L.V.G. Experimental Fighters

L.V.G. Experimental Fighters 1916-1918

Despite the success of L.V.G. two seat aircraft, the pursuit for a top-notch fighter eluded them. Their attempts ranged from the mundane to the extremely odd. Perhaps they might have eventually succeeded. The end of the war stopped their efforts before any could enter production.

L.V.G. Experimental Fighter, 1916

L.V.G. D 10

Experimental single-seat fighter with wrapped plywood strip fuselage of deep gap-filling Walfisch type. The unique under-fin extending to the axle is one of the many features of this unusual-looking airplane which was built during 1916.

References

1. Grey & Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. Putnam &Company.
2. LVG D.10, 1916 the Virtual Aircraft Museum retrieved Nov/09/2012-14:32 from: http://www.aviastar.org/air/germany/lvg_d-10.php
3. LVG D.10, 1916 flyingmachines.ru retreived Nov/09/2012-14:38 from: http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft30276.htm

L.V.G. Experimental Fighter, 1917

L.V.G. D IV

Continuing the streamlined, ply-covered fuselage trend, the L.V.G. D IV featured a wing cellule similar to that of the earlier D II, with single-spar lower wing and vee interplane struts. The nose, of blunter proportions but still neatly spinnered, housed the vee-eight type, direct-drive, 195 h.p. Benz Bz IIIb engine. The machine participated at the second D types Competition at Adlershof in June 1918.

References

1. Grey & Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. Putnam &Company.
2. L.V.G. D IV 1917 the Virtual Aircraft Museum retrieved Nov/09/2012-14:47 from: http://www.aviastar.org/air/germany/lvg_d-4.php
3. L.V.G. D IV 1917 flyingmachines.ru retrieved Nov/09/2012-14:42 from: http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft25806.htm

L.V.G. Experimental Fighter, 1918

L.V.G. D V

The L.V.G. D V was another 195 h.p. Benz-powered prototype built in 1918, The design reverted to a slab-sided ply-covered fuselage. Most unusual feature was the reversal of the wing surface cord length, the lower was a much broader chord. It functioned as the main lifting surface. The narrow-chord upper-wing panels pivoted differentially outboard of the center-section. The entire surface of both wings acted as "ailerons" to provide lateral maneuverability.

The streamlining includes both the interplane and fuselage connecting twin-struts, are more or less V structure. The inner set is provided with a round cutting in the streamlining. The steepness, while not whale type, camouflaged the body of the L.V.G. The chord of the lower plane of the L.V.G. looks large for a scout; the rudder is a bit perplexing. Considering the amount of stress on a scout rudder, the unsupported position seems strange. The hinged fixed plane and elevator position of the L.V.G. Scout is similar to that of the Brandenburg seaplane.

References

1. C.G. Grey (Editor) Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919. David & Charles (November 1969) ISBN-10: 0715346474 ISBN-13: 978-0715346471
2. Grey & Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. Putnam &Company.
3. L.V.G. D V 1918 the Virtual Aircraft Museum retrieved Nov/09/2012-14:49 from: http://www.aviastar.org/air/germany/lvg_d-5.php
4. L.V.G. D V 1918 flyingmachines.ru retrieved Nov/09/2012-14:44 from: http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft25807.htm

Fokker Dr.I: Back in Black

Fokker Dr.I: Classic Black

Black profiles can be a challenge. Finding the right mid tone is important. You need to gain a bit of range through modeling with gradients. Once you're done, add the markings for that particular plane. The next step is building up layers of highlights to make the profile pop.

Working in monochrome is a great way to practice your luminosity skills. There are other benefits. You can create adjustment layers and alpha channels for masks. You can also colorize a monochrome layer.With practice you can layer patterns such as wood grain or complicated lozenge schemes.

Fokker Dr.I Jasta 7, Josef Jacobs s/n 470/17

This is one of the iconic black triplane for me. I love the simplicity of it. All the surfaces which would have been blue or the standard streaked paint were painted black.

Fokker Dr.I Jasta12, Aerodrome Toulis,1917

Jasta 12 used white cowlings and black tail-lanes. The wings are painted in the standard streaked upper surfaces and pale blue under-surfaces. The wing and landing gear struts are pale blue. Notable are the old style Iron Cross markings and the black rudder.

Fokker Dr.I Jasta12, Les Mesnils Airfield, June 1918

This is another plane from Jasta 12. The basic paint scheme is the same. The personal markings are different and the rudder is white. Please note, it bears the more modern Maltese Cross as ordered in the spring of 1918.

Fokker Dr.I Jasta19, Aerodrome Balatre, April 1918

The Jasta is indicated by the white cowling and yellow, black striped tail-plane. Once again the wings are painted in the streaked and blue scheme. The number "4" is repeated on the top of the fuselage near to the tail-plane. Notable is the lack of a cross on the fuselage and the black paint over the original Iron Cross to make the new Maltese Cross.

Britain - 1917 R.A.F. FE.9

Boldly Moving Forward Into the Past.

Life has been demanding of my free time. I hope my routine will settle down to normal chaos by the new year. It is good to be back. I need to post some of the work which has slipped through the cracks during the Fokker Dr.I renovation project. Today's post is one of the rare birds I have been working on.

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9 S/n A 4818 - 1917

Brief Overview of the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9

The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9 was a prototype British two seat fighter-reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. A single-engined pusher biplane of 1917, the F.E.9 had poor performance and handling, and only three were built.

In summer 1916, the Royal Aircraft Factory set out to design a replacement for its F.E.2b two-seat pusher fighter. The F.E.9 was of similar pusher configuration and therefore already obsolescent by the time it appeared in 1917. Although effective gun synchronizing gear was now available, which would allow a tractor design with superior performance to be designed, the factory chose to continue the pusher layout of the F.E.2 in its new two seat fighter, the F.E.9. Emphasis was placed in the design upon providing the gunner with a good field of fire and the pilot a good all-round view. Its nacelle extended well forward of the wings and was located high up in the wing gap to give a good field of fire for the observer, who was seated in the nose, ahead of the pilot, with dual controls fitted. It had unequal span, single-bay wings, with ailerons on the upper wing only with large horn balances (the amount of control surface forward of the hinge). It was powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8 V8 engine, with the Royal Aircraft Factory having priority for this important and widely used engine.

Three prototypes and 24 production aircraft were ordered, with the first of three prototypes flying in April 1917. It was found to have a poor climb performance and handling, with the ailerons being overbalanced, which tended to force the aircraft onto its back in steep turns. In order to try and solve its handling problems it was fitted with various designs of aileron and rudders.

