Shamrock insignia

[John Masters]

Heya guys,
Were there any Central power pilots who used a shamrock or clover for their personal insignia? I'm thinking of painting an alter-ego machine of my own and don't want to step on the toes of history. Thanks a bunch.
JDC Masters

[Cigogne]

Yes, I've seen at least a couple photos of an Albatros D.III (Oef) of the Austro-Hungarian KuK Luftfahrtruppe that wore that insignia on the side of the fuselage. Peter Grosz' book on Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of WWI, 1914-18 I believe shows this particular aircraft.

[John Masters]

I looked in the big A-H Aircraft book by Peter Grosz and there weren't any pics like that. He does have a Windsock datafile on the DIII (oef) that might have the logos I'm looking for, but I don't have that resource yet. I'm just coming out of my modelling hibernation stage so I'm still on the ground when it comes to a lot of specifics. Thanks for your help, though. JD

[duedicoppe]

Dear JDC,
in the book "Albatros D.II & D.III Oeffag" written by Mgr. Petr Aharon Tesar and published by JaPo there are two fighters with the quatrifoil insignia. One is 153.167 of Flik 2D, that has a quatrifoil on the right side and a red heart on the left one. The other is 153.199 of Flik 10F,which insigna was a light quatrifoil on a dark square painted on the sides of the fuselages.
Happy landings
Paolo

[John Masters]

Much thanks for the directional. Unfortunately JaPo isn't listing that book in their inventory, nor is Bib lio, Amazon, etc... If someone can clue me in as to where I can get a copy I'd be greatly appreciative. I have numerous other projects that would benefit from this resource. I'll keep trying. I'll check out Windsock and see what they have...All the best.
JDC

As far as I know, in the "K.u.K. Luftfahrtruppen":
Hansa-Brandenburg D I 28.06 (FLIK 34. pilot unknown) had a black glover on both sides, Albatros D III 153.167 (FLIK 2 D, pilot unknown) hat a green shamrock on the right side (on the left side a red heart and the name “Claere”) and Albatros D III 153.246 (FLIK 3 J, pilot Stabsfeldwebel Otto Förster and/or Oberleutnant Miroslav Navratil) had an white shamrock in an black square on both sides. Albatros D III 153.199 (FLIK 10, pilot Feldwebel Georg Szeruda) was later transferred to FLIK 3 J, I´ve also seen a photo of an unidentified (crashed) plane of FLIK 3 J from summer 1918 with a light quatrifoil on dark background (no square).
Also a shamrock on dark background on the fuselage of Aviatik C 1 137.01 and Hansa-Brandenburg C 1 69.81 (FLIK 50 D, pilots and observer unknown)

Sources :
„Die Albatros (Oeffag) Jagdflugzeuge der K.u.K. Luftfahrtruppen“ / Peter Schiemer and
„Die Flugzeuge der K.u.K. Luftfahrtruppe und Seeflieger 1914 – 1918“ / Erwin Hauke, Walter Schroeder, Bernhard Tötschinger, both books printed in Austria.
Best regards
VH

Just found : http://air.wz.cz/bird.htm with images of Albatros (Oeffag) DIII 153.167 and 153.199
best regards
VH

[Albatroid]

Links below should take you right to the photos called out by VH:

http://air.wz.cz/50-oeffag/albatros-d3-oef-153-167.jpg

http://air.wz.cz/50-oeffag/albatros-d3-oef-153-199.jpg

[John Masters]

Also, I just checked in the FMP "The Imp. Russian Air Service"...Henri Manchoulas with the Franco-Romanian Escadrilla No.3---Nieuport 11 "sported a green four-leafed clover on both sides of the fuselage for personal marking." Pg.386, Para.29. I also saw a build of I think a Salmson (I really can't remember) or Camel with a gaudy green and white paint jog=b with loads of shamrocks all over. Too many shamrocks for me...

Cheers!
John

[John Masters]

Here's my insignia for the fictional pilot "Seamus O'leary von Kranken-Schafft.