[WWI] Voss's cowl color again! was Re: Rob's Analysis

[Dave Calhoun]

Well I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and have finally got caught up with the mailing list after a move 2 weeks ago... And also must state that I've researched the Voss colors quite a bit over the past year.  I recently finished a build of the DML 1/48 scale Fokker Dr.1 kit using a Rosemont F.1 conversion kit which will soon be published in Internet Modeler.  (sorry no photos available until after then) I also enlisted several experts on the Aerodrome Forum regarding the colors used for the clear doped linen, olive streaking and also cowl options.  As far as I can determine, Herr Timm (Voss's mechanic) never stated the cowl was yellow, I saw an interview in an early Cross & Cockade where he stated it was a earth gray. (sounds like a dirty field gray/olive green to me)  The yellow cowl and possibly rudder were hypothesized by Alex Imrie in his classic Fokker Triplane book, and has never been substantiated by any eyewitness account, be it German mechanic or British opponent from 56 squadron.  Alex assumed that since Jasta 10 used chrome yellow cowls and they photographed dark on the Pfalz D.III's, the same should be true for the F.1.  But he also said that the face was taken from the yellow kites flown by Voss as a child, I have no clue how he determined this.  I have also heard that it was supposed to be "Kaiser Billy's" face on the cowl.  Well since there is no known photo showing the rudder to match the painted cowl, I would have to guess that the rudder was indeed white, and the cowl was factory olive.  The wheels are another question, although overall olive may have been used to cover up the light center of the factory streaked wheel covers.  Who knows for sure, but I for one have chosen the olive cowl & wheel covers along with a white rudder, based on study of all available photos and spirited discussion on the Aerodrome forum.  There is presently no reason to change my mind about this other than Alex's book, and that does not present enough of an argument to change my mind!
Thanks,
Dave Calhoun
Message: 6
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:04:20 -0700
From: rob <rob at rob-stewart.to>
Subject: Re: [WWI] Rob's Analysis
To: World War I Modeling Mailing List <wwi at wwi-models.org>
Message-ID: <48053474.5050103 at rob-stewart.to>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed


Hi,

I seem to have generated a lot of reasoned and interesting responses.

After a few glasses of wine the other night, I came up with another factor.

Were these pictures ever published at around the time they were taken? eg in 
newspapers, magazines, etc.?

If so, they would've had to have passed through the censor's office.

Now, since this is was a state of the art machine, on trial with front line 
squadrons, there would have to have been some efforts taken to keep the 
locations of the aircraft secret.

We know they had to have Jasta colours on them, to avoid friendly fire 
incidents, and yet still had one or two anyway.

If the published photographs clearly showed the yellow of Jasta10, perhaps 
British military intelligence, an oxymoron, I know, would be able to target its 
area of operations/airfield for special attention, in order to try and get hold 
of one, or at least shoot one down and look at the bits and pieces.

Fearing that, maybe the censors went to work on the negatives, or created 
"doctored" prints for publication, obfuscating the unit markings.  I have seen 
some British attempts at this from the time (The Illustrated War News is full of 
blatant propaganda), and they are quite clumsy, but maybe the Germans were 
better at it.

Colouring over a cowl with a charcoal pencil doesn't seem all that hard to me, 
especially since the negative would have been about 5"x4", and look at the 
confusion it could cause, even up to 100 years later ;)

If I ever come to model 103/17, I may just put out a selection of paint jars, 
have a glass of Shiraz, close my eyes, pick one, and go with it.


Mark Shannon wrote:

>> filters used etc etc etc and the best you can make is an educated guess!


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