Photos Freikorps Aircraft

[musec04]

Hi Both,


As Stig mentioned Richard Bennett's 'Last Gathering of Eagles' arrived today. Obviously I've not yet had time to read it thoroughly,but can make some comments with regard to the photo links I posted and subsequent posts by Nick & Stig.


1. The easy bit.The Flieger Abteilungen in the 400-435 range were all Prussian units and although staffed by volunteers though with more 'official' War Ministry support than the Freikorps units.


2. With regard to the identity of the aircraft in my photo links identified by Nick as belonging to the Ehrhardt Brigade,the book has no information.Nor are there any photos or illustrations of aircraft bearing the markings shown.


3. In fact the only reference to any of the three Freikorps Marine-Brigaden operating aircraft is to Loewenfeld's 3rd Marine-Brigade.


4. The book has no mention I've seen so far of any Friedrichshafen G type in use by a Freikorps unit. So definitely an unusual photo.


5. Edit. Truppen-Fliegerstaffel 37 was disbanded at Döberitz March 1920. It operated among other aircraft Fokker D.VII and a Friedrichshafen G.IIIa. See the Letzte Musterung on the back of the Fokker photo. Now if,the Friedrichshafen was a G.V rather than a G.IIIa,much of the circumstantial evidence fits. Not saying it is definitely the case,but certainly suggestive.



Regards,


Clint