Fliegerhorst Grove.

  
         
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Bunkers

  
         
 

Part 2 b.

  
         
   
         
  A perceived German scenario.  
         
         
   
         
 

Ground defence areas, mine fields and Flak positions 1943.

  
         
 

The German threat appreciation had one more dimension.  That of an airborne landing right on the airfield.  Germany had used airborne forces with great success for Operational Maneuver, and albeit the allies were yet to capture an airfield with airborne forces, it was a possible allied course of action, which could not be entirely discounted.  FlH Aalb.-West, Grove and Esbjerg were thus equipped with weapons and bunkers specially intended to counter such a threat.  This program started in the autumn of 1943, before the Rommel-inspection and before the Normandy landings.

  
         
         
  7.62 cm Inf.Gesch (b).  
         
 

 
         
   A 7.62 cm Inf.Gesch (b) being inspected by FM E. Rommel at Grove 9 DEC 1943.  
         
     
  Aerial shot of a Stellung for 7.62 cm Inf.Gesch (b).  (1944).   Aerial shot of another Stellung.  (1949).  
         
   
         
  My interpretation based on the photos and field surveys.  The bunkers on the flanks are the Muni.Unt., the one to the rear is the Ber.Raum. and the one to the front is the Gesch.U.Std.  The dark areas opposite the Muni.Unt. are gun positions depressed below the terrain.  
         
     
         
  An aerial view of another site.  (2001).   Gun position found in the site.  
         
  The gun sections each consisted of two guns.  Three sections were arrayed to fire towards the center of the airfield, one fired down the gap between two mine fields and two provided flanking fire behind a mine field.  The maximum range of these guns was 2.200 m and they were employed for in-direct fire.  
         
     
  T-30a, Muni.Unterstand f. Inf.Gesch (b) .   T-30a, Muni.Unterstand f. Inf.Gesch (b), 2007.  
         
     
         
  T-30b, Ber.Raum f. Inf.Gesch (b) .   T-30b, Ber.Raum f. Inf.Gesch (b), 2007.  
         
         
             
       
         
  T-29, Geschütz Unterstand f. 7,6 cm Inf.Gesch (b).   T-29, Geschütz Unterstand f. 7,6 cm Inf.Gesch (b), 2007.  
     
     
  Type 70 (alt) with 2,0 cm Flak 38 (mod).  
         
       
             
  Danish drawing.   Immediate post war photo.  The gun has been removed.   Reconstruction by Lars Bertelsen.  
     
  Type 70 (alt).  All these bunker have their field of fire directed towards the center of the airfield.  
     
  Continued.