Torpedo testing station

Torpedownia, also known as Schießstand, was the central facility of German torpedo research centers established in occupied Poland during World War II. Located in Gdynia, there were two main centers: Torpedowaffenplatz Hexengrund in Babie Doły and Torpedo Versuchsanstalt Oxhöft in Oksywie. Although formally independent, both centers were connected by a narrow-gauge railway. The torpedo testing station in Babie Doły, built on caissons, fell into ruin after the war, with most of its equipment seized by the Red Army. The building was used for training by military divers and sailing enthusiasts until the 1980s and was ultimately destroyed in the early 1990s. The torpedo testing station in Oksywie, constructed on a Larsen sheet pile box, remains operational to this day, primarily used for test torpedo launches. In the 1960s, it became a base for measuring the electromagnetic fields of ships. During the war, three observation towers were also built in the Gdańsk Bay to support torpedo testing. The center at Lake Miedwie, which had no military use after the war, is also located in a restricted zone. Interestingly, the torpedo testing station in Babie Doły appeared in Polish films and TV series such as "Czterej pancerni i pies" (Four Tank-Men and a Dog) and "Kryminalni" (The Detectives). Architecturally, these structures represented advanced military engineering, with designs adapted for conducting complex torpedo tests in maritime conditions. Today, brief illuminations of their history serve as reminders of the region's industrial and military past. The torpedo testing stations played a crucial role in torpedo research, and their long-term operation stands as a testament to the evolving needs and technologies in naval warfare.