Jasta 18 'Raben' individual pilot insignia

Hello, I'm working on a Jasta 18 project and it's proven hard for me to assign the limited amount of known Jasta 18 planes to their respective pilots. I dont as of yet have "Fliegertruppe 1914-1918 Nr. 2", wich I've read would be a good help, so I've had to use the couple books I do have with some info. However, I did find several paintings, and model decal sheets online but I'm unclear as to wich pilot's planes are being depicted in the images I'm linking too, and if their even correct. If you could help me identify the correct pilot with their aircraft I'd apreciate it. Heres the image links;

http://www.jasta18.com/publicsite/he...l/overview.htm

The painting at the bottom of this page of the three DVII's shows Ltn Gunther von Buren's plane in the middle, but I'm unsure about the other two. The pilot of the top one I believe is still unkown by anybody but I could be wrong. The pilot of the bottom DVII with the three pointed star insignia is confusing for me since I think I've seen this insignia attributed to both Uffz Glatz and Ltn Heinz Kunster

http://flightdecs.ca/FCM48_72_18.html

This FCM Decals pic shows OfStv Wilhelm Kühne's DVII at the top, though it is unlabeled as such, and attributes the next DVII with the two verticle bars as that of Kunster, while the one below with the three pointed star is attributed to Glatz. The bottom one is Raben's DVII of course. However, what is confusing is that in this next FCM decals set pic;

http://www.swiftsite.com/rosemonthobby/fcm.htm

they appear to completely reverse themselves and to label the top DVII with the two vertical bars as that of Glatz, and then attribute the DVII at the bottom with the three pointed star to Kunster... I dont know wich is right.

http://www.barryweekleyart.com/gallery9/85.jpg

In this Barry Weekly painting, he shows Raben's DVII in the background, but I have no idea who the pilot of the 'death's head' DVII in the foreground is. I tried to look up if any pilots in Jasta 18 had previously served in one of the 'Death's Head' Hussar regiments but could'nt find any info, maybe the pilot just liked the image? Anyone know who this guy is?

http://www.barryweekleyart.com/gallery1/Image7.jpg

Lastly, in this other Barry Weekly painting we see Raben's Dr.1 in the middle, but I am unsure of the identities of the two Albatros pilots next to him. If I know these pilots names I can see if they served in Jasta 18 at least into June when the unit started to get their first Fokker DVII's. Then I can only hypothesize whether or not they transfered their same insignia from their Albatros to their DVIIs, unless I get photographic evidence to confirm one way or another.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[Dan_San_Abbott]

üraben:
1. Top, Offz.Richard Schleichardt; middle, Ltn Günther von Büren; bottom, Ltn.Heinz Küstner.
2. Top right, Ltn. Kandt;upper middle left, Uffz.Glatz; lower middle right, Ltn.Heinz Küstner; bottom left, Ltn.August Raben.
3. distant Fok.D.VII, Ltn.August Raben, near left, Ltn. Kurt Monnington.
4. Left near, Ltn.Hans Müller; center, Ltn.August Raben, far right, Ltn.Hans Schultz.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Thanks for your reply Dan_San_Abbott, I figured you would be the one to answer this. Now I have one more question. On you second answer;

"2. Top right, Ltn. Kandt;upper middle left, Uffz.Glatz; lower middle right, Ltn.Heinz Küstner; bottom left, Ltn.August Raben."

You attribute the top right DVII to Ltn. Kandt. However, in Osprey's "Fokker DVII Aces of World War 1: part 2" they have a color profile of that same DVII on pg.59, with the 'perforated sash' on the fuselage, and they attribute it to Offz-Stv Wilhelm Kühne. So did two pilots fly this machine or use the same insignia? Thanks for your help.

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Raben:
I went with Bill Puglisi and Ed Ferko in aircraft assignments. In Ed Ferko's "Fliegertruppe Nr.2", p.19 top caption, "Offstv. Wilhelm Kühne and his ground personnel at Montigen summer 1918. The Fokker D.VII was probably not Kühne's machine, for one similarly marked was seen in allied hands after the war. See photo at end of report." (p.32 bottom photo.) Offstv.Kühne was on 30 August 1918. There are two photos of the Kühne's crash on p.19. The Fok.D.VII that Kühne was killed in had a red stabilizer and sky blue elevators.
In regard to the photo on page 19 of FTN2, this Fok.D.VII has the "ladder" and aft of the ladder is a black diamond. The Fok.D.VII with the ladder on page 32 does not have the diamond and the fin, rudder and tailplane were over painted red or black. The illustration on page 59 of the "Fokker D.VII Aces.." is not correct in either case.
I revised my drawing, Js18-55, on 20 August 1995, at which time I changed the pilot from OffStv.Kühne to Ltn.Kandt. I had to have something that caused me to make the change, but for the life of me, I don't remember what it WAS. In addition to the black "ladder" and diamond, the tailplane is sky blue with a white stripe centered on each side of the fin and on both sides of the tailplane. The fin and rudder were white.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Wow, thanks alot for clearing that up for me. I really have to get a hold of a copy of 'FTN2', though I hear thats very difficult.

[wings]

Is there any info on Jasta 18 colors and markings, before August, 1917?

[Cigogne]

Raben,

All of the spare copies of both Nrs. 1 & 2 are at the History of Aviation Collection/Ferko Collection at the University of Texas at Dallas. At least that is what I was told. You might try giving them a call.

Regards!

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Raben:
At the instigation of Oblt. Rodolf Berthold, was appointed Kommandeur of Jagdgeschwader Nr.2 wanted the men he commanded from his old Jasta 18. As a condition of his acceptance of his new command ask for and got his Jasta 18 buddies by having Oblt. Ernst Turck, Führer of Jasta 18, trade his Jasta War book with Ltn.August Raben, Führer of Jasta 15 war book. Each retained their personnel and aircraft. This was done on 20 March 1918, the day before Operation Michael.
I have illustrations of Jasta 15 and Jasta 18 before and after the exchange of War Books. Alb.D.III, Al.D.V, Alb.D.Va, Fok.DR.I and Fok.D.VII and SSW.D.III and D.IV. Some are in color and the rest in black and white.
Blue Skies,
Dan-San.
P.S. My @005 Catalog is 28 pages, single spaced and $11.00 postpaid.

[karrart]

Aside from the who-flew-what questions, I'm interested in the various styles of exhaust manifolds. Most sources say most ( but not all) of these Fokkers were OAW, which still leaves a lot of leeway. I'm specifically interested in the machine with the "Mercedes" three pointed star. In Greg VW's Circus Colors in C&C vol25, num1, Spring '85, he has a sketch of the other side of Mr. ThreePoint, along with a small photo, but even the sketch seems sort of "generic" as to cowl/louver arrangements. In Windsock vol10, num2 March/April 94, there's a nice concise article about Jasta 18 colors that features several photos of this airplane, but the ones showing the right/exhaust side are too fuzzy/dark/contrasty to tell.
So- anybody out there know which exhaust style Mr. Three Point Star had?
Thanks!
Robert Karr
karrart.com