DR1 fabric from the 'drome, (old crash)

Yank44 · 6 June 2008, 01:38 AM

I just picked up a rather large piece of red fabric with the Old Rhinebeck 1918 Fokker, with a picture of a Dr.1, stamp on the back. I was told it was from when the Dr.1 had an accident. Pretty nifty item. It still has the ties on the back. Anybody know anything about the crash?

ONEALM · 6 June 2008, 06:40 AM

Yank -

I'll be happy to tell you all about the crash (as will many others no doubt) - where did the fabric come from ?

-Mike

Yank44 · 7 June 2008, 12:48 AM

I PM'd you Mike. Just so everyone else can know a little bit...the dealer was with Cole Palen when it crashed, so it must have been a long time ago. He said the Dr.1 had no markings if that helps. I'll take some pics.

Yank44 · 7 June 2008, 01:27 AM

Yank44 · 7 June 2008, 11:55 PM

After reviewing some of my pics, I really need to use my tripod more. My hands are a bit on the shaky side.

Gwen · 8 June 2008, 03:18 AM

From what others have told me Cole had mishaps with the triplane in the early days. Fabric remnants were given to spectators who offered financial help to help pay for the damage. The crew would work tirelessly to get the triplane repaired during the week as it had to be in the next weekend's airshows.

Once after the rotary engine triplane was groundlooped and the landing gear came off Cole quickly purchased another Triplane to replace it in "The Show Must Go On" tradition. This second triplane had a Warner Radial engine and Cole flew it from Chicago, essentially non-stop as he did not turn it off when refueling. This triplane flew in the following weekend's air show.

Another possibility was that the fabric could have been from the time when Cole's Triplane with the Warner Radial engine was flown by "Heater" Heatley, a Top Gun pilot who was taking off in it and made the mistake of waving to those on the ground. I think that occurred in the late 1980's when the crash flattened the aircraft beyond repair. The plane was placed at the flight line that show season for specators to see, later it was in one of the museum hangars, and eventually was sold for parts.

Yank44 · 8 June 2008, 07:53 AM

That is very interesting. Thank you for the information Gwen.
Yank