The Aerodrome Forum - View Single Post - Sopwith triplane vs Fokker triplane

Gregvan · 14 January 2002, 05:24 PM

Hi Mike,

Very interesting report

.

Kurt Wolff had been shot down in F.I 102/17 on Sept. 15th. Voss fell in F.I 103/17 on Sept. 23rd. According to all the conventional wisdom, as related in Alex Imrie's "The Fokker Triplane" and elsewhere, these were the only two operational Fokker triplanes at the Front until October 11, when the first of the productions Dr.I's (Dr.I 115/17) arrived at Jasta 15 at La Neuville, in the German VII Armee sector; it would be flown by

Heinrich Gontermann, who crashed fatally in it. Seventeen more Dr.I's were shipped to Jagdgeschwader I at Marckebeeke on October 10 and 13, arriving around October 20th. So where did the Triplane in your report come from ?

Alex Revell has also mentioned the fact that some British combat reports mention encountering triplanes in the "gap" between Sept. 23 and Oct. 11, and he has strongly suggested that there were triplanes at the front considerably earlier than the official records indicate.On October 2nd, Muspratt and Rhys Davids ,56 Squadron,tangled with a formation of enemy scouts which included two "triplanes", according to Rhys Davids: "saw two Fokker Triplanes with no dihedral, large extensions, Nieuport tail, Fokker rudder and Martinsyde shaped wings, engine probably rotary. Climb appeared good ('High in the Empty Blue', page 179)." This certainly sounds like a fairly good description of a Fokker triplane, and makes it less likely that the triplanes being encountered at this time were captured and repainted Sopwith types (which is certainly also possible; a number of German pilots flew captured Allied fighters in combat, and they had captured more than one Sopwith Triplane.)

So, were these mystery triplanes previously unknown Fokkers, or were these Allied pilots mistaken in their identification ? Who knows ? It's a question for members of this forum...

Greg VanWyngarden

14 January 2002, 05:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gregvan Forum Ace of Aces Contributor Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: St. Charles, Iowa Posts: 3,626	Hi Mike, Very interesting report . Kurt Wolff had been shot down in F.I 102/17 on Sept. 15th. Voss fell in F.I 103/17 on Sept. 23rd. According to all the conventional wisdom, as related in Alex Imrie's "The Fokker Triplane" and elsewhere, these were the only two operational Fokker triplanes at the Front until October 11, when the first of the productions Dr.I's (Dr.I 115/17) arrived at Jasta 15 at La Neuville, in the German VII Armee sector; it would be flown by Heinrich Gontermann, who crashed fatally in it. Seventeen more Dr.I's were shipped to Jagdgeschwader I at Marckebeeke on October 10 and 13, arriving around October 20th. So where did the Triplane in your report come from ? Alex Revell has also mentioned the fact that some British combat reports mention encountering triplanes in the "gap" between Sept. 23 and Oct. 11, and he has strongly suggested that there were triplanes at the front considerably earlier than the official records indicate.On October 2nd, Muspratt and Rhys Davids ,56 Squadron,tangled with a formation of enemy scouts which included two "triplanes", according to Rhys Davids: "saw two Fokker Triplanes with no dihedral, large extensions, Nieuport tail, Fokker rudder and Martinsyde shaped wings, engine probably rotary. Climb appeared good ('High in the Empty Blue', page 179)." This certainly sounds like a fairly good description of a Fokker triplane, and makes it less likely that the triplanes being encountered at this time were captured and repainted Sopwith types (which is certainly also possible; a number of German pilots flew captured Allied fighters in combat, and they had captured more than one Sopwith Triplane.) So, were these mystery triplanes previously unknown Fokkers, or were these Allied pilots mistaken in their identification ? Who knows ? It's a question for members of this forum... Greg VanWyngarden __________________ Greg VanWyngarden