EA Types in Nachrichtenblatt

Hi everyone,

While I wait patiently for my local library to receive micro-film copies of the 1918 Nachrichtenblatt, I was pondering about how enemy aircraft descriptions in the reports were derived. I ask this because I have seen combat reports, personal narratives, log books, etc., that can give a very different aircraft type (example: combat report - "Paul Schmitt", Nachrichtenblatt - AR2). Can anyone give me their opinions/ observations/ analysis about how the final descriptions were determined? I realize that in the majority of the cases, a German pilot would be required to have a witness to the destruction of an enemy aircraft, be it a fellow pilot, ground observers, wreckage or a captured machine. Would a plane type that differed from what the pilot reported in a combat report require that the plane was captured in a recognizable state? Any and all comments would be highly welcomed.

regards