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The IW ‘oil shed’ loading stage

The IW 'oil shed' loading stage

The remains of the a rail and truck loading stage located in the long oil storage shed adjacent to the IW repair and maintenance hall (IW R&MH) are substantial and have intact steadying chains along the south edge of the platform. There are access steps to the west and east ends (east shown). This loading stage was originally furnished with a wooden platform.

Album: Peenemünde research: Werk Süd (South works) region

Categories: Peenemünde-Usedom-locations Production plant (Versuchsserienwerk)

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Oil storage shed – cut down vertical girder with door hanger

Oil storage shed - cut down vertical girder with door hanger

Photo shows the cut stump of an heavy upright support girder. The ragged profile of the cut shows that it has been cut down with an oxygen and gas torch or possibly a larger fuel and oxygen device like a thermal lance. The steel support still has the bottom support pin for a large door. Note that although the girders have been gas-cut there is a great deal of mechanical damage to the steel work that was not caused by the cutting work. Considerable force would be required to bend the middle girder in the way shown, even if it was much longer at the time the bend was created. The upper superstructure of the storage shed may have been part demolished using a bulldozer. Or perhaps the East German Army may have used the site for explosives training – signs of demolition explosive use are in evidence nearby. The map under the album presentation of this picture shows the exact location of the girders.

Album: Peenemünde research: Werk Süd (South works) region

Categories: Peenemünde-Usedom-locations

Tags: #IW Repair & Maintenance Hall (R&MH) #Werk Sud (South Works) #Peenemünde

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Fertigungshalle Eins (F1) after the RAF raid of 1943

Fertigungshalle Eins (F1) after the RAF raid of 1943

A rare photo of the giant F1 production hall taken not long after the RAF raid of 17/18th August 1943. F1 was a forced labour camp with at least 600 prisoners living within the factory and at least eleven were killed in the raid. Parts of the electrified barbed wire fence can be seen close to the factory building, in the clearing in the middle of the photo. Two anti aircraft gun emplacements can be seen on the roof at the front of the building. Holes in the side walls of the upper vaults can be seen as well as the damage to lower vaults 9 and 10 (counting from left) from a direct hit in this region. Also of note are the numerous guy ropes, attached to the upper roof of the front of the building – and running down towards the trees, that are just visible in the photo. These may be supports for camouflage netting that was in the process of being fitted (by prisoner gangs) just before the raid. The work was never completed.

Album: Peenemünde research: Werk Süd (South works) region

Categories: Peenemünde-Usedom-locations Production plant (Versuchsserienwerk)

Tags: #Fertigungshalle Eins (F1)