Sopwith triplane vs Fokker triplane - Humble Pie

For what it's worth, remember that the incident in which Nungesser shot down a British machine only ended the way it did because Nungesser was concerned that he was being attacked by a German flying a captured machine. There would seem to be at least some evidence to support the idea that the Germans occasionally flew captured Allied craft.

[AustralianAce]

Is it possible that the Triplane had been a captured Sopwith turned into duty with the Germans?

[Gregvan]

Gentlemen:

Though I know of no documentation of a Sopwith Triplane being flown in combat by Wuesthoff of Jasta 4 or any other Jasta pilot (and with all that has been written about JG I, one would think that if Wuesthoff did such a thing it would have been recorded), such a thing is within the realm of possibility. There are quite a few recorded examples of German pilots using captured Allied aircraft operationally.In several cases these machines were even fitted with synchronized 'Spandau' machine guns in place of their original armament. Here's just a few examples:

Gustav Leffers of Jasta 1 flew a captured Nieuport 11, and reputedly was killed in it.

Otto Bernert was photographed with 'his' Sopwith Pup while in Jasta 6 - I don't know if he actually flew it in combat or simply played around with it. According to Alex Imrie in "German Air Aces of World War One" (Arms & Armour, 1987) this was one of three Pups being flown at the Front in German markings at this time.

Eduard Schleich famously flew a Spad VII briefly in Jasta 21, and was vigorously shelled by German flak for his trouble ! I have seen a photo of von Boenigk with a Spad VII - in Iron cross insignia and armed with a "Spandau" - while he was with Jasta 21 too; perhaps it was the same machine.

Rudolf Windisch flew a captured Spad VII of Esc Spa 65 while he was with Jasta 32.

Kurt Student of Jasta 9 apparently flew a Nieuport 11 or 16, armed with a "Spandau" again.

Perhaps most well-known is Otto Kissenberth's Sopwith Camel which he flew as CO of Jasta 23; he was seriously injured when it crashed in May 1918.

Just for balance, at least one two-seater crew, of Fl. Abt. (A) 208, flew a captured Breguet 14B2 on operational recce flights !

One has to wonder just how any of these airmen would have been treated by Allied authorities if they'd had the bad luck to be forced down behind Allied lines in their "borrowed" machines, even though they were marked with German insignia.


Greg VanWyngarden

anythings possible,why all the mysterys
concerning Tripes
The most well known ofcourse was Albert
in his SE-5 Tripe in the fight with Lothar