[StephenLawson]

Originally Posted by jumpinjan

Stephen,
The second picture is not a production machine, the first one (unpainted) is the first production machine (pretty sure).
This prototype D.I (2nd picture) has the mid-fuselage vertical seam to join the front corrugation panel and the rear panel. The turtledeck panels, start at the rear of the diagonal brace of the roll bar, and that fuselage station is where that vertical seam is also located.
This is a confusing example to show everyone. To add to this confusion, Ian Stair modeled this D.I prototype in his drawings in Datafile 33. That was a bad choice on his part or whoever.
To reply to your 3-color comment, my guess is that the starboard wing is the green/mauve camo scheme, and the port wing is not, but could be all green or some low contrast color combination.

Sorry Jan, I disagree. Again note the date in the lower left corner of the second image. The Jco prototpe came out much earlier 15 April 1918. The Jfa company did not have a prototype they used the data from Jco to begin production. You are right in that the first image is the premier Jfa production example. And as you had asked for an image of a one piece turtledeck, I posted it for you.

The second image came out about three months after the Jco prototype was completed (15 April 1918). Jfa had begun production post May 1918. Note if you will the images on Page 70 of Air Enthusiast 25. The two top images are labeled "might well be the prototype" but the camouflage schemes are not the same. (The colours are reversed). Note the area around the pilot's left side wing cross. These are two different aircraft. The lower one there and my second image here (same image but mine is not cropped) represent a Jfa production machine.


Its only confusing if you put them out of sequence. Since Mr. Stair can't speak to us on the choice I'll reserve judgement there. My camouflage comment was just a notation that there was a difference.