I want to share a link and note a friend emailed to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIiuyijwKRs
A friend sent me the URL of this WWI footage of Richtofen flying a prototype DrI. Antony Fokker appears in the film, and I suspect a WW1 expert could identify many of the pilots who appear with Richtofen. The downed British .pilot was Algernon Frederick Bird (1896–1957). His account of having been shot down by Richtofen is here, about halfway down the web page:
Norfolk Mills - Downham Market steam mill
This commentary accompanied the link my friend sent me.I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statement below but it appears believable.
"An interesting piece of footage. I suspect that it is part of a propaganda release or a proposed release for the introduction of the Triplane. That it is a montage is evidenced by the cut-in shot of the troops in dress uniforms at party which is unexplained and out of obvious context. Who knows what the intent was. We are probably looking at an intermediate working copy. I found it interesting that as Richthofen is putting on his flying clothes, he carefully keeps his right side to the camera thereby hiding the wound on the left side of his head. He was wearing the smallest possible bandage, and I think you can see the thin strap which held it on when he removes his cap to put on his flying helmet. Head wounds make bad propaganda, and he was trying to avoid being sent on leave to recuperate.
The aircraft is F.I 102/17, the first preproduction Fokker Triplane. She was delivered to Jagdstaffel 11 on 28 August 1917. Richthofen first flew her on 1 September 1917, and scored his first victory in her the next day, an RE8 of 6 Squadron. On 3 September 1917 he shot down a Sopwith Pup of 46 Squadron for his 61st victory. At this time, she was in factory finish: Typical streaked Fokker blue green over the linen fabric areas, Metal parts e.g. the cowling in gloss olive green, Undersides and struts gloss turquoise.
The formal demonstration of the aircraft was made at Marcke on 30 August 1917. Major-General Karl von Lossberg, the Chief of Staff of IV. Armee was the guest of honor. Photographs show him being briefed on the aircraft by Richthofen and Anthony Fokker. Fokker is dressed in flying clothes. There is another photo that shows General der Kavallerie von Hoepner in the same frame with this aircraft. Just the sort of get together one would make a newsreel out of. In the film, the animated figure in flying clothes at the crash site is Anthony Fokker. The footage showing the lone eagle take off is probably dramatized as the action involved the Triplane and 5 Albatros scouts from Jasta 11. The actual action took place on 3 September 1917. I suspect they put Fokker in his flying gear and drove him immediately to the crash site. What a film...show it (the plane) to the general, shoot down a Brit and have a very successful day. The time delay between the rollout and the shootdown was simply an inconvenience.
The crashed Brit is Lt. Algernon Frederick Bird late of 46 Squadron. On a fighter sweep, they had been bounced and roughly handled by Jasta 11. Bird, when repatriated, said his engine had been hit, and judging by the film I think he was correct. His aircraft was a Sopwith Pup, WD 10972, Engine No. 35123.
This may well have been Richthofens"s last flight in this airplane. On 6 September 1917 they sent him back to Germany to recuperate from the head wound he had incurred back in July. The airplane was passed on to Obltn. Kurt Wolff who was Richthofen's best friend and the commander of Jasta 11. He was killed in this aircraft in an engagement with Sopwith Camels of 10 Naval Squadron on 15 September 1917. It is interesting that the aircraft's service life was two weeks.
Richthofen's Combat Report: " Along with five planes of Staffel 11, while engaged in a fight with a Sopwith single-seater, I attacked, at a height of 3,500 metres, one of the enemy machines. After a fairly long dogfight, I forced him to land near Bousbecque. I was absolutely convinced I had a very skillful pilot in front of me, who even at an altitude of 50 metres did not give up, but fired again, and opened fire on a column of troops while flattening them out, then deliberately ran his machine into a tree. The Fokker Triplane FI No.102/17 was absolutely superior to the British Sopwith." "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIiuyijwKRs
A friend sent me the URL of this WWI footage of Richtofen flying a prototype DrI. Antony Fokker appears in the film, and I suspect a WW1 expert could identify many of the pilots who appear with Richtofen. The downed British .pilot was Algernon Frederick Bird (1896–1957). His account of having been shot down by Richtofen is here, about halfway down the web page:
Norfolk Mills - Downham Market steam mill
This commentary accompanied the link my friend sent me.I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statement below but it appears believable.
"An interesting piece of footage. I suspect that it is part of a propaganda release or a proposed release for the introduction of the Triplane. That it is a montage is evidenced by the cut-in shot of the troops in dress uniforms at party which is unexplained and out of obvious context. Who knows what the intent was. We are probably looking at an intermediate working copy. I found it interesting that as Richthofen is putting on his flying clothes, he carefully keeps his right side to the camera thereby hiding the wound on the left side of his head. He was wearing the smallest possible bandage, and I think you can see the thin strap which held it on when he removes his cap to put on his flying helmet. Head wounds make bad propaganda, and he was trying to avoid being sent on leave to recuperate.
The aircraft is F.I 102/17, the first preproduction Fokker Triplane. She was delivered to Jagdstaffel 11 on 28 August 1917. Richthofen first flew her on 1 September 1917, and scored his first victory in her the next day, an RE8 of 6 Squadron. On 3 September 1917 he shot down a Sopwith Pup of 46 Squadron for his 61st victory. At this time, she was in factory finish: Typical streaked Fokker blue green over the linen fabric areas, Metal parts e.g. the cowling in gloss olive green, Undersides and struts gloss turquoise.
The formal demonstration of the aircraft was made at Marcke on 30 August 1917. Major-General Karl von Lossberg, the Chief of Staff of IV. Armee was the guest of honor. Photographs show him being briefed on the aircraft by Richthofen and Anthony Fokker. Fokker is dressed in flying clothes. There is another photo that shows General der Kavallerie von Hoepner in the same frame with this aircraft. Just the sort of get together one would make a newsreel out of. In the film, the animated figure in flying clothes at the crash site is Anthony Fokker. The footage showing the lone eagle take off is probably dramatized as the action involved the Triplane and 5 Albatros scouts from Jasta 11. The actual action took place on 3 September 1917. I suspect they put Fokker in his flying gear and drove him immediately to the crash site. What a film...show it (the plane) to the general, shoot down a Brit and have a very successful day. The time delay between the rollout and the shootdown was simply an inconvenience.
The crashed Brit is Lt. Algernon Frederick Bird late of 46 Squadron. On a fighter sweep, they had been bounced and roughly handled by Jasta 11. Bird, when repatriated, said his engine had been hit, and judging by the film I think he was correct. His aircraft was a Sopwith Pup, WD 10972, Engine No. 35123.
This may well have been Richthofens"s last flight in this airplane. On 6 September 1917 they sent him back to Germany to recuperate from the head wound he had incurred back in July. The airplane was passed on to Obltn. Kurt Wolff who was Richthofen's best friend and the commander of Jasta 11. He was killed in this aircraft in an engagement with Sopwith Camels of 10 Naval Squadron on 15 September 1917. It is interesting that the aircraft's service life was two weeks.
Richthofen's Combat Report: " Along with five planes of Staffel 11, while engaged in a fight with a Sopwith single-seater, I attacked, at a height of 3,500 metres, one of the enemy machines. After a fairly long dogfight, I forced him to land near Bousbecque. I was absolutely convinced I had a very skillful pilot in front of me, who even at an altitude of 50 metres did not give up, but fired again, and opened fire on a column of troops while flattening them out, then deliberately ran his machine into a tree. The Fokker Triplane FI No.102/17 was absolutely superior to the British Sopwith." "
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire