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I have never seen a picture of a plane confirmed to be 477/17 in factory finish just the one assumed to be 477/17 at LeChelle under going a cross change. It was my understanding part of the werke number is visible put it in the same range/batch of planes that 477/17 was in. If only one number is not visible it leaves ten planes it could be. Has anyone listed what other Dr.1's delivery numbers fall in this range and if they would be at the same airfield at that time?
Alex Imrie is about the most cautious researcher you can find, if he's not 100% certain he will qualify his statement, in his book on page 65 he states for photo caption 95: "...Factory-applied stencilling under the centre-section of the top wing shows that this is almost certainly 477/17 (works number2103)." The point I was making is we do not know how 477/17 was painted, Dan-San assumes it was the same as 425/17 because this was the aircraft he achieved victories on when the LeChelle photos were taken. If one number cannot be read then that can cause difficulties but the red wing probably also helps to identify the aircraft.
I agree both were personalized for him but not at what level, factory, air park, or Jasta level.
I have been into this is great detail above for 425/17. It depends if you think an aircraft could have been accepted by the Army, unpainted.
Did not most Dr1s have their cross fields reduced? I thought tht was common practice.
It was but the point I was making is at what time did this occur? Certainly not after the required cross change.
Nobody mentioned the rudder remains on 425/17's wreck appears to have never been painted red, why? I do not think they would take the time to put a new rudder on it to change the color. 152/17's was red at one time and it was over painted white at a later date, see the pictures of it post war the white has worn off and showing the red undercoat.
Take a look at other Jasta 11 aircraft, when they changed the cross fields to the narrow type they also similarly changed the rudder cross.
Another thing I would like to know is if the red paint used on 425/17's original red coat matches the red in the cross fields. Why? The photos showing (which are very clear) the inverted "V" plane has a even color on the fuselage and cross fields as if all the red was applied at the same time the Iron Crosses were reduced to just a outline, I do not believe spare red paint would have came with the plane.
With what did Jasta 11 paint their other aircraft? All cowlings and wheels were painted with the same colour. We know that 425/17 underwent three cross changes, two of those required red to be applied and you cannot notice that in the photos. The red was the same shade because it was made from the same ingredient vermillion. If you cannot believe they had spare red then you have to look at the bigger picture. My theory above is that the whole aircraft did recieve a coat of paint when the narrow cross fields were applied (see above) and the stencils and undersurface were over-painted.
To me the remains of 425/17 looks like the plane was red with white crossfields. Then the crossfields were reduced then they were altered to strait crosses.
You seem to be contradicting yourself, you thought they had no paint.
The "V" plane no matter how it came from the factory looks like the red was evenly applied across the fuselage and the crossfield at the same time then at a later date altered to strait crosses.
I agree.
Langdon
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