USAS Fokkers

[buzz1941]

Perhaps we should have a separate forum for Camouflage and Markings, but I'll try this one in the Models department ...

There's a well-known photograph of a late-Alb. Fokker D.VII in 9th Aero markings, and the overall color is light and reflective. It's usually described as grey, but it looks like a dirty aluminum color to me. Has anyone seen any other pictures of this bird? It looks like the wing crosses were maintained despite the overall paint job. Did it ever sport USAS star roundels?

While I'm at it, I've seen pictures of other USAS Fokkers in overall olive drab, with the USAS star roundels on backwards. Why is this?

[Ross_Moorhouse]

I moved this to here. Think you will get the answers you need from this forum.

When you say the USAAS stars were reversed, do you mean the colors were reversed? If that's the case, it could just be the difference between orthochromatic and panchromatic film. Some early film made the darker colors (e.g. blue) appear lighter than some of their counterparts (e.g. red). I hope you find this helpful.

Brian da Basher

[buzz1941]

Sorry, I meant that the stars were pointing backwards

[StephenLawson]

The late build Fokker D.VII (Alb.) 6722/18 was on the rolls of the 9th Aero sqdn equipment accountability in Jan. 1919. It was over painted white and reasonably stained. The image you mention was first published as a front cover for the Cross & Cockade USA Vol. 16 #4. The original can be found in the National Archives in record group # 18. This machine is the subject of a diorama I did titled; "Our best man is working the problem..." It depicts a pair of AEF officers walking toward the machine, talking and on the other side a German POW mechanic is being helped by his "not so armed guard" to pour Benzine in the fuel tank. When many of the Fokker D.VII types were handed over they had partially filled fuel tanks. The AEF daily air service operation procedures required that each machine's fuel cell / tank be topped off. Each production of the Mercedes 180 - 200hp inline six had specific fuel mix requirements for max performance. Several American pilots learned the hard way that the Benzine could not be replaced by fuel normally used by the AEF. There are several accounts where the fuel toleration by a specific engine could be rated as needing high octane or low octane tractor fuel. I suspect that the 200hp was the less tolerant and demanded higher octane.

On the other Fokker types in allied hands ...unknown about the stars... but, if they stacked the wing on the leading edge then the trailing edge would have been pointing up. So naturally the star might have been painted with the point to the rear. Just a thought.

[wingstrutdotcom]

Originally Posted by Ross_Moorhouse

I moved this to here. Think you will get the answers you need from this forum.

LOL on the monty python. I cannot remember the clip....is it "ministry of silly walks?"

[buzz1941]

Sure looks white in the posted picture -- in Peter Gray's "Fokker Fighters" booklet there are some reflective things going on in the same picture that make me think of dull aluminum dope.

[buzz1941]

Might be a dirty distemper white, but there's too much difference between the true whites of the insigina and the overall "color." Also, the wheel discs are definitely a darker shade.

Are there any other pictures of this bird?

Colors and light.....why oh why did they not have color film in WWI ?

Ever try to separate navy blue from black under neon lighting?

There is a movie with a shot of a "2 seat DVII" sliding in a lake. The plane was argent in color even in b& w.

Originally Posted by wingstrutdotcom

LOL on the monty python. I cannot remember the clip....is it "ministry of silly walks?"

The argument clinic. (no it isn't!)(yes it is!)