Model ballooning in the Power Plant Vockerode

In November 2007, the Balloon Team Knechtel had a very special surprise for us: An old, disused power plant machine hall, 22 meters high, 25 meters wide, 270 meters long - reserved for our model balloons for one morning!

At breakfast, the pilots get ready for the day: Martin Kaiser, Matthias Schlegel, Pea & Fiete Schwuchow and Louise, Elke & Karsten Knechtel (from left to right).

Safety first: The Auxiliarx Fire Brigade of Vockerode makes sure that everything is fine while refueling and during the flights.

Martin Kaiser's Fox on its way through the old machine hall.

Once one of the state-of-the-art brown coal power plants of Europe, the Vockerode plant is closed since 1994. Since 1996, it is protected as an industrial monument.

Karsten Knechtel's "Heart", Fiete Schwuchow's "Yellow Ladybug", the "Green Envelope" of the Knechtels and Martin Kaiser's "Antenne Bayern" balloon.

The two floors of the machine hall allowed unusual perspectives. So, all of the pilots had the possibility to see their balloons from the top, and Matthias could tickle the Penguin's pecker for the first time.

Things get cuddly: Penguin and Heart go cheek by jowl.

Our little D-Dino hovering over an old turbine of the power plant.

Size comparison: The six cubic meter D-Dino in front of the 98 cubic meter Heart.

The mole emerges from the deep - if the fox has caught the scent?

After the flights, all pilots were sure: This was a really unique experience!

In the afternoon, we visited "Ferropolis", the city of steel. The surface mining museum with the giant bucket wheel and chain excavators was interesting not only for the technicians and engineers among the model balloonists.

Group photo after an exciting day: Martin Kaiser, Fiete & Pea Schwuchow, Matthias Schlegel and Sophie, Karsten & Elke Knechtel (from left to right) are happy about the successful day.

Our thanks go to the Knechtel family for organisation, to the Auxiliarx Fire Brigade of Vockerode and to Mrs. Richter from the power plant.

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