Jennings Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Anybody ever seen a Nazi Fokker D.VII before? The caption reads (more or less): This D.VII, acquired in 1920 by Karl Högger, was registered CH-46 (with the Swiss Air Force) until 1926. In 1936 it was given to the Luftfartssammlung (German Air Museum) as number 631. Ernst Udet delivered the aircraft to Berlin. In November 1943 it was destroyed in an air strike. J Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kalashnikov-47 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Well that'd be a unique way to that future Wingnut D.VII when it comes out! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Learstang Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I take it it was still flyable in 1936. Fascinating picture, Jennings. If it were still around and flyable in 1945, the Nazis would've probably slapped a couple of bombs (or panzerschreks) on it and flown it against the Soviets! Regards, Learstang Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Yep, the Swiss used them as trainers right up through the early 1930s. Pretty amazing, eh? J Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Nice pic! Thanks for sharing. Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mongo Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I wonder what the overall color was. Silver, Light Gray? It looks slightly darker than the white background in the swastika band, but not significantly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hal Marshman Sr Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 (edited) I wonder what the overall color was. Silver, Light Gray? It looks slightly darker than the white background in the swastika band, but not significantly. At the time period in question, the overall finish would have been silver laquer. The lettering, black, the rudder decoration, red/white/black. I can't pick out the color of the wheel discs. Don't look silver. The drooping elevators are just in shadow, they're silver also. Note that she carries no armament. Pretty bird, and I believe I'll do her. Hal Sr Edited February 3, 2010 by Hal Marshman Sr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hal Marshman Sr Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 (edited) Double post, sorry, Hal Sr Edited February 3, 2010 by Hal Marshman Sr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GGoheen Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 (edited) I can't pick out the color of the wheel discs. Don't look silver. Probably RLM 02, again, given the period and ordered colors. Greg PS ~ Very cool pic Jennings...thanks for posting. Edited February 3, 2010 by GGoheen Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 Probably RLM 02, again, given the period and ordered colors. Not exactly RLM 02. The a/c was in Swiss service, not German (as a trainer, hence the lack of guns). The German registration was likely only used to ferry her from Switzerland to Berlin. D.VII trainers in Swiss service carried at least a couple of different finishes, one of which was a greyish green color, not unlike RLM 02, called Feldgrau. J Quote Link to post Share on other sites
umtutsut Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Speaking of oddball D.VIIs, the Cananaugh Flight Museum says: "The U.S. Army brought 142 D.VIIs back to the United States and used them as Air Service trainers for many years. Twelve D.VIIs were transferred to the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Marine Corps operated six of these aircraft until 1924." Can anyone point me to any pix of the USAAC, USN or USMC aircraft? Les (who previously swore off "Golden Age" aircraft. Yeah. Right.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
S1b Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 US Fokker on Wing Palette http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/f/111/3/0/2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Wow! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GGoheen Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Not exactly RLM 02. The a/c was in Swiss service, not German (as a trainer, hence the lack of guns). The German registration was likely only used to ferry her from Switzerland to Berlin. D.VII trainers in Swiss service carried at least a couple of different finishes, one of which was a greyish green color, not unlike RLM 02, called Feldgrau. J I have to wonder, though, given how clean she was for having been in Swiss service for a number of years. I say this, thinking that the finish on her is nearly pristine and factory fresh in appearance, which would stand to reason that she was not only slapped with the civilian codes for her voyage back to Germany but painted over entirely. Again, given the period and with the DLV asserting control over nearly all aspects of flying by 1933, I'd think it was not a Swiss service color at all but very much German RLM (01 Silber for the majority of the fabric surfaces and 02 Grau or L40/52 Hellgrau for the metal wheel hubs). Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mongo Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 There is a curious appendage on the top wing at the "D" in the registration. Any idea what that is? Mongo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gmat Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Perhaps the furthest and most unexpected location for a Fokker DV-II was the one used by the 6th PS in Hawaii. Their sister squadron, the 19th PS flew Eberhart SE-5Es. A modeler in Hawaii has a shot of one, but details are hard to see in that photo. Best wishes, Grant Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Learstang Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 There is a curious appendage on the top wing at the "D" in the registration. Any idea what that is?Mongo It looks like a tiny windsock. Perhaps some kind of pitot tube? Just a guess. Regards, Learstang Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted February 4, 2010 Author Share Posted February 4, 2010 I have to wonder, though, given how clean she was for having been in Swiss service for a number of years. You've never been to Switzerland, have you? You could eat off of almost any surface in the country I say this, thinking that the finish on her is nearly pristine and factory fresh in appearance, which would stand to reason that she was not only slapped with the civilian codes for her voyage back to Germany but painted over entirely. I'm sure they probably did. My thinking is that for whatever reason, she got sprayed silver all except the wheel disks. Again, given the period and with the DLV asserting control over nearly all aspects of flying by 1933, I'd think it was not a Swiss service color at all but very much German RLM (01 Silber for the majority of the fabric surfaces and 02 Grau or L40/52 Hellgrau for the metal wheel hubs). The pic was taken in Switzerland as far as I can tell though... It comes from the Georg Hoch book on Swiss air force colors 1915-1950. J Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Owens Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Blue Rider Insigniamag Fokker D.VII Foreign Colour Schemes shows SF service D. VII's in overall CDL or Pale Green, and D-EIRA in overall Aluminum or Light Grey dope. But since BR also depicts the wing Lozenge applied diagonally, some doubt might be appropriately cast. . . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted February 5, 2010 Author Share Posted February 5, 2010 The Swiss in-service trainer scheme was Swiss Feldgrau overall with standard Swiss crosses and black fuselage codes. The one in the museum in Dübendorf is painted that way, and that's what the Hoch book shows. J Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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