Albatros C.III 1355/16 in French Hands

[ONEALM]

Gentlemen -

I have three photos of an Albatros C.III serial number appears to be C.1355/16 (I'm assuming the /16) in French hands. The airplane is intact.

Can anyone provide any details of when or how the airplane was captured ?

Many thanks in advance,
Mike

[ONEALM]

I scanned the photo with the best view of the serial number and under enhancement, it looks like 1388/16 - not 1355/16.

Here they are - hope these help ID it...

[Froggy]

Bonjour Onealm

The well known Albatros C.III 1388/16, (Christophe Cony said),was captured by escadrille C105.


here is the same aircraft in french colour
Image Bank – Canada Aviation Museum

Cordialement
Bruno

[ONEALM]

Bruno -

Many thanks for the positive identification and the link. Did M. Cony indicate when this Albatros was captured ?

VBR,
Mike

[Gregvan]

Hi Mike,

Well, now that you've supplied the CORRECT serial - of course, it's as Bruno has said. The photo he posted was taken on the field of Escadrille C 105 (according to Cony). This C.III was rather well-photographed, but unfortunately Cony doesn't give the date of capture. Pete Grosz said that it was "captured by the French at Verdun and extensively tested by the Section Technique de l'Aeronautique (StAe)."

Here is another photo of someone I take to be General Joffre inspecting the same plane. The large 2 on the fuselage is the hallmark:

[Froggy]

Hello Greg and Mike

Thanks greg for the photo of Joffre
And this photo remember me that there is another version for this Albatros
CIII 1388/16 -And I am Quasi-certain that it is the true version!
First the photo with Joffre was taken on 10 august 1916 at Cachy airfield, at the occasion
of the victory of Flachaire, Lachmann et Matton for there victory of 28 july1916.They belonged to N 67 and 57 and the Albatros CIII was FTL at Souilly
The officer pilot was WIA and oberver OK-POW's(see French air servivce chronology)
the General Joffre was by chance near souilly at that moment
The photo had a parution in a french magazine" Pays de France " du 10 august 1916

In the link here (from the french forum to which I belong) you will find all
photos concerning that event -These photos were taken the same day
on tthe second photo, you will see a nieuport with a Question mark as personal insignia -This plane was the personal plane of Lt Lachmann

Here the link to my site :Identification - Forum Pages d’Histoire: aviation - FORUM pages 14-18

If you need translation in (bad...) english just tell me

[Froggy]

Suite

The Albatros CIII was driven in Paris on 30 July 1916 by the aviator Brindejonc du Moulinais . He was accompanied with Nieuport piloted by Lachmann with Matton as passenger, both having brought down this plane

Here is another photo

http://asoublies14-18.cosadgip.com/_...joffre-lvg.jpg

Bruno

[Gregvan]

Thanks for all that additional information and the link, Bruno. A very nice website indeed! Now if I could just read French...

See what you started here, Mike?

Hreh

[Froggy]

So to summarize...

The albatros CIII 1388/16, was Forced to land on 28 july 1916
by 3 pilots at Souilly (Meuse)

the capitaine jean Matton from escadrille 57 The Lt Georges Lachmann from escadrille 57
[and slt Georges Flachaire from escadrille 67

They pierced the gazoline tank and hurt the pilot
who was POW with the observer
General Joffre was by chance around, and he came immediately to congratulate the winners
On 31 July, the albatros was driven by the pilot Brindejonc du Moulinais
at Paris for further evaluation by the STAé, and was accompanied by matton and Lachmann

Many photos of this event was taken and published in several news paper

The other hypothesis, given by Christophe Cony, according to which the plane would have been shot down, by the escadrille C105 would be thus inaccurate.But it is possible that the albatros was driven to Julvécourt
airfield where was based the escadrille C105 at that time:which could explain the confusion.Julvécourt is near Lemmes airfield where was based escadrille 57, and near Froidos where was based escadrille 67-these 3 airfields was close to souilly(near verdun)

I hope that all is clear despite my poor english

Good evening

Bruno

[Gregvan]

Thanks, Bruno!!

I believe that, by "Marechal Foch" you meant Joffre?

Greg