New unknown Fok. DR.I Photo

[Laserlloyd]

Hello Everyone,

I have a new Fokker DR.I photo that has no clue it which production number it is.
The things I can point out are:

* * *1). The crosses on the wing date this photo after March 1918.
* * *2). The wing pads place the production number between 400/17-599/17.
* * *3). The cowling has been destroyed.
* * *4). On the propeller a number has been added "174"?

Below is a link to view the photo. It's too large to place on here and I wanted you to have a good look at it.

http://www.osamalet.com/fok.jpg

If you have any information on this photo, Please let me know.

Lloyd...

[StephenLawson]

3). The cowling has been destroyed.
4). On the propeller a number has been added "174"?

Laserlloyd: It appears the Cowling was destroyed by a an errant blued and flying cylinder. Luckily for the pilot he and his Triplane were on the ground at the time.

The propeller was later covered with a canvas protection cover. *The number is on the bag not the prop. *

The rear of the aircraft is overpainted white. *Possibilities are Jasta 13 & 34b. Since Ltn. Weiss of Jasta 11 used 545/17 at one time (predominantly white) it could be considered. *Since 521/17 of Jasta 34b lost its cylinders & cowling in flight and subsequently crashed I'm inclined not to consider it.

[Rick]

Stephen L.

You did a lot better than I. I only got a big, bare tree on the left, some foliage on the right, a wing on the left side, a guy with a monocle (?) more-or-less in the center, and some grass at the bottom. The rest of the 'photo' was a complete blank!! Ah well, must be my 'puter'. And what the heck are you doing up this late, anyway??!! R.

Laser,

Big photo.....I drank 4 beers waiting. And I had 33K ?

The cowl has spun. With that cover, how can you tell the cycl. is missing.

If you lose a pot on a rotatary engine, wouldn't the vibration tear the engine of ?

[Lyle]

Laser,

*With that cover, how can you tell the cycl. is missing.

The only clue is the sagging tarp in the 2 o'clock position...there should be a cylinder there. One clue as to the time of year besides the cross configuration is the trees...they are bare or are starting to bud. Looks like this might have happened during Kaiserschlacht. Who's Dr.I this is...I have no idea!

[charles]

Wheel cover on right side of picture is distinct. Lots of medics standing around, must be near a field hospital.

[StephenLawson]

Rick: I thought my 'puter' was prehistoric...They changed my schedule.

Topgun: too many beers, see Lyle's comment.*If it were warming up on the ground, the pilot should/would turn off the fuel flow and the power to the magnetos. *Hence the motor may not have the time to vibrate itself loose. *

Charles: the buildings are consitent with a large airfield complex. The medical personnel would be plentiful on these sites. *I don't see any of the Intl. Red Crosses on the buildings but that doesn't mean their not there. *Either of us could be right. If the pilot had been hurt seriously the medics would probably have gone with him. The bag on the prop may mean sometime has past since the accident.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Lazerlloyd;
The Fok.DR.Iin the photo is most likely Dr.I 174/17.
1. The propeller cover would have been serialized to identify to aircraft it belong to.
2. The stacking protective pads on the leading edge identifies the aircraft with a serial number below Fok.DR.I 200/17. Fok. The stacking pads on the Fok. DR.I wings were in a flux between DR.I 200 /17 and DR.I 210/17. From this point in production all the wings had the stacking pads located on the second rib from the wing tip
3. The wings are the replacement wings.
4. If this is Fok. DR.I 174/17, it was shipped to the front in December 1917. It probably arrived at Amee Flugpark in January 1918.
5. The Cross form establishes that the photograph was taken after 17 March and before 13 May 1918
6. My guess is this machine was delivered to Jasta B, and that is a guess. Deliveries in January 1918, went to Jasta B, Jasta 6, Jasta 11 and Jasta 36.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Dan San

Way to go. But what about the cowl/engine. The grew is standing there like nothing happened/or will happen.

Hello,

Could anyone explain how we know that the cross style was from the period Mar 17 to May 13? This seems very interesting to me.

Thank you