[WWI] Beersheba aircraft

[Shane Weier]

Talking to myself here, but someone else might be interested...

>The *eyewitness* accounts of the day call the plane a "Taube", but then
that was the >same name given by most diggers in that theatre for every
enemy aircraft

 

>Considering that this was 31 October 1917 it seems unlikely to me -
it's just a couple of >months before 1AFC were flying Bristol Fighters
in the same area

Home now, and I have access to my books. Vol VIII of the Australian Official History mentions 111 RFC as already having Bristol F.2b aircraft in mid October, and records an Albatros "Scout" as having been shot down in LH lines only slightly damaged. 1AFC repaired and flew it, which makes the identification fairly certain.

By the day of the battle 1AFC was flying BE12e and RE-8 aircraft pending arrival of their Biffs and having trouble with Albatros Scouts again - though 111 RFC was doing good business against them to the point that von Kressenstein was appealing for more and better aircraft.

So - Albatrosses, probabably D.III . The only other type mentioned in my books covering this period are  AEG two seaters (uncertain type - I'm sure that my Datafiles will tell me which though). They're more than likely to be the bombing aircraft then.

All of which means I can probably assume that the peaceful dove has been smeared unfairly.

I'm still very interested to hear of any hard evidence of the actual German types still on strength in late October 1917 if anyone can point me in the proper direction.

Shane
.---- - --- ....- ---.. .-. ..- .-.. . ... .-.-.- 

My Strine is a Toad in Disguise 

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