Who's Albatros was this?

[Olham]

Who knows this Albatros D.V and some of it's history (pilot, Jasta etc.)?

 

And: what could have been the purpose of that rod attached to the right V-strut?

 

 

[RAF_Louvert]

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Olham, that appears to be a photo from many, many years after WWI, if the uniforms worn by the men in the picture are any indication. Truth be told, they look like 1960's - 1970's US Air Force uniforms, so I am wondering if this plane wasn't part of a collection at an American base somewhere. I'll have to do some investigating.

 

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[RAF_Louvert]

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Olham, here is a photo of the same plane sitting at the aerodrome near Souilly, France, 2 January 1918, (photo courtesy of Heritage Prints):

 

 

Perhaps one of our Alb experts can supply more information on whose plane this was and which jasta it belonged to.

 

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[Olham]

I can't find any "Souilly" for German airfields, Lou. Could it be "Sailly" ?

That was the home for Jasta 36, but only for some time in 1917 ?

JFM???

[RAF_Louvert]

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Olham, it may be that this is a photo of a captured Alb sitting at Claye-Souilly northeast of Paris. The Bessonneau tent hanger looks like standard Allied issue to me.

 

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[Olham]

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for digging!

[carrick58]

Could it be a lighting rod ?

[Burning Beard]

That's a lance for jousting. The skull and crossbones indicate the Alb belongs to the Black Knight.

 

Beard

Edited August 25, 2011 by Burning Beard

[Dej]

The Cross & Cockade photo index refers to a Albatros DVa (OAW), pale finish overall with a Skull & Crossbones, in French Hands and bearing French roundels. If I read the reference aright there may be a photo and more detail in Over The Front 10/2 Page 176... I'm afraid I don't have a copy but one of our American cognoscenti may.

[+elephant]

I found another pic of the plane in French hands, from Squadron Signal In Action 46.

I remember seeing the plane in one of my books but I have to dig out more for further details...

 

[Olham]

Hmmm - lots of info, but still no one knows, who the pilot was?

Come on, guys - one of you must have some more knowledge?

[+elephant]

We are getting closer, now I have the serial No...D.5695/17

I searched in my most probable books, to find a pic of the plane with some info,

when I remembered I have seen it in Wingnut Wings site...

 

 

PS: Notice that the rod is already installed in the above post's pic, (French markings), on the starboard V strut

and a smaller tube also on the port one...(some kind of measuring device, kind of pitot tube, for testing purposes?)

Edited August 25, 2011 by elephant

[+elephant]

Aerodrme search for the above serial:

 

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aircraft/50568-albatros-5695-a.html

 

From that thread:

 

"this Albatross landed out of fuel near Bras March 5, 1918. its serial number was 5695. The pilot, named Lotthman belonged to Jasta 65. Transported to the airfield of Spa 23, he received the French cockade.

May be your photo show it before the cockade were painted

 

According to "Jasta Pilots" by Norman Franks, Gefreiter LOTHMANN was captured March 5, 1918 while attacking a balloon flying this Albatross. He was assigned to Jasta 65 from February 22, 1918,based in Stenay at the time."

 

PS: It seems, from the serial, like it was a standard Johannisthal built D.Va and not OAW one, Dej...

OAW D.Va -> D.6400-6999/17, ordered Sep/Oct '17.

Edited August 26, 2011 by elephant

[Olham]

Wow, you found him! I knew you would, elephant! Thanks a lot for all the info!

[Flyby PC]

I don't know what the rod is for, but looking at Elephant's first picture, there seems to be another shorter rod type thing in the same place but on the other wing.

 

Very curious. My best guess it might be some kind of test apparatus for assessing an enemy plane - but that's a long shot. It isn't for firing anythng, because the strut attaches to the end of it, but again as a guess, it would appear to be level with the ground when the aircraft was in flight. Could it be an aid to level flight, a bit like the bars on a window of a Stuka cockpit to assess the dive angle?

 

I really don't know what it is.

 

Edit - Might it be a radio aerial? - Away from the engine and any static?

Edited August 26, 2011 by Flyby PC

[RAF_Louvert]

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Well done elephant. I knew I had seen that Alb before but could not remember for the life of me just where, (as it turns out it was at Les As Oubliés de 14-18 website).

 

Flyby, I've a hunch you are correct about the rods being clamped on to take measurements of some sort during the testing done by the French.

 

Now then, I would like to know where the plane in question ended up because the first photo posted by Olham looks to be much more modern, and the uniforms worn appear to be post-WW2 US.

 

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