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German crosses.
Pysonya:
In the original form the German marking just before the war was black band 500 mm centered on the wing panel on each side of the fuselage. These black bands were displayed on both Class A monoplanes and Class B biplanes.
At the out break of war Grerman units were instructed to paint a black cross on a white field full chord on the tops and bottoms of the wings of monoplanes and biplanes and both sides of the rudder.
The German aircraft manufacturers were instructed to paint the Iron Cross on a full chord white field at mid point on the tops and bottoms of monoplane or biplane wings and both sides of the rudder.
This directive resulted in a plethora of cross forms, each manufacturer had his own formula for the cross.
At some point, it was specified the black cross on a white field was to painted on both sides of the fuselage. Date not known.
25 July 1916, Idflieg, (Inspektion der Fliegertruppen, Literally, Inspectorate of Flying Troops,) specified the formula for the cross and size. Specified sizes were, 500, 600, 700, 1000, 1200 and 1400 mm. the formula is: height = H; width of the foot .4H; radiis of the arm, 1.3H.
On 29 October 1916, The cross field was eliminated and the cross was to be surrounder with a white border 50 mm wide. This width varied with some manufacturers, LVG for example was using 70 to 75 mm.
On 17 March 1918, the Iron Cross was eliminated and the balken (beam) cross was specified. Idflieg did not specify height and width of the arms or the width of the arms. The units in the field simply use the width of the foot of the iron cross and joined ends of the foot of the arms resulting in fot arms.
This situation cause considerable confusion and on 10 April 1918 Idflieg established specific dimensions for the length and width of the arms. The sizes were 400, 600 and 1000. The crossees were, width to length, 1:4. The crosses were surrounded with a 150 mm white border.
On 15 May 1918, Idflieg specidied the cro vertical arm was full chord and depth of the fuselage. The vertical to horizontal arms were to be a ratio of 5:4. The width to length of arm is ratio of 1:8. The width of the of the white border to the width of the arm is a ratio of 1:4. The ends of the arm are not bordered in white The white borders form right angle on the arme of the cross.
On 25 June 1918, Idflieg issued a directive changing the cross ration of the vertical and horizotal arms to 1:1. The width of the arm to length, 1:8 and the width of the white border to the arm was 1:4. The vertical arm of the crioss is full chord on the wings and full depth of the side of the fuselage.
This was tha last directive issued during the war and remained in affect to the end of the war.
This will aid in dating photographs
blue skies,
Dan-San
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