[Dan_San_Abbott]

Langdon:
I hope I can sort this out.
1. I have no problem with the description of the coloring of Fok.DR.I 152/17.
It was painted just like the photos show at the front on 18 March 1918 in the manner as described in the MvR Combat report, on page 171 of 'Jagd in Flandern Himmel", " Fok.Dr.I152: rotes oberes Tragdeck rote haub, rote Laufräder u. roter schwanz. "Red upper wing, red hood, red wheels, and red tail". This is how it was painted (plus struts)the last time he flew Fok.Dr.I 152/17.
In regard to the combat reports which I had outlined what troubled me about them.
1. Format, The English translated reports did not comform to the German format used by MvR. Example MvR's report for 18 March. The translation lacks the following in the heading, Jagdgeschwader 1., The date was:
18.3.18, he has March 18, 1918. The time style is incorrect, he has, 11.15 a.m.,
The text in this one he follows fairly well. He has added at the bottom, Pursuit Squadron 1.
No.155 L.
To. C.O.Air Forces 2.
Requesting to have 66th victory acknowledged by highest command.
Frhr. v.R.
2. In most cases, there are differences in the translations, comparing them to the translations by Floyd Gibbons in his "Red Knight of Germany". At first I thought these translations came from Floyd Gibbons, they differ. Gibbons follows the Combat Report format precisely, but uses the American date style.
3. Provenience. I e-mailed the Public Records Office requesting information about the source of the MvR translated combat reports. Several days later I received a e-mail from the PRO stating they had no information about the origin of these combat reports. I suspect some American (date style) did these translations and gave them to the PRO. The question is where are the original combat reports, or from what documents did he do these translations and when were they given to the PRO?
At Avenes le Sec he only had Fok.Dr.I 152/17. At Awoingt MvR acquired Dr.I477/17. At Lechelle he added Dr.I 127/17 as his reserve machine to back up Dr.I 477/17, his regular machine.
When he flew Dr.I 127/17 the first time photos show the machine undecorated, see photo, page 61 in Paul Leaman's "The Fokker Triplane" but
by 27 March 1918, the top of the upper wing, engine hood, wheels, struts and empennage were painted red, 71st vic.
After the move to Cappy on 12 April 1918, there is no further mention of Dr.I 127/17 or Dr.I 477/17. It could be that Peter Kilduff is saying MvR now has three machines, Dr.I 127/17, Dr.I 477/17 and Dr.I 425/17. What is odd we don't know were 127/17 and 477/17 went. In May when Jasta 6 and Jasta 11were re-equipped with the Fok.D.VII, some went to Jasta 4 and some to Jasta 5.
Blue skies,
Dan-San