Here is a bit of fun for you to chew on.

Name the city this coat of arms represents.

Is that the mad monk of munchen in bayern in germany in munchen?

Excellent JP!
Now Can anyone tell me the serial number of the aircraft involved? It is in this view.

D5787/17 (written on the structure sitting bhind the aircraft )

A very interesting photo Stephen - where did you get hold of it? Any idea on unit? What would the colours be?

BC

Well lets see, The first Albatros D.Va contract orders were made in;

Aug. 1917 5200/17 -5426/17
Sept. 1917 5600/17 - 5849/17
Sept. - Oct. 6400/17 - 6999/17
Oct. 1917 7000/17 - 7549/17. This was the last contract order of the Alb. D.Va types.

Brad says D.5787/17 which might fit. But note the serial you refer to. There is not a cross bar on the first number seven and there is on the second. One German historian has said that this is Jasta 76b. Munich is in Bavaria and the monk is holding a liter of beer and a turnip. Before we postulate on the colours lets see if we can learn a bit more on Jasta 76b.

There is a bit of a hole in the Alb. D.V & Va productions as the last recorded serial we have for the Alb. D.V is D. 4879/17. So we have a gap from 4880/17 - 5199/17. The serial might be D. 5187/17 "but " Even today we have little to go on.

Hard to figure out the colors. First guess is the diagonal stripe is black/white. Bavarian colors would dictate Bavarian Blue/white. But those colors obviously dont quite fit. Maybe a red tone / yellow. My best guess would be Black / Yellow (Munich's city colors)

Jasta 76b had a darker blue tailplane with a single white stripe on each side, which continue around to the underside of the tail. I think the blue / white colors may also appear on their nose.. Not enough of the tail for a good comparison of colors. Jasta 76b was equipped completely with D.Va's (replacing D.III's) between November and December 1917. So I would guess this picture was taken in early 1918.

I do believe the serial is 5187/17. The second digit really looks like a German 1. Also when the skilled craftsman painted this serial #, why would he change the style of his handwritting? I would think it also had a lozenge scheme on the wings because of the timeframe and D.Va type.

The picture appears to have hills or mountains in the background. The aircraft apparently is loaded on a railcar for shipment when the Jasta would have moved to a new base, since the personal markings are already applied.

I love the markings. Who could the pilot be? Are decals available? Please tell us more Stephen.

Hi Stephen

There's also what appears to be a serial number on the fin. I can't make it out clearly in the scan, but it might be legible in the original print or photo (whichever you have).

All the best

Rowan

Rowan and Brad have gone straight to the heart of the matter. A better photo / scan to read the image better. I have 3 photo images to draw from. As to the details on the machines the historian Dan San Abbott has noted the following;

". . .The photograph was taken at the railroad tracks near to Habsheim Airfield, in the German Armee Abt. "B" around or about 16-17 March 1918 while loading Jasta 76b equipment for the transfer *to Liéramont Airfield in the German 2.Armee.

The colors of D.5787/17 were: spinner white. nose cowl blue. fuselage, yellow straw, sash, black and yellow. band , white. München kindl, black with yellow cross, inside sleeves and collar. Tailplane, L-R striping blue, white, blue, white,blue, white, blue. Wheel covers, blue. Wings, 5 color lozenge fabric with salmon pink tapes.

*I have arrived at that conclusion of the mountains in the background. In the area of the German 2.Armee is flatter without high hills.

Uffz. Karl Josef Hapf, was the pilot of Alb D.Va 5787/17. "Münchner Kindl."

(Concerning) The striped Alb.D.Va 5765/17.

*This machine belong to Ltn. Walter Böning, the Staffelführer. It was painted in blue and white stripes on the fuselage and tailplane, with white wings and spinner and all struts. The nose cowl and wheel covers were blue.

*Jagdstaffel 76b was formed at Flieger Ersatz Abteilung 1b at Schleissheim on 7 September 1917. *By 4 November 1917, Jasta 76b was fully organized and initially equipped with Alb. D.III(OAW) aircraft.

*On 4 November 1917, Jasta 76b moved to it's first operational airfield at Habsheim in the German Armee Abteilung "B".

*In December 1917, Jasta 76b began receiving Alb. D.Va aircraft. *On it's move to Liéramont Airfield in the German 2. Armee, Jasta 76b was completely equipped with *Alb. D.Va aircraft.

* Jasta 76b was a component of Jagdgruppe 2
along with Jasta 5 and Jasta 46 under command of Oblt. Richard Flashar. . ."

Hi Stephen

It's tough, isn't it! From your new shot of the fin alone (and pretending I couldn't see the "8" in the background), I'd have said it read "D.5767"... but it must be an 8.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again Stephen

Are there decals available for these two aircraft?

All the best

Rowan

Concerning D.5787/17;

Reference Cross & Cockade Intl. Vol. 29/ #2 /p.120 paragraph #1 and Vol 30/ #2 /p.119 in paragraph #3 . According to herrn Bruno Schmäling the München Kindl Alb. D.Va 5787/17 belonged (initially at least) to Ltn. Wilhelm Kolb (KIA 12 Dec.1917) of Jasta 76b. Since Jasta 76b was organized in early Nov.1917, this provides an extrodinary window of occurance. Since Ltn, Kolb was KIA in Alb. D.Va 5294/17 over Habsheim it is highly possible that 5787/17 served well beyond Ltn. Kolb's service. It may have been reassigned to Uffz Hapf or any of the current pilots already assigned. Hapf would have only recently arrived at J.76b."

No but they should be. . .maybe we can get someone interested.

What would have been the shade of blue used on the stripe D.Va ? What shade would you recommend on using Stephen ? That would most definitely add some colour in my display case .

I would go with a cobalt blue.

Thanks Stephen , I have a weakness for stripe aircraft from this time period . I have the makings for Hans Bethge , co of Jasta 30 which a friend past them on to me . I believe they are from the Eduard kit . So now it won't feel so alone in my display case .

On the tail plane how many stripes are there in total ? Would you have any more photo's of this air frame ?

Hey Terri, when are we going to see some pictures of your builds? We all like pictures.

I guess I was really close on my (un)educated guess. I would love to build a diorama of that picture. Thanks for bringing these picture to the forum Stephen.

We need a smiley face giving a thumbs up.

No worries!

Well gents there you are the lady likes cold duck and pin stripe suits. The way to the lady's heart. As for the tailplane from the plan / above view. The left half of the stabilizer and elevator Tailplane, L-R striping blue, white, blue, white on the rear fuselage then beginning on the right side of the stabilizer and elevator ,blue, white, blue. In equal widths.

I think Dan San Abbott has pen and ink plan drawings for a couple dollars on both of these aircraft schemes. I'll ask him to get with you.

Captain A , I just got my camera a week ago and I'm having a hard time with up loading pictures ( I'm not very good with computers and just don't seem to understand ) Stephen has see my wprk already but the pictures that I sent were from using my web cam which turned out very small . So as soon as I can figure this out I will be posting pic's .

Stephen , thanks for the kind comments and yes that would be great on having some plans to go by . I was at the hobby shop today and the closest to cobalt blue they had was in testor's small bottles # 1111 . I don't think that will work , or will it ?

They should also have the Testors Model Master series in enamel and acrylic in Cobalt blue. I remember doing a figure of Wolverine in MM acrylic for one of my sons several years back.

I went back to the hobby shop , no model master paints . they no longer carry them . I was able to get a colour match . So I will have to use Vallejo Andrea Blue . Thanks for your aid Stephen

Bringing this up for Terri.

Thanks Stephen . I was finally able to get Model Master Cobalt blue for the build .