After service trials of the first prototype in France, Major General Hugh Trenchard recommended that development be stopped, despite this the second prototype flew in October 1917, with two-bay wings, which was passed to No. 78 Squadron based at Biggin Hill in the Home Defense role. The third prototype appeared in November 1917, and was used for trials at Farnborough until early 1918.

Although the 24 production aircraft were not completed, the F.E.9 did form the basis for the later N.E.1 night fighter and A.E.3 Ram ground attack aircraft.

References

• Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9 the Virtual Aircraft Museum Retrieved 07:24, November 17, 2010, from http://www.aviastar.org/air/england/raf_fe-9.php
• Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.9. (2010, April 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:24, November 17, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Aircraft_Factory_F.E.9&oldid=358338309
• Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957.
• Bruce, J.M. War Planes of the First World War: Volume Two Fighters. London:Macdonald, 1968. ISBN 0 356 01473 8.
• Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland, USA:Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.

When Good Planes Go Bad

Fokker Dr.I Triplanes: When Good Planes Go Bad

Recently I had produced a lot of a Fokker triplane profiles. A recent count was 54 Dr.I profiles. I took break and worked on some new refined weapons, wing skids, high-light kit and assorted parts and While working adding newly finished parts upgrades to my Dr.I profiles based on an old but serviceable master file I noticed something was wrong. Not just wrong for one triplane, but for all of the current run of 54. I looked at the inverted V-strut and noticed it was on the wrong side of the machine guns. Finding the mistake does one thing, It lights a fire under me and gives me an excuse for a complete renovation . Here are a few of the new profiles from the Triplane Errata Project.

Fokker Dr.I Jasta 11 Manfred von Richthofen serial number 425/17 - 1918

This was the bird which started the dominoes falling. I have to confess I have put off doing the iconic red and white Triplane. So many people have done their own version. I was afraid of a swarm of cliches to start creeping into my collection. Someone talked me down off the edge and I added them for the sake of completion. In the end it was when I looked and saw what was wrong.

Fokker Dr.I Jasta 11 Lothar von Richthofen- 1917

Once I got the Red Barron sorted out and tucked away, I went looking for his next of kin. I've always liked his paint scheme better. Luckly I have my initial profile file to work from. Just add the new parts, tweak, save as a png to the drawings folder, save as thumbnail image resize, unsharpen mask, do some optimization to keep things snappy. To simplify I overwrite existing graphic with the new image so there is no need to change file calls in HTML. It helped sort out the steps to bare bones.

Fokker Dr.I JG.1 Jasta 11 1917

These are a couple of the new profiles from this week's crop. The easiest way to do this is working in batches. So far the count is a dozen in the can waiting to be turned into a pair of pngs. Baby steps, I'm still annoyd with the "I" struts. grrrrr. Ok that force me to to a refit sooner than later. Cheers I need a nap.

Fokker Dr.I Jasta14 Ltn. Hasso Wedel s/n 183/17 1917

Germany - 1917 - LVG C.V

All Work and No Play Makes Will...

Since I last posted things have been hectic. I just got completed a series of profiles for the book project I wrote about earlier and hope to be able to share them when the time is right. Site revisions and working up new profile masters and insignias, etc has been keeping me busy. I got sidetracked on a bit of engine building. Slowly I will have made a new set of detailed engines I can insert into the profile and dial in the size. It will help when doing types where only the engine is changed.

My latest profiles have been of LVG aircraft. I have saved posting the best types for last. In either numbers built, success, number of nations using them and length of service. The Late C class LVG aircraft were all these things.

Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. (L.V.G. or LVG) was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.

The raid on London in 1916 was conducted by one LVG C.IV. It dropped its bombs near London Victoria station, but was shot down by French anti-aircraft gunners on its way home.

German Empire

LVG C.V s/n C.9730/17 - 1917

Besides the serial number little is known of this example. The colors are conjectural and based on a excellent profile done by Bob Pearson in 2000 for the L.V.G. C.V Datafile.

Polish Air Force

LVG C.V Poland 1920

I have no solid information on this planes assignments or history. The color scheme was often used on this aircraft type. I have not sen a top view and at the moment thinking the upper wings are dark green to match the varnished linen on the lower wings. I would also assume the simple unbordered red and white check insignia are prominent on the top upper wing surface.

LVG C.V s/n 9667/17 - 1917

The profile is based on this LVG C.V when it served in unknown German training unit in France during the Summer and Autumn of 1918. While assigned to the International Contact Regiment, RKKVF, it flew the first Soviet international flight during the period of April12th through the 15th in 1918.The Russian pilot Khodorovich flew from Vinnitsa to Budapest. It was a 1062 km flight lasting a total of 8 flying hours.

A Short Overview of the LVG C.V

From Wikipedia, LVG C.V, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVG_C.V"

The LVG C.V was a reconnaissance aircraft produced in large numbers in Germany during World War I. It was a conventional two-bay biplane design of its day, with unstaggered wings of equal span and tandem, open cockpits for the pilot and observer. The ailerons, fitted only to the upper wing, featured aerodynamic balances that extended past the wingtips. The fuselage was a semi-monocoque construction skinned in wood.

Following the war, some C.Vs were used as civil transports, while some 150 machines captured by Polish forces were put to use by the Polish army.] Other post-war users included Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia; together operating about 30 aircraft.

References

1. From Wikipedia, LVG C.V, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVG_C.V"
2. Grosz, Peter M. "LVG C.V. Windsock Datafile 71": Berkhampstead: Albatross Productions. (1998).
3. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
4. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions.
5. "World Aircraft Information Files". London: Bright Star Publishing.

Germany - 1916 AEG C.IV

Out With the Old, In With the New.

Part of my daily routine is looking over my profiles to see which ones annoy me enough to jump into action. Work I did years ago and had served well enough is no longer good enough. Sooner or later the axe will fall and the old is replaced with something less annoying for the moment.

The Stodgy but Dependable AEG C.IV

AEG C.IV s/n, C4762 - 1917

This example is sporting the mauve and green scheme with blue under surfaces. The crosses are bordered and the serial numbers are painted on the tail fin.

AEG C.IV s/n 2, C6674 - 1917

This is an example of the German brown and green scheme with blue under surfaces. The crosses are displayed on a white field as above the serial numbers are painted on the tail fin.

A Short History of the AEG C.IV

The AEG C.IV was a two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft produced by Allgemeine Elektrizitats-Gesellschaft (AG). The design was based on the C.II, but featured a larger wingspan and an additional forward-firing LMG 08/15 Spandau-type 0.312 in (7.92 mm) machine gun.

