Here is the other circus tall man between the captured Nieuport 17 A'313 and the SE 5a. More of the figures that appear to be just arriving are seen walking into the diorama. This conveys to a small extent the unseen porton of the diorama. This can be seen here and at the rear of the beer tent area. The one thing I really wanted to portray was the train and passenger cars that were used to ferry the citizens into the area. One was available at a $300.00 USD price tag and with a govt. employee pay check and four (later 5 ) children, I just had to exclude it.

This represents the experimental Fokker V.4 works number 1661. It is a conversion of the old Revell Fokker Dr.i kit. Wings shortened surface details altered. Ailerons were trimmed to represent the unbalanced versions. Horizontal tail surfaces modified, struts replaced with cut and shaped steel rod. The kit engine was replaced with an Aeroclub 110hp LeRhone. Cockpit is scratchbuilt. Originally designed as a biplane and changed in July 1917 to the triplane configuration. It served at a test bed for this configuration. Later after modifications it was sent to Austria to the MAG factory for testing there.

Here I have depicted a large puppet show of the type popular in Europe around the turn of the century. In the front a magiciqan performes the spinning ring gag. The puppets seen at the top of the "stage" are Preiser "N" gauge figures also 1900 era. At the lower left you can see the 'Tramp" clown and a beat up Hydrogen bottle for the children's balloons. Helium was the export of the USA and preWWII though safe was not cheap. So in Europe Helium was almost never used. As with the rest of the diorama one can see everything from swimsuits to uniforms. Children and wives often dressing in sympathy to their father/husband's uniform.

Now we have come full circle. The Revell Fokker Dr.I triplane initially installed was replaced. I had it in Jasta 36 markings with the name "Thor" on the top wing. I had actually decided early on to replace the model but as it suffered the same damage as the Albatros D.Va the choice was made for me.

These were the items I grouped together to replace the original Dr.I. I was faced wit adding more figures or more aircraft top fill the space. As mentioned before I had been building the testbed aircraft for the Triplane configuration and decided to include. Here we have a model representing the rebuilt 101/17 , w/n 1697 (it was tested to destruction in the eval phase of the prototypes.) out front, Dr.I 108/17, w/n 1776. Not much is known about this machine but it might have been the first production trainer of the type. No guns and a Goebel Goe.II 100hp rotary. The last airframe is w/n 1788 with the big four bladed prop and 11 cylinder Seimans Halske SH.III. This is the first airframe of four called V.7. The engines were white metal items from Aeroclub. The four bladed prop was made from two spare Airfix Hannover CL.IIIa types. They were Lincoln log cut and matched together.

It finally happed just as I was about to sign off on this thread. . . Someone has asked me. ". . . Hey Stephen whats in the tent?. . "

Just about everything. At one end the simulated bread and food stores from the various Preiser kits involved carts, crates and pallets. Like the blue and white canopy wagon under the tree. At the other end a wall of art works and a sculptor hard at work. ( Another sculptor was used at the puppeteer in the outside stage. ) In between the two settings in the tent are tables and chairs and at the back of the tent centrally a stage with a small room for a doctor and nurse to perform physicals and an Army recruiter. (who would have thought at a carnival hosted by the military. . . Men hauling in sacks and crates, vendors selling and even by the recruiting station. . . more beer kegs.

Staaken factory film images.

Production Company: Messter Film GmbH (Berlin)
Copyright:
Federal Archives
Category: EFG1914 - Movies from 1 World War II , film
Giant aircraft "R.VI" (license built Gotha Coach Factory) is pushed into Staaken from the airship hangar, the crew gets into the aircraft; engines in the nacelles are started; launch preparations; civilian passengers go with hand luggage on board, a box is from the open cars on the plane loaded, start the "R.VI"; aerial photographs of Potsdam, New Palace, Havelbucht, Observatory and Holy Spirit Church;; landing on an airfield (taken from the right engine nacelle) pilot in the open cockpit during flight.

Source: German Federal Archive

The engine Gondola to a Staaken.