Reinhards Triplane

[Terry_Crisp]

** ** For years I've wondered about the color scheme of Reinhards triplane.
** ** On pg.110 of THE ILLUSTRATED RED BARON there is a copy of the famous photo of Willi and his partially wrecked Triplane. On pg. 108 of the same reference is a photo of MvR, Oblt. Flashar and three other officers standing around both sides of space between the tailplane and wings of what I believe to be the same triplane on a better day.Above this photo on the same page is another shot of a tripe described to be Dr I 525/17. There is an implicit suggestion that these are the same a/c in the text but I don't buy that because the rudders of the a/c in those two photos clearly do not match. The one in the lower photo is apparently black and the one in the above photo is at least three values lighter(possibly matching the underside blue).
** ** Having said that and going back to the the question of the other two photos my Reasons for suspecting they are the same a/c are this;
1. The striping on the tails match ( hardly conclusive,the jasta marking and probably consistent within the unit)
2. The rudders (or whats left)appear to be a match
3.Both photos show a dark triangular area on the top decking just aft of the cockpit where the factory camo is particularly heavy.
4.On what can be seen of the striations of the factory camo the patterns are at least not dissimilar.( I admit this is pretty weak but I don't see anything obviously different)
** ** My questions are:
1.Is the serial# of Willis partially wrecked Triplane Known ?
2.Is there reason to think That the rudder and the cowling would be any color than black?
3.Is it not reasonable to assume that when the request arose that Willi, as C.O of Js 6 would offer MvR his own A/C as a matter of manners and protocol?
5.In the photo taken a Js 5 the wheel cover appears to be the factory blue, is there any reason to doubt this?
4.Are there another Photos of Willis triplane?
5.Other than the tail and cowling the color scheme seems to be straight factory.The photo of the wreck shows very little left of the upper wing except the left aileron,which is factory with a Maltese cross. Is there any reason to believe that the upper wing was marked or painted in any way other than factory camo?
** ** I hope this thread will be of interest to you gentlemen and now, it seems,ladies and look forward to your input.
Very best regards to all,
Terry Crisp

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Terry:
1.I have tried to determine the S/N of Oblt. Reinhard's Fok. DR.I. I had enlarged the two photos of of his triplane, 1.the view of the whole plane and the other where he is standing along side of it in order to make out the serial number. However it was not a total success. At first I thought it may be 113, 116 or 119. These numbers were delivered in October 1917. By March 1918 JG Nr.1 was using Tripes in the 400 s/n range. There fore the s/n may be 413,416 or 419. This is pure speculation.
2.In the view of the whole plane the cowling appears to be very dark, I would believe it was painted black.
3.An examination of the streaking on the middle wing of Reinhard's crashed DR.I does not match the streaking of Fok. DR.I 525/17. Ref. The Fokker Triplane, by Alex Imrie, p54, photo 73 and p56, photo 75. The pattern of streaking was like finger prints, no two are alike.
I would assume as a matter of curtesy, MvR would ask permission to use another pilot's airplane.
3A. The wheel covers of Fok. DR.I 525/17 were painted in the standard Fokker camouflage scheme of dark olive brown, see photo 72 on p.54.
4. See Fokker Triplane, Jagd Im Flandern Himmel, or Hunting with Richthofen, (English translation.)
5. The upper wing is camouflaged in the Fokker Streaked Camouflage Scheme as shown on the left aileron.
Added comment. Oblt.Reinhard's Fok. DR.I was not the only one with a black rudder about half of Jasta 6's tripes had black rudders while the other had white rudders. see photo 92 on p64.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Blue Skies,
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Dan-San Abbott

[Terry_Crisp]

Dan-San,
Thank you for your reply. It is always a pleasure to hear from you.
Unfortunately, I do not have Imries book but I'll certainly take your word for it. Once again it appears that there is insufficient data to put together a scheme. DRAT!
On another subject, have you had any luck with the red crossed white D VII?
Thanks again,
Terry