The C.IV was a conventional biplane. The wings featured and equal span upper and lower wing assembly with double bays and parallel struts. The forward portion of the fuselage was contoured , producing a n aerodynamic look while the rest of the body maintained a box-like appearance. Performance was good for the time with a top speed of 98 miles per hour with a service ceiling of 16,400 feet.

The aircraft entered active service during the spring of 1916. By June of 1917, no fewer than 150 examples were operating along the Western Front .

The AEG C.IV primarily served as reconnaissance aircraft from 1916 onwards though it also served as a bomber escort and saw service with the German air service until the end of the war. The design proved to be seriously under-powered for the bomber escort role. Nevertheless, the C.IV was easily the most successful of AEG's World War I B- and C-type reconnaissance aircraft, with some 400 being built and remaining in service right up to the end of the war.

A variant, the C.IV.N was designed specifically as a prototype night bomber in 1917, with the Benz Bz.III engine used in other C-types and a lengthened wingspan. Another variant, the C.IVa, was powered by a 180 hp (130 kW) Argus engine.

C.IV aircraft saw service with the Bulgarian Air Force and the Turkish Flying Corps.

References

1. From Wikipedia AEG C.IV, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEG_C.IV"
2. The Great War Flying Museum http://www.greatwarflyingmuseum.com/aircraft/germany/aeg_civ.html
3. Axelrod, Alan. "World War I". Indianapolis: Macmillan USA, Inc, 2000.
4. Sharpe, Michael (2000). "Biplanes, Triplanes, and Seaplanes". London: Friedman/Fairfax Books. p. 14.
5. Bullock, David L. Allenby's "War: The Palestine-Arabian Campaigns 1916-18". London: Blandford Press, 1988.
6. Cron, Hermann. "Imperial German Army 1914-18". Solihull, West Midlands, UK: Helion & Company, 2002.
7. Flanagan, Brian P.; Smith, Frank; and Raidor, Lonnie. "The Great War 1914-1918 - Chronology of Events of World War I: Cross and Cockade (US)", various volumes and issues covering the period 1916 to 1918. Cross and Cockade (US).
8. Franks, Norman; Frank Bailey, and Rick Duiven "Casualties of the German Air Service 1914-1920". London: Grub Street, 1999.
9. Franks, Norman; Frank Bailey, and Russell Guest. "Above the Lines". London: Grub Street, 1998.
10. Groschel, Dieter H. M, "Ein Verlust der bayerischen Flieger-Abteilung 304 an der Palästina-Front 1918", Das Propellerblatt Nummer 7, 2003.
11. Groschel, Dieter H. M. and Div Gavish. "Rudolf Holzhausen - Weltkriegsflieger, Dipolmat, und Historiker". Das Propellerblatt Nummer 9, 2004.
12. Grosz, Peter M. "Windsock Datafile 67 AEG C.IV". Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK: Albatros Publications, Ltd., 1998.
13. Imrie, Alex. "Pictorial History of the German Army Air Service 1914-1918". Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1973.
14. Hoeppner, Ernest, General von. "Germany's War in the Air". Nashville, TN: The Battery Press, 1994.
15. Nicolle, David. "The Ottoman Army 1914-18", Osprey Men-at-Arms Series No. 269. London, UK: Osprey Publications, Ltd 1994.
16. Nikolajsen, Ole. "Pilot Fazil Bey Turkish Aviation Hero, Over the Front Volume 22 No. 3". Journal of the League of World War I Aviation Historians, 2007.
17. Perrett, Bryan. "Megiddo 1918: The Last Great Cavalry Victory", Osprey Campaign Series No. 61. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publications, Ltd 1999.
18. Rottgardt, Dirk. "German Armies' Establishment 1914/18", Volume 4: German Forces in the Middle East. West Chester, Ohio: The Nafziger Collection, Inc., 2007.
19. Sanders, Liman, General von. "Five Years in Turkey". Nashville, TN: The Battery Press, 2000.
20. Shores, Christopher; Norman Franks, and Russell Guest. "Above the Trenches. A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Forces 1915-1920". London: Grub Street, 1990.
21. WWI Aero, volume 107 (for C Types), Dec 1985
22. Zankl, Reinhard. "Deutsche Flieger-Einheiten 1914-1918": Folge 3 - Flieger-Abteilungen. Das Propellerblatt Nummer 3, 2002.

I'd like to take time for a long overdue shout out to Patti Davidson-Peters, a new found friend and the webmaster at The excellent 93^rd Aero Squadron web site http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/93aero/index.html. There is much hard to find information about the 93^rd Aero Squadron and is well worth a visit. Welcome aboard Patti!

Germany - 1917 Zeppelin-Staaken R-type pt 2

In Search of Giants

Sometimes you can work as hard as you can, and on the surface you have nothing to show for your time and effort. This has been the case as of late. I have been doing a lot more research and preparing master files than finishing complete profiles. In some cases when I do finish a profile I am replacing an existing file with a new image. I have finished some new work, and will post them soon.

Recently I have been on a hunt for those giants of the air. It all started when looking for the largest of the float planes. That was where I found today's subject, the Zeppelin-Staaken Type L s/n 1432. After that I got stuck in looking for more types of Staaken R-Type aircraft. One additional benefit was discovering more information and fairly clear 3 views of other rare Giant class aircraft. Some days life is good.

Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI, s/n 37/16, 1917

This example of the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI sports a fairly simple paint scheme. The crosses indicate the period was before the end of spring of 1918.

Zeppelin-Staaken Type L s/n 1432 - 1917

This is the prototype for large Staaken float planes. Sources state the color is a light gray over all. This plane crashed during test flights. There was enough interest in a float version and three serial numbers were reserved 8301 through 8303. It appears 8301 and 8303 were the only examples of that type completed by the end of the war.

A Short Overview of the Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI

The Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI was a four-engined German biplane strategic bomber of World War I, and the only so-called Riesenflugzeug ("giant aircraft") design built in any quantity. The R.VI was the most numerous of the R-bombers built by Germany, and also one of the first closed-cockpit military aircraft (but the first was Russian aircraft Sikorsky Ilya Muromets). The bomber was reputedly the largest wooden aircraft ever built until the advent of the Hughes H-4 Hercules built by Howard Hughes, its wingspan of 138 feet 5.5 inches (42.20 m) nearly equaling that of the World War II B-29 Superfortress.

