Did this scheme ever really adorn an Albatros??

Brad Cancian · 11 July 2006, 08:15 AM

Hello all - another weird and wonderful query from that left field in which I live....

When doing some research on the net I stumbled upon quite a nice painting (I can't Quite make out the painter's name completely) of presumably a Jasta 26 airfield scene - Loerzer's Albatros is represented in the foreground with two other albatros aircraft and a Fokker DR1. Given the pic was on a German forum (I don't speak much German) I am guessing there is no copyright so I have reproduced the pic below.

What has got my interest is the Albatros in the background which I think looks rather striking:

Did this scheme ever adorn an Albatros or is it the work of some very nice artistic licence by the painter?? That beast called common sense very strongly suggests the latter but i'm kinda hoping the former may be true....

BC

Taz · 11 July 2006, 09:30 AM

Brad- I thought I Recognized the work of Barry Weekley and sure enough, there is his name on the painting. You can contact him yourself and ask him about the Albatros in question. His web site is www.BarryWeekleyArt.com and his e-mail address is barryweekley@hotmail.com. Might as well buy a print or an original painting from him while you are at it.

Taz
Terry Phillips

Gregvan · 11 July 2006, 09:50 AM

Hi Brad,

Yes, as Taz says, it's one of Barry Weekley's paintings. I admire Barry's work, and he's usually very careful in his depictions of markings, etc. In this case, while the Jasta 26 Albatros D.Va is pretty accurate, the other aircraft shown do not bear Jasta 26 markings (I think he wanted some more variety in his painting). Though I have seen several examples of Albatrosse with Bavarian blue/white diamond markings similar to the one you've picked out, I think that one is a bit of artistic license on Barry's part. Nice painting, though.

Greg

Brad Cancian · 11 July 2006, 07:30 PM

Hey guys thanks for the replies! I have visited Barry's website and made some inquiries about getting hold of some of his prints, his aviation art is quite attractive and certainly appears well researched. I have also asked about the Albatros in his painting so I will see what he comes back with.

Greg - I know of two D.IIIs that carried Bavarian checkerboards on the vertical tail(Strobel's mount in Jasta 5 and Seitz's mount in Jasta 30) , I also know of three D.Vs with the checkerboards (2 from Jasta 5 with the whole fuselage covered as well as Walter Bohning's Jasta 76b DV with the checkerboards covering the whole rear fuselage). I think these DVs especially would make excellent modeling projects, although I don't think I am keen to try and do a whole fuselage.... I am curious, what other schemes are known to have existed with the Bavarian checkerboards adorning some part of the aircraft? I am mainly interested in Albatrossen but would welcome info on any other aircraft types!

By the way Greg, I just purchassed your Osprey Pfalz Aces book, all I can say is wow!!!

Very thoroughly researched, some very attractive profiles and some great photos!!

Thanks
BC

black baron · 12 July 2006, 07:03 AM

hello brad,

here an image of Fokker D.VII of Jasta 16b whose pilot is unknown with like symbol the Bavarian checkerwork wrapping the cokpit, by hoping that can you help.

black baron

Gregvan · 12 July 2006, 12:28 PM

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the kind words about the Pfalz book - I really appreciate it!

Your post indicated that you've done your homework about various Albatrosse with the Bavarian crest blue/white diamond pattern. Ltn. Rudolf Nebel flew the D.Va at the head of this line-up of Kest 1b aircraft at Karlsruhem at least I think so. Taz has a much better photo of this machine!

I hope that's of interest,

Greg