Lt John Wentworth's Nieuport 28

[VonSuppel]

Hello all, I'm currently working on Roden's Nieuport 28 and rapidly approaching my decision point on which markings to use. I've just finished reading Bert Frandsen's excellent book 'Hat in the Ring' and I am considering Lt. John Wentworth's bird. According to Bert, Wentworth was responsible for drafting the 94th squadron's well-known 'hat in the ring' marking based on Major Huffer's personal insignia while with the Lafayette Escadrille. Wentworth's 'Red Five' was also the backdrop for a series of familar photos showing Rickenbacker, Doug Campbell and others posing individually for publicity shots flanked by the now famous 'hat in the ring' insignia.

I have the Glencoe N28 sheet with Wentworth's 'serpent' marking that wraps around the cowl along with red and white wing stripes and what appears to be a white 'sawtooth' marking that circles the front of the cowling. The cowling appears to be overall light green (unlike the standard split chocolate brown/light green Nieuport camo). To add to my uncertainty, Mr. Frandsen refers to Wentworth's marking as a "dragon" and not the snake or serpent that I see when I look at the decal sheet.

I have been unable to find any photos that show these markings. I'm drawn to the unusual (ie not Rickenbacker or Campbell) but like have photographic evidence to support my marking choices. Can anyone confirm the accuracy of these decals and/or color scheme? I noticed that Glencoe listed many credible references and thanked forum ace Greg Van Wyngarden for his assistance in preparing this colorful decal sheet.

Thanks in advance for your responses, postulations and assistance.....

-Von Suppel

[Cliff]

The book 'The Hat in the Ring Gang' p.96,97 & 107 provides three partial pics of Wentworth's machine. The one on p. 97 shows the right half of the 'serpent'.
Over The Front V6 #2 has some of the same shots plus three more showing various bits of the scheme and a black and white multi-view diagram. None of the pics are very clear, but do show the top wing number and stripe, lower wing number, the left part of the 'serpent' and the nose 'sawtooth' - which looks like an extension of the undersurface colour. The article is on the colour schemes of the 94th Nieuports, by Jon Guttman, Allan Toelle, Howard Fisher and Greg Van Wyngarden.

Cliff