In September 1914, at the start of World War I, Ferdinand von Zeppelin visualized the concept of a Riesenflugzeug (R) bomber, to be larger than the Gotha G. Using engineers from the Robert Bosch GmbH, he created the Versuchsbau Gotha-Ost (VGO) consortium in a rented hangar at the Gotha factory. Alexander Baumann became his chief engineer, although later the team included other noted engineers including Zeppelin's associate Claudius Dornier, Hugo Junkers and Baumann's protogé Adolph Rohrbach. All of these Zeppelin-Staaken Riesenflugzeug designs used some variation of push-pull configuration in the setup, orientation and placement of their power plants.

The first Riesenflugzeug built was the VGO.I flying in April 1915, using three Maybach Zeppelin engines; two pusher and one tractor. This was built for the German Navy and served on the Eastern Front Later modified with two extra engines, it crashed during tests at Staaken. A similar machine, the VGO.II was also used on the Eastern Front.

Baumann was an early expert in light-weight construction techniques and placed the four engines in nacelles mounted between the upper and lower wing decks to distribute the loads to save weight in the wing spars.

The next aircraft, the VGO.III was a six-engined design The 160 hp Maybach engines were paired to drive the three propellers. It served with Rfa 500.

In 1916 VGO moved to the Berlin suburb of Staaken, to take advantage of the vast Zeppelin sheds there. The successor to the VGO III became the Staaken R.IV, the only "one-off" Zeppelin-Staaken R-type to survive World War I, powered by six Mercedes D.III and Benz Bz.IV engines that powered three propellers, a tractor configuration system in the nose, and two pusher-mount on the wings. By the autumn of 1916, Staaken was completing its R.V, R.VI, and R.VII versions of the same design, and Idflieg selected the R.VI for series production over the 6-engined R.IV and other R-plane designs, primarily those of Siemens-Schuckertwerke AG.

With four engines in a tandem push-pull arrangement, it required none of the complex gearboxes of other R-types. Each bomber cost 557,000 marks and required the support of a 50-man ground crew. The R.VI required a complex 18-wheel undercarriage to support its weight, and carried two mechanics in flight, seated between the engines in open niches cut in the center of each nacelle. The bombs were carried in an internal bomb bay located under the central fuel tanks, with three racks each capable of holding seven bombs. The R.VI was capable of carrying the 1000 kg PuW bomb.

Although designed by Versuchsbau, because of the scope of the project, the production R.VI's were manufactured by other firms: seven by Schütte-Lanz using sheds at Flugzeugwerft GmbH Staaken, Berlin; six by Automobil und Aviatik A.G. (Aviatik) (the original order was for three); and three by Albatros Flugzeugwerke. 13 of the production models were commissioned into service before the armistice and saw action.

One R.VI was converted on September 5, 1917, into a float-equipped seaplane for the German Naval Air Service, with the designation Type L and s/n 1432, having Maybach engines. The Type L crashed during testing on June 3, 1918. The Type 8301, of which four were ordered and three delivered, was developed from the R.VI by elevating the fuselage above the lower wing for greater water clearance, eliminating the bomb bays, and enclosing the open gun position on the nose.

R.VI serial number R.30/16 was the first supercharged aircraft, with a fifth engine - a Mercedes D.II - installed in the central fuselage, driving a Brown-Boveri supercharger. This enabled it to climb to an altitude of 19,100 feet (5,800 m). This same aircraft was later fitted with four examples of one of the first forms of variable-pitch propellers, believed to have been ground-adjustable only.

The R.VI equipped two Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Army Air Service) units, Riesenflugzeug-Abteilung (Rfa) 500 and Rfa 501, with the first delivered June 28, 1917.

The units first served on the Eastern Front, based at Alt-Auz and Vilua in Kurland until August 1917. Almost all missions were flown at night with 1,700 pound (770 kg) bomb loads, operating between 6,500 and 7,800 feet (2,000 and 2,400 m) altitude. Missions were of three to five hours' duration.

Rfa 501 was transferred to Ghent, Belgium, for operations against both France and Great Britain, arriving September 22, 1917, at St. Denis-Westrem (Sint-Denijs-Westrem) airdrome. Rfa 501 later moved its base to Scheldewindeke airdrome south of group headquarters at Gontrode, while Rfa 500 was based at Castinne, France, with its primary targets French airfields and ports.

Rfa 501, with an average of five R.VI's available for missions, conducted 11 raids on Great Britain between September 28, 1917, and May 20, 1918, dropping 27,190 kg (29.97 short tons) of bombs in 30 sorties. Aircraft flew individually to their targets on moonlit nights, requesting directional bearings by radio after takeoff, then using the River Thames as a navigational landmark. Missions on the 340-mile (550 km) round trip lasted seven hours. None were lost in combat over Great Britain (compared to 28 Gotha G bombers shot down over England), but two crashed returning to base in the dark.

Four R.VI's were shot down in combat (one-third of the operational inventory), with six others destroyed in crashes, of the 13 commissioned during the war. Six of the 18 eventually built survived the war or were completed after the armistice.

References

1. Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI. (2012, May 12). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:11, May 17, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zeppelin-Staaken_R.VI&oldid=492276869
2. Mark's Lists German Giants Retrieved 01:01, May 17, 2012, from http://www.markslists.net/history/germangiants/index.html
3. The Aerodrome Forum Zeppelin Staaken R.vi/ Type L Seeflugzeug Bomber Camouflage Retrieved 01:01, May 17, 2012, from http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/camouflage-markings/33768-zeppelin-staaken-r-vi-type-l-seeflugzeug-bomber-camouflage.html
4. E. Offermann, W. G. Noack, and A. R. Weyl, "Riesenflugzeuge, in: Handbuch der Flugzeugkunde" (Richard Carl Schmidt & Co., 1927).
5. Haddow, G.W. & Grosz, Peter M. "The German Giants, The Story of the R-planes 1914–1919". London. Putnam. (1962, 3rd ed. 1988).ISBN 0-85177-812-7
6. Gray, Peter & Thetford, Owen. "German Aircraft of the First World War". London, Putnam. (2nd Ed.) 1970. ISBN 0-370-00103-6
7. Wagner, Ray and Nowarra, Heinz, "German Combat Planes", Doubleday, 1971.

Italy - 1917 Società Italiana Aviazione 7B

The Unfortunate Tale of the Underwhelming S.I.A. 7B

Aircraft design was more of an art than a science during the First World War. In many posts I have written about the problems experienced by Austrian designers while laboring down dead ends. The one saving grace for Austria was the inability of Italy to develop winning fighter and reconnaissance aircraft designs. Both Italy and Austria relied on designs created by their allies. For the most part Italy built planes from French designs. These include Macchi built versions of the Hanriot H.D.1, Nieuport 11-17, and the S.P.A.D. S.VII.

