For most of us the chance to study a set of photographs that concern aircraft of the first World War is like food to a hungry man. Thus when the opportunity arises to view a series of images chronicling the history of a single machine from factory acceptance to its demise in the field it is like a feast.
Oeffag (Oesterreichische Flugzeug Fabrik A. G.) Or the Austrian Aircraft Manufacturing Company built 281 licenced example of their Albatros D.153 series. Here we see the life and death of airframe 153.16. It left the factory fitted with a 200hp Austro-Diamler straght six motor serial numbered 19.004 The bore and stroke were 135 X 175mm at 1500 rpms. It had 4 valves per cylinder and could climb to 6,500ft in six minute and thirty seconds. Maximum ceiling topped out at 18,000ft under optimal factory conditions.
The Austro-Diamler was build at the parent factory in Wiener-Neustadt, Austria. These types were also licence built by Magyar Altalanos Gepgyar R. T. of the Hungarian Allgemeine Machinenfabrick A.G. and the Rappmotoren Werke G.m.b.H. (Which became B.M.W. in 1917.) The motor serial allocations for the parent firm ranged from 11.001 to 30.999.
Albatros D.III 153.16 was to have been finished in August and accepted in Septeber 1917. Origianlly it had been assigned to fighter school duties at Fliegerersatzkompagnie (Flek = Flying replacement Company) Nr. 6. However it was reassigned to the 2 . Isonzoarmee to Hauptmann Ludwig Furm and soon after became one of the personal aircraft used by Oberleutnant Frank Linke-Crawford of Flik 41J during October - December 1917. The type was not new to him as he had previously flown Alb. D.III 153.04 (written of in a crash on 9 October 1917) and 153.11 which would be written off from a crash on 26 December 1917. Alb. D.III 153.16 was destroyed on 13 December 1917. All three were crashed by Frank Linke-Crawford and when the dust had settled all three instances found him in an upside down machine.
On 13 December Oberleutnant Frank Linke-Crawford had been in the company of Flik 41J commander Hauptmann Bromowsky and Stabsfeldwebel Karl Kaszala over Meolo when the carried out an attack against an observation balloon. Alb. D.III 153.16 had received rudder control damage Linke-Crawford had nursed the aircraft back to Foca airfield to an inevitable rocky landing. In the end 153.16 lay in the dusty field like turtle on it back.
Of further note, Oberleutnant Linke-Crawford had both 153.11 and 153.16 decorated with an emblem of a falcon in search of its prey. In the news print of the day he had become known as “the Falcon of Feltre”. It appears that 153.11 had its falcon outlined with a 10cm white border. And 153.16 did not have an outline on its falcon.
After 153.16 had been recovered and repaired it was transferred to the Fliegerarsenal for use in experimentation and was finally written off in June 1918.
References:
Austro-Hungarian Aircraft & Aeromotor serial numbers by Douglas T. Pardee, Cross & Cockade (USA) Vol. 24, #3, Pp.193 - 211.
Notes on the Austro - Hunagrian Flying Corp 1910 -1918 by Lt. Col. J. D. Thompson Cross & Cockade Vol.3, #4, Pp.281-295.
Against all comers (Operations of the K. U. K. Luftfarhtruppen by James Kerr III Cross & Cockade (USA) Vol.15, #4, Pp.291 - 357.
Die Albatros ( Oeffag ) Jagdflugzeuge der K. U. K. Luftfarhtruppen by Paul Schiemer, Weishaupt, Verlag Graz, Pp. 77, 80, 147 &148.
1984.
Markings and Camouflage of Austro - Hungarian Aircraft in World War I (part 9) by Dr. Martin O’Connor, Cross & Cockade International Vol 19, #1, Pp29-39.
This article was first written back in March 1989 and published in Cross & Cockade Intl.1990. I had dedicated it then to a grand fellow who stood by me when all others derided me. He was a grand historian and a great familyman. He died later in 1989. With this renewal of this article I want to rededicate this to Mr. James Kerr III. If you study this subject, then know that we all owe him more than can be said.
