Fokker D.VII Paint Designs + pilots

I was wandering if I could ask a question about my favourite ww1 plane, the Fokker D.VII

Wasn't it the case that during the war, the main paint design on the D.VII was the 'autumn colours'? they were many different colours painted on the plane such as purple, green brown,? This paint design is my favourite from all the paintings and photos I've seen. hence, a perfect combination

http://modelbox.free.fr/photoscopes/FokDVI...okDVII_Gche.JPG

Secondly, who was the most famous Ace that was often associated to the Fokker D.V II? (most victories in that plane)? Thanks

[Barker]

Those "Autumn Colors" are pre-printed four and five color polygons, applied to the aircraft's structure in bolts of that fabric at the manufacturer.

Each pilot painted their aircraft as:
-The Jasta colors determined.
-What suited them.
-What the manufacturer did - in your case, pre-printed polygon fabric.

Color schemes varied by Jasta and individual pilot.


I want to know the answer to your second question, also.
I throw out Lowenhardt and Loerzer as two pilots that scored well with D.VIIs.
Udet is the surviving top ace with 62 finishing the war in D.VIIs but at least half his scores were in Albatros D.III, D.V, D.Va and Fokker Dr.1s.

Am guessing - his last - what- 20? were with D.VIIs.


Am curious too.

thanks for the information

I was also wandering what are the varaints and similiar planes to the Fokker D.vII sucha s the D.vIII? and are the large differences

[Barker]

Go get the research material via booklets and books.
Then you know exactly what They know.

[Gregvan]

Hi,

I agree with Barker - get thee to a hobby shop and pick up some good books on the D.VII.

As far as the most famous Fokker D.VII ace, that would have to be Hermann Göring; however, he scored only three victories flying the D.VII.

Certainly the fellow who scored the most victories in a D.VII would probably be Erich Löwenhardt, who may have scored victories 19 through 54 in the type!

Udet was no D.VII slouch, certainly, perhaps the last 25 at least of his victories were in the D.VII. Carl Degelow probably scored his victories #6 through 30 in the D.VII. Fritz Rumey of Jasta 5 may have scored about 22 victories on the D.VII, and the boys of Jasta 45 did extremely well with the D.VII on the French front. Jasta 45 obtained its first D.VIIs sometime in June (it seems likely) and the little-known Gustav Dörr may have scored the final 30 (or more) of his total of 35 victories in the D.VII.His fifth and sixth victories were obtained on 28 June, and it's possible these and all his following successes came on the D.VII.

As for color schemes, they are legion. A good google search should turn up a few.

Greg VanWyngarden

thanks

I will do research on the Fokker D.VII books. So far, I'm not specialised in any plane, but The Fokker. D.VII will be the first one that I will know in detail

[ONEALM]

Didn't Franz Buchner have just one victory before J.13 received their D.VIIs ? That gives him 39 if that is correct. Greg/Rick ?

[Gregvan]

Hi Mike,

Well, geeze, I can't cover EVERYTHING in every post. Of course, Franz Büchner should certainly be counted amongst the top D.VII-scoring aces, if not THE top. It's difficult to be precise in such determinations, though.

Actually, Büchner had scored his second victory on 15 October 1917, obviously not on the D.VII. He certainly flew triplanes for awhile in May 1918 or so. The JG II book by Möller indicates that on 6 June Jasta 15 (not 13) was the only JG II unit completely equipped with the D.VII. It also notes that on 7 June or so, Jasta 13 was 50% equipped with the D.VII, and 'results were felt immediately on the 9th". On June 10, Büchner scored his third victory, probably in a D.VII, with another on the 11th. On 15 June, with Schwartz wounded, he took command of the Staffel. On 20 June, says Möller, Jasta 13 was totally equipped with the D.VII.

So yes, perhaps as many as 38 of Büchner's 40 victories were scored in a D.VII. Certainly puts him in a rarified atmosphere.

Greg

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Mike:
Ltn. Ernst Udet scored his first victory flying a Fok.D.VII ("Du doch nicht!&#33 on 7 June 1918, his 28th victory. All his subsquent victories were while flying one of his many Fok.D.VII, his total would be 35.
Jasta 13 were flying SSW.D.IIIs and began to receive the Fok.D.VII on 10 June 1918, by 20 June Jasta 13 was fully equipped. Ltn. Franz Büchner was appointed Jastaführer on 15 June 1918, at which time, he had only 4 victories. He had served in Jasta 9 from March to August 1917, and then was transferred to Jasta 13. There were some very proficient pilots in Jasta 13, that I believe would have receive the new Fok.D.VII before him. I don't think he got his Fok.D.VII until his appointment as Jastaführer. On that basis, his first victory in a Fok.D.VII would be on 28 June, his 5th victory, so his score flying the Fok.D.VII would be 36 victories.

Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Barrett]

Other 20-ish D-VII aces could be:
Baumer
Beaulieu-Marconnay
Friedrichs
Hantelmann
Noltenius