Società Italiana Aviazione 7B s/n 5637 - 1917

As with most examples the forward fuselage is bare metal. The height of the engine cover was very problematic for pilots since it blocked his forward field of vision.The roundels have a thin white border.

A Short History of the S.I.A. 7B

The Società Italiana Aviazione 7B was designed to replace the earlier pusher planes in service with the Italian air force. The SIA 7b was tested and approved for production in early 1917. The initial production aircraft were delivered to the reconnaissance squadrons in the summer of 1917. A later version had a different fairing of the fuselage decking. the SIA 7B proved extremely disappointing. Its workmanship was bad, and it suffered from wing failure, losing its wings in flight. Another fatal problem involved the Fiat engine mounted on this model which was notoriously troublesome. It was known to suffer from backfire at the carburetor and catching fire, much to the discomfort of the air crew. After a string of many fatal accidents this design was permanently withdrawn from service in June of 1918.

References

1. SIA 7. (2009, November 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 02:15, July 7, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SIA_7&oldid=327805437
2. Swanborough, F. Gordon & Bowers, Peter M. "United States Military Aircraft Since 1909" (Putnam New York, ISBN 085177816X) 1964, 596 pp.
3. Taylor, Michael John Haddrick "Janes Fighting Aircraft of World War I Random House Group Ltd. 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, 2001, 320 pp, ISBN 1-85170-347-0.
4. Fahey, James C. "U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946" (Ships and Aircraft, Fall Church VA) 1946, 64pp.

Austria - 1917 Hansa-Brandenburg G.1

The Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 Bomber

Austria depended on German for many of their designs. That does not mean many attempts were not made to produce their own designs.Unfortunately most of their efforts did not pan out. The Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 Bomber is one of those attempts which did not exceed the performance of their German counterparts.

Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 s/n 62.01 - 1918

As with most of the examples of this type I have seen, the fuselage is varnished wood. The wings, tail plane and rudders are all varnished fabric. The aircraft is depicted as it was in early 1918, before the switch to the Baltic cross.

A Short History of the Hansa-Brandenburg G.1 Bomber

The Hansa-Brandenburg G.I was a bomber aircraft used to equip the Austro-Hungarian aviation corps in World War I. It was a mostly conventional large, three-bay biplane with staggered wings of slightly unequal span. The pilot and bombardier sat in a large open cockpit at the nose of the aircraft, with a second open cockpit for a gunner in a dorsal position behind the wings. An unusual feature was the placement of the twin tractor engines. While the normal practice of the day was to mount these to the wings, either directly or on struts, the G.I had the engines mounted to the sides of the fuselage on lattices of steel struts. This arrangement added considerable weight to the aircraft and transmitted a lot of vibration to the airframe.

A small initial production batch of six aircraft was delivered by March 1917, but were all grounded soon thereafter and put into storage due to a contractual dispute between the manufacturer and Flars (the Imperial and Royal Aviation Arsenal). When this was resolved, deliveries recommenced, although the size of the order was reduced, and the bombers were modified by Flars before being sent to the Divacca, on the Italian Front. Twelve aircraft were built by UFAG and differed slightly from the German-built machines.

The G.I eventually equipped three squadrons plus a replacement unit, but reports from pilots were unfavorable, especially in comparison to the Gotha G.IV that was becoming available. The Hansa-Brandenburg machine was therefore quickly relegated to training duties. In the three months that these aircraft had been at the front, they had only carried out a single successful sortie. As a footnote to the G.I's military service, the type also served as a test bed in experiments in mounting large-caliber cannon on aircraft; flying with nose-mounted 2 in (50 mm) and (separately) 2.75 in (70 mm) Skoda weapons, and a 1.46 in (37 mm) Skoda cannon mounted in the dorsal gunner's position.

References

1. Hansa-Brandenburg G.I. (2010, December 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 06:03, March 12, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hansa-Brandenburg_G.I&oldid=403231491
2. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 472.
3. Hansa-Brandenburg Aircraft, 2010 Books LLC ISBN: 1155357191 ISBN-13: 9781155357195

Austria - 1917 Lohner D.I 10.20 series 111

Some Times Life Just Gets Strange

Things have been hectic around the studio. I am supposedly officially retired and getting on with the work I choose. Unfortunately others I know seem to think since I am retired I have empty hours that I should fill with projects they want me to do for them. Add a internet connection issue and I have not had much chance to post or read the blogs of my friends. Hopefully things will settle down and I can get back to a normal (as normal as it gets in this madhouse) routine.

The Ill Fated Lohner D.I 10.20

I have previously posted one of the earlier prototypes of this type. I finally finished up the profile of the last incarnation of this design. Austria seemed to have a difficult time creating original designs which could compete with the aircraft of their enemies. They invested so much time and resources into inferior designs.

Lohner DI - 10.20 Type AA sn. 111.01

Lohner DI - 10.20 Type AA sn. 111.01 - 1917

This is the original prototype, known as the type AA. Despite its sleek lines The performance left much to be desired. It was rebuilt with conventional wing struts and wires. This did yield any real advantage.

Lohner DI 10.20B sn. 111.02 - 1917

Lohner DI 10.20B sn. 111.02 - 1917

I had originally posted this profile a while ago. I include it here to show the evolution of the design. This nw build was the second attempt to solve the problems with the design. Once again the "I" struts have returned and the lines are still rather sleek. Unfortunately there was not much improvement in performance. As with the Type AA, the type B was retired.

Lohner DI 10.20 sn.111.03 - 1917

Lohner DI 10.20 sn.111.03 - 1917

This is the final version of the Lohner D.I. Gone were the "I" struts and the fuselage was simplified. The rudder was smaller that the previous prototypes.

The Lohner Series 111 aircraft company was an Austria-Hungarian prototype single seat biplane built in 1917 by Lohnerwerke GmbH. The fuselage was a laminated wood construction. The wing struts were an "I" requiring no wires tor structural stability. Power was provided by an Austro-Daimler engine generating 185 hp (138 kW) The design went through several changes during the development process. Three prototypes were built. The performance of the aircraft was not an improvement on existing models already in production. Lackluster flight results led to Flars not approving the D.I for production.

