WWI Digest 668 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Albatros C.III 766/16 by DavidL1217@aol.com 2) Re: Aurora/Glencoe DH4 by "huggins@onramp.net" 3) Phoebus books/Hannover Cl.II/III camo by mgoodwin 4) Brampton Flying Club Fly-In by kevinkim@interlog.com (barrett) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 10:16:55 -0400 (EDT) From: DavidL1217@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: Albatros C.III 766/16 Message-ID: <970907101655_-1702550342@emout02.mail.aol.com> I am glad to see that several of us have the Meikraft Albatros CIII. One of their better Czechmaster knock offs! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 12:18:27 -0500 From: "huggins@onramp.net" To: wwi Subject: Re: Aurora/Glencoe DH4 Message-ID: >On Sat, 6 Sep 1997 16:48:26 -0400 GRBroman@aol.com writes: > >> Any one else going to RCHTA? Time to dust off Le Buttons >> again? I should be there for the duration. Look fot the button. John Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, tact, or fact are transmission errors. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 10:43:41 -0700 From: mgoodwin To: wwi Subject: Phoebus books/Hannover Cl.II/III camo Message-ID: <3412E7CD.1AB3@ricochet.net> Picked up a bound collection of Phoebus books which included Fighters 1914-39 and Bombers 1914-39. The illustrations are by the prolific John Batchelor (c.1974 & 1978), about whom I know nothing. On pg.37 of the fighters section is a Cl.IIIa sporting Schlasta 12 markings and dk green/mauve(lilac?)/grey scheme on all upper surfaces. Could this scheme be possibly quasi-accurate, or did this guy just dislike painting lozenge from an oblique perspective? I've already checked out the datafile and read about the prototype schemes etc., and noticed Rickenbacker's 'black machine' quote. Even though most photos show printed loz. fabric flying surfaces and hand applied/oversprayed fuselage, it's possible some aircraft were repaired & refinished in the field in non-standard schemes ('customized' to suit their crews)...post-war aircraft in foreign service are a good example of this. I know I'm reaching! Riordan ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 22:59:28 -0500 From: kevinkim@interlog.com (barrett) To: wwi Subject: Brampton Flying Club Fly-In Message-ID: To the list: Hello from Toronto. One of our local flying clubs (the Brampton Flying Club) had an antique plane fly-in today. Since the club maintains 5 WWI replicas (that I hadn't seen yet!), I thought this was a great opportunity to get out there for the afternoon. They flew their Fok Dr.1, Fok D.VII, and 85% scale SE5a. Very nice, colourful planes. Their full-scale SE5a was having its engine overhauled, so unfortunately, it wasn't flying - but even in the hangar it was quite impressive. The club also has a replica Nie.28, but it was flipped on landing earlier this year and the upper wing is still being repaired. The fuselage was on display nonetheless. There were some 15 other aircraft flown in from other clubs and airports across Southern Ontario, all of 1920-1940 vintage - DeHavilands and Pipers, mostly. Also had an opportunity to take a flight as a passenger in a two-seater open-cockpit "Starduster" stunt plane. Having never flown open-cockpit before, I must say that it was quite an experience. Fantastic, actually. As luck would have it, the SE5a and Fok Dr.1 took off just before I did to do some mock-pursuit over the aerodrome. At about 200 meters altitude and a half kilometer away, I had an excellent aerial view of these two birds - the Fokker slowly creeping up behind the SE5a with low clouds and forest and fields full of corn below. What a sight! Anyway, for those who've ever wondered about how easy it was (is) to see brightly coloured combat aircraft from the air - let me tell you first hand that at a kilometer distance in partly overcast skys, a bright red Fokker Triplane is a dark-grey speck. Rondels and crosses are indistinguishable, and anyone would have to be lucky, or very skilled, to pick them out of the background of trees and fields while looking downwards. The only way I was able to see the Triplane a mile off after a few wing-overs in the "Starduster" was knowing the general vicinity where it was, and then having the good fortune to fly perpendicular to its flight path - so that it seemed to be a speck that moved laterally across the surrounding terrain. I couldn't see any colour in the planes past a kilometer or so. If I can digress for a moment: Maybe this was one of the motivators for early tacticians to promote formation flying? Keep everyone close together and then you know who your friends are! Kilduff's Richtofen book certainly gives plenty of evidence that MvR was a proponent of formations, and spent a lot of time and effort drilling his pilots about how to reform after a battle - letting them know where he would be and how to get to him to continue a patrol. Certainly, a garish paint scheme was necessary for identification. After todays experiences, I'd say absolutely necessary. All-in-all, a fine day - and an eye-opener too. Have a great week, everyone. Kevin Barrett nb: Starting into my winter project of 5 SE5as. (Uugh! So much fabric texture to sand off!) ------------------------------ End of WWI Digest 668 *********************