425/17

Laserlloyd · 28 February 2006, 07:20 PM

Langdon:

It’s nice to see the backside of the fabric. Is the color you are asking about a Green in tint or is it blue in tint. As Dan-San indicated the cross is from the lower wing. Then it was originally painted in the factory color scheme. Could the ageing and the first coat of varnish, looking at it from the back look more greenish in color? If a paint chip from the front could be found this would provide a more true color of the blue. I believe. I agree that if in fact if it is green, this would be a new color found on the Fokker factory color scheme.

I love to see photos like this that we all can learn from. Thanks for sharing them!!!

Lloyd...

Langdon · 28 February 2006, 08:04 PM

It is the same as you can see in the photo, green. It has not run through from the other side of the fabric but rather, has dripped onto the fabric from above. The green substance was obviously very thin in viscosity.

There is no blue on this piece as it has been cut from the cross field.

Langdon

Dave_Watts · 28 February 2006, 11:30 PM

Langdon, thanks for posting the fabric samples.

The green contamination certainly weighs in heavy on the probability that 425/17 was originally finished in standard factory finish.

Good material for further research.

Do you have an idea of the orientation of the fabric with regards to leading edge versus trailing edge?

Best,
Dave W.

Langdon · 1 March 2006, 01:59 AM

Hi Dave,

In both images there is a seam running from side to side down the centre line of the Cross, this is chordwise, on the reverse side photo if you look to the left you can see there is some reinforcing which I suggest is the trailing edge.
As you probably know many of the Fokker factory images show wings covered with a single piece of fabric chordwise with no join at the leading edge, the trailing edge would be reinforced because of the join but also because of the trailing edge wire.

Langdon

RAGIII · 3 March 2006, 10:04 PM

Just curious here. Are you saying that the green soaked through and dripped on to the backside of the fabric? Just want clarification. Thanks,
RAGIII

Langdon · 4 March 2006, 10:59 PM

No I'm saying it is a mystery that requires further examination. The green has dripped onto the fabric but there is no proof that this occured whilst the wing was in service or even, whilst it was being painted.

Langdon

Tim West · 11 March 2006, 08:37 AM

Greetings all,

I have lurked this thread for a bit and sorry if I missed this being discussed earlier but something I just noticed is that the stains look like a ink blot test.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...px-Inkblot.gif

Here I marked some areas that show similar characteristics to the ink blot technique.

What this tells me is that the stains came after the linen was cut from the plane. If you look, the points of "blot" repeats match exactly where the linen was folded or rolled. I am not sure how you could get this effect before or during service.

Still I feel that plane was field painted.......like why would there be light blue, under the red, on the bottom of one of the samples. The blue appears right where the demarcation line would be on a standard Dr.I finish.

I guess who , knows but something is defiantly different about the finish either way.

Tim West · 11 March 2006, 08:38 AM

Oh, I also wanted to ask, if it was common to apply streaks where the cross fields were to be placed? Why waste the time/material if you were only going to paint over it.

Langdon · 11 March 2006, 05:57 PM

Tim,

It's an interesting observation, although the creases don't match the way the fabric was folded (and had been for a long time by the wear marks). The black paint has also behaved in the same way. The green appears to have originally extended beyond the borders of this piece which would tend to date the stain prior to the fabric being removed from the aircraft.

Certainly the cross field was not painted with camouflage.

Langdon

Dan_San_Abbott · 11 March 2006, 07:47 PM

Gentlemen:
When this piece fabric from Fok.DR.I 425/17 came out of the closet and sold at auction, Alan Toelle did a study, that was published in I think Windsock. Alan's photographs show the serial number is readible through the red paint. Also Alan from his study of the fabric was able to prove that the upper longeron slopes downward 30mm at the tailplane notch.
Paul in his examination of a piece of fabric at the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, London could read the w.n.2009 through the red paint. I have a copy of Paul's study.
Blue skies,
Dan-San