References

1. Grosz, Peter, the Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War One, Flying Machines Press, 2002, ISBN 1-891268-05-8

Poland - 1920 Ansaldo A.1

Italy's Contribution to the Polish/Bolshevik War

Early days of the Polish Air Service saw a wide range of second hand aircraft filling its ranks. The cash-strapped combative nations involved in the Great War were left with a surplus of military hardware. The newly independent nations fighting fo hold on to their recent independence needed the armament to achieve their goals. Needless to say many countries saw an opportunity to cash in on what was seen as a win/win situation. It was more than economically attractive. Many nations saw the Communist evolution as a threat to the world order. Arming and supporting the nations to the west of Russia was seen as a way to create a buffer zone to contain Soviet expansion.

Ansaldo A.1 of the Kosciuszko Squadron

Ansaldo A.1, 7th Eskadra Mysliwska, Maj. Fauntleroy s/n 1 (16728) July 1920

This example was purchased from the Italians and entered service in July of 1920. The command strip and the number "1" indicate it as the aircraft of the unit commander. It was flown by the American aviator Maj.Fauntleroy.

Ansaldo A.1, 7th Eskadra Mysliwska, kpt. Merian Cooper, s/n 5 (16726) July 1920

This was the personal aircraft of kpt.Merian Cooper, Lwow, July 1920. When flying this aircraft M.Cooper fell into Bolshevik hands after he crash on 13th July 1920. The wooden fuselage has not been repainted. The aircraft still has the original Italian factory markings which have been over-painted with a black "5" and Polish s/n number of 16.5.

Ansaldo A.1, 7th Eskadra Mysliwska, George Crawford, s/n 10 (16.4) July-Oct. 1920

This was the personal aircraft of kpt. Merian Cooper during July-October of 1920. The wooden fuselage has not been repainted. The aircraft still has the original Italian factory markings which have been over-painted with a black "10" and Polish s/n number of 16.4.

A Brief History of the Ansaldo A.1 Balilla

The Ansaldo A.1, nicknamed "Balilla" after the Genoan folk-hero was Italy's only domestically-produced fighter aircraft of World War I. Arriving too late to see any real action, it was however used by both Poland and the Soviet Union in the Polish-Soviet War.

The A.1 resulted from continued efforts by the Ansaldo company to create a true fighter. Their SVA.5 had proved unsuitable in this role, although it made an excellent reconnaissance aircraft and had been ordered into production as such. Ansaldo engineer Giuseppe Brezzi revised the SVA.5 design, increasing the size of the lower wing, and redesigning the interplane strut arrangement. While this produced more drag, it increased the stiffness of the wing structure and reduced stresses in the airframe. Engine power was increased to 150 kW (200 hp) and a safety system to jettison the fuel tank through a ventral hatch (in case of on-board fire) was installed.

The first prototype was completed in July 1917, but acceptance by the air force did not occur until December. Test pilots were not enthusiastic in their evaluation. While they found a marked increase in performance over the SVA.5, the A.1 was still not as maneuverable as the French types in use by Italy's squadrons. This resulted in a number of modifications, including a slight enlargement of the wings and rudder, and a further 10% increase in engine power. This initially proved satisfactory to the air force, and the modified A.1 (designated A.1bis) was ordered into service with 91 Squadriglia for further evaluation.

Reports from pilots were mixed. While the fighter's speed was impressive, it proved unmaneuverable and difficult to fly. Nevertheless, with a need to clear a backlog of obsolete fighter types then in service, the air force ordered the A.1 anyway.

The first of an original order of 100 machines entered service in July 1918. The A.1s were kept away from the front lines and mostly assigned to home defense duties. In the four months before the Armistice, A.1s scored only one aerial victory, over an Austrian reconnaissance aircraft. It was during this time that Ansaldo engaged in a number of promotional activities, including dubbing the aircraft as Balilla, flying displays in major Italian cities, and in August donating an example to Italian ace Antonio Locatelli as his personal property amidst a press spectacle. (This latter publicity stunt backfired somewhat when one week later a mechanical fault in the aircraft caused Locatelli to make a forced landing behind enemy lines and be taken prisoner). Despite all this, the air force ordered another 100 machines, all of which were delivered before the end of the war. At the armistice, 186 were operational, of which 47 aircraft were ordered to remain on hand with training squadrons, and the remainder were to be put into storage and some were sold to Poland.

References

1. From Wikipedia Ansaldo A1 Balilla, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansaldo_A.1_Balilla"
2. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions. pp. 62.

France - 1917 Nieuport 24

The First Round Body Nieuport

In 1917 the Nieuport 17 and the improved N.23 were seen as a dead end. Aviation technology development had rendered it less able to perform as a front line fighter. Gustave Delage took what was learned from previous models and created a new design with a new rounded shape and improvements to make Nieuport aircraft viable again. Even though the new design had some problems it served in several nations well after the end of the Great War.

Nieuport 24

Nieuport 24 N87 Escadrille (Les Chats Noir) Caporal William Wellman, s/n 10 - 1918

William Wellman was an American flying with the French Black Cat Squadron. The paint scheme is the standard aluminum finish with the squadron insignia on the fuselage. The numbers on the rudder are missing. The wing roundels are the standard 4 point scheme. I am not sure if the number ten was painted on the upper wing or not. I assume it was not, however I may be wrong.

Nieuport 24 N561 Escadrille, Roland Garros, s/n 5685 - 1918

This example has a four color camouflage pattern. I have not seen references for the wing pattern. The insignia is a not a squadron one, but a personal one chosen by the famous French ace Roland Garros. The rudder markings are just the serial number.

Nieuport 24bis

Nieuport 24 bis N501 Escadrille, s/n 4487 - 1917

The red rear section adds a lot of sizzle to the standard aluminum finish. The insignia is the late version used by the 501^st squadron. The rudder markings include the tare and loaded weights.

Nieuport 24 bis N502 Escadrille, Adj Basille Sané, s/n 4487 - 1917

This example does not carry the squadron insignia (A circle quarter red and dark blue). However the wide tri-color bands add a lot of visual impact. Sané was flying this plane when he was credited with bringing down a Gotha bomber assigned to Kaghol 1 in 1917.

A Short History of the Nieuport 24

The Nieuport 24 introduced a new fuselage with improved aerodynamic characteristics. Other changes included rounded wingtips, and a tail unit incorporating a small fixed fin and a curved rudder. The tail skid was sprung internally and had a neater appearance than that on earlier Nieuports. Power was provided by a 130 hp Le Rhône rotary engine .

In the event, there were problems with the new tail, most production aircraft of the type were of the Nieuport 24bis model, which retained the fuselage and wings of the 24, but reverted to the Nieuport 17 type tailplane, tail skid and rectangular balanced rudder. The new tail design was finally standardized on the Nieuport 27.

