IDs for Rol. C.II 'Glum Whale' Pilots?

21 April 2002, 04:19 AM

G'day, Forum,

Can anyone identify either or both of the two officers standing in front of the Roland C.II, "The Glum Whale"?

Is the officer at the left also the officer with his back toward the camera in Photo 11 from Datafile 49?

Thanks in advance and best wishes to all,
Stefen

28 April 2002, 04:37 AM

Answering my own question, might not the officer at the right in the first photo be

Eduard Ritter von Schleich?

Stefen

29 April 2002, 01:46 PM

I don't think the fellow on the left in the first picture is the same in the second 3/4 front view!

Note in the first photo the style of his cap (fellow on left). It has the grommet inside that gives it the stiff high crowned appearance. In the second photo they are all wearing their caps with the grommet removed that gives them that "crushed" look. Also look at the collars on the leather flying jackets. Even though they are fur covered, when you compare them with the second photo, the fellow closest to the aircraft has a leather border around the collar. In the previous shot the fur goes all the way to the edge. The fellow in the dark shadows of the second photo may be the fellow on the left in the first photo.

There are some subtleties that rule them out.

Aviatik

MilesC · 3 May 2002, 12:01 PM

The man in the right side of top photo appears to be in front of the wing in the bottom photo. Man on left in top photo may be standing beside the aircraft in bottom photo. ???

Miles

3 May 2002, 02:52 PM

Miles,

Look at collar style of jackets of top right man and lower left man in front of wing... they are not the same style. Man at top has no leather border on collar, but fellow of man at bottom does. I don't think he'd change his jacket just for a photo!

Also, the cap of the man top left is tall and stiff. Man next to aircraft in bottom photo towards tail... cap shape is different, sags more. This "crush" shape is only achieved by removing the grommet from the cap to make the top sag. I don't think he'd tear it out of his cap between pictures either.

Based on that, I don't think they are the same fellows.

Aviatik

MilesC · 4 May 2002, 12:24 PM

Yes I'd have to agree, the same man, different times different jackets? The old guy on the left is definately wearing a different cap from the other man in the lower photo.

Also consider the angle of the sun in the two photos, (assuming that neither photo has been printed reversed). In the bottom photo the aircraft is almost facing into the sun and it is no more than half way up the sky. In the top photo the men are on the other side of the airplane, yet the sun is coming from their right sides and possibly higher, indicating that it is either later in the day, it is a later day, or the aircraft has been moved.

In the bottom photo the man behind the gunner must be standing on a ladder or on the mounting steps as his head is above the level of the gunner. In the top photo there is no indication of a ladder, although this is hardly evidence.

Miles