Turkish AEG CIV

One a year I post a desperate plea for any kind of information about the possible camouflage of Turkish AEG CIV's flying over the Aegian in 1917 and 1918. I am particularly interested in determining the camouflage patterns and any possible markings, serial numbers...etc. Artur

[JohnMacG]

Here's the best pic of a turkish AEG C.IV that I've seen. IMHO it's in standard mid-war German camo with 'Turkish square' markings. (There are MANY better informed board members than me who can tell what that camo actually IS.)

[Ross_Moorhouse]

Green and purple camo and doped linen under surfaces. Serials I too have never been able to fully find out.

Copper State Models does a 48th scale model of this plane in Turksih markings. http://www.amug.org/~copperst/

[JohnMacG]

There's a Turkish AF Museum (?) site: -
http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1.asp
which gives the following info on the Turkish AEG C.IVs - 41 delivered from November 1917, 13 of which were without engines. Know serials were AEG 1 to 25. They remained in TuAF service until 1921.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

JohnMacG:
The 41 AEG C.IV delivered to Turkish Army were from the production order AEG C.IV 6575 - 6674/16. The fabrication numbers 5832 to 5886 must be AEG Werke numbers.
The production batch C.IV 6575 to 6674/16 were painted in two camouflage schemes.
The first was light dull green and rust brown in a random irregular pattern with the dull green as the base color with the rust brown in irregular sprayed shapes on the upper and side surfaces.
The second camouflage scheme was in three colors of light dull green as the base color with irregular spotches of dark green and rust brown.
The bottom surface of the wing, tailplane, fuselage, wheel covers and all struts a pale sky blue.
The detail markings were in matt black. The Iron Crosses were matt black, bordered in flat white.
I have colored drawings of AEG C.IV 6648 - 6623/16, if interested contact me off line for details.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Oh boy, you guys are wonderful. Thanks a lot fot the picture and the links. I actually came across some mention of AEG number 24 in the memoirs of the pilot I am trying to model, so that would actually jive with the story - unbelievable! The links also gave decent pictures of the Albatross CIII, the other machine "my pilot" flew in, this time as an observer in 1915 as he didn't earn his wings in the AEG till 1917.
I noticed the light colored underbelly of the engine nacelle. What color do you suppose that could be? some metalic silver shade or perhaps the light green so commonly used by the Germans in their machines.
Thanks again, the info was superior Artur

[Cigogne]

Underbelly... pale sky blue.

[Rick]

Originally posted by Artur G.@Jan 6 2004, 10:13 PM
[b] the memoirs of the pilot I am trying to model, so that would actually jive with the story - unbelievable! The links also gave decent pictures of the Albatross CIII, the other machine "my pilot" flew in, this time as an observer in 1915 as he didn't earn his wings in the AEG till 1917.

Artur,

Do you have a name for this man and the unit(s) he served in? Details, please. Thanks, Rick

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Artur:
The AEG C.IV machine in the production order C.1700 to 1799/17 were again in a different camouflage scheme. The scheme was in three colors, pastel green, greyish green and greyish ruby. It has a complete different pattern. The base color is the pastel green with irregular blotches of greyish green and greyish ruby bordered in a slightly darker shade of greyish ruby. I have a color print of this pattern.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

The name of my pilot is Ludomil Rayski. He flew with the Turks first as an observer in the Bosphorus area in 1916, then trained and flew as a pilot in 1918 flying AEG's.
He later returned to Poland and fought in the Bolshevik war of 1920 eventually rising to the rank of General and Commander in Chief of the Polish Air Force. As a result of the blitzkrieg of the Luftwaffe in 1939 he was found to be a scapegoat for all the failed policies of pre war Poland. He was refused service in the Polish Air Forces and served with the Brits with a rank of Major ( even though most titled him General ) flying aircraft on the trans African Ferry routes in 1941-43. Eventually returning to favor he flew with various units, including supply missions with the Liberators of 301 squadron to the Warsaw Uprising ( 80% loss ratio! ). He survived the war and died in the early 70's.

Oh, and Dan...I would love those pictures
I just painted the cockpit...
Artur