A batch of Nieuport 24bis were built at British Nieuport and General Aircraft Co. in England for the Royal Naval Air Service.

The standard armament of the Nieuport 17 (a synchronized 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers in French service - a 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun on a Foster mounting on the top wing in British service) was retained to save weight and retain a good performance, although many 24s were used as advanced trainers and normally flown without guns.

In the summer of 1917, when the Nieuport 24 and 24bis. were coming off the production line, most French fighter squadrons were replacing their Nieuport 17s with SPAD S.VIIs - and many of the new fighters went to fighter training schools, and to France’s allies, including the Russians, and the British, who used theirs well into 1918, due to a shortage of S.E.5as. A few French units retained the Nieuport through late 1917 - the type was actually preferred by some pilots, especially the famous Charles Nungesser.

Some of the Nieuport advanced trainers bought by the Americans for their flying schools in France in November 1917 may very well have been 24s or 24bis.

Both Poland and Russia continued to use the Nieuport 24 into the the early 1920's. There are many examples where the same plane fought on both sides of the Polish Russian War of 1919-1921. In some cases it was due to defection of the pilot, or the aircraft was captured by the opposing side.

References

1. Nieuport 24. (2010, July 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10: 18, July 23, 2010, from http: //en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nieuport_24&oldid=373176479
2. Escadrille 501 http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille501.htm
3. Nieuport Fighters in Action published by Squadron/Signal Publications.
4. Escadrille 501 http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille502.htm
5. Nieuport Gallery http://www.cbrnp.com/profiles/quarter1/nieuport-gallery.htm
6. Bruce, Jack M. More Nieuport Classics. Air Enthusiast, Number Five, November 1977-February 1978. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press. pp. 14-28.
7. Cheesman E.F. (ed.) Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War Letchworth, Harletford Publications, 1960 pp. 96-97

Germany - 1916-1918 Assorted Aircraft

Some New German Profiles

I woke this weekend with a cold. Needless to say it has slowed me down a bit. I took a break from working on interwar aircraft to work up a few new German WWI profiles.

Albatros D.III OAW Jasta 39, Oblt. Josef Loeser Italian Front, summer 1917

The candy cane paint scheme made this Albatros a must do profile.The upper wing surfaces and both sides of the tail plane are painted in white and red stripes running forward to aft. This was one of the German Jastas sent to bolster Austrian operations against Italy. The three Jastas were № 1, № 31, and № 39.

Fokker D.VII Jasta 64, Vzfw. Joseph Doerflinger October 1918

This is another controversial profile. Some sources claim the nose section is bare metal, others claim it was a dark blue. The lozenge colors I used are probably inaccurate. I expect to do a new version once my new master files are completed.

Junkers Cl.I s/n 1802/18 - 1918

I have seen sources for this Junker CL.I and liked the atypical mustard and green paint scheme. The sources I have found show a different landing gear strut arraignment for this aircraft.

Zeppelin Lindau Do-I (Doriner D.I) s/n D.1905/18 - 1918

This is a highly conjectural profile based on elements seen in other sources. It depicts one of the approximately finished Zeppelin Lindau Do-I reputed to be hidden by Germany after the Armistice.

Belgium - 1917 Nieuport 11

Three Belgian Aces and The "Bébé"

Early in the war Belgium suffered from a lack of combat aircraft. They had to wait for the French to supply them with hand me down planes which were no longer state of the art. Even though they were hampered with less sophisticated planes their fighting spirit proved to be a factor in their success. The best of the Belgian aviators preferred light but nimble machines which allowed them to out-maneuver their opponents. Today's collection is some of the early combat aircraft flown by the Belgian Air Service.

1^ere Escadrille Belgian Air Service

Nieuport 11 Major Willy Coppens 1st Escadrille - 1917

This example shares a scheme with several other Belgian aircraft, the gray lower fuselage and the dark green upper surfaces. The stylized origami bird is the insignia for the 1st Escadrille. It is unusual in that the aircraft has a Vickers gun mounted on the forward fuselage and not the wing mounted Lewis gun which most Nieuport 11 carried.

2^me Escadrille Belgian Air Service

Nieuport 11 Lieutenant Jan Olieslagers 2nd Escadrille - 1917

This example is painted in a sprayed 2 color camouflage scheme. The Belgian roundel painted below the cockpit is not typical for the Nieuport 11. As in the previous profile the serial numbers on the rudder are over painted. The armament is the standard wing mounted Lewis gun. The lower wing surfaces are finished in yellow varnish.

5^me Escadrille Belgian Air Service

Nieuport 11 Adj. Edmond Thieffry Escadre de Chasse sn N3 Spring - 1917

This yellow varnished example has the unit insignia of a red shooting star bordered in white on the fuselage. The wheel covers bear Thieffry's red central stripe on white field pattern. The rudder has the identification N3 painted on the yellow section.

France - 1916 - 1917 More Nieuport-17

Three French Nieuport-17

I have been working on getting my archive of Nieuport aircraft rebuilt. Hopefully I will have the new master files for the different types finished and I can start fleshing out neglected areas in my collection. Slowly but surely I get closer to where I was before the big crash ate my homework. When I first started my website I was happy with a single profile to give a glimpse into the evolution of aircraft design. Now I seem to be consumed with depth of content. I have passed the 1300 profile mark and the project keeps growing.

Today's post is a small sample of the weekend's work. My recent excursion into post world war one aircraft is moved to a back burner as I get back to basics. I have so many irons in the fire I need to focus a bit more on the main topic of my site. I will still be posting profiles from the Greco-Turkish War and the Polish-Russian conflict. I just need to get back to my roots.

Escadrille N3 Les Cigognes

Nieuport-17 C1 René Dorme “Pere Dorme 3” Escadrille N3 1916

This plane was flown by René Dorme (23 victories) when serving in Escadrille N3 escadrille “des Cigognes” (“The Storks”). The aircraft is finished in the typical aluminum varnish mix used at the time. The legend painted on the forward section reads “Pere Dorme 3”. The all red stork was used as the unit insignia between October 1916 through April 1917. On the top of the fuselage just behind the head rest is a stylized green “Croix Lorraine” (“Cross Lorraine”). The red number 12 is unusual in that it was not painted to align with the center line when the plane is in flight.

