America - 1918 RAF (Austin) SE.5a

The SE.5a In American Service

I am taking a break from the inter-war period, and getting back to work on my yet unpublished USAS section and started fleshing out the pages for the 4^th Pursuit Group.

When many think of American squadrons serving in WWI the first thing that comes to mind is units flying French aircraft. This was not always the case. Several units flew both the British Sopwith Camel and the RAF SE.5a. Since I have been working on new master files for the SE.5a I thought it was high time to tackle examples which served in the American sector of the front.

The 25^th Pursuit Squadron, U.S.A.S

RAF (Austin) SE.5a Lt. Raymond C. Watts s/n 11 (F8040) Toul, France, Nov. 1918

The white markings are used by B flight. This aircraft does not carry a diamond insignia. The squadron insignia is a cartoon of a masked executioner on a on a white oval. The white bordered American fuselage roundels are the same size and location as was used in British service. The aircraft used by the 25^th are painted in the standard British scheme of PC-10 and lower surfaces varnished linen. From what I have seen of photos the upper wing carried white identification numbers and the lower wing has the number in black..

RAF (Austin) SE.5a Captain Reed Landis, s/n 13 (F8005) Toul, France Nov. 1918

This B flight SE.5a was the personal plane of the squadron leader, Captain Reed Landis. The red diamond on the vertical tail fin indicates a command plane. The white bordered roundels outside edge begins at the second wing spar.The wing markings are a command diagonal stripe on the left side and the number number on the right The finish is PC-10 as is the fuselage. The bottom wing is painted in a mirror of the top wing except the stripe and number are black on varnished fabric. The top of the fuselage has two white diamonds just aft of the head rest.

RAF (Austin) SE.5a Lt. Joseph E. Boudwin, s/n 19 (F8010) Toul, France Nov. 1918

This aircraft has many details on the fuselage including a white bordered diamond which may mean it is a command plane. The blue markings indicate this plane flew with C flight. I am not sure about the scheme on the wings. There is still some debate if there were diamonds on the top of the fuselage as in number 13.

Creation of the 4^th Pursuit Group

In the last days of the First World War American command created the 4^th Pursuit Group. Several of the squadrons assigned to the 4th were formed around pilots who had served in the RAF before the American entry into the war.

The process of creating the 4th Pursuit Group began on October 25, 1918 at Toul, France. The unit was allocated to the new 2nd Army Air Service which had been formed on October 12. The first squadron assigned to the 4^th PG was the 141^st Aero Squadron which had begun operations two days earlier on October 23rd. Three other squadrons - the 17^th, 25^th, 148^th joined the 141^st at Toul in preparation for an offensive which was to begin on November 10^th.

The Americans had requested the 17^th and 25^th squadrons be transferred back to American command for upcoming offensives. The the British agreed, but refused to allow them to take their planes with them, so the Americans arrived in Toul without airplanes.

A Short History of the 25^th Aero Squadron

The unit was established as the 20^th Aero Squadron in June 1917. It was later re-designated the 25^th Aero Squadron after the United States entered into the war. The 25^th was deployed to Europe, first to England, then to the Western Front in France in late October 1918. Assigned to the 4^th Pursuit Group, 2^nd Army Air Service, Toul Sector, however at that time the unit had not been issued any airplanes. The Squadron was made up of American pilots who flew with RAF S.E.5a Fighter Squadrons. Command of the squadron was given to Capt. Reed Landis who had 10 victories flying the SE5a with Royal Air Force 40^th Squadron. The squadron finally received some British Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s and went operational flying one combat mission on 10 November 1918 the day before the war ended. It was demobilized after the 1918 armistice.

The 25^th Pursuit Squadron, U.S.A.S was equipped with the British S.E.5a with the Wright-Martin built 180 hp Hispano-Suiza. The S.E.5a were built by Austin. The U.S.Army had a large order with Austin Motor Car Co. The 141^st Pursuit was equipped with S.E.5a after the war.

The 25^thused color to identify the different flights. Red was used for A flight, white for B flight, and blue for C flight.

Russia - 1923 Fokker C.I

Who's Got Fokker Fever? He's Got Fokker Fever!

I have been sitting on references for today's post for a while. Why has it taken so long? It was partly a matter of sloth, and a matter of dropping the ball in the 24/7 world of chaos I call my life.There has always been something calling for my immediate attention. It was time to not accept any more excuses and get it done.

Meet The Fokker D.VII's Big Brother.

