Another Voss question - can't help it

Regulus · 18 August 2008, 03:34 PM

Hi,

We are now quite certain and very close to the exact location near Plum Farm

Werner Voss crashed his Fokker triplane.

However finding evidence is not evident, as it crashed upside down, and only the two top wings were nog taken away for the examintation of the wreck in the second half of october 1917. As this was very close to the British front line at the time, and as it was made of wood, little chance anything remains from it.

I've only seen one account I think which mentions that Voss' body fell out of the plane, when it went upside down just before crashing. Is there anything else that confirms this ?
Also, as this was very close to the frontline, isn't there a possibility that there exist aerial recon photo's with the wreckage on it ? Anyone ever checked this ?

Thanks and best from Johan

crankcase · 18 August 2008, 10:49 PM

...to the materials experts...
does wood simply rot and disappear after long burial? Are there any conditions in which a subterranean wreck can survive in some recognizable form?
marc

Kanone · 19 August 2008, 07:59 AM

You would think that small metal parts or fragments would remain around many of these WWI crash sites, unless the ground was badly churned up by artillery fire or later development. Even small parts could be diagnostic of aircraft nationality and type.

As to wood, if a plane were to crash in a wetland or boggy area and kept saturated with water, the wooden parts could be preserved for many many years. I live on a river that runs over a peat deposit that is thousands of years old and sticks, logs, and branches buried many feet deep are very well preserved, altho they are soft with the consistency of cheese.

Albatros_Ace · 19 August 2008, 02:46 PM

i agree with kanone there had to be some small metal parts left behind

Regulus · 19 August 2008, 03:34 PM

Thanks for your reactions !

Don't forget that we are on that moment just a few hundred meters from the new front, dating from 20 september and that this place suffered a lot by artillery fire.

Are there any ideas on what we could find concerning remains from the 2 top wings ? How this part was exactly constructed ?

Albatros_Ace · 19 August 2008, 10:36 PM

bolts,hinges,pulleys,control cables,rigging maybe? maybe I'm unfamiliar with the Dr.1's internal working but being so close to the new front i dont know

Albatros_Ace · 19 August 2008, 10:40 PM

sorry i dont know of any photos

but i think it would have been destroyed

from guns

tcrean7828 · 19 August 2008, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albatros_Ace

bolts,hinges,pulleys,control cables,rigging maybe? maybe I'm unfamiliar with the Dr.1's internal working but being so close to the new front i dont know

Mates,
Chair, metal tubing from the F.I 103.17, Alum cowling, Machine guns, Landing knife skidd, instruments, etc.

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom

Albatros_Ace · 19 August 2008, 10:43 PM

the bottom wing and fuselage were removed

just make sure you guys look very closely were you are

maybe theres a book

with more info?

Regulus · 20 August 2008, 04:07 AM

Gentlemen,

The report of the examination of the wreckage, which was taken from the battlefield, leaves us with little hope that it will be easy to find a trace of it on the battlefield. Fuselage and lower wing were taken away. Which makes the idea of an upside down crash very serious.

Can the report really be taken seriously ? I've heard that it now is generally accepted as being genuine.

Also there remains the question of aerial photo recon, there is a report existing from the next day that the wreck was spotted. 57 Sqdn if i'm not mistaken ? It was just near the front line, so (aerial) photo's might be a possibility, I have a number of people looking for them.

Has anyone ever seen a photo of the wreck itself ? So close to the frontline, and from such a fmous ace, one should expect that they exist.

This kind of material might give us an idea what to expect at the crash site.