Theo Osterkamp Article in Avions Magazine

greenknight · 13 January 2005, 02:35 PM

I was reading the publications reviews in the latest issue of "Skyways" (#73, Jan. '05) and in the course of reviewing an issue of the French magazine "Avions" a 2 Part article on Theo Osterkamp is mentioned. Quoting from the review:

"....has a long feature in 2 parts on Theo Osterkamp, Un As de Deux Guerres. Part 1 describes his WWI flying, and his Fokker E.V and his Albatros D.III in vertical stripes show clearly."

Have any Forumites seen these articles? If so could someone relay a few details? Is there new photographic evidence of his "Bumblebee" striped fuselages?!

It appears that the parts ran in the May and July 2004 issues.
http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/mags/france/avions2.htm

Thank you.

Gregvan · 13 January 2005, 04:23 PM

Hi Greenknight,

I too, saw, this same short review (though it was in WWI Aero - apparently the same review as in Skyways) and hoped this article might be the Holy Grail of Osterkamp color schemes. A fellow from the WWI Modelers' List was kind enough to send me a scan of the whole piece. Unfortunately, there's not much that's new and certainly no new photo of Osterkamp's E.V in "Bumblebee" colors. There are many fine photos from Johan Ryheul and the usual photos of Sachsenberg's D.VII and an upturned Albatros D.V which is said to be Osterkamp's - but no exciting shot of a painted-up E.V (at least, not in the scans I was sent). Makes you wish the reviewer had been a bit more careful in his choice of words.

I have serious doubts that Osterkamp's E.V was ever painted up in black and yellow stripes - but who knows? Certainly his D.VII, or D.VIIs, were; again, though, I know of no photos.

Greg VanWyngarden

edmondthieffry · 13 January 2005, 04:53 PM

Hi Greenknight and Greg,

As a regular reader of the French magazine "Avions", I must have these article. At my first reading, I noticed nothing that was new.

I'll read this article again. If I find a new fact or photos that I had missed, I'll let know what I've.

Best regards from Belgium (and excuse my poor use of past time in English)

Philippe

greenknight · 14 January 2005, 05:59 AM

Thank you Greg and Phillipe for the clarification.

I'm always hopeful of seeing some new marking scheme for an E.V from the MFJ's or one of the Army Air Service Jastas.

Regulus · 14 January 2005, 10:37 AM

Hi,

As I mentioned in the DVIII thread, I did indeed help with a number of pics and material, but haven't seen the promised articles yet.
Philippe Saintes has also an interesting website ! Go and see at :

http://membres.lycos.fr/asduciel/

Unfortunately or as the French would say, malheureusement, everything is in French !

There is a part on the Naval Aces and one interesting article on the Sachsenberg Geschwader in 1919 !

Best from Johan

edmondthieffry · 16 January 2005, 01:11 PM

Hi Greenknight,

As I promised, I checked the article again. Sadly, no new photos.

The article's first part (published in Avions # 134,May 2004) is devoted to the WWI.

You can find many good photos (26 to be precise) of various pilots and aircrafts of different MFJ. 4 (provided by Johan) are devoted to the Fokker E.V : 2 shown 138/18, one 160/18 and one 156/18. Both aircraft are in standard factory finish and show the 4 color hexs.

Best regards from Belgium

Philippe

greenknight · 17 January 2005, 06:32 AM

Phillipe and Johan,

Thank you for your posts. I have gone to the website of Phillipe Saintes and the Sachsenberg article looks very interesting. My brother is proficient in French, so I will get some help from him in translating the text.

Regulus · 17 January 2005, 11:14 AM

Hi,

Some of the photo's in the article have to be credited to Greg. Don't know if this did happen in the article. Can anyone check this ? Don't want credit for something that wasn't originally mine.

Best from Johan

edmondthieffry · 17 January 2005, 02:35 PM

Hi Johan,

Anyone photo is credited to Greg.

In the first part, 19 are credited to you, 5 are credited to Lothair Vanoverbeke and 3 are provided by the author. In my previous post, I omitted a portrait of uncle Theo taken in 1915.

In the second part (devoted mainly to the Act 2), 4 are DR, 3 to Neal o'Connor, 1 to A. Imrie, 3 to E. Mombeek, 2 to J. Charita, 1 to W. Roels, 1 to J.-L. Roba and 1 provided by the author.

Best regards

Philippe

Regulus · 18 January 2005, 10:16 AM

Thanks Philippe !

Will take contact wit P.Saintes in the first days to get a copy of the article.

Best from Johan