The Fokker C.I was a two seat German reconnaissance aircraft based on the formidable Fokker D.VII. The C.I entered production soon after the flight test in the final days of World War I. None entered service and the finished examples and parts were smuggled into the Netherlands when Anthony Fokker fled a sinking ship of state. After setting p production in the Netherlands Fokker produced over 250 C.I for use by the Dutch, Danes, and Soviets.

The C.I was 1 inch (.03m) longer and 2 inches (.07m) taller than the D.VII. It had a wingspan 4 foot 6 inches (1.57m) longer. It weighed in at 345 pounds (157kg) heavier empty and 890 lb (405kg) more when fully loaded. The total load weight for the C.I was 882 pounds (400kg). The Speed and service ceiling were the main differences. The C.I was slightly slower but the service ceiling was much lower.

The Fokker C.I in Soviet Service

Fokker C.I, Unit and Crew Unknown, s/n H 08, 1923

I have found several examples of C.I bearing the "H" (Cyrilic character for "N") on the fuselage and exact same paint scheme. All the examples have uncovered wire wheels and fuel tanks.

Fokker C.I, A. T. Kozhevnikov, s/n unknown, 1923

This profile is based on a coupe photos I saw. It has the Sphinx insignia of the squadron leader of № 1 OIAE, A.T.Kozhevnikov. The colors are conjectural. I used the same scheme as his Fokker D.VII.

Fokker C.I, Unit and Crew Unknown, Winter 1923

This example is painted in winter colors and is fitted with pontoon like skis. The lack of a wheel allows viewing of an ael mounted secondary fuel tank. Also notable is the change to the observer cockpit which is outfitted with ring mount for the trainable gun.The box below the observer's position carry grenades. The C.I could carry up to 110 lb (50 kg) of disposable stores.

A Short Overview of the Fokker C.I

The Fokker C.I was a German reconnaissance biplane under development at the end of World War I. The design was essentially an enlarged Fokker D.VII fighter with two seats and a 138 kW (185 hp) BMW IIIa engine. The C.I was originally developed to sell to the German Army. It never saw service in World War I, but Anthony Fokker managed to smuggle parts out of Germany at the time of the Armistice.

The prototype, V.38, was tested at Schwerin, and put into immediate production. After the armistice, production continued in the Netherlands.

The C.I went into Dutch service after 16 were ordered in February 1919. The USSR bought 42 C.Is. The C.Is served in the reconnaissance and trainer roles. The last C.I left service in 1936.

Variants

• V 38: Prototype.
• C.I: Two-seat reconnaissance aircraft, powered by a 185 hp (138 kW) BMW IIIa piston engine.
• C.Ia: Improved version.
• C.IW: Experimental float plane version.
• C.II: Three-seat passenger transport version, powered by a 185 hp (138 kW) BMW IIIa piston engine.
• C.III: Two-seat advanced trainer version of the C.I, powered by a 220 hp (164 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine.

References

1. Fokker C.I. (2011, December 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13:28, March 7, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fokker_C.I&oldid=467155072
2. Donald, David, ed. (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Prospero Books. pp. pg 427. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.
3. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 402.
4. World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 894 sheet 33.

Russia - 1923 Fokker D.VII

Post Polish Russian War Soviet Aircraft

Someday I will learn how to be less obsessive, however I am not sure just when that will be. I have got stuck in to the inter war period. The depth of my madness can be measured in producing a total of 21 Fokker D.VII profiles in a single day. Add to that 4 new Nieuport 24 profiles and you can see what I mean. On the writing front, I have been working on my U.S.A.S section for my site. The structural part is in place. Now it is a matter of fleshing out the series of articles to bring it to life.

№ 1 OIAE Petrograd

Fokker D.VII, № 1 OIAE, A. T. Kozhevnikov Petrograd - 1923

This example is the Fokker D.VII flown by A.T.Kozhevnikov. He was the squadron leader of № 1 OIAE. The sphinx was his personal insignia. There was only one photo of this aircraft and there is a debate whether the wings carried red stars. The colors used on the Sphinx is conjectural. Some believe the color on the head-dress were blue, others claim it was red. Blue is more in keeping with color choices used by the Egyptians.

Fokker D.VII, № 1 OIAE, Pilot Unknown s/n 2 Petrograd - 1923

I have not been able to find identification for the flights. This example is from a flight which used a curved white arrow as their insignia.

Fokker D.VII, № 1 OIAE, Pilot Unknown s/n 3 Petrograd - 1923

This flight used a white cat as their insignia.

