Baeumer's Edelweiss

[Olson]

I have commisioned an Eduard Albatross D V model in the scheme of Uffz Beaumer's well known "Edelweiss". The modeler has literature indicating the darker color band under the flower emblem, while until recently thought to be a darker shadw of the red color extending aft of the cockpit, was in fact a violet or purple color, darker in tone than the mauve on the wing camo pattern. I was unaware of this newly developed information and wonder if Dan-San, Stephen, and/or any of the other experten in this discipline would concur with this opinion, or remain convinced that the two-tone red rendition is the correct interpretation. Thanks...........John Olson

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Olson:
Uffz Paul Bäumer had two Alb.D.V machines, Alb.D.V.4409/17 and Alb.D.V 4577/17. D.4409/17 had a black spinner and 50mm of the ring cowl just aft of the spinner and the wheel covers. The belly of the fuselage and under the lower wing and entire tail group were white. A 50mm black band immediately foward of the empennage surmounted with two pale blue diamonds on each side of the fuselage. The remainder of the fuselage was shellacked and varnished birch plywood and yellow in color.
A black band 1100mm wide edged for and aft with pale blue bands 100mm. Surmounted on the broad black band on both sides of the fuselage were pale greyish white Edelweise with seven petals. In the center od the Edelweise with a ring of six yellow stamens, with the seventh yellow stamen in the center of the ring of stamens.
The wing were covered with five color day printed dark pattern on the top surface and the light pattern on the under surface of the upper wing. Rib and edge tapes were salmon pink about 25 mm wide.
Between the fifth and sixth ribs from the fuselage, on the white under surface of the lower wings was a black capital B, 550mm high and 300mm wide.
The cowlings, louvers, access doors, foot step and struts were greyish green.

Alb.D.V 4577/17 had a black spinner and 50mm wide band on the ring cowl just behind the spinner. Aft of the cockpit was a black band 1100mm wide.
Centered on the side of the black band was a 8 petal edelweise with 6 stamen, three 60mm in diameter, interposed beween the 60 mm yellow stamen were three smaller yellow stamen, about 40mm in diameter.
The upper surfaces of the wings, top of the tailplane and rudder were covered with the day dark pattern five color printed fabric. The under surfaces of the wings and tailplane were cvered with five color light pattern.
Rib and edge tapes were salmon pink tape about 25mm wide.
Cebntered on the fifth rib from the fuselage, on the under surfaces of the lower wings was the capitol letter B, 750mm high anf 500 mm wide. The serial number D.4477/17 was painted in letters 150mm high on both sides of the fin.
Wheel covers, cowling, louvers, access doors, fittings and footstep were painted greyish green. The remainder of the fuselage and fins were shellacked an varnished a warm yellow color.
Both drawings are available for $5.00 plus $2.00 postage, $3.50 foriegn and handling.
Check OK, in U.S.A. Foriegn orders, cash or International mony order, make out to:
Dan-San Abbott
1800 Stone Cress Court
Ceres, Ca 95307.

[Olson]

Dan-San, I have sent a Pm re: drawings. The particular mount of Beaumer that I am referring to is shown in the photo on p16 in Osprey "AC of the Aces" #32 in the top lerft corner and attributed to Greg Van via Peter Grosz described therein as "red from the cockpit to the tail with a red nose. The unit marking was the green tailplane, edged red, and underside of the lower wings a large "B" was painted inboard of the crosses.", also featured as a color profile on p66 of the same issue. A more detailed profile is presented inside the front cover of DataFile special "Jagdstaffel 5" by G K Merrill with photos showing it in the Jasta 5 "line-up" on pp 34-35 and featured in the photo #39 on p40, and photo #40 on the bottom of p 41 of same issue. To my limited knowledge, the serial number of this airplane remains unknown. The conclusions drawn by Merrill regarding the color and markings of this Albatross leave little room for other than two shades of red from the cockpit aft. This scheme must be on an aircraft other than the two Albatri you describe above. I also have the impression that the wings of the Albatross I am referring to are painted in two color (mauve-green) camo instead of dark/light lozenge printed pattern. Thanks..........John

[brian riedel]

Howdy,

Perhaps the confusion here is that Baumer flew an "edelweiss" marked Albatros with Jasta 5 and Jasta 2 'Boelke'. Jasta 5 had the green tails,
Jasta 2 white tails.

Of course there are much more differences than those.

Brian Riedel

[Dan_San_Abbott]

John:
I have a three view of this machine also, it Js 5-19. I did this drawing in April 1977. I have it in Jasta 5 in July-August 1917. I am going to re-assess the other two drawings, I have them in Jasta "B". with the new information from Gary Merrill, I must move them from Jasta"B" to Jasta 5 and redesignate the band colors. I was suspicious of the nose band aft of the spinner, and thought it might be Jasta 5 instead of Jasta "B"
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Olson]

Brian, my query was directed to the machine assigned to Beaumer while he served in Jasta 5 "Greentails".

Dan-San, Are copies of the drawing of this other aircraft available from you for purchase? Perhaps you want to hold off on sending the first two drawings you described, which I requested in my PM, until you confirm the colors in question. Thanks.............John

[StephenLawson]

Originally Posted by Dan_San_Abbott

Olson:". . .Alb.D.V 4577/17 had a black spinner and 50mm wide band on the ring cowl just behind the spinner. ... The serial number D.4477/17 was painted in letters 150mm high on both sides of the fin.

Help me out Dan, one is probably the typo which is correct for Baümer's?

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Steve:
The correct seial number is D.4577/17.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Hello Olson:
I have checked the probable data on Alb.D.V 4409/17 an D.4577/17. Both of these machines were not at the front in time to be in Jasta 5. Idflegplaced the order for 300 Alb.D.V machines, serial numbers D.4403/17 to
D.4702/17, in July 1917. Deliveries began in Late August to the Front, D.V.4577/17 did not arrive until September 1917. Uffz. Paul Bäumer was transferred to Jasta B on 15 August 1917. With this information, both Alb.D.V 4409/17 and Alb.D.V 4577/17 were issued to Uffz. or Vzfw. Paul Bäumer when he was in Jasta B, not when he was with Jasta 5.
The white empennage on D.4409/17 is with the black spinner, the markings of Jasta B. So what I said in my prior post is correct.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Olson]

The staff at the UT Dallas library have kindly offered to search the Ferko collection for images of these two aircraft. Thanks for the update..........John