Eduard von Schleich's Roland C-II

stoney · 25 November 2005, 04:51 PM

Mr. Dan San Abbot, I know this is an old thread, but where could I find a copy of your book "Schlachtflieger"?

Thanks.

Dan_San_Abbott · 25 November 2005, 05:02 PM

Stoney:
I wish I could tell you to contact your local book dealer, unfortunately It is not out yet. I best guess is spring 2006. Rick and I have not seen the Galley proof yet.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

stoney · 25 November 2005, 07:53 PM

Thank you sir. I await with great expectations.

fliegertruppe · 30 November 2005, 10:01 AM

Dear Dan San,

sorry but Ritter von Schleich flew the Roland C.II with the eye and black mouth in his time by the Feldflieger-Abteilung 2b and not Schutzstaffel 28b.
Maybe the number of the Roland C.II was 4418/16.

greeting
Reinhard

Dan_San_Abbott · 9 December 2005, 07:14 PM

Fliegertruppe:
The photos we had show other Rol.C.II machines as well as von Schleich with the mouth and eye and are identified as Schusta 28b.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Taz · 9 December 2005, 07:28 PM

Dan-San- Right you are. I have photos of a Roland C.II flown by, we think,

Hermann Becker of later Jasta 12 fame and his observer Lydia. The photos both show the mouth and eye you mention.

Cannot wait to see a copy of your book. It will be a landmark. Wish I could afford to buy some of the 1/36 scale 5 views you generated for the book. The color copy you sent me was beautiful. A great investment for somebody. The fighter 5 views you did in 1/36 scale are just gorgeous, and the two seaters are even larger and more impressive.

Taz
Terry Phillips

Dan_San_Abbott · 9 December 2005, 07:39 PM

Taz:
I thank you for the praise of my drawings. I don't know that I will be able to sell the color plates for the book, I must say they are nice. you can get a great amount of detail in that scale.
Blue skies,
Dan

9 December 2005, 09:11 PM

Hi Dan-San,

Through my extensive research of Ritter von Schleich's career, I found that Schleich was flying a desk while with SS28b. Yes, he may have brought his Roland with him from FFA2b, but I have a personal narrative where he specifically states that he didn't have an airplane to fly while commanding the protection squadron. This fact can also be found in the books Ritter von Schleich, and Der Schwarze Ritter. Maybe others of the unit flew Roland C.II's similarly marked.

That's why he asked higher headquarters for a scout aircraft to fly in it's place. He was also heart-broken when the Nieuport XVII that landed at his aerodrome was quickly sent to Jastaschule 1.

regards,

Darren

josef scott · 10 December 2005, 02:25 AM

wingedwarrior,

Perhaps...EvS meant he had no combat-worthy aircraft of his own to fly. As the Roland is unarmed, somewhat weathered, and not (to my mind) of combat-worthiness for a Schutzstaffel, maybe it is still his machine...or just an old squadron palne for him to pose in for a quick portrait. He certainly didn't seem to mind having his photo taken.

10 December 2005, 10:24 AM

Hi Josef,

You may be correct in your assumptions. I still feel that the well-known photos of von Schleich with his Wahlfisch may have been taken while he was with FFA2b. I say this because he is known to have flown the type while with the unit, and the national markings are more consistent with aircraft of the 1916 era rather then Spring of 1917. Then again I may be in left field on this one

The aircraft in the some of the pictures was armed with a rear-firing parabellum machine gun, so it was most likely an operation machine.

It is quite possible that he did fly a few missions while with SS28b, but there is a lot of evidence that he was without an airplane of his own (it was taken away by higher headquarters). Von Schleich's memoirs point to the fact that he was in constant boredom when his pilots flew their missions. He passed the time hunting Wabbit!

I think these questions may never be fully answered....

regards,

Darren