Say hello to Kurt. This array of instruments and what appear to be meteorological barrels is one of my favourite exhibits in the museum. It was found in the very northern reaches of Labrador in the 1980s thanks to the work of a German scholar looking through German naval records of the Second World War. The German navy placed this weather station here during the War, painted it to look like it was for all purposes a Canadian installation, and switched it on. It broadcast weather reports to the Germans before losing power. In the decades after, Kurt would have looked to the rare passersby as if it was a forgotten Canadian weather station, not a German relic of war. Its placement here in the museum is fitting.
Moving on, we take in some more of the vehicles here in LeBreton Gallery
I finish today with this nose cone art, by Corporal Richard Aucoin, who painted these onto CH-146 Griffon helicopters during the Afghan deployment. I have more from the Gallery tomorrow.
Very nice photo. At last we are in the winter, by the cover I say it.
ReplyDeleteTomás.
Wow, what a story with the weather station!
ReplyDeleteGood heavens those Germans were a sneaky bunch! Tres interesting information about Kurt, I can see why it's a favourite in the museum William.
ReplyDeleteVery good info. I like the motorcycles....
ReplyDeleteOo! Like that header. But it hasn't been that cold yet, has it?
ReplyDeleteNose cone art. What an interesting concept. Better like it, you'd have to look at it a long time if you were assigned that helicopter.
ReplyDeleteJanis
GDP
How interesting about the weather station. I had no idea the Germans got so close to North America! I like the nose art too. I've seen some on planes in a museum outside Detroit. There were some talented painters in the forces back then.
ReplyDeleteI smiled when I saw Popeye in your last photo. :)
ReplyDeleteNeat story of the weather station . looks like a fun exhibit . Lovely photos ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !
ReplyDeleteinteresting find!
ReplyDeleteOhhhhh, love the header. Still spring here though, I don't mind either. Happy Holidays, William.
ReplyDeleteYou replaced your beautiful autumn header with s***?????
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the winter scene in your header. I hope your winter is colder so far than our's. It looks like we'll have a green and very warm Christmas.
ReplyDeleteAnd talking about weather, that old German weather station is a great find. I'm glad it found a good place.
Love your new header photo!
ReplyDelete@Tomas: nope! That's from last March.
ReplyDelete@Dina: Kurt is referenced earlier in the Museum on a map display, but seeing it with your own eyes is quite a treat.
@Grace: very sneaky!
@Pat: I've always liked motorbikes.
@Revrunner: no, the Canal is still open, and what snow we had is gone. We really should be seeing proper snow by now, and we haven't.
@Janis: there's more nose cone art to come, actually!
@Halcyon: in my post for two days from now, the nose cone art is WWII vintage.
Awesome new header. What a surprising story of the German weather station. The world has no idea of how empty the Labrador coast is. It's surprising they found it in 1980.
ReplyDelete@Linda: he's rendered quite well!
ReplyDelete@Country Gal: thank you!
@Tex: it's a part of the country so remote that it wouldn't surprise me if there were years that went on that nobody came anywhere near it.
@Whisk: I figured if I changed the header to the winter, perhaps the mighty Snow Demons might smile upon us and bring snow (my sense of theology comes from the Calvin and Hobbes school of thought).
@Norma: I figured you wouldn't be pleased!
@Jan: we're not where we're supposed to be in temps, and it's still green.
@Jackie: it was time for a change.
I am a huge fan of Calvin and Hobbes. And that snowman series is among the best. People are saying it gonna be a summer Xmas this year. What a weird year so far.
DeleteAnother great post, and my compliments for the new header!
ReplyDeleteHello William, I like the new blog header. The war vehicles look new.
ReplyDeleteThat story of Kurt was very interesting and I love the nose cone art.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! I like the nose cone art very much.
ReplyDeleteAnd your header looks wonderful. That is such a beautiful winter scenery!
@Red: it's such a remote part of the country that it really isn't a surprise that it was overlooked for so long.
ReplyDelete@VP: thank you!
@Nancy: the vehicles are well looked after- though one tomorrow will be quite different.
@Sharon: thank you!
@Tamago: I'm hoping it'll bring snow!
love the army tanks & motorcycles! very cool. ( ;
ReplyDeleteAren't such finds marvellous?
ReplyDeleteLove the header!
I like your new header! Winter has arrived.
ReplyDeleteHow fascinating that the Germans had a weather station in Labrador! I wonder what else they had that we still don't know about!
ReplyDeleteNice to see & hear about Kurt!
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love history what a find after all these years and I'll bet there are many other things yet to come to light. I'm with Ciel that's a great header shot...
ReplyDeleteKurt is quite a curiousity!
ReplyDelete@Beth: thank you!
ReplyDelete@Ciel: thanks!
@Marleen: it might have been more appropriate to unveil it today- we've got light snow and cold at last.
@EG: there's a lot of coastline out there and very few people!
@RedPat: thanks! I was looking forward to the reactions.
@Geoff: thank you!
@Linda: I considered using this particular exhibition for the curiosity theme day earlier in the year.
I was surprised to see Popeye, the Sailor Man on the nose cones from the Afghanistan War. He is more from the WWII era.
ReplyDeleteSome cultural figures do travel beyond their roots.
Delete(BTW, I like your winter header.)
ReplyDeleteThe more history I learn the more interesting bits I pick up. Who ever would have thought there was a "Kurt" deployed?!
I've always smiled when I see Kurt.
Delete