Jasta 12 Fokker D.VII markings and Otto Klaiber

[ArisKosionidis]

Hello folks,
Going through the archives here on the forum and having begged and borrowed (and at last resort, bought ) some references, it seems that Jasta 12's Fokker D.VII pilots carried the following personal markings:

Besser: a broomstick
Bock: a ram's head
Becker: a wide white stripe (also on his SSW)
Greven: a lightning bolt (also on his SSW)

Two additional markings have been seen in photos, a black-edged stripe and a double white stripe. Might one of the latter two be the marking of Otto Klaiber? Or is his Fokker D.VII known to be marked otherwise?
Thanks for your time!
best regards
Aris Kosionidis

[FOKKERJ]

Originally Posted by ArisKosionidis

Hello folks,
Going through the archives here on the forum and having begged and borrowed (and at last resort, bought ) some references, it seems that Jasta 12's Fokker D.VII pilots carried the following personal markings:

Besser: a broomstick
Bock: a ram's head
Becker: a wide white stripe (also on his SSW)
Greven: a lightning bolt (also on his SSW)

Two additional markings have been seen in photos, a black-edged stripe and a double white stripe. Might one of the latter two be the marking of Otto Klaiber? Or is his Fokker D.VII known to be marked otherwise?
Thanks for your time!
best regards
Aris Kosionidis

Hello ArisKosionidis,

Welcome to the Aerodrome.

I made a quick research and was unable to find out much more than you already have here.

I did see one Fokker D.VII with a White band around the fuselage like Becker's SSW D.III.

I have not had the time to research any fotografs. I know that there are quite a number of known Albatros and Fokker Dr.I's with the Jasta 12 markings recorded and many in color profile.

You have probably seen it already, but if not check out the two Fokker D.VII books, Part I and Part II, by Greg van Wyngarden and also his "Richtofen's Flying Circus" and "Jagdgeschwader Nr. II" books published by Osprey.
All four are excellent sources of valuable information, fotografs, and color profiles.
I have not seen the Fokker D.VII Anthology/Trilogy yet, but imagine it's well worth the price of addmission.

Best Wishes, Jay aka FOKKERJ

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour Arias et Jay!

Yes, Gustav Klaudit is known to have emblazoned a Fokker D.VII flown with Jasta 15 with particular markings. He had served as a Uhlan prior to joining the air service and chose to remember past service by having a lance adorned with a, presumably black and white, pennon. A photograph of the aircraft may be found in Jageschwader Nr II Geschwader 'Berthold', Aviation Elite Units 19, published by Osprey, written by Greg VanWyngarden and the same photograph as well as a tonal profile is to be found in Colors: Jagdgeschwader II, Part Three, which appeared in Over The Front, Volume 10, Number 1, written by ... Greg VanWyngarden.

Greg, who is one of the old hands here at The Aerodrome, is an expert on Great War aviation and is the man to answer questions about the markings of German aircraft

Salut!
Kirk

Oh! Jay is quite right to recommend Fokker D VII Aces of World War 1 Part 1, Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 53, by Norman Franks and Greg Van Wyndarden as the volume includes a colour profile of the type flown by Gustav Klaudet. That source has slipped from the mind ...

[ArisKosionidis]

Jay and Kirk,
Thank you for helping out! I've now got the Ospreys, and am bugging a friend with the Fokker anthology volumes to at least let me have a quick look . If anything new comes up, I'll post it here.
best regards
Aris K.

[Gregvan]

Hi,

Sorry, but I can't add too much to what you already know. I wish I knew of a photo or description of Otto Klaiber's D.VII but I don't.

Of course, we have photos of Ltn. Muhs' Fokker D.VII after he was brought down in the French II Armée sector on 10 August 1918. Unfortunately, whatever personal emblem he might have had was apparently souvenired by French soldiers before the photos were taken.




Then there is this photo of Ltn. Greven's last Fokker D.VII taken at Romorantin after the war.

[ArisKosionidis]

Thank you for sharing the photos (and for those amazingly interesting books too!).
best regards
Aris Kosionidis

[FOKKERJ]

Hello Aris,

You're welcome. I'm glad that you have the books and are enjoying them.

Hello Greg,

It looks like there were three items of interest to the souvenir hunters.



Perhaps the aft one was a Blue painted over Balkenkreuse, the middle a personal emblem, and the forward one a pilot assist for escaping the winged wreck.

Best Wishes, Jay

[FOKKERJ]

Originally Posted by ArisKosionidis

Hello folks,
Going through the archives here on the forum and having begged and borrowed (and at last resort, bought ) some references, it seems that Jasta 12's Fokker D.VII pilots carried the following personal markings:

Besser: a broomstick
Bock: a ram's head
Becker: a wide white stripe (also on his SSW)
Greven: a lightning bolt (also on his SSW)

Two additional markings have been seen in photos, a black-edged stripe and a double white stripe. Might one of the latter two be the marking of Otto Klaiber? Or is his Fokker D.VII known to be marked otherwise?
Thanks for your time!
best regards
Aris Kosionidis

I also find it interesting to note that the earlier Jasta 12 insignia, of the Albatros Scouts and the Fokker Dr.I's were more of a geometrical nature and that after the arrival of the S.S.W. D Scouts and the Fokker D.VII's they changed to a more personal significance.

Best Wishes, Jay

[PFFF]

Albatross of Paul Billik

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