"...covered with red crosses...."

[Volker_Nemsch]

This sounds interesting!

""...all it was they saw a flight of Fok.D.VII led by an all white Fok.D.VII with red crosses, the other guy said "what looked like red crosses"...""

Dan-San, I really believe that the allied pilots reported the "red crosses" but this raises another question:

The crosses on the white aircraft would have been those of the "late style" Balkenkreuz with the thin arms. Additionally I think it is not very easy to differ between red and black in the case that it is not a very bright or shining red. The American pilots would have been extremely close (less than 200 or 150 m?) to identify that so clearly. And if they were so close, why did they not engage the enemy (they were from a pursuit squadron) or why were they not sighted and attacked by the experienced pilots of the Jasta?

Additionally I have some doubts if Göring would ever have got the permission to use these "uncommon" national markings. His superiors surely would have stopped that pretty soon.

Is it possible that the "red cross reports" were made for propaganda purposes?

Just some questions?

[Volker_Nemsch]

OK, maybe it looks a bit silly! But it´s just a test:

[ONEALM]

All this is very interesting gentlemen, and I do appreciate all the comments, but the original question was not if the German aircraft could have had "Red Crosses" in place of the black variety, but if the wing could have been, "...covered with red crosses..." or if it could have been an optical illusion of some kind.

I have seen this reported several times - not a German with Red national insignia - but with multiple red crosses on the upper wing. So I'm assuming since we ended up so far out in left field here that no one has seen any evidence of multiple red crosses on the wings of a German aircraft.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

ONealM:
Those to combat reports from the 147th Pursuit Squadron is the only reference to red crosses that I have ever seen. Ithink this is one of those stories that got expanded upon each time the story was told. Why don't you go with the white Fokker D.VII with red crosses?
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[duckman]

One question,

Did the black paint used by the Germans fade on exposure to sun, wind and weather, or was it essentially weather-proof?

I was wondering if it might have faded to a dark brown colour that was then interpreted as red by viewers at a distance?

Just a thought.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Volker:
Theses were reported by two pilots that came back from a patrol who reported seeing "a flight of Fok.D.VIIs and the leader was flying an all white Fokker with red crosses." The second pilot said, I saw a flight of Fokker, the leader's Fokker was all white and had what looked like red crosses." I can't conceive of any propganda value from those statements.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Duckman:
I have a piece of fabric off side of the fuselage of a fok.D.VII with the cross, it is not faded after 87 years. It is not going to reflect red, unless it is painted red!
Blue skies,
Dan-San