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Phönizischer Bäderexpress

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Helen:
Hi Folks, I saw this on the Axis forum and the Great War forum and my thanks goes to them for this story. I've another crazy story about Aussie airmen, but that will be latter after I move in a few weeks. Just trying to keep you guys entertained especially Poly and Peder :)

During the dramatic battles the Bavarian pilots of the Fliegerabteilung 304b in Afula had still some time for crazy ideas. The pilots were disappointed about the long lasting travel from their airfield in Afula to the city Haifa, which was a four hours ride with a very old train for just 60km. They wanted to have a faster travel to go this city. Therefore captain Walz, the Squadron leader, had the genius idea to take a wagon from the train company and ordered to build a 160 hp Daimler plane engine on top of it. His men did as ordered and called this vehicle the Phönizischer Bäderexpress. The order for the 7. April 1918 was: "The first ride will be the day after tomorrow at 8 p.m. after the flight duty. The participation is according the merits. Take bathing trunks with you!" Indeed, with 90km maximum speed they travelled with this machine to Haifa and the surprised Turks were calling "yavas, yavas" (slowly, slowly).

Names on the Photo below:
Der Schnellzug Haifa-Afula: Nr. 1 Kommandeur der F.A. 304 Hauptmann Walz, Nr. 2 Ltn. von Gablenz , Nr. 3 Kommandeur der Flieger Hauptmann Heemskerck, Nr. 4 Ltn. Felmy, Nr. 5 Ltn. Debus, Nr. 6 Ltn. Heussenstamm, Nr. 7 Hauptmann Elias, Nr. 8 Ltn. Haefner.
Picture and text from Dr. Norbert Schwake, Nazareth

The railway from Afula (El Affule) to Haifa - the airfield Afula was taken 20 September by Australian cavalry before all planes and equipment could be evacuated and may of the personnel became POWs. The famous train should be used to evacuate some material and tools but crashed somewhere underway with an opposite travelling train.

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Poliorketes:
Astounding!

A quick translation:

Phönizischer Bäderexpress
phonician bathexpress

Schnellzug
Express

Kommandeur der F.A.
Commander Anti Aircraft

Kommandeur der Flieger
Flight Commander

Helen:
Thanks Poliorketes for the translations on a few choosen words 8)

Plynkes:
Fantastic. Sure beats those pump-action things you see in Mack Sennett films!

I want one. It's something nice and small for my 25mm Ned Lawrence to try and blow up, to ease him into it, as it were...  :)

PeteMurray:
And thus once again, history is stranger than anything we can invent.

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