Cold war.

Air watchtowers.

Air Guard Corps.

The Air Guard Service Corps (KLD) was founded in 1950 and was part of the Air Defence Command of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

Volunteers from the KLD looked out for low-flying enemy invaders all over the country.
Between 1951 and 1955, the KLD built a network of 276 high lookouts spread across the country.
Half on existing buildings, the other half on purpose-built towers.
 

Looking out for low flyers.

The top of the air guard posts consisted of an open platform.
There, two air guards scanned the airspace with binoculars and by ear.

Their task was to identify and warn of
low-flying aeroplanes.

They were afraid of enemy intruders, who flew below the radar range (about 900 meters) at the time.
They determined direction and distance with the air guard instrument.

The air guards were male volunteers from the vicinity of the posts.
They were trained to recognize aircraft (both their own and the enemy) by their silhouette and engine sound.

The Air Watchtower in Hellevoetsluis was given the number 5G3
 

The air watchtower can just be seen in a film fragment: "The High Water in Hellevoetsluis"
from December 23, 1954.

On Tuesday, June 6, 1967, the "Nieuwe Brielse Courant" reported that the tower was going to be demolished.
(click on photo for message)

 Op de lokatie van deze toren in Hellevoetsluis is de fundatie nog zichtbaar, deze stond op de Duitse bunker  612.

Een model van deze luchtwachttoren is onze bezoekersruimte te zien.

Sinds kort een nieuw model van de Luchtwachttoren in onze bezoekersruimte in de schaal 1:16

Bij ons is ook een bouwplaat verkrijgbaar van een luchtwachttoren, klik op de foto.

Voor meer info over de luchtwachttorens in Nederland, klik op het logo.