17 Meter Kurbelmast

[Yuri D.]

Folks,

I just received my Kurbelmast via freight forwarders, and it is very large and very heavy.

The name plate on it reads

Klöckner-Humboldt Deutz AG
Werk Berlin-Tempelhof
KM 17/A - 85 (this is the serial number)

The year 1943 is written on the inside of the level lid. The mast is about 4 meters long in its retracted form.

It was not very expensive, but I would like to know if it was of WWII manufacture. So far I have not been able to find any waffenamt traces on it.

Yuri

[Yuri D.]

This is a foto of the very long mast - retracted:

[Yuri D.]

Here is the massive gear reduction box with huge crank lever:

[Yuri D.]

And finally, the manufacturer data:

[Dave Page]

A nice find! The crank case style is consistent with the wartime ones I own. The Bundeswehr/NVA style tends to be more square and box like. Also, and from memory, I think KHD AG lost the AG bit at the end of the war when they were allowed to resume car production in mid 1945 - might be worth checking the company history.

If you dare to open up the crank case, you may find waffenamts on the gears - 1 or 2 of mine have this, but not all.

How heavy is the beast?

Dave

PS - I need to re cable one of mine, anyone have any ideas how to go about it?!

[Yuri D.]

thank you Dave.

The beast weighs 273 lbs (124 KG). I'll try to open the gear box and check.

Yuri

[Dave Page]

I'm probably advising on egg sucking here, but if you do open the crank case, do it with the antenna horizontal and the case uppermost as the upper section of the case normally holds the gear axles in place. There is, sometimes, a cork gasket as well - they can fall apart if you take the cover off too fast.

I'd really like one of these for my Km collection, but where the hell I'd put it is a small issue...!

[Yuri D.]

I'm probably advising on egg sucking here, but if you do open the crank case, do it with the antenna horizontal and the case uppermost as the upper section of the case normally holds the gear axles in place. There is, sometimes, a cork gasket as well - they can fall apart if you take the cover off too fast.

I'd really like one of these for my Km collection, but where the hell I'd put it is a small issue...!

You have a KM COLLECTION? Please post pictures!

Yuri

[Dave Page]

Well, if 6 is a collection, yes! They are all in varying condition. I'll post images of the better one as it's in the house, the others are all in the garage at the moment.

I have never been able to lay my hands on a manual for these - I know they exist as I have them cross referenced in other documents.

Asset tag (44 dated, knz maker - Schwarzwaelder Apparate-Bauanstalt, August Schwer u. Soehne, Villingen):


Spirit level (the liquid itself is red):


Antenna - the cable in this one is broken, so it doesn't fully retract. The hideous wallpaper has now gone as well :

[Yuri D.]

Here is a definite post-war 10m Kurbelmast with the war-time gearbox shape:

This one states
"Humboldt-Deutz motoren AG
MAGIRUS WERKE
Berlin-Tempelhof"

[Funksammler]

Nice find Yuri. It is also worth checking what sort of paint comes from under the green.

I must admit that the lack of Waffenambt and date on the plate point at postwar manufacture. Most references online also point to the KM17 being a Bundeswehr type, here is one offered on Ebay stating a 1960's manufacture:

http://cgi.ebay.at/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=160444931143

The following site give a lot of information on a KM25 from the same manufacturer:

http://www.notfunk-kreis-wesel.de/cm...a/km25_7ha.htm

On the bottom of the page is a link to the manual which may help with the KM17

regards,

Funksammler

[Yuri D.]

Thank you Funksammler,

Although there is no doubt that many of these masts were manufactured post-war by this manufacturer, the question I have is about this one, with the very low serial number of 85. Someone also wrote the year 1943 on the inside lid of the level a long time ago. The question here is: Did KHD make Kurbelmasts during the war? and Is this mast of a pre-1945 or post 1945 manufacture? That question is yet to be answered. I will open the gearbox and see if there are any indications of this on the gears.

Yuri

[Yuri D.]

More evidence (if you can call it that)

Here is a 10 meter mast with a higher serial number (6261), dated 1939

Label:

"Humboldt Deutzmotoren A.G.
MAGIRUS WERKE
Berlin-Tempelhof"

Type KM10

In a book that I have (Wireless for the Wehrmacht in Detail), there is a reference to these masts being called "Magirus".

[Yuri D.]

Here is another mast definitely made post-war:

[Yuri D.]

Here is a period photo of what seems to be a 17 + meter Kurbelmast being deployed by Luftwaffe personnel. Note that it has the two bolts on the side of the gear housing, just like mine does.