Profiles Publications Fokker D VII Photo

[PeeJay333]

The attached photograph from Profile Publications has always intrigued me. Though I have seen many additional profiles since then, I have never seen another Fokker D VII photo or profile with the polka dots on the tail, or even a contemporary aircraft in similar staffel markings. Does anyone have any information about this aircraft or at least the markings? Thanks.

PJ

[Troy Raines]

Years ago, sorry I can't remember who said it or where, it was thought maybe to be a Jasta 10 machine. That was never confirmed however, to my knowledge. I built a 1/72 scale model using the MicroScale sheet for the tail and stripe, plus info on the airframe covering and markings from a WWI Aero article written by Dan San Abbott. It was a pretty bird with its yellow nose, wheels, struts; and red and white polka dot tail and stripe. I believe I used 4 color lozenge from Microscale also.

[PeeJay333]

Thanks, Troy

I did build a stick and tissue rubber powered model in those colors a long time ago, but couldn't recall whether anyone had actually identified the colors or if I had interpreted them from the black and white photo. I do seem to recall a construction article by Walt Musciano for a control line bird with those markings, but was unsure of his source. The fact that Micro Scale actually made a decal set in those colors is reassuring.

PJ

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Gentlemen:
I have mulled this photo over for a very long time. I believe I have solved this riddle.
In 2005, I did a colored three view of Ltn. Max Nather's Fok.D.VII,of Jasta62, with the red nose and empennage, with a black fuselage, with the German flag on a staff painted on a retangular white field. This was displayed on the turtle-deck and both sides of the fuselage. In 2006 I game across this photo for the umteenth time. Ilooked at the photo for a long time, I then thought of the drawing of Ltn.Nather's D.VII, I compared the two machines, they were aside for the white spots, painted identically.
I think this machine is from Jasta 62. Also I believe it may have been Ltn. Tönjes aircraft. Unfortunately, I don't remember how I Arrived at that conclusion.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[PeeJay333]

Dan-San --

When you say "painted identically," do you mean red nose, red tail, black fuselage and camoflaged wings, because if you are including the German flag marking you discuss, I sure can't see it in the above photo.

Do you have an idea what color the dark bands are that are just inside the white "sash" on the fuselage?

PJ

[Dan_San_Abbott]

PJ333:
The Jasta 62 marking were the red nose and empennage and the blackfuselage. The other markings were personal markings.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Gregvan]

Dear Friend Dan-San,

On what photo did you base your rendition of Max Näther's Fokker D.VII?

Greg

[Gregvan]

Dan-San,

I'm presuming it's this one:


I published this detail from a photo of the packed Zeppelin hangar at Trier/Treves in 1919 in Fokker D VII Anthology 3, with a very tentative caption stating it might have been the aircraft of Max Näther. This was based entirely on the flag insignia, which is slightly similar to that seen on Näther's Albatros D.Va. I'm still somewhat doubtful - many other pilots could have used such a marking, and that nose doesn't really look red to me - but what do I know?

I'm sorry, but I can't really see what's all that identical between that D.VII and this one:


Granted , my print is not first generation (or even second) and it's a high contrast print; however, I think I can see traces of 'lozenges' on the fuselage decking, indicating that the fuselage was not overpainted except for the sash and the early (circa May/June) style Balkenkreuz.

I have photos that do show an Albatros D.V, as well as a Pfalz D.III, of Jasta 4 - both of which show a dark tail painted with white polka dots as an individual marking. Ronny Bar did a fine profile of the Pfalz which appears in his gallery on this site. In one of my books I tentatively depicted the dark tail color as a darkish red, but that was pure guesswork - could have been black too, or perhaps even something else. I'm not saying this early Fokker-built D.VII came from Jasta 4 or was flown by the same pilot - I'm just pointing out that there were other fighter aircraft with a similar tail marking.

Greg

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Hi Greg:
In regard to ,Jasta 62, its colors have been identified in Intelligence reports as having a red nose and black body. Further I have a photo on a member of , Jasta 62,staning in front of his machine, which has the nose and empennage the same shade of grey with a darker body and a band around the fuselage, the unit and pilot are identified by Ed Ferko.
I also have a photo of a Pfalz D.IIIa marked the same and identified as Jasta 62.
Yes, I used the photo of the Zeppelin Hangar, same as yours, but I got several years ago from a friend, Jim DuBois. I have the same set of photos.
The design is exactly the the same as Ltn. Nathers Albatros D.Va. Area, and location of Jasta 62[/i] fits. I use logical analysis, the same as you do Greg.
Blue skies.
Dan-San