Max Holtzem's Nose?

rfindley · 30 December 2003, 02:16 PM

Looking at built models and various profiles the prop spinner for Holtzem's Pfalz is either silver or black. Looking at the photo's of him standing next to his D.III, I can't make the call. I agree with the lozenge on the lower wings, the comet insignia on the upper wing, and definitely the individual exhaust stacks, but the jury is still out on the spinner color. Any strong feelings or documentation out there, or is this a paint your choice of colors and dare anyone to prove you're wrong situation? TIA

Rick

Rob_Owens · 1 January 2004, 06:18 AM

I don't have access to the aforementioned photo, but Bob Pearson's rendering has a black spinner, along with the "comet" (minus its tail), on the port upper wing. He gives his source as Over the Front 2/4. The Eduard kit has a silbergrau spinner and no wing comet. Neither shows loz anywhere. FWIW,were I to ever get to the kit, I'd do it in loz, comet, and black spinner, just because it's snappier.

StephenLawson · 1 January 2004, 08:25 AM

I go with the black spinner et al you described.

Gregvan · 1 January 2004, 05:48 PM

Personally, I'm pretty sure the spinner was black. Well the spinner doesn't show up well on any of the three lousy photos of this D.IIIa, I have a line-up photo of several Jasta 16b Pfalz and they all have black spinners.

The jury's still out about the lozenge fabric wings. I know the lower wing looks dark in the photos, but I think it could still be silver. There's definitely something on the upper left wing, which I've interpreted as a simple black 8-pointed star similar to the one on the end of the comet on the fuselage (but simply lack, not black/white).

However, I could be wrong. It's happened before !!

Greg VanWyngarden

Craig · 2 January 2004, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gregvan@Jan 2 2004, 01:48 AM
[b] The jury's still out about the lozenge fabric wings. I know the lower wing looks dark in the photos, but I think it could still be silver.

I agree with the "black spinner', but am pretty certain that the lower wings of Holtzem's D.IIIa were lozenge (they ARE darker in the photos in the FMP Pfalz book) and are certainly not evenly colored - in fact, they look pretty much like lozenge to me!

Cheeers and Happy New year to All
Craig