Aircraft identification

Franz · 12 March 2011, 07:48 AM

Hello,

here a photo of the relicts of an airplane which crashed at June 5th 1918 in the vicinity of Euba (Germany). Any idea which type this might have been ? I am thinking about an LVG - but maybe i am wrong, the photo unfortunately don't give much details .....

At least, the shape of the German cross is pointing to the 1918 period .....

Cheers

Thomas

Varese2002 · 12 March 2011, 12:44 PM

Surely the plane has come down in a field of leek [Allium ampeloprasum], which is clearly visible

The machine will be something for the crash experts in the Forum Aerodrome.

Kees

Flying Dutchman · 12 March 2011, 02:19 PM

Leeks and taties, lovely !

rammjaeger · 12 March 2011, 03:11 PM

Thomas,

this is the leftover of the airplane of Obltn. Wolfgang Plüschow -brother of the well-known Flieger von Tsingtau - and Lt. d. R. Herbert Bussgahn, (both killed) near Euba near Chemnitz/Saxony on 5 July (not June) 1918 in D.F.W. C.V.

Dan_San_Abbott · 12 March 2011, 10:20 PM

Franz:
This is not a DFW C.V! This is evident with the one piece stabilizer and elevator. Not the tailskid and protective tailskid bridge in the event of the skid shock cord failure. The trailing edge of the lower wings have a curved trailing edge near the fuselage. It is also a trainer, lack of camoflages onthe wings, and the cross form dates it around April 1918. I have not at this point identified this machine.
Blue skies Franz,
Dan-San

rammjaeger · 13 March 2011, 12:31 AM

I will leave the argument about the type to the aircraft identification experts but the photographic album with the crashs of FEA 6 called the airplane a D.F.W. C.V and mentioned the (incomplete) serial number 5221/(?). So, checking the serials could be helpful here.

PS: Dan-San, airplanes with this form of the cross were still around in homeland units in Summer 1918. That is proven by other photographs of the same unit.

Franz · 13 March 2011, 05:32 AM

Dan San and Rammjaeger thank you both for your highly appreciated help - the date was indeed 5 July 1918, my mistake ...... It is a pity, that the plane suffered such a big destruction and it looks to me, that the engine was already taken when the photo was made. I will ask the guy who sent me the scan, if he can confirm the names of the crew......

Thank's again !

Thomas

rammjaeger · 13 March 2011, 06:23 AM

Quote:

I will ask the guy who sent me the scan, if he can confirm the names of the crew......

The scan is exactly the same (even the number of pixels) as one which I have sent to some persons, e.g. to Herr Ehlers January 2010. So, I wonder if he is your "guy" or another person. In the first case you will hardly get different information.

Franz · 13 March 2011, 06:36 AM

No, this is not the one, but i think that there are some of this scans around and i am sure, that this is the mentioned crash. BTW, is the originally source an album from FEA 6 ? My grandfather was there in 1916 getting his observer training at Grossenhain, i also visited the place some years ago, watching the lovely old 'Werft' and the old main building from the air - hopefully this historical buildings will survive some more years !

rammjaeger · 13 March 2011, 07:30 AM

Replacement units had the task to document bad accidents with photographs.
I am aware of the existance of 2 photographic albums covering the FEA 6 accidents. This scan comes from the album covering 1917/1918 accidents. I think I have seen that your grandfathers stay in Großenhain was mentioned on your (?) website.

Niece, that you were able to visit the place before the big destruction by the tornado in 2010. The old main building and the familiy house of the Unteroffiziere were demolished and removed meanwhile. The Werft was heavily damaged too as was the old hangar for cars. So, probably nothing of WWI will survive in the future - with the exception of the last airplane hangar (Spedition Pflaum today) which was damaged too. However, our book "Flugplatz Großenhain" (2007) will keep the memory.