Taube captured by the French

[Roser]

does someone has info on the Taube the French placed on an exhibion in the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. It was captured in the Meuse region in 1914.

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour Roser!

Perhaps you are in the know, but, a photograph of the aircraft is to be found in The Taube At War, Windsock Dataphile 104, by Grosz, displayed at Les Invalides.

The French Air Service War Chronology 1914-1918, by Bailey and Cony, lists the following claims for September 1914 one of which may be of relevance -

- A "2 seater" claimed as destroyed on 1 September near Suippe
- A unknown aircraft claimed as destroyed on 3 September near Ostende
- A "Taube" captured on 5 September near Ft de Chelles
- A "2 seater" claimed as set alight and destroyed near Châlons
- A "2 seater" claimed as destroyed on 12 September near Montigny
- A "2 seater" claimed as destroyed on 12 September near Piney.

Chelles is community to the east of Paris, perhaps 20 kilometres from the community of Meaux and both are in proximity of the of the fighting of The Battle of the Marne which took place between the 5th and the 10th of September. As the other multi place aircraft claimed were thought to have been destroyed and as the one aircraft noted as captured came down within French lines to the east of Paris was also actually noted as "A Taube" the most likely known aircraft was that claimed on September 5. Apparently the aircraft was brought down by infantry fire and one of the crew, an officer, was "killed during combat on the ground".

Unfortunately there do not appear to be any matching casualties listed in Casualties Of The German Air Service 1914-1920 by Franks, Bailey, Duiven.

Salut!
Kirk