Friedrichshafen seaplane

Russell Smith · 2 May 2005, 03:54 PM

Hey Kids. Once again I am in need of some assistance. I am working on a painting that will show a Friedrichshafen seaplane in the distance. This is a type (or types) that I know virtually nothing about. Can anyone tell me a little about the bird?

More importantly, does anyone know where I can find a good set of 3-view drawings on the Friedrichshafen seaplane? I saw an issue of "Windsock" on ebay that looked like it had an article on the seaplane, but unfortunately I was outbid on the item.

I'm desparate here, so any information would be helpful.

Dan-San, if you read this, I'm hoping maybe you might have some information on this type.

Thanks in advance
Russ

Barrett · 2 May 2005, 04:02 PM

An oldie but goodie is Harleyford's "Marine Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War" with lots of 1/72 drawings.

Rick · 2 May 2005, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrett

An oldie but goodie is Harleyford's "Marine Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War" with lots of 1/72 drawings.

Barrett, took the words right out of my mouth! There was also a booklet published by Heinz Nowarra that covered German Naval aircraft, but it's buried and not at hand presently. About as "current" as the Harleyford book

R.

Taz · 2 May 2005, 07:58 PM

Russ- Send me an e-mail tomorrow with the Windsock volume and I will dig up the info. Also have the Harleyford book. There are four FF.33 versions with 3 views in the Harleyford book. Thetford and Gray's German Aircraft of the First World War also has info and two 3 views of the FF.33. Both have info also on the similar FF.49. Windsock Datafile 73 by Peter Grosz on the FF.33. Also see http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1__h/26/59__0/1 and

http://hem.passagen.se/hankri/sk2.htm and

http://jnpassieux.chez.tiscali.fr/html/AirEspace_selection.php

Taz

wingstrutdotcom · 2 May 2005, 08:44 PM

Vol 18 #4 of OTF has some nice photos of some various FF versions. You may want to look for specific photos as there are many variations of the FF33.

Volker_Nemsch · 2 May 2005, 09:10 PM

There is a good (German) book about all Friedrichshafen aircraft. There you´ll find a lot of photos as well as many profiles or drawings. Probably you´ll get it at "Amazon".

"Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen GmbH, by Siegfried Borsutzki, publisher: Verlag Markus Burbach, 1993, ISBN 3-927513-60-1"

Russell Smith · 3 May 2005, 05:11 AM

Thanks guys. Those are some great leads. Fortunately the seaplane will be relatively small in the painting - secondary in importance to the real subject, a Nieuport 11.

Russ

Cigogne · 3 May 2005, 06:36 AM

Russell,

Is this based on an actual encounter? If so it would be good to nail down the type of Friedrichshafen aircraft. My guess would be a FF33E or perhaps an H, but no later! Those would be about right, or the somewhat earlier versions.

Tell me what photographic references that you have. The Over The Front article is probably your best source domestically here in the US, or the Datafile on the FF33E put out by Peter Grosz.

Aaron

Cigogne · 3 May 2005, 06:48 AM

Taz,

the first link is of an FF33E and very nicely rendered. The OTF article, "The Battle of Angernsee," has the fuselage of this aircraft displayed, but markings overpainted. Gives some nice details.

The major visual que between the FF33E and FF33H is, that the E had a three-bay wing cellule and no gun ring at the rear cockpit. The E carried wireless equipment and was normally not armed with a MG. The Type H was a two-bay design, but with visually similar fuselage and engine installation. I don't have the exact measurements here. It also had a rear gun turret/gun ring for the observer. According to Ron Kintner, who has been going over the Marine records, the FF33Es would fly higher up and do reconnaisance while the FF33Hs would do the attacking/bombing/strafing, fly escort, etc.

Russell Smith · 3 May 2005, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cigogne

Taz,

the first link is of an FF33E and very nicely rendered. The OTF article, "The Battle of Angernsee," has the fuselage of this aircraft displayed, but markings overpainted. Gives some nice details.

The major visual que between the FF33E and FF33H is, that the E had a three-bay wing cellule and no gun ring at the rear cockpit. The E carried wireless equipment and was normally not armed with a MG. The Type H was a two-bay design, but with visually similar fuselage and engine installation. I don't have the exact measurements here. It also had a rear gun turret/gun ring for the observer. According to Ron Kintner, who has been going over the Marine records, the FF33Es would fly higher up and do reconnaisance while the FF33Hs would do the attacking/bombing/strafing, fly escort, etc.

Thanks Aaron. The information I have is slim, and I'm not at liberty to give out too many details of the project, but based on what you have told me I am guessing that it was an H model. Other than the differences you described, do you know if the dimensions were similar between the E and the H? If nothing else, maybe I could use the Windsock 3-views of the E and then improvise.

Russ