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Captured Alb DV/DVa RFC markings

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John-G View Drop Down
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    Posted: 21 Oct 2014 at 18:14
Hi,


Can anyone shed any light on the history and any other details about this machine?


Many thanks

John


John-G
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Davef68 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Davef68 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2014 at 11:48
It's an interesting one as the markings don't match any of the 'well known' RFC Albatros DV/DVas.

Can I ask where the pic came from as it's a much better copy than the one I'd previously seen (and confirms the tones on the fuselage stripe)


Edited by Davef68 - 25 Nov 2014 at 11:50
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John-G View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John-G Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2014 at 15:50
Hi,

thanks for making contact, I brought it through EBay as a b/w post card, I suspect that it was printed in the UK as all the details, address etc. are in English.


Cheers

john-G
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AndyK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndyK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Nov 2014 at 19:59
Hi John
I've checked this with Paul Leaman, who isn't on the forum but knows a LOT about captured German aircraft. However, he doesn't recognise this one! He suggests that it's either G144 Albatros D.Va 2359/17 which came to the UK in March 1918, or G159 Albatros D.Va 5734/17 that was brought home on 21 April 1918. These are the only two he hasn't seen photos of ...
Cheers,
AndyK
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John-G View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John-G Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Nov 2014 at 21:43
Cheers Andy,

at least this could narrow it down a bit.

John-g
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Davef68 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Davef68 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Nov 2014 at 21:48
I'm surprised Paul hasn't seen photos of G.144 - it's the one with the most photos in my hd/database of captured Albatros pics. e.g. in Windsock Datafile 151 (including with a '96' marking that I beleive was applied at the School of Aerial Fighting at Marske) and in a number of other collections.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205307918

None of the pictures of it show a fuselage stripe. Some pics do show it with G.144 on the side, but that might be a 'post production' thing.  e.g. this one from the Canada Aviation Museum collection:

http://image-bank.techno-science.ca/databases/image_bank/images/KM687.jpg

G.159 is a rarer one, but there are a couple of photos in Datafile 151. It does have a fuselage stripe, although the tones are reversed from John's photo, that could be a result of the film used, or at a later date (Plenty of history of re-painting captured aircraft!)

BTW, the poorer quality copy of John's pic is in the IWM as well:

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205313930

There is also a pic in the IWM collection showing an aircraft with a similar stripe, but unfortunately (for us) it's still in German hands!

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205314852






Edited by Davef68 - 28 Nov 2014 at 23:40
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Davef68 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 2014 at 02:19
Just to complete the others, it's not G.56 (DV 1162/17) as it has the black ribbon round the fuselage, nor G.101 (DVa 5390/17, the airframe now in the AWM)

The other aircraft known to carry RFC/RAF markings (outwith the Middle Eastern aircraft) was D4545/17, of which several high quality photos exist. This is usually ascribed the UK intelligence number G.97, although there are discrepancies as the description in the intel report doesn't match the photos, with marking on the fuselage in the report not shown on the pics.

I'm begining to think it's a post-war aircraft at a German airfield - the style of hangar matches, for example, the one at Bickendorf:

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C04519/

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/A03954/


Edited by Davef68 - 29 Nov 2014 at 02:34
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John-G View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote John-G Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 2014 at 09:13
Hi Dave,

Thanks for all you input and help. I agree it does look like the sheds at Bickendorf and G.97 looks the best shot at the moment, presumably the Germans had similar sheds at other locations?


cheers

John

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Davef68 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 2014 at 15:37
I suspect it's an un-recorded one, those used after the war weren't given UK serials.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AndyK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 2014 at 15:51
It does indeed look like Bickendorf, in which case all our chatter about G numbers is for nothing :-)
John - Any provenance on this shot, that might give us a clue?
AndyK
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