Albatros DII - Good pictures on EADS site

[Olham]

http://www.eads.com/1024/de/eads/history/a...tros_D_III.html

 

Just had a look at Albatros DII pictures at the EADS site again, and found, that the

OFF modellers and skinners have done a good job here, too.

 

Here is one picture, where it looks like the fuselage is shaded darker above the mid line,

and also mottled. The cowling looks painted in a bright colour. And below the cowling,

the nose looks darker than the rest of fuselage (can't be a shadow, as sun comes from

above left nose side). Does any one of the skinners know more about that?

Edited July 19, 2009 by Olham

[DerMo]

Yes i also noticed that on the famous`Red Heart`Albatros of Werner Voss.Sadly i forgot where i found this pic on the net.

[JFM]

Hello,

 

The "mottling" is not paint but wrinkles in the wood that alter light and shadow. On the nose, as the curve rounds down toward the ground there is less reflected light so it appears darker in the photograph. Both these machines are shown in standard factory appearance.

[DerMo]

A bit late but i found it again:

There is something behind the nose that looks exactly like on Olhams pic.Dont think its because of wrinkles but i have no idea what it could be..

[Olham]

Here are some great close up illustrations from James F. Miller's books ACE PROFILES;

showing Albatros and other WW1 craft.

That bowed thing in front of the lower wing is a metall protection plate.

 

http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http...N%26start%3D108

[Duce Lewis]

That bowed thing in front of the lower wing is a metall protection plate.

It looks like a simple fairing to blend the wing to the fusalage

Good aerodynamic performance and all that

Maybe some structural support too

[JFM]

Yes, Duce, that's what it is. The D.IIIs were slab-sided along the lower wings so the fairings eased the transition from the straight portion of the fuselage to the rounded portions and reduced interference drag. The D.V and D.Va did not have the slab sides and thus utilized stubby wing roots instead, and the fairings were not needed.

[Bullethead]

The "mottling" is not paint but wrinkles in the wood that alter light and shadow.

 

I disagree. The dark streak on the fuselage side from the cockpit back is where the pilot habitually spits tobacco juice .

[Olham]

Good info, thanks JFM!

 

Tch - Bullethead! That's like your story about that Absinth-device in the SPAD! (Lol!)