Flak towers Vienna
 

Hi folks!
I want to share some photographs I have taken two weeks ago here in Vienna! I got the chance to climb on the top of the "Stefansdom" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ste...dral%2C_Vienna. Normally not possible, but with the right connections it was possible.
The photographs show the 6 flak towers here in Vienna from a very interesting angle.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...fechtsturm.jpg
Arenbergpark G-Tower

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...k-Leitturm.jpg
Arenbergpark L-Tower

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...fechtsturm.jpg
Augarten G-Tower

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n-Leitturm.jpg
Augarten L-Tower

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...fechtsturm.jpg
Stiftskaserne G-Tower

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...k-Leitturm.jpg
Esterhazypark L-Tower

And the final photograph shows the roof of the Stefansdom. It burned down in the night from 11th to 12th April 1945.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...m_von_oben.jpg

Cheers, Simon

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

Great photos Simon, but that last one looking down really scares me. I couldn't have gone up there!

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

Simon,

I can't help but wonder if anyone has written about the Flak towers? Do you know if there are any English-language books in-print on the topic? Such Flak towers also survive in Germany as well.

Hal

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

There's a website about them: http://www.airpower.at/news03/0813_l...flaktuerme.htm

Trying to remember from a visit to Vienna when I was 17, I think it was from the top of the Schönbrunn Park that you had a good view of the towers on the horizon.

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

Nick! The first 70 meters were awful because we took a freight elevator that was fixed next to the tower. The scramble to the 136m high top was very easy as I go hiking here in Austria for really many years.

Maybe interesting links:

http://www.ww2sites.com/index.php?ac...mp&page=atwien

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak_tower

http://www.thirdreichruins.com/vienna.htm

http://www.geheimprojekte.at/t_flaktuerme.html

http://www.duncanjdsmith.com/downloa...flaktowers.pdf

book about flaktowers:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamburg-1940-1.../dp/0764303988

Cheers, Simon

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

I become frozen with terror a lot sooner than 70 metres!

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

Well, then you're doing well, Nick. The magic height for testing paratrooper's fear of height is, or was in the late 1960s, 20 feet. I am uncomfortable at height, but if it has to be done then I will do it.

Superb pictures, Simon.

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

Fantastic pictures Simon, they're sort of ugly/beautiful at the same time in a strange way.

I can't help wondering if any of those twin 128 mm flak guns still survive?

Cheers

Chris

Re: Flak towers Vienna
 

From what I remember of Edward B. Westermann's "Flak: German Anti-aircraft Defenses 1914-1945" they built very few of them (I think he gave a number) because they were so demanding of raw materials. Oh, and extremely heavy!