The Quirky Quiz

[Olham 164]

Just thought, that we should revive a quiz about WOFF and WW1 aviation again, like RAF_Louvert, short Lou, had once made.

Let me start with a tricky question here.

 

What is the most likely reason, why German ace Carl Bolle (Karl Bolle) painted his Albatros D.V in Jasta 28w all white?

 

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Well, the obvious answer would seem to be so that he could better hide in the clouds when attacking from above.  But I've a hunch it's not that obvious.

 

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[Olham 164]

Indeed - it isn't. Mmuahahahahaaa!!!

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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OK Olham, did Bolle actually have his D.V painted white or was it because he had been given one of the very early production versions which, if memory serves, where painted with an overall 'aluminum' finish?  Keep in mind my memory is not serving as well as it did in years past so I could be way off base here.

 

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[Olham 164]

No, that is not my "most likely" reason - his D.V and also his D.Va were white, or a kind of white.

 

German flyers often picked their colours for reasons, which had nothing to do with the war.

So some used the colours of their hometown's city arms; others picked the colours of their

favourite football club.

For Carl Bolle, there is a very good reason, why he should have just picked white.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Aaaaah ... could it be a tip of the hat to his former cavalry unit, the 7th Von Seydlitz Kürassier-Regiment, and their white dress uniforms?

 

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[JimAttrill 24]

Maybe that was the only colour they had in stores

[Hauksbee 103]

Because he played ice hockey when he attended Oxford in 1912?

Edited March 2, 2014 by Hauksbee

[Olham 164]

Yes, the white uniforms of the Kürassier-Regiment Nr. 7 are a good reason too.

I must confess, I hadn't even checked those uniforms, but that is a very good point, guys!

 

But there is another very good reason, why he might have chosen white.

And since I just realised, that it is not mentioned in English WIKIPEDIA, but the Germanit is,

this is my hint - maybe you can get the point from looking there.

Edited March 2, 2014 by Olham

[Adger 85]

Is it because he came from a long line of family that had a lot to do with Milk?His Grandfather i think.. Dairy farmers? milk producers something like that Olham...Maybe ?

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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That's IT Adger!  He was the first poster child for the original "Got Milk?" ad campaign.

 

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[Olham 164]

Adger is correct - Carl Bolle's grandfather installed the big BOLLE dairy company,

which is so famous in Berlin and beyond, that they even had an own song about

Bolle, the milk-man with the hand bell.

 

The company started with many milk carts, pulled by horses. Later it became an

imperium of supermarkets. Their logo still has the milk-boy with the bell in it.

 

 

But: the uniforms may also have been a reason

 

Let's play it this way: the winner puts the next question - okay? So it's Adger's turn!

Edited March 2, 2014 by Olham

[Adger 85]

ok guys 1st of all i want his Full name including "nickname" 2nd,i want his squadron and lastly the plane type ..ther,es been discussions regarding this guys "Ace" status,he,d actually been incorrectly credited with 16 victories

How many did he actually shoot down?

 

 

 

[von Baur 54]

Darn!! I was going to guess that Bolle left his aircraft out in the sun too long and it bleached the color out.

[Hauksbee 103]

For starters, it's a Sopwith Pup.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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I'm surprised no one has provided the answer for this one yet, but what the hey, here goes.  Captain Robert "Oxo" Oxspring flew the Pup with both 54 Sqn and 66 Sqn.  He had a total of three confirmed victories, (two with 54 and one with 66), so technically he is not an ace but a brave flyer none-the-less.  His son, also Robert Oxspring, was an ace in WWII where he accumulated 13 1/2 victories flying the Spitfire.  An interesting note on Pup A673 shown in your screenie Adger, after it served in 54 Sqn it was reassigned to 46 Sdn where it was shot down by Jasta 12 on 16 September 1917.

 

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[Adger 85]

RAF Louverts the Man..spot on So how did the "16" incorrect credited  victories appear  Lou?Was it made up ,bad claiming or something else.Id love to know

[von Baur 54]

Just a guess, but could it have been someone mistakenly combining his three with his son's 13 1/2 (rounded down to 13?) because of the names being the same? Or is that just a coincidence? When does the 16 first show up?

[Olham 164]

I'm surprised no one has provided the answer for this one yet...

 

Hey, I am excused - after all, we have nighthours here, when you have dinner time!

Seems it's your turn now, Lou!

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Alrighty then, this French ace served in the infantry before the war.  In 1915 he applied for and was granted transfer to the French Air Service and after being brevetted was eventually assigned to combat duty where he flew with the same escadrille until his death.  He shares a certain claim to fame with Belgian ace Willy Coppens.  He was also quite famous before the war for an entirely different ability than flying.  Give this French flyer's full name, the escadrille he served with, his finally victory tally, what he had in common with Coppens, what he was famous for before the war, and what his personal emblem was on his Nieuport 17.

 

GO!  

 

 

 

Oh, and to Adger's question about the discrepancy in Oxsmith's victory tally, I am quite sure von Baur is correct about he and his son's totals being combined by those not realizing it was two different pilots with the same name. 

 

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Edited March 3, 2014 by RAF_Louvert

[Adger 85]

Im going to take a guess Here Lou.I Think the flyers name is Charles NunGesser..Esc 65 he achieved 43 victorys..What he had in common im not sure off...was he an excellent Racing driver,and he had a skull and crossbones a coffin and some candles has his emblem?

 

after all this im probably miles away Lou 

Did they both win the French Croix de Guerre?

Edited March 3, 2014 by Adger

[Olham 164]

Gee, I think I might be close! But let us see, if any French fellers will take part here?

If nobody comes until midnight, I will reveal my guess.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Adger, Nungesser served with four different squadrons during his time in service so he is not the ace we are looking for.  Better luck in the next round Sir.

 

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[Adger 85]

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Adger, Nungesser served with four different squadrons during his time in service so he is not the ace we are looking for.  Better luck in the next round Sir.

 

 

AHH bloody Hell  ,..ha ha ,great questions BTW Lou 

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[corsaire31 7]

As french pilot, I have to give it a try :

 

Maurice Boyau - 35 victories 

Was a famous rugby player before the war (I live in rugby land...)

 

Started the war in the 144e régiment d'Infanterie

In October 1916 he joins Escadrille N77 (nicknamed "l'escadrille des sportifs") His Nieuport had a dragoon on a white fuselage.

What he shares with Willy Coppens is probably balloon hunting. (he was among the first ones to use Le Prieur rockets on his Spad XIII)

 

He was killed on Sept 16 1918

 

Edited March 4, 2014 by corsaire31