Escadrille N15 Casque de Bayard

Nieuport 17 Slt. Fernando Chevillon, Escadrille N15, “DEDETTE III” sn 7 N2054 1917

“Casque de Bayard” translates as “helmet of Bayard” (a famous french Knight of the 16th Century), was used as the insigna of the Escadrille N15. The black version appears on several Nieuports flown by the 15^th Escadrille during 1917. Several variants were used including white and red versions.The name “DEDETTE III” is painted on the forward fuselage. This is the third aircraft Chevillon named Dedette. Some sources show the serial number as N2038. I may have to change the profile to reflect this.

Escadrille N31 Les Archer Grec

Nieuport-17, Pilot Unknown, Escadrille N31, sn 25, 2254- 1917

Escadrille N31 (Founded in September of 1914.) was called “Escadrille l' archer grec” which translates as “Squadron of the Greek Archer”. The escadrille fielded Nieuport 17 between February through April of 1917. The insignia variant used did not have a colored field or solid circle often seen. While this plane is well known. none of the sources I have seen have any information on who piloted number 25.

References

1. The Blueprints.com http://www.the-blueprints.com/
2. Wings Palette http://wp.scn.ru/en/
3. L'escadrille SPA 3: http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille003.htm
4. L'escadrille SPA 15: http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille015.htm
5. L'escadrille_31:http://albindenis.free.fr/Site_escadrille/escadrille031.htm
6. Michel and Guy Vaugeois History of the 7th fighter Wing SHAA 1989
7. From Wikipedia Nieuport 17, "From Wikipedia Nieuport 17"
8. Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137-153.
9. Cheesman E.F., ed. "Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918" War. Letchworth, UK: Harleyford Publications, 1960.
10. Cooksley, Peter. "Nieuport Fighters in Action". Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1997. ISBN 0-89747-377-9.

Germany - 1916 Halberstadt CL.II part 2

Burning the Candle at Both Ends

Recently I have been working outdoors in the elements. During the holiday season I end up sleep deprived and a bit fuzzy around the edges. When I get home I mainly work on finishing new master files for a new push after the new year. It has been consolidation time for me, however it is needed to avoiding wasting time and energy with changing things piecemeal instead of building the structure in a logical modular manner. The past few days I have been busy preparing for things to come. One project is working up all of Manfred von Richtofen's aircraft, I have found several lists of his planes which will give me an outline to follow. This will include the two seat aircraft he served as the gunner/observer in. I have finished a couple of the profiles for this, including a LFG Roland C.II from Staffel 8, KAGOHL 2. I will post some of them soon. Today I am posting some of the new Halberstadt CL.II profiles I have done.

More Halberstadt CL.II

Halberstadt CL.II Schlasta 23b - 1916

This example served in Schlasta 23b during 1916. The aircraft is finished in two different camouflage schemes. The fuselage is painted with a speckled pattern and other surfaces are finished in a five color lozenge pattern.

Halberstadt CL.II Schlasta 26b - 1916

This example has an unusual scheme. The red and white flame pattern over the speckled fuselage makes it easy to identify. All the lozenge is a five color scheme. It was a fun profile to do.

Halberstadt CL.II Schlasta 27b Brünhilde - 1918

Halberstadt CL.II Schlasta 27b Thea - 1918

This pair of CL.II were assigned to Schlasta 23b are both painted in nearly identical schemes. Both have a female in white on the rear section of the fuselage. Nr. 2 bears the name “Brünhilde” and Nr. 5 bears the name “Thea” Both have white numbers mid-plane, a white chevron which is the Schlasta identifier. The red stripe bordered in white I am not sure what its significance is.

France - 1918 Breguet Br.14

Two Pairs of Breguet 14's

First off I want to thank all the veterans who have served us well in times of war defending freedom we should never take for granted. As long as we tell their stories they shall never be forgotten.

My posting schedule has been a bit erratic recently. Between working on new masters and profiles, working up the pages for the U.S.A.S. Pursuit, Observer, and Bombardment Groups, and the squadrons serving in them, I have been frazzled.

Today's post is a mixed bag of Breguet 14's in French service. The difference between the two versions of this aircraft are easy to spot.

Breguet Br.14A2

Breguet-Renault Br.14A2 Escadrille Br 234 sn 4644, 1918

This Breguet Br.14A2 from the Autumn of 1918 was powered by a Renault engine. The blue is not typical. The insignia for the 234^th Escadrille is a stylized Gallic angel on a blue field.

Breguet Br.14A2 Escadrille 509 Sg. Jean - 1917

The paint scheme is fairly standard. The unit markings area white dragon and quartered blue and white circle. The wing struts are light gray.

Breguet Br.14B2

Breguet Br.14B2 Escadrille 11 - 1917

Another example of a standard French camouflage scheme. The unit insignia is a red origami bird with eyes added to the head. The wing struts are natural wood.

Breguet Br.14B2 Million, Escadrille 504, sn 909 - 1917

Most examples I have seen of Breguet 14's in the 504^th Escadrille bear the red and white banding and the red cross. The lower red stripe is unusual.

Germany 1917 Pfalz D.IIIa Jasta 30

Three Pfalz D.IIIa From Jasta 30

Many Pfalz D.III were mainly silver in color with black markings. However some Jasta used a consistent paint scheme to aid in unit identification. Jasta 10 had yellow noses, Jasta 40 were black with white aft sections, Jasta 18 had their iconic red and blue paint scheme. Jasta 30 was easy to spot because of their large diamond shaped unit insignia. The color of the diamond was not always consistent but the shape was easy to see.

Pfalz D.IIIa Jasta 30 Pilot Unknown sn 5947.17 - 1917

This example is painted overall with a mixture of varnish and aluminum powder, except for the rudder which is painted white with black trim and the Iron Cross. The diamond Jasta insignia is yellow-orange with black border and the fuelage has a black chevron style stripe. The Iron Crosses on the wings and fuselage do not have a border.

Pfalz D.IIIa Jasta 30 Ltn. von der Marwitz sn 4203.17 - 1917

The basic paint scheme is similar to the previous example except the diamond and the empanage are painted red. The tail plane is silver. The rudder cross has been painted over.

Pfalz D.IIIa Jasta 30 Ltn. Erich Kaus sn Unknown - 1918

The aluminum finished fuselage has striking black stripes and a red diamond. The empanage is painted white with black border. The Maltese Cross indicates this aircraft was still flying after the spring of 1918 The wings are covered in four color lozenge fabric. The wings have dark lozenges on the top surfaces and a lighter pattern on the bottom. There are white bordered Iron crosses on the upper top wing an the lower bottom wing. The wheel cover is covered with the same fabric used on the upper wing surfaces.