Photo Two Bavarian Trainers
 

Hello,


Currently for sale on ebay at :


1. https://www.ebay.de/itm/Luftaufnahme...EAAOSwh4BeLcql


and


2.https://www.ebay.de/itm/Fotos-Fliege...YAAOSwITReLdHr


are interesting photos of two training aircraft in bavarian service.


1. Is Albatros C.I (Rol) 1811/15. The seller of this item has the aircraft as serving with FA (A) 263. However, the same aircraft is included in J Herris Albatros Aircradt of WW.I Vol.2 P.209 and one of the photod has ub-Flieg-Abt Sonthofen, where Königlich Bayerische Übungsflieger-Abteilung was based and to my mind this seems a more likely operator.As a further note this machine has an erroneous serial number on the tailplane of 1811/16.



2. Is Rumpler C.VIII 12585/17 known to have served with bMFS 4.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photo Two Bavarian Trainers
 

Thanks Clint

Just want to point out that at least two of the other photos carry Fl (A) 263 on them....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photo Two Bavarian Trainers
 

Hi Stig,


Indeed they do. I assume that its possible for a pilot/observer to be trained in Bavaria (Saxony or Wuerttemberg) and subsequently transfer to a Prussian unit? I seem to recall that this was the case in some fighter units, without having details to hand at present. For sure FA (A) 263 wasn't a bavarian unit as frontflieger.de has the bavarian FA (A) as FA(A) 286b to FA (A) 298b inclusive.



Regards,


Clint

Re: Photo Two Bavarian Trainers
 

Indeed Clint

Both aircraft, units and personal moved around.
Too little evidence if you ask me... :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Photo Two Bavarian Trainers
 

A further piece of circumstantial evidence. In the photo and indeed both photos in Albatros Aircraft of WW.I Vol.2 C.1811/5 is not armed. Points to a training unit?


Though inthe interest of full disclosure, I should add that the text to one of the photos states " Albatros C.1811/16 rests in the middle of a unit lineup of Albatros aircraft at the front" Though this is the photo with Üb-Flieg-Abt Sonthofen and Sonthofen would not be an obvious location for a front line unit.


Regards,


Clint

Re: Photo Two Bavarian Trainers
 

I agree with your observations Clint

However with the photo presently on sale, being in (for example) Peter Grosz collection means it has probably been circulating for quite a while and was/is probably in the possession of many individuals.

The basic dilemma with German aviation (pre-1945) is that so much has been lost and we keep looking at photos, a large number undated and without any solid information at all, and try to make educated guesses.

I am not saying you are wrong Clint, I am just saying there might be different alternatives.

Cheers
Stig