The ultimate fortification thread!

[Kernowgaz]

Hi All. Can someone please identify what this object could be? It is at MKB 1/503 Stavanger (Grødem) Coastal Fort.
Thank you

[stril]

Can someone please identify what this object could be?

It have been mentioned that it could have been somthing related to peil apparatus, German or norwegian. Earlier there was a hut close by, with isolaters and connection to a peilapparat. (Photo Erik E, kysfort forum https://www.kystfort.com/forum/viewtopi ... dem#p25817)
regards
stril

[Kernowgaz]

Thank you Stril. That is very interesting.

[Elise64]

Hi all,

I have a question about what seems to be black paint, which appears inside all the blockhaus I have visited that have been walled up. Does anyone know what purpose the black paint serves that is smeared on the interior walls or who put it there? Has anyone else come across this, or is it unique to south-west France? Two examples attached - any help gratefully received.

Elise

[JKernwerk]

It is a residue of fires that were made inside.
Most of the time it is post-war but it could also be wartime.
When Germans had to give up bunkercomplexes due to the enemies advances a
common thing to render the bunker more or less useless for the enemy was to
burn it out.
The bunker could also be blown (mostly only the interior of the bunker) but
sometimes the amount of explosives was to big and the whole bunker was blown.
JK

[Elise64]

Hello JK,

Thanks for the response and detailed explanation.

My question today concerns what I know is definitely paint(!), this time red. Does anyone know which font was used for the blockhaus coding? In the accessible blockhaus in sectors KVA F 6 to 9 (couple of examples attached), the typeface is certainly uniform. Does the same font appear in the other KVA as well?

Any help with this would be appreciated.

PS I though it more appropriate to post this question here rather than in the thread on fonts and typefaces, which is largely focussed upon documents and propaganda posters.

[JKernwerk]

It is different everywhere, Even in The Netherlands we have more than one type of coding.
Mostly differs per KVA (each division has it's own KVA) but I do not know exactly if in the South
of France (AOK1) it is different.
In The Netherlands the numbering was also different in the early stages of the war (Neue Westwall
period) then in the later building programs.
It not only makes it more complicated but also more interesting, it is worth a study.
JK

[Bo2]

Bonjour

JK, I don’t agree with you, these are not traces of fire but a kind of primer passed with a wide brush or even with a roller. Look at the second picture, one clearly sees the traces of the brush past after the laying of the wooden strips see even on the strips. On next photo, you can see that there is always some fiber cement plates and black primer under it and the wooden strips are not burn.

Ar31n R621-5 (3) 16_1.jpg

For fonts, Elise, have a look at http://www.bunkerart.nl/welcome.html page "numbering" . But last update: 19 January 2014

JF

[AvB]

I agree with JF. Some sort of extra insulation to keep moisture away behind the insulation plates. Maybe because of the bigger temperature differences in this part of France? Warmer outside.

For the specific font type, it's local indeed and I would check Festungspioniere/OT boundaries. There's still research necessary for this.

[T. A. Gardner]

Hi all,

I have a question about what seems to be black paint, which appears inside all the blockhaus I have visited that have been walled up. Does anyone know what purpose the black paint serves that is smeared on the interior walls or who put it there? Has anyone else come across this, or is it unique to south-west France? Two examples attached - any help gratefully received.

Elise

I would assume, based on more modern products, that it is a form of bituminous waterproofing paint. This is commonly used on basements and other underground structures to increase moisture resistance. They really aren't "waterproof" however. They would help prevent mold on wood placed on their surface, and keep moisture and humidity down.

[Elise64]

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies.

By examining http://www.bunkerart.nl/welcome.html (page "art, frescos"), it appears to me that the black paint is probably post-war and/or just in south-west France. I say this, because the website's photos of the frescos from other regions all seem to have 'clean' walls.

Just to reiterate, I have only ever seen this black paint in blockhaus which were 'walled up' - it is absent from the others. However, where it does appear, the red coding numbers are never painted over. Similarly, what little original artwork is left in them is also still intact (see below). Maybe whoever put the black paint there liked coding and frescos too?!?

Kind regards,
Elise

PS Festungspioniere/OT boundaries - the blockhaus with the red coding numbers I have photographed are in OBL Bayonne (Festungs-Pionierstab 28?).

[moonraker]

hello,
white paint or bitumen prevents the formation of concrete dust and condensation.the bitumen on the walls is a specialty of sector the 1st army.

Me beltra-team