Flak Tower
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
The Flak Towers were large AA gun bunkers used by the Luftwaffe to prevent overflights of key areas in certain cities in World War II. They also served as air-raid shelters for tens of thousands of people and to coordinate air defence. These bunkers were invulnerable to attack with concrete walls up to 3.5m thick. Even after the war their demolition was in most cases unfeasible and they remain to this day.
Each Flak Tower complex consisted of a G-Tower (Gun Tower), and a L-Tower (Fire Control Tower).
- Generation 1 G-Towers were 70.5 * 70.5 * 39m, usually armed with 8 * 128mm Guns and numerous 37mm, 30mm and 32 * 20mm Guns.
- Generation 1 L-Towers were 50 * 23 * 39m and were usually armed with 16 * 20mm Guns.
- Generation 2 G-Towers were 57 * 57 * 41.6m, usually armed with 8 * 128mm Guns and 16 * 20mm Guns.
- Generation 3 G-Towers were 43 * 43 * 54m, usually armed with 8 * 128mm Guns and 32 * 20mm Guns.
The evaluation of even larger Battery Towers was commissioned by Hitler. These would have been three times the size and firepower of Flak towers.
Berlin (6 planned, 3 built)
- Berliner Zoo (1st Generation) (3 planned, 1 built)
- G-Tower was demolished after the war.
- L-Tower was demolished after the war.
- Friedrichshain (1st Generation)
- G-Tower was partially demolished after the war, one side remains visible.
- L-Tower was demolished after the war.
- Humbolthain (1st Generation)
- G-Tower was partially demolished after the war, one side remains visible.
- L-Tower was partially demolished after the war, some walls remain visible.
- Hasenheide Templehof (planned, not built)
- Reichstag building (considered for modification, but found unsuitable)
Hamburg (3 planned, 2 built)
- East Hamburg (never built)
- Heiligengeistfeld (1st Generation)
- G-Tower was transformed into a residential building!
- L-Tower was demolished after the war.
- Wilhelmsburg (2nd Generation)
- G-Tower remains to this day.
- L-Tower was demolished after the war.
Vienna (3 planned & built) originally planned to be located at Schmelz, Prater & Florisdorf
- Arenberg Park (2nd Generation)
- G-Tower is used as a storehouse for art.
- L-Tower remains empty.
- Augarten (3rd Generation)
- G-Tower remains empty.
- L-Tower remains empty.
- Stiftskaserne (3rd Generation)
- G-Tower is used as a base by the Austrian Army.
- L-Tower is used as a museum.
Bremen Neustadt (2 planned, none built)
Munchen Railroad Station (8 planned, none built)
