Fortress Eben-Emael

Fortress Eben-Emael was effectively disabled by a commando rais of German paratroopers on May 10th, 1940. Althoug formally a fortress, Fortress Eben-Emael in fact is a collection of several defensive works, grouped in a fortress which was dug in a cliff. All parts of the fortress are connected with each other by a corridor system. Central is are barracks from where the system is leading to all the components.

The main armement consists of a dome with two 120 mm guns, capable of firing in 360 degrees and 17,5 km far. Besides that there are two domes with each two 75 mm guns, also capable of firing 360 degrees but 11 km. Also there are four casemates with each three pieces of 75 mm guns, capable to fire in 70 degrees for 11 km far. To mislead the enemy there were three false domes like the 120 mm dome.

Around the fortress are situated six so called Block's, casemates with an anti-tank gun, searchlights and machineguns. Two Block's with machineguns were situated on top of the fortress together with a battey of four Vickers anti-aircraft machineguns. Finally outside the fortress there was a Block to defend the plateau of the rive Meuse (Block 01). These last three Block's had two 60 mm anti-tank guns, serachlights and machineguns.