German Seaplane

[Kilian]

I stumbled over this picture today when i researched some documents from the German Bundesarchiv.

Can someone tell me about the small plane? Which unit or maybe pilot?
Ok and the seaplane i know what it is but I know you guys love to unscramble it.

regards

K.

[Sreiko]

Look like Fridrichafen but I should have a take detailed look on the other images I have.

[BuzPezold]

Kilian,

The small aircraft that I believe you are asking about looks like a Siemens-Schukert D-1. It was a 'knock off" of the Nieuport.

Buz

[Romani]

I think the smaller seaplane on the background is a Sablatnig, but I only have a side drawing of the SF2, and it doesn't fully match, so I believe it's one of the following variants.

The large seaplane, no idea, looks a bit like an Ursinus.

The small airplane could be either a Siemens Schuckert DI or an Euler training airplane.

Really mysterious photo

EDIT: The small floatplane might be too a Gotha WD2, but my copy is too bad to be sure of details.

[YavorD]

The same photo was posted recently in a Russian aviation forum.

http://aviaww1.forum24.ru/?1-3-0-00000004-000-40-0

The big plane is Gotha WD 14.
The floatplane in background is Friedrichshafen FF.33, probably FF.33e.
The small Nieuport-like fighter is Euler D.I. Someone noted serial number of this plane: 274/17. It is hardly 1917 production order.

Regards,
Yavor

[Kilian]

Yavor hit the mark Its a Gotha WD 14.

Only thing i have to add, photo was taken at the air base on North Sea island of Norderney 15 October 1918.

Thanks for info on the other two planes.

regards

K.

[Uhlan]

Ein Marineflugzeug vom Typ Gotha WD 14 auf der Flugstation Norderney am 15. Oktober 1918.

Nice photo isn't it? Kind of makes one wonder what else is hidden in the Bundesarchiv...

Although these aircraft were conceived as torpedo bombers, at this late date this aircraft would probably have been used for one of three things:

1. Laying mines.
2. Long range maritime patrol and reconnaissance.
3. Training.

Torpedo attacks were only mounted rarely later in the war since the Gothas being under-powered were not very successful at this and were easy meat for FLAK and fighters. During Operation 'Albion', the German amphibious assault on the Baltic Islands of Ösel, Dago and Moon some Gotha WD multi engined float-planes (correct me if I am wrong, they may have been Hansa-Brandenburgs or Albatrosses. Perhaps somebody could look up the serials: 1378, 1372, 1377, 1374 and 1376) did mount at least one torpedo attack (unsuccessful IIRC) and they were also used to bomb Russian ground units. Apart from this, I seem to remember reading somewhere that they were also used to land infantry, presumably Marines rather than Imperial Army Troops.

There is a nice article on operation 'Albion' here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

[rammjaeger]

D. 274/17 is neither fitting to an Euler D.I nor to D.II (to my knowledge both from 1916) - but is it really a D.I and not a later D-type tested in 1917?

What are the owners of big lists with numbers (Militärbestellnummer) - like Dan-San - are saying?

[Varese2002]

Originally Posted by rammjaeger

D. 274/17 is neither fitting to an Euler D.I nor to D.II (to my knowledge both from 1916) - but is it really a D.I and not a later D-type tested in 1917?

What are the owners of big lists with numbers (Militärbestellnummer) - like Dan-San - are saying?

Looking at Rod Filan's site there is http://www.earlyaviator.com/archive/...I.1916.D.I.jpg.

Euler D.I D 302-309/16 (8 machines)

Euler D.II D 2330 - 2379/16 (50 machines)

Which leaves the question what is D 274/17 ?

The Siemens-Schuckert D.I copy of a Nieuport was ordered in greater quantity (D 3503-3635/16, D 3752-3768/16) and D 1230 - 1329/17 although much fewer were actually built. This leaves out the possibility of the S.S.W. D.I too.

I read that the IdFlieg requested a copy of the Nieuport from Albatros, Euler and Siemens Schuckert during the time the Nieuport XI / XVII was introduced on the Western front (mid 1916 ?).

So no proof yet for the elusive D 274/17.

Kees

[Sreiko]

http://www.bundesarchiv.de/aktuelles...x=0&id=6&nr=1#