Dear fellow collectors,
I would like to share my collection with you guys and the exceptional way I have displayed it. I have Always been a big fan of WWII but only started collecting authentic pieces about a year ago. It took me about 2 months to finish my first mannequin, which was a WH soldier completely in Sumpf camo. But when it was finished and it was standing at the attic I was a bit dissapointed. Is this it? I thought. It was at that moment I decided to restore my original WWII bomb shelter to really enjoy my future purchases in an athmosphere that takes you back in time.
To give you guys some background info: I live in a little neighbourhood in the city of Heerlen, which is located in the south of the Netherlands near the German border. It was called the Hermann Göring Colony back then and it was build during the war on behalf of the Germans to house their staff members. It was never completely finished, but they did manage to realize about 280 houses who all have a bomb shelter in their cellar. They are in theory all connected with each other through a cut out in the wall. If you couldn't get out of your own cellar you could breakthrough to your neighbours. I found it the perfect location for a gun rack. It took me around 3 months to "finish" the cellar. I say "finish", but in reality I have noticed that I keep changing little stuff and that keeps it fun and interesting.
Through pictures I will take you back in time, and show you the progress of the restoration and the way it keeps on evolving in the future.
My first WH soldier in Sumpf camo at the attic before I started the restoration of the cellar:
Period black and white pictures of the neighbourhood:
The passage way in my cellar that leads to the bomb shelter. Still have the original door with the Original paint on it:
How it looked before the restoration:
After ripping out 5cm of bad concrete that was poured in several layors during the years, I finally reached the original concrete floor. I also filled up hundreds of tiny holes in the wall and started with a base coat of white paint. It turned out to be way to bright and actually was hurting on the eyes. So I applied some pastel white and started experimenting with colours of yellow for the bottem line:
I also installed a radiator for the cold winter days. It will be coverred up with salvaged wood in a later stadium. Also notice the light fictures that are still modern but they will be replaced with bakelite in the future:
Started placing the bunker lights and the bakelite holders for the electrical wire. Also started covering up the big holes in the wall with wooden pannels for the future stove and some iron piping for the "bunker feeling". Funfact: the ventilation holes have a L-shape to the next room, so you can't throw a handgranade directly in to the shelter. Notice the wire on the back wall? It's the TV cable which goes up to the living room. I couldn't give up my TV connection for this hobby
Started making a wooden backwall made of salvaged wood for the future communication table:
The wooden table has been installed and a new floor is poured with self levelling concrete so the mannequins will have no problem standing up without footplate. Also installed the small wood stove that is period correct for a Dutch Household:
Much of the electrical work has been finished by now. When you enter the room, you first switch on the red light on the leftside. After closing the door, you can then use the switches on the right side to turn on the main lights:
A gun rack made of the same salvaged wood has been made...and ofcourse I needed to test it with some beauty's
Also received the iron bunkbeds that still have to be mounted on the wall and the ceiling:
The beds are mounted!!!! They look so freaking amasing.
Slowly starting to put some small items in the room. It's getting more realistic by the day:
Notice the SS runes above the 1 that have been blackened out after the war:
Funny how happy you can sometimes get about the small things in life. Managed to get this German staff card about Heerlen, the city I live in. Can't even describe how much this means to me!
A Milestone has been reached! The first mannequin has been installed!
Some additional personnel have arrived. The NCO visor has to be changed in the future by an officers visor. But for the time being I can live with the way it is now:
A friend of mine repainted this one with his airbrush. I think he does a great job!
I would like to share my collection with you guys and the exceptional way I have displayed it. I have Always been a big fan of WWII but only started collecting authentic pieces about a year ago. It took me about 2 months to finish my first mannequin, which was a WH soldier completely in Sumpf camo. But when it was finished and it was standing at the attic I was a bit dissapointed. Is this it? I thought. It was at that moment I decided to restore my original WWII bomb shelter to really enjoy my future purchases in an athmosphere that takes you back in time.
To give you guys some background info: I live in a little neighbourhood in the city of Heerlen, which is located in the south of the Netherlands near the German border. It was called the Hermann Göring Colony back then and it was build during the war on behalf of the Germans to house their staff members. It was never completely finished, but they did manage to realize about 280 houses who all have a bomb shelter in their cellar. They are in theory all connected with each other through a cut out in the wall. If you couldn't get out of your own cellar you could breakthrough to your neighbours. I found it the perfect location for a gun rack. It took me around 3 months to "finish" the cellar. I say "finish", but in reality I have noticed that I keep changing little stuff and that keeps it fun and interesting.
Through pictures I will take you back in time, and show you the progress of the restoration and the way it keeps on evolving in the future.
My first WH soldier in Sumpf camo at the attic before I started the restoration of the cellar:
Period black and white pictures of the neighbourhood:
The passage way in my cellar that leads to the bomb shelter. Still have the original door with the Original paint on it:
How it looked before the restoration:
After ripping out 5cm of bad concrete that was poured in several layors during the years, I finally reached the original concrete floor. I also filled up hundreds of tiny holes in the wall and started with a base coat of white paint. It turned out to be way to bright and actually was hurting on the eyes. So I applied some pastel white and started experimenting with colours of yellow for the bottem line:
I also installed a radiator for the cold winter days. It will be coverred up with salvaged wood in a later stadium. Also notice the light fictures that are still modern but they will be replaced with bakelite in the future:
Started placing the bunker lights and the bakelite holders for the electrical wire. Also started covering up the big holes in the wall with wooden pannels for the future stove and some iron piping for the "bunker feeling". Funfact: the ventilation holes have a L-shape to the next room, so you can't throw a handgranade directly in to the shelter. Notice the wire on the back wall? It's the TV cable which goes up to the living room. I couldn't give up my TV connection for this hobby
Started making a wooden backwall made of salvaged wood for the future communication table:
The wooden table has been installed and a new floor is poured with self levelling concrete so the mannequins will have no problem standing up without footplate. Also installed the small wood stove that is period correct for a Dutch Household:
Much of the electrical work has been finished by now. When you enter the room, you first switch on the red light on the leftside. After closing the door, you can then use the switches on the right side to turn on the main lights:
A gun rack made of the same salvaged wood has been made...and ofcourse I needed to test it with some beauty's
Also received the iron bunkbeds that still have to be mounted on the wall and the ceiling:The beds are mounted!!!! They look so freaking amasing.
Slowly starting to put some small items in the room. It's getting more realistic by the day:
Notice the SS runes above the 1 that have been blackened out after the war:
Funny how happy you can sometimes get about the small things in life. Managed to get this German staff card about Heerlen, the city I live in. Can't even describe how much this means to me!
A Milestone has been reached! The first mannequin has been installed!
Some additional personnel have arrived. The NCO visor has to be changed in the future by an officers visor. But for the time being I can live with the way it is now:
A friend of mine repainted this one with his airbrush. I think he does a great job!
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