Aerodrome questions

[Fokker boy]

I've seen some grainy photos of German aerodromes that seem to show some form of mat in front of the entrance. Is this just plywood, or what? Anybody know for sure?

[uncletony]

I've seen some grainy photos of German aerodromes that seem to show some form of mat in front of the entrance. Is this just plywood, or what? Anybody know for sure?

It's the front door!

[Fokker boy]

Thanks, Bo, but what I'm referring to is something that appears to be lying on the ground. Are you saying that they lay the doors themselves on the ground? If so, why?

[uncletony]

Thanks, Bo, but what I'm referring to is something that appears to be lying on the ground. Are you saying that they lay the doors themselves on the ground? If so, why?

Yep, the lower section of the front door of the hangar was simply laid down (typical arrangement anyway). Don't have time right now to provide refs, but do a google image search on WWI German hangars and I think you'll find what you need ...

[Fokker boy]

Tried that last night with poor results, though I did grab some incredibly nice WWI photos from one site. I'm thinking of the illustration on the cover of the Albatros book on Jagstaffel 5, Volume one. Another question, was the floor inside the hangar typically wood or dirt?

Thanks a bunch,

[uncletony]

Tried that last night with poor results, though I did grab some incredibly nice WWI photos from one site. I'm thinking of the illustration on the cover of the Albatros book on Jagstaffel 5, Volume one. Another question, was the floor inside the hangar typically wood or dirt?

Thanks a bunch,

Dirt I think, not certain of that though.  Looks like dirt here to me:

[uncletony]

If you have the Jagdstaffel 30 book (Schmäling, Bock) look on page 90; good image shows the hangar floor to be continuos with the ground plane i.e. dirt.

[uncletony]

And a picture on page 18 of the same book seems to show  a frontline hangar with a permanent floor(concrete?)

[Fokker boy]

If you have the Jagdstaffel 30 book (Schmäling, Bock) look on page 90; good image shows the hangar floor to be continuos with the ground plane i.e. dirt.

Nope, don't have that one yet, but I suspect either dirt or wood might be OK. I'm building a generic (and permanent) WWI hangar display, so that I can rotate 1:72 fighters, mostly German, using that one base, so I want it to look as cool and authentic as I can make it.

Thanks, Bo, I certainly appreciate the input.

[uncletony]

Nope, don't have that one yet, but I suspect either dirt or wood might be OK

Don't forget the Germans were sort of obsessed with concrete -- their WWI installations in general were much more permanent in nature that those of the Entente.

I recommend the Jasta 30 book for your project -- lots of really quite good photos of the hangar installations at Phalempin (mostly) -- I think there is enough there to do a really credible model

[Fokker boy]

Excellent; I'll grab a copy then. Both Amazon and ebay have them.

[Fokker boy]

Here's what I'm contemplating; 12" square base with generic WWI hangar, so that I can rotate fighter models, utilizing the same base. I have a perfect place for this on the living room bookcase, so that at least, is not a problem.