Lifebuoy (Wehrmacht)
The lifebuoy , also colloquially known as the Udet buoy of the German Air Force during the Second World War, was used to accommodate pilots and crews of emergency aircraft on the open sea and at great distances from the coasts, mainly in the English Channel during the Battle of Britain .
history
At the suggestion of General Aviation Master and Colonel General Ernst Udet , the Reich Ministry of Aviation developed a lifebuoy to protect pilots and aircraft crews on the open sea until rescue workers arrive.
Both German and English crews benefited from the buoys.
construction
The dimensions of these life buoys were approximately 4 by 2.5 by 2.5 meters . They had an approximately 1.8 meter high tower with a signal mast and antenna on the upper deck. The buoys were painted light yellow over water and marked with four red crosses on a white background . There was a white light on the tower that was visible for about 1000 meters. The lifebuoy usually offered space for four people to stay for several days. However, if necessary, it also offered space for a larger number of people, such as the crews of several aircraft. There were railings around the lifebuoy, both under and above the surface of the water, to aid access to the ladder and the entry tower. An approximately 100 meter long line was attached to each lifebuoy, which was marked by alternating yellow and red colored floats. This should show the pilot in distress the direction of the current flow. The pilot could thus try to water with the current and in front of the lifebuoy, so that the buoy could be reached by the crew without major swimming effort. The line should also be used to pull yourself up to the lifebuoy if you missed it. In the tower there was also a life ball that was attached to a 10 meter long line.
Furnishing
Inside the lifebuoy there were four bunks, dry clothes, bandages, emergency provisions including 25 liters of drinking water, an emergency transmitter, a bilge pump and an inflatable boat . Sealing plugs and a hammer were available to seal possible holes in the wall. A black anchor ball and a yellow-red striped flag were used during the day to signal an occupied lifebuoy. At night there was also a red and a white light on the entry tower. Signal pistols were also available for firing red and white flares, smoke alarms or parachute cartridges.
British life buoys
In Great Britain, too, the buoys were naturally noticed. Two of the German lifebuoys were removed from their positions for investigation purposes. Later during the war, Britain developed a similar system, albeit to a lesser extent, except that boats converted into lifeboys were used. One of them is preserved in the Scottish Maritime Museum .
Similar facilities
- Lifebacks in the Wadden Sea or other waters offer a similar function for seafarers and, in modern times, also for tourists.
- Maritime escape pods are similarly equipped, but serve as life-saving appliances on ships or offshore installations.
literature
- Luftwaffe Front Bulletin, No. 22
Feature films
German lifebuoys in the English Channel also appear in contemporary English films, for example in One of Our Aircraft Is Missing from 1942 at the end of the plot and in We Dive at Dawn from 1943 after about half an hour.
Web links
- Page with further information and pictures
- Pictures and newspaper articles of a lifebuoy stranded on the Dutch coast in 1940
- Article about the man overboard in the English Channel (in English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Dark Docs: The Secret German Bases Dropped into the English Channel - WW2 Survival Buoys on YouTube , January 28, 2020, accessed on March 6, 2020 (language: English, statement on the rescue of German and English pilots at 10 min 10 sec. ).