Exhibit of the Month - Oct. '25
23.10.2025
As exhibit of the month - October 2025, we present the concrete bomb ZC 250, which will soon be exhibited in the Military History Collection (MGS).
The concrete bomb ZC 250
Last year we already reported on the two types of concrete bombs ZC 50 and ZC 250 which were dropped in batches, e.g. with the dive bombers StuKa, for training purposes.
Near the main gate of the Stapel military training area, in the British-administered area, we were able to recover a very well-preserved ZC 250 from under concrete debris. It only requires minor concrete repairs; only the tail fins require major restoration.
The bomb is intended to be positioned as an eye-catcher in the entrance area of the armored personnel carrier.
My special thanks go to the Auf der Heide family, who actively supported me in recovering the new exhibit. Jennifer and Alexander are also helping with the restoration of our large equipment and undertake smaller tasks in the collection.
Concrete bombs were used by the German Air Force before and during World War II.
These were practice bombs designed to have the same ballistic properties as actual high-explosive bombs. These practice bombs were either equipped with glass ampoules that produced smoke upon impact with the ground or with a flare that indicated the trajectory and marked the point of impact upon impact. The ZC 50 weighed 50 kilograms, and the ZC 250 250 kilograms, respectively. The pilots were supposed to practice their accuracy at specific altitudes and flight maneuvers during the drop.