The metal fragments have been abandoned by their finders as they are perceived to have no financial value and hence are not worth removing from the site.

This picture shows a close up detail of parts in a small debris field of steel fragments from the V2 missile 130m South-East of F1, and just 20m to the North East of the foundations of a small heat distribution building. Various body and frame parts can be seen and in the upper left and two segments of curved missile body ring are visible. See previous.

This picture shows the remains of the main South entrance to the Development Works. (also known as Station 7 – Die Hauptwache).

Wooden carboy frame from WW2 (possibly used for transporting small quantities of corrosive and dangerous liquids employed in the V2 steam plant, (such as T-Stoff) laying among trees 190m East of F1 in a location used as an emergency rail freight loading area to F1 due to damage caused by US air raids in August 1944.

Wooden carboy frame from WW2 (possibly used for transporting small quantities of corrosive and dangerous liquids employed in the V2 steam plant (such a T-Stoff) laying among trees 190m East of F1 in a location used as an emergency rail freight loading area for F1 due to damage caused to rail track by US air raids in August 1944.

This picture shows Robert Dalby collecting GPS data with a mapping camera just North of the East end of the Admin office rail platform (near the ruins of the small admin/F1 heat distribution hub building). In all of our explorations we routinely collect GPS track and data points to be able to accurately locate finds and establish a precise correlation between areas of interest identified on historical reconnaissance photography and the modern ground terrain. In the picture Robert is pointing a Contour video camera at details of the terrain that automatically captures the camera’s GPS location information. This data can then be combined with satellite imagery, via Google maps, and provide a detailed graphic mapping track alongside the video footage.

This picture shows some of the extensive ruins that were once part of the railway shed complex West of the railway lines heading to the Development Works. Screen grab from Karlshagen video.

This video still shows Robert in front of a bomb crater on the West or opposite side of the rail lines and road that pass the Repair & Maintenance Hall (R&MH). The crater like so many others, created in a fraction of a second, in August 1944 during a US air raid, has developed in to a thriving eco-system that now teems with all kinds of life. After the passage of more than 70 years the crater is still deep and well defined. There are hundreds of craters like this in the area.

This video still shows the same bomb crater from a slightly different angle. The crater like so many others, created in a fraction of a second in August 1944 during a US air raid, has developed in to a thriving eco-system that now teems with all kinds of life. After the passage of more than 70 years the crater is still deep and well defined. There are hundreds of craters like this in the area.

This video screen grab shows Robert about to climb the steps up onto the rail and road loading station 9 (also called Die Verladerampen or in English, The loading ramps). This storage and loading facility was never finished during the war and was intended to be a more elaborate with large storage buildings – but the pressure of war and constant use of the area prevented further development. The area is still surprisingly intact today with a strong correspondence between modern ground detail and historical reconnaissance photography.