German Plane

Ritterton · 25 June 2009, 09:06 PM

Inspiration courtesy of MK2, Kajoo and others - but my wallet is lighter

This is a continuation of the collecting inspired by others here - see the above link.

I got four pictures in a group of pictures that may be of interest. Two deal with a German plane and were taken after the War's end. At first, I thought - ok, I will be able to work through and identify the type of aircraft and be pretty happy with that. But the more I looked at these two pictures, I suspect there may be more info here than I first thought.

Now here are the details - note the wolf/dog head in the center of the one cross.

Then there are numbers on the tail - in two different locations - that showed up in the scan, but look like mere dots in the picture - I can make out a 6474/1- I think!

I suspect the soldier whose pictures these were is in the one between the crosses. But no real way of knowing. I am going to post three other images from this set - the other pictures I ended up with in this auction are more scenery of after the war trenches, his trip to Nice, France and to Monte Carlo. Great shots of a soldier enjoying a trip in Europe after the war.

Ritterton · 25 June 2009, 09:10 PM

Here are two others that came in this collection. I really like the guys in front of the plane - but I don't believe that this is the German plane in question. Also, there appears to be a captain in the center, and is it a major towards the right.

Gregvan · 25 June 2009, 09:43 PM

Hello Ritterton,

Well - you've got some great finds here!!

First of all, the German aircraft is a Fokker D.VII, the best German fighter of the war - some say the best fighter, period. This is one that was (probably) delivered to the Yanks due to the Armistice stipulations, is one of those D.VII's license-built by the Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (or OAW - an affiliate of the main Albatros Werke, located in Schneidemühl). The military serial number you so adroitly noted on the white rudder could very well be 6474/18. This is repeated on the tailplane and elevators in white, as you've probably noticed. D.VII (OAW) 6474/18 was one of a batch of 350 D.VII's ordered from OAW, numbered 6300 to 6699/18. The /18 suffix simply indicated that these aircraft were ordered in 1918.

Besides the serial number, there are other hallmarks that clearly indicate this is an OAW-built D.VII. The patchwork-painted camouflage on the metal cowling panels, the distinctive camouflage of the wheel covers, the weights table painted beneath the cockpit, the application of the serial number on the fin, tailplane, and elevator in that particular style, and the tail cross confined to the rudder - these are all indications of an OAW machine from this batch.

The unit and personal markings on the fuselage are very unusual and new to me. I will assume that the cross with the animal head painted in it was the unknown pilot's personal emblem. The fuselage cross was seemingly painted over, and it seems like a vertical band of white paint aft of the vertical dark band has largely peeled and degraded away. It's quite possible this aircraft once served in Jagdstaffel 68, which (if I'm not mistaken) had a unit marking of vertical black(?) and white bands in just the locations seen in your marvelous photos.

The second group of two photos you posted both show American Liberty-engined D.H.4's. I cannot identify any of the personnel or the squadron of the aircraft yet, but I'm working on it.

Hope that's of interest, and thanks so much for sharing these!!

Greg

Ritterton · 25 June 2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregvan

Hope that's of interest, and thanks so much for sharing these!!

Greg

Wow - I got answered by an amazing author of the book I just happened to pick up a month ago on the Albatros Aces....wow.

Oh, and then I got a lot of amazing information to boot!

Interested is an understatement, sir, THANK YOU! Awesome information. I am very, very interested - and hey, even my wife was interested in the information you provided us.

THANK YOU!

P.S. - if you didn't pick up on it, I loved the book too!

R

bristol scout · 26 June 2009, 03:17 AM

Hi Guys,
My first thought when i looked at the picture of the DV11 was that the small 'image' in the 'cross' might have been the 147th.'s 'who said rats' logo-----i'm not at all saying it is--just first impressions.

Dave.

Kilian · 26 June 2009, 05:25 AM

It looks like a captured machine so maybe Bristol is right and the logo was painted by its new owner

Ritterton · 28 June 2009, 11:14 AM

"My Grandfather, Lewis Brown McCammon, was a soldier in WWI. He was not a pilot or in any of the pictures that I know of. That is why I thought they were collections that soldiers could purchase. If they were photos of him, I would have saved them. As far as I know, his combat contact was minimal, but he did encounter some "action." His favorite story and a lifelong passion was for the work of the Salvation Army. He always stopped to contribute coins in their buckets, as they always had a hot cup of free coffee for the soldiers. I continue this tradition in his quiet honor."

Folks - here is the soldier who acquired these pictures and about 31 others - but of the sites of Nice, Monte Carlo and a few of the trenches - that I posted here. I thought folks would like this additional information to add to the story being discussed here.