You wrote:
>> OK everyone - I've been following this thread all along, and at the
risk
>of sounding like someone who just fell off the turnip truck, could
someone
>enlighten me (as well as anyone else who's wanted to ask about this,
but was
>afraid to confess their ignorance to the list) as to just what the
'Seven
>Swabians' is/was/were????? Any connection to the old Howard Keel
musical,
>'Seven Brides for Seven Swabians'?? ;-)
>
> Enquiring minds want to know....
Seven Swabians is a Fokker DVII (OAW) # 4649/18 of Jasta 65 flown by a
Gefreiter (Corporal) Scheutzel. He had this aircraft decorated with
artwork depicting an episode from a tale of the same name written in
circa 1828 by Ludwig Auerbacker. A bit of background is in order.
Prior to the Prussians forcibly uniting the country, Germany was a
patchwork of little kingdoms, dukedoms, principalities, etc.. All over
the world there seems to be a common trait of humans to call their
neighbors idiots. French vs. Belgians and Swedes vs. Norwegians are
but two examples I am familiar with. In Germany the Swabians, from the
area of Wurtemburg around Stuttgart down to Lake Constance, have a
reputation for unusual density. Since they build Porsches it must be a
false one. But I have heard at least one Swabian joke from a German
friend. However, in the story the seven decide to go on an adventure
and, arming themselves with a huge spear, seek a dragon to slay. In
the dark of night they encounter a rabbit in a bush which they assume
to be the dragon. The artwork on both sides of the Fokker's fuselage
depicts the seven with lantern and spear. On the left side the rabbit
is sitting facing them. On the right side the rabbit is shown hopping
away. BTW this a/c is from the same unit as the DVII in the
Smithsonian # 4635/18. Three photos of '7 Swabians' appeared in an
article by Greg VanWyngarden in Over the Front Vol.6 #4 in 1991. The
text of the story was printed in Windsock Vol.11 #1 this year. PD
decals from Austrailia make a sheet in 1/48 scale for it.
Prosit!
Greg 'All the world is my friend for I am a brewer.'