Bob- The Hakenkreuz historically had the hooks pointing both clockwise and counterclockwise and could be oriented in multiple directions. The Nazis just appropriated the age-old symbol, which may have originated in India, for their needs, with the hooks in the clockwise direction oriented at a 45 degree angle. It has even been postulated that it is two letters S (SS) at 90 degrees to each other in Nazi parlance. T- German national aircraft markings in 1917 when this photo was taken were Eisenkreuz or iron cross style. You can see one on the rudder. Later they went to the straight arm cross (Balkenkreuz) of various styles. The Hakenkreuz on Voss' Albatros is white inside the garland. The Nazis pretty much only used black for their version.
Thanks, Taz. Some more info to add to the history. rather strange stuff in a way. I think that one can find that symbol in native American history, also.
Thanks Taz, I did not see the Hakenkreuz inside the garland.... now I do. It's upright. Did not think there was a Swastika on a WW1 aircraft. I just saw the 'Iron Cross' on the tail.
Spad XIII Image Unavailable, Please Login 34 kills. I believe Baracca, like Ricthofen, were both shot down by ground fire.
It was. This was the insignia of the Escadrille Lafayette, Americans who flew with the French before the U.S. entered World War I: Image Unavailable, Please Login
Jim- Affirmative, used by N.124 and Spa.124 in French service and by the USAS 103rd Aero Squadron, where many of the Lafayette Escadrille pilots went after the US entered the war.
Ditto for Latvia, whose insignia was similar to Finland's, except that the swastika was rotated 45 degrees and was a different color. Image Unavailable, Please Login
The wheel diameter is too large for this Spad. They were known as one of the strongest pursuits in WW2. The Nieuports were officially known as one of the most fragile at first. Shedding the upper surface fabric of the upper wings until they figured out that the stitching seam was at right angles to the airflow and they changed it. Tough to dog fight in one of these at 18,000 feet while sucking on an oxygen tube in your mouth while freezing to death. Brave and dedicated men.
Happy Veterans Day to all who have served. From the home of the C-130 Hercules, one of the greatest Veterans of them all! Image Unavailable, Please Login
The SSW D.IV is nice, I had forgotten about it. The 4-bladed prop is unusual in a fighter. The F- Dr.I is nice also. There was one here in Denver. Richthofen's uncle built a castle (literally) here in what's now an old residential area near me. Huge yard, and it had a Dr.I in the corner. Nice replica. James Cameron, the movie director, heard about it and swept in and bought it. Shipped it to NZ for his 'museum' several years ago. Also bought all of Richthofen's furniture and the bar he'd shipped from Bavaria.
Image Unavailable, Please Login I couldn’t find the static display thread— I took this today at KBFL. Happy Veterans Day.
Bob- The (Siemens-Halske) Sh.IIIa in the SSW D.IV was actually single row, but the cylinders and propeller turned in the opposite direction from the crankshaft, which is what you were probably thinking about. It also required front and rear bearing support, unlike most other rotaries. Normal rev limit on a rotary was 1500 rpm, beyond which the cylinders tended to fly off. By turning the crank at 900 rpm and the cylinders and prop at 900 rpm, an equivalent 1800 rpm resulted in much higher power. With a high compression ratio, the Sh.IIIa provided outstanding high altitude performance for the SSW D.IV and was considered by German pilots who flew her as the best fighter of WW-I, including the Fokker D.VII with BMW engine.
How about some Le Prieur rockets ? They look like giant bottle rockets ! Image Unavailable, Please Login
