Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay a photo, according to the seller of a Airco DH.4 of 1 Communications Squadron at:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW1-RAF-p...MAAOSwZRFeiw5C


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photo Airco
 

Hello,


There is a photo of Airco DH.2 of A2607 of 32 Squadron at:


https://www.ebay.de/itm/Orig-Foto-ab...cAAOSwMmhekE2c


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay there are a couple of collections of photos from 25 Squadron including examples of Airco DH.4 at:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25-Sqn-RA...EAAOSwl0xenET8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25-Sqn-RA...oAAOSwWPtenEfH


I've listed them here as most of the other photos in each linked item are of personnel.


Regards,

Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of an Italian based, but RFC operated Airco DH.4 at:


https://www.ebay.it/itm/regia-aerona...UAAOSwiuVepdnb


Can anyone identify the unit from the little that can be seen of the unit marking?


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of the shot down Airco DH.4 A7661 of 55 Squadron at:


https://www.ebay.de/itm/RARE-x3-Foto...wAAOSw32VerKF~


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay there is a photo of Airco DH.5 A9390 at:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/De-Havill...EAAOSwih9esmhv


I assume that this is a repro so may have been seen before, however Harlaxton is fairly close to where I live so I wondered if anyone had any information on which training unit operated A9390?


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Clint

Any reason you don't agree with what the flip side says?
68 Sq was formed 30 Jan 1917 at Harlaxton and was equipped with DH.5 as their primary equipment before moving to France in September that year.

I don't believe the unit was especially Australian as the unknown "writer" seems to indicate, but maybe someone else knows better?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hi Stig,


As you deduce I was just a bit uncertain about the accuracy because of the (Aust) and given that the wikipedia site (I know, I know!) on RAF Harlaxton stated that the training units based there used a variety of de Havilland (sic) marques, that the plane might have belonged to one of them as it doesn't have an MG in view.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Well Clint

I got nothing in particular on A9390 so it could theorethically have belonged to the other DH.5 equipped unit at Harlaxton, 54 (Reserve) Sq which came from Wyton in March 1917 and was re-named 54 Training Sq (1 June 1917).

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,

Another shot of D.H.5 A9390 (albeit, incorrectly captioned as A8390, which was a Vickers F.B.14).

http://www.adf-gallery.com.au/galler...P004522?full=1

http://www.adf-serials.com/dh5.htm

If you wish to follow the whole convoluted history of 68 (Aus) Squadron, I suggest you read the following:

Highest Traditions The History of No 2 Squadron, RAAF.
Bennett,John.
Canberra:A.G.P.S.,1995.
pp.10-17 (Chapter 2 - No 68 (AUSTRALIAN) Squadron

Col

Re: Photos Airco
 

Thanks Col

I should have been able to discover all this by myself.... :rolleyes: :o

None of my sources however stated 68 (Aus) Sq, just 68 Sq which at least makes me believe that 68 (Aus) Sq is an Australian designation and not a British one. Also being in a hurry, never consulted all my sources, just two of them....

I suppose you are from Down Under Col?
If so, it takes one to catch the rest of us....;)

Thanks again
Take Care
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


A nice photo of an Airco DH.9 with the partial serial (?) C?83 is currently on ebay at:


https://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-britisc...sAAOSw6xxevTfQ


Has anyone a full serial?


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Clint

Options are
C1183
C1283
C1383
C2183
C6083
C6183
C6283

Since the aircraft presumably was captured by the Germans, I believe we can actually narrow this down to one single aircraft, C2183 107Sq B-flight where Lt R A Arnott and Lt H R Whitehead force landed behind enemy lines 11 July 1918 and became POW. Aircraft markings fit as well since B-flight used Roman numerals I - VI.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Stig,


Awesome.Colour me convinced. Thank you.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Edit


The aircraft is a an Engineering Division USD-9A.



Currently on ebay is a unusually coloured DH.4 seemingly undergoing evaluation with the serial P43 at:


https://www.ebay.it/itm/Militare-Bip...YAAOSwlh1cp0VM


Can anyone advise whether this is a US built DH.4 or an original Airco. Also has anyone any idea why the machine is so strikingly coloured?


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Yes Clint

This is the first USD-9A built by the Engineering Division at McCook Field.
It had AS number 40060 and was tested in October 1918 at Wilbur Wright Field in Dayton.
It tested a 37mm cannon sometime post war and was surveyed in Aug 1922, to the month four years after it had been built.

Photo is well known, but as far as I can tell, always in very small size, so it was interesting to see it with such clarity. I wonder why they painted P43 in three different colours....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hi Stig,


Thanks for the response. I saw that I'd posted a previously seen photo when I finally figured out what the aircraft was. Which is a pity. If you like the large format the same seller has among other material which as been previously published but are large and clear including the Vought VE-7 at:


https://www.ebay.it/itm/Early-milita...8AAOSwb-JcwL2P


As for the painting in three colours, interesting question.Though they don't appear on first impressions the same, perhaps the colours used on the plane?



Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Thanks Clint

Well, I hate to try and interpret black and white photos. Others are much better than me....

Yes the VE-7 is also nice :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on Delacampe are two Airco DH.5 aircraft of 24 Squadron, so hopefully both are not repros:



Airco DH.5 A9345 24 Sqn


https://www.delcampe.net/de/sammlero...174090073.html


Airco DH.5 A9272 of 24 Squadron


https://www.delcampe.net/de/sammlero...310645931.html


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

ello,


Currently on ebay are a number of photos of Airco DH.9As of 205 Squadron as follows:


Airco DH.9A E714 of 205 Sq


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Military-ph...YAAOSwggJezqGg


Airco DH.9A F100* of 205 Sq


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Military-ph...8AAOSw1fJezp6q



Unknown DH.9A 205 Squadron



https://www.ebay.com/itm/Military-ph...IAAOSwafNezqAu


The last is dated February 1919 so perhaps all are post war.



Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hi Clint,

Yes you are right for 1919. N°205 sqdn posted to La Louveterie -eastern side of Liège - Belgique -as noted at bottom right of the last link from 1/1919 to 3/1919

Bertrand

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hi Clint

Yes, I am positive they were all taken postwar, most likely Feb-March 1919, at La Louveterie.

Unit was not equipped with DH-9A until August 1918 and the two fully visible aircraft have one with snow (F1001, note last digit) and the other without but weather still cold (E716), so most likely March since unit went back to UK later that month.

Cheers
Stig

PS: Ah, I see Bertrand beat me to it...:)

Re: Photos Airco
 

Bertrand, Stig


Thank you both for the information about La Louveterie.


Stig, a triumph for your eyesight. I definitely wasn't able to decide on what I was seeing and as you're aware a number of DH.9A with serials beginning F100* served with 205 Squadron. So good to have clarification.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Clint, do you want to know a secret?? :)

Look at the flipside of the postcard of F1001....
I actually checked the Air Britain book first, so did not really use my usual X-ray vision....:D

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a small photo of Airco DH.1A of 14 Squadron at :


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Photo...IAAOSwNHZe2l0R


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,

De Havilland 1a 4608
No.14 Sqn RFC.

Date on Sqn: 24/07/16
Date off: 05/03/1917

Shot down by enemy aircraft* while on recce mission.

5 Wing carried out a continuous offensive against Turkish troops withdrawing from Weli Sheikh Nuran, The first clue that a major withdrawal was in progress came on 5 March when the early reconnaissance by Lt Floyer and 2Lt CV Palmer failed to return. Search flights found the wreckage of the aircraft at Tel el Jemmi, but no sign of the crew. It was later learnt that they had been shot down by the German Ace, Hauptmann G(erhard) Felmy (!)*, and had been taken Prisoner of War ...

2Lt E A Floyer
2Lt C V Palmer

Both POW.

* Although other records indicate that they may have been shot down by anti-aircraft fire (fn.21: p.63)

See:
Winged Crusaders The Exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-1945.
Napier,Michael.
Barnsley:Pen & Sword Aviation,2012.
pp.38-9, 63 (fn.21) & 294.

Col.

Re: Photos Airco
 

Morning,


Thanks for the response and the very complete information.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Very interesting update (as usual) Col

However Oblt Gerhard Felmy, who belonged to FA 300, was neither an ace nor on duty on March 5th 1917.
He had arrived to Palestine 11 Sep 1916 and been wounded on 2 Dec 1916 (when he also claimed his only victory) and transferred back to Germany. Officially he was transferred out from FA 300 on 16 Aug 1917 and while in Germany he was not declared fit again until 9 Jan 1918.

As far as I can see neither FA 300 nor any other German unit made any claim on March 5th.

There was another Felmy in FA 300, Hptm Hellmuth Felmy who was the Abteilung leader from 23 Aug 1916 to 1 Nov 1917. He made a total of 4 claims during his period of duty with the unit.

Thus none of them were any ace as such. To me it seems Michael Napier simply lumps them together and making 1 + 4 into 5.

Checking Henshaw he firmly states the British crew was on a low level patrol, shooting up "everything in sight" and were hit by groundfire. Oddly enough Henshaw has not managed to identify the serial number of the DH.1A. He had obviously not read Napier's book....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay isa photo of Airco DH.9A E714 of 110 Squadron, at:


https://www.ebay.it/itm/WW1-RAF-Roya...YAAOSwZ19e5gdi


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of an Airco DH.6 at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/WWI-British...oAAOSwlvVe9O2p


The serial appears somewhat unusual.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of a US Marine Corps DH.4 at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-DE-Ha...AAAOSw0GVfGLtP


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Nice one Clint

Not every day one see these coded aircraft (D-6 if I am not mistaken)
Pity no useful details are known by the seller.....and should we say the flip side ain't doing much good either....?

Anyway it was BuA3262 assigned to Squadron C of the First Marine Aviation Force in France (from late summer 1918) based at La Fresne. Later in the autumn the unit was re-designated as the 9th Squadron (from appx October)

There are days when I feel just like Richard III (A Kingdom for a date! :))

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Stig,


Wow. I wasn't expecting such a quantity of information when I posted. Awesome. Can you see the No 3262 on the tail or have you identified the aircraft from either the D-6 or elsewhere?




Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hi Clint

It's all in the DH-4/9 book by Air Britain :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on delcampe is a photo of an Airco DH.5 at:


https://www.delcampe.net/fr/collecti...111439174.html


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Clint

It has previously been identified as A9372 '3-I' from 24 Sq.
Photo is from the SHAA archives.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of Airco DH.2 7866 at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/WW1-a-Royal...kAAOSwpE5f5R4X


Although the photo has been somewhat disfigured by the seller this is still an interesting photo as the machine appears to be from a training unit based on the large serial number on the nacelle.


Merry Christmas,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of Airco DH.9a F984 at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/1910s-WWI-A...8AAOSwPYNf8jWN


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of Airco DH.5 A9165 of 24 Squadron at:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Fly...UAAOSwtW1gOtWD


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photos Airco
 

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of a Airco DH.4 named it would appear 'Wigglywog' at:


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334099990...AAAOSwvmphCWDZ


Clearly flown by a 'woke' pilot.


Regards,


Clint