Seimens Schuckert D1

Need information on colors of these planes. Also need to indentify what Jasta's they were deployed to. Can anyone help?

Spelled Siemens Schuckert D.I

The company "Siemens" is still in operation as a major firm in Germany. Siemens Nixdorf makes computer systems. There were at least two color schemes, one light and one camouflaged. The brown and green camouflage with light-blue undersurfaces is what is the commonly thought of scheme. Don't know if the light was plain linen, white, or light blue? Dan-San, can you help?

AW

Thanks so much for your reply!This is inline with information that was given to me by Bob Pearson. Bob says he believes they were red-ish brown and dark green or all light blue. I would think that there would have been some different colors applied to the fuslages for various Jastas though? Thanks again for your quick response.

They weren't around long enough to get really individual markings. There were no Jastas completely equipped with the type. I have an old article somewhere that lists what Jastas had them. I am not sure if any pilots scored victories in them. An article that I am working on for the Summer Issue has some information on the D.I, although brief. There are hints that there were some mechanical problems and that some burst into flames. Hans von Hühnerbein, the leader of Jasta 5 was fatally killed in a crash of a D.I in late April/early May 1917. There was fire and the aircraft was a smoldering wreck. I don't know if fire was the cause of the crash or if the impact caused it. The soon to be released article on Friedrich Rüdenberg of Jasta 10/Jasta 75 contains comments about this. His brother worked for Siemens-Schuckert.

Sorry I can't give out more at this time.

Thanks,

Aaron

Aaron, this is great information. I have a Harleyford book that says production of the D1 ceased in July 1917. Only 94 actually were deployed out of 150 ordered.You probably already know this. I am curious about what the planes were painted like that went to the Russian front. Maybe DSA will have more info.I have a B/W photo of one in the snow but the plane is a really dark color and the fuslage actually looks shinny.

I'm not aware of any going to the Russian Front. I don't think any did. What is your source for that comment?

Aaron

John, Aaron is right (as usual). I've never heard of any Siemens-Schuckert D.Is going to the Russian Front, although the Roland D.II certainly did. A photo of a Siemens in the snow doesn't prove anything - it snowed in Germany and France too ! Actually, a few really clear photos of camouflaged Siemens Schuckert D.Is show three different camouflage tones - probably a dark olive green, a light Brunswick green, and a reddish-brown or Venetian Red. I would suspect the undersides were pale blue, but have no proof of that - they may have been clear-doped. As for the light-colored machines, they may have been pale blue, an off-white or just bleached fabric.
Aaron is also right when he says that they weren't in service long enough to receive very many special personal or Jasta markings - at least none that I'm aware of.

Hope that helps.

Greg, just want to make sure you got my last reply in regard to the Siemens being sent to the Russian front?

I may have done this twice but I want to make sure you get it. The Harleyford book, Fighter Aircraft of 1914-1918 War states,"Many of the SSW D1's,therefore,were supplied to units on the Russian front,where the opposition was less severe". This was in regard to the Albatros Scout being available in numbers. Another can of worms?

This is the quote from the Harleyford book, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. " Many of the SSW D1's,therefore, were supplied to units on the Russian front,where the opposition was less severe". Is the book an accurate source?