Fokker D.VII, № 1 OIAE, Pilot Unknown s/n 4 Petrograd - 1923

This flight reversed the color scheme The red marking is a bunch of grapes on a white rudder.

№ 2 OIAE Kiev

Fokker D.VII, № 2 OIAE, Pilot Unknown s/n 5 Kiev - 1923

This example shows the distinctive candy striped rudder see on many planes flying with the № 2 OIAE. The numbering conventions used by № 1 OIAE hold true. As with the previous examples use of red stars on the wings is conjectural.

A short History of Soviet Foker D.VII

After Anthony Fokker fled from Germany to the Netherlands with what was left of his inventory he needed a new large contract to rebuild is fortunes. He saw a perfect opportunity in selling arms to the Soviets. The market was wide open since no other weapon manufacturer would do business with the Bolsheviks. Fokker was not a man of deep political convictions, to him a customer is a customer, and Rubles spend just as well as Guilders. The Soviets contracted a large quantity of Fokker aircraft in during the early 1920's. These included 50 D.VII fighters, 42 C.III trainers, 3 C.1 two seaters, 52 D.XIII fighters. Fokker also sold the Soviets repair facilities for these aircraft.

The D.VII aircraft were delivered to Russia in two batches of 25. The first unit to receive them was the № 1 Otdelnaya Aviaeskadrilya (OIAE - independent squadron) was operational in Petrograd by December 1922 or early 1923. A second D.VII squadron № 2 OIAE was operational in Kiev by December 1922, guarding the Polish border. The aircraft of the squadron appear to have been divided into three flights of five plus a leaders aircraft. Each flight had its own tail marking and the aircraft of each flight were numbered 1 to 5.

The Fokker D.VII performed successfully in Soviet service for nearly a decade. The Soviets upgraded the D.VII in several ways including the installation of a wheel axle mounted auxiliary fuel tank. The D.VII remained in use as a trainer at least until the 1930's when it was phased out in favor of other more modern aircraft.

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.

Russia - 1915 Sikorsky S-16

One Of The Best Russian Designed Fighters of WWI

Even though early Russian Aviation design never had the resources to produce enough aircraft for their needs during the Great War, They did design some effective aircraft. Igor Sikorsky proved himself as one of the truly great Russian aircraft designers. His career is marked by innovation and a firm grasp of the fundamentals of Aerodynamics

Russian Empire

Sikorsky S-16, Crew and Serial number unknown, 1915

This is an early version of the S-16. It has the pendant version of the Russian colors on the fuselage and rudder. The wings have the roundel type national insignias. The aircraft is finished in varnished cloth. As with all the examples I have seen the wheels do not have covers.

Sikorsky S-16, 7th IAO, Y. Gilsher G. Kvasnikov c/n 201, March-April-1916

In this example you can see some variation in the construction of the S-16. The tail fin has a different shape and additional panels are added to the metal forward section and cowling. The wheel is more robust than in the earlier version.

Bolshevik Forces

Sikorsky S-16, Crew and Serial number unknown, Bolshevik Forces, 1918

This later version has a change to the fuselage. The wheels have been replaced with pontoon like skis for use on snow and muddy improvised runways. The pendant insignia has been over-painted in red. The wings have the white circle and red star style markings.

A Brief History Of The Sikorsky S-16

The Sikorsky S-16 (named after its designer) or RBVZ S-XVI (named after its manufacturer) was a Russian equi-span single-bay two-seat biplane designed by Igor Sikorsky in 1914-15. Conceived in response to demand for an escort fighter for the Ilya Muromets bombers. The prototype S-16 made its first flight on February 6, 1915. This prototype was fitted with an 80 hp air-cooled 7 cylinder, Gnome rotary engine instead of the intended 100hp because of supply problems. The S-16 was the first Sikorsky fighter to be equipped with a synchronized machine gun firing through the propeller. However, the synchronization left much to be desired. The S-16, with slight modifications from batch to batch survived the Revolution and were operational with the Red Air Force through the Civil War.

On 17 December 1915, the Russian government placed an order for 18 aircraft, these being delivered in early 1916.Although highly maneuverable, the S-XVI possessed a comparatively poor performance due to insufficient power. A further small batch were completed in 1917, with the aircraft being used during the Russian Revolution and staying in service until 1923.

References

1. From Wikipedia Sikorsky S-16, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-16"
2. Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Complete Book of Fighters". Colour Library Direct, Godalming, UK: 1994. ISBN 1-85833-777-1.