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Otis,
As everyone will tell you after this post, I know nothing about Fokker triplanes, don't even know how many there were. But in respect of the different works numbers which people have put forward as being their interpretation of 477/17, I can offer this, for what it's worth. Alex Imrie has many photographs which are first generation prints from the original plate glass negatives. On some of these he has even been able to read serial numbers under thinly applied paint washes, and works numbers on such prints are easily discernable. Alex is the most painstaking, accurate, and long standing (over sixty years), of all the researchers into the German air force. His photo collection alone is simply amazing - and vast, beyond many people's conception. It has to be seen to be believed. Many of the photos owned by the present people, such as Paul Leaman, Taz, Laser LLoyd etc., are prints (some, three or four generations from the original negs, and often copies of copies) even if they don't know it, or acknowledge it, from photos which originated from Alex. Alex's favourite phrase to describe many of the people currently researching Fokker triplanes is: 'They're not even at the races!!' To such people he comes across as pretty arrogant, but as someone once said: 'What's wrong with being arrogant, when you're right.' To sum up: If I were you, I'd take Alex's assessment above all others. I'll now take cover before the proverbial hits the fan.
Best regards
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