Jacobs' Triplanes

[mwrnr]

I've seen several photos of Josef Jacobs' Fokker Dr.Is in mid to late 1918 when they had the late model straight crosses (balkenkreuz). Does anybody have or know locations of photos of how he first painted his Fokker Dr.I with the earlier Ironcross (eisernkreuz) or the transition straight cross used in April/May?

He supposedly received the Dr.I sometime shortly after January but the photos of the black painted DR.I with the Devil figure were taken in May. So, when between January and May did he paint it black and add the devil. Did he paint it black before adding the Devil? If so, how long before. Also, did it have the Devil before or after the change in cross styles?

[R Gannon]

mwrnr

I would have thought the many Germanophiles on this site would have swarmed over this one. I'm no Germanophile but the translation of Jacobs diary by forum ace Stephen Lawson (see C&C GB Vol 25 #2) shows that Jacobs first flew his Triplane on a test flight on 21 Mar 18. Several more test flights followed before he actually used it on a patrol on 3 Apr 18. Now the order to change from the Eisernkeruz to the Balkenkeruze was issued just before 21 Mar 18 - Der Tag - and photo evidence of JG 1 triplanes, for example taken late March, show that Js 6 & Js 11 had all but implemented the change, so I doubt if a photo of 450/17 in Jacob's livery baring the Eisernkeruz would exist.

Cheers Russ

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Russ Cannon:
The IdFlieg Directive of 17 March 1918required the the transition from the Iron Cross to the balken Cross to be accomplished no later than 4 April 1918 as long as it did not interfer with deliveries. In this case by the time Ltn. Josef Jacobs was delivered and most probablythe transition to balken cross would have been accomplished by 3 April 1918 when he used it operationally for the first time. I would assumethat after Jacobs received it on/or about 21 March 1918 it would have been it standard Factory finish with the crosses unchanged from the AFP. I would presume that Ltn. Josef Jacob's had it painted all black with the balken crosses during the testing period.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[StephenLawson]

Dan is correct. There are images of 450/17 and 470/17 in factory standard camouflage. There are images of 450/17 in partial black and streaked camouflage but they were stolen from the Jacobs album before the album was shipped to late Neal O' Connor around 1979 - 80.

[mwrnr]

Stephen and Dan:

Can you provide any further info or description of the partial black and streaked triplane? In keeping with most triplane paint schemes, I might presume it had just the rear portion of the fuselage painted black?

Too bad about the photos. Maybe someday they will be returned and/or published.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

mwrnr:
Sorry, I can't help, my post was put together using logic.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[StephenLawson]

Originally Posted by mwrnr

Stephen and Dan:

Can you provide any further info or description of the partial black and streaked triplane? In keeping with most triplane paint schemes, I might presume it had just the rear portion of the fuselage painted black?

Too bad about the photos. Maybe someday they will be returned and/or published.

Not much else to say. They will probably never be in the public domain unless the thief getahrad up for money.