Layout of Buhl airfield Summer 1918

[ONEALM]

Greetings -

I am laying out a painting of a 100 Squadron raid on Buhl Aerodrome and would like to get the layout of the airfield correct if possible. It's a companion painting for the DH-9 IF daytime bombers painting - "Into the Lion's Den" - posted in the gallery.

Does anyone have access to photos or airfield diagram that might be helpful ?

Failing that are there any guesses about whether they had tents or permanent hangars at Buhl ?

Many thanks,
Mike

Hi Mike,

From the pictures I have seen, they were permanent wooden hangers. There are some rather nice photos of Jasta 78b where you can see parts of the aerodrome in the background. I can scan a few for you if you want. It seems the unit had a lot of time on their hands, hence the great number of photographs!

regards,

Darren

[ONEALM]

Darren -

Scans would be superb and much appreciated. I want to get the layout as correct as I can the first time out so I don't have to repaint !

You can pitch them directly to me at Mikes Email. The painting may take a while to put together, but I will post it on the gallery when done. Send me a snail-mail address offline and I'll make sure I send you a color photo print of the finished painting.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

Hi Mike,

I will do just that. I have about four or five good shots. Hopefully you can get a feel of the aerodrome from them. Give me a day or so to scan and send them your way. When your done with the painting, I would like to see a print.

Will this painting depict a particular action?

regards,
Darren

[ONEALM]

Darren -

Thanks in advance.

The painting is planned as a companion piece for "Into the Lions' Den" in the gallery. I discovered after doing that painting for the Flying Machines Press book that 104 Squadron had a couple of N.J. airmen. On 22 August 1918, John Redfield and James "Jimmy" Valentine were shot down and captured. Redfield was badly wounded but survived. They were among the 7 out of 9 104 Sq. DH-9's lost that day on on mission. Both Prime and Jungwirth were credited with DH-9 victories that day, but what I find interesting is that all 7 went down on the German side and from extent (or at least published) records, only 2 were ever credited. As an aside, another NJ boy fell to Jasta 78b earlier when Kallmunzer was credited with downing Phil Dietz on 30 July. All of the NJ natievs who served with the daylight I.F. units were either KIA or POW'd.

Later still, I discovered that another NJ native James Conover was with 100 Squadron. 100 had spent quite some time in the weeks leading up to the 22 August mission. 100 (and Conover) bombed Buhl on the 13th, 14th and 15th and Boulay on the night of the 21st.

It occurred to me that while these night bombers were trying to knock out the fighters who were taking such a toll on the daylight crews, most of what they accomplished was simply to stir up the hornets. So this painting will likely depict one of the 13/14/15 August missions if the moon and cloud conditions were right for what I have in mind. Still have to do a little metroroligical history work, or, as sometimes happens, take a guess about the cloud cover that night.

No rush with the photos, I can lay out the basic compositon and get the exact building types and locations knocked in when I get the photos.

Again, many thanks in advance.
Mike

Hi Mike,

That's some pretty interesting stuff. It sure looks like you've done your homework on the subject. I can easily scan those photos tomorrow and get them to you. Talk to you soon.

regards,

Darren