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Mill De Hoop is the older of the two Norg mills. A interesting feature of the mill is its unusual Bilau sail system. This system automatically regulates the speed at which the mill’s sails turn. The Bilau sail system was an improvement introduced by German aeronautical engineer Kurt Bilau. The sails in this system were based on the wing of an aeroplane. There are a few mills in the Netherlands using this system. The mill’s sails are coloured a striking red.
Construct…
Mill De Hoop is the older of the two Norg mills. A interesting feature of the mill is its unusual Bilau sail system. This system automatically regulates the speed at which the mill’s sails turn. The Bilau sail system was an improvement introduced by German aeronautical engineer Kurt Bilau. The sails in this system were based on the wing of an aeroplane. There are a few mills in the Netherlands using this system. The mill’s sails are coloured a striking red.
Constructed in 1857 as a huller (a type of mill used to remove the hulls off rice grains), the mill was refurbished as a grain mill thirty years later. In 1935 one of the mill’s rods was equipped with the Bilau system, but it quickly broke. In 1937 both—now steel—rods—were equipped with the Bilau system. In 1943 the mill was damaged after being shelled by fighter planes. It was immediately restored because of its importance in terms of food production in the area. The mill has had many different owners and has known long periods of inactivity. In 2000 its second-to-last owner conducted a thorough restoration, enabling the mill to become operational again that same year.
Eight-sided smock mill with stage
