Stunning German Photo Album

[musec04]

Hi Stig,


Thanks for contacting Kees and interesting to hear his thoughts.


I would agree that some aircraft were ordered outside the Bestellnummer system when intended for civilian run flying schools. The Halberstadts in this album being a case in point.Some aircraft were later given substitute Bestellnummern later after being taken over by the Army from civilian managed flying schools and examples are known. I'm rather more dubious about this being the case for Rumpler C.I or the DFW C.V though.The reason I think that this is unlikely, is that unlike A or B types taken over from civilian run flying schools, I think I'd be correct in saying that there is no evidence of C machines being operated by civilian schools in the first case. Were that to change I might revise my views.


As a side remark I rather imagine army run schools very much followed the regulations with regard to serials and national markings in most cases, if anything the frontline units had less time to worry about changes.. Just not this one!



I would agree that the C**/18 numbers shown are intended to resemble normal Bestellnummern though.Its just that the motivation for doing it in this manner remains open to question.It appears not unlike the aircraft with Bavarian serials later being given serials that resembled the Prussian system.


My remarks about the fuselage crosses reflect only the fact that they are not the later type of Balkenkreuz adopted in March 1918.It could be that the serials were applied in 1918,but prior to March. As for the where, no clue for the C**/18 machines, but I would suggest for aircraft operated without national markings or Bestellnummern, Halberstadt and FEA5 does appear logical for a school operating Halberstadt B.I machines.


Regards,


Clint