Original Pic of early WW1 German Squadron Kesta 4.

[gully_raker]

G'day All!
Here is a wonderful pic of Kesta 4, an early German Squadron taken at their Airfield with Aircraft & Personnel.
Note the Wheel Cover patten which appears to have been a unit identifaction marking.
Details are given on the top of the Pic which came from one of the WW1 Historical Forums. Enjoy

[Ravenlord]

A nice picture, it´s published in Windsock Classic-Fighters 2 - Fokker Fighters D. I-IV.
Thanks for sharing.

It is a pity, that on PC you cannot see the realy interessing details of the picture:

The machines are:

first row:
Fokker E.IV 183/16 - name "Hannah" aft of the cockpit
second row:
Fokker D.II with unusal black tail with white cross
Fokker D.II
Fokker D.III 366/16 - name "OLGA" aft of the cockpit
Fokker D.III - name "Moritz"
Fokker D.III 1612/16 - name "Großpapa" ("Grandpa")
third row:
Halberstadt D.II - marked "HO
Fokker D.II 2393/16 - name "Dodo"
and another Fokker D.II with black tail and white cross

added a Pearson profile:



Matthias

[alpine]

Very interesting pic indeed, Barry! Love seeing pics like this showing off all the planes they had in the fields. No big deal for them, but seeing a sight like that these days is far and few in between.

[Madboyo]

Thanks, great info and pics!

[Oberst Hajj]

That is a nice photos Barry, and a thank you to Matthias for the additional info on it.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Another useful piece of archival material thanks chaps. However, you do realise that with yet another Jasta to paint, the enevitability of my bankruptcy gets even closer, to say nothing of my inability to get into the games room for boxes of aircraft.
Rob.

[greenalfonzo]

I must admit that I'd really enjoy some Fokker D.II & D.IIIs for the earlier war period. Those contrasting black & white tail and tailplane markings would make for a very attractive flight of three planes in an official release from Ares Games!

[flyingryno]

Very nice photo. I love seeing old photos like this.

[Attila57]

Very nice picture!

Attilio

[Mike W]

I've tried to get the modelers as Shapeways to produce a Fokker D.II or D.III, but no luck so far. Perhaps if others posted their desire for these to the modelers on the Shapeway site....

[Boney10]

Another useful piece of archival material thanks chaps. However, you do realise that with yet another Jasta to paint, the enevitability of my bankruptcy gets even closer, to say nothing of my inability to get into the games room for boxes of aircraft.
Rob.

Ah but Wingco ... luckily there are no Fokker D2 models about...yet

[Nightbomber]

Nice find, Barry! Thanks. Matthias - hats off for the info

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Ah but Wingco ... luckily there are no Fokker D2 models about...yet

But we know a scratch modeller out there don't we Chris!
Rob.

[Bruce]

Well done Barry and Matthias.
Great photo and detailed info. It all comes clearer when you see them in a group like this.
Am I correct in saying that the Germans seemed to have a mix of aircraft in a fighter squadron (at least in the early years) while the British seemed to have all of one kind. Was it deliberate/policy?

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Well done Barry and Matthias.
Great photo and detailed info. It all comes clearer when you see them in a group like this.
Am I correct in saying that the Germans seemed to have a mix of aircraft in a fighter squadron (at least in the early years) while the British seemed to have all of one kind. Was it deliberate/policy?

One of the reasons that the Central Powers had a mix of planes throughout the war was the supply problem for both aircraft and engines. They never enjoyed the level of production that the Allies had, and as the war progressed they also became starved of the raw materials to increase output.
Rob.

[Naharaht]

That is very interesting. Thank you for posting the photograph and for identifying the machines.

[Mike W]

Am I correct in saying that the Germans seemed to have a mix of aircraft in a fighter squadron (at least in the early years) while the British seemed to have all of one kind. Was it deliberate/policy?

Yes, by 1916 the British would "work up" a squadron with a new type of plane, and then send it over to France as a unit. The Germans would send new types of planes to jastas as the aircraft as they came off the assembly lines, which resulted in a jasta possibly having several types of aircraft at once.

While the British method appears to be more organized there was also a danger that a new type might be proven to have flaws (or just useless) when finally used in combat. Then the squadron could be in serious trouble....

[greenalfonzo]

I found a close up of part of this image in the book "Fokker Aircraft of WWI" by Paul Leaman. I made a scan as I am trying to figure out what the emblem is on the side of the Halberstadt II in the background. (top of pic) You can also see the emblem/photo blemish on the side of the Fokker D.III "Moritz." I thought at first this was an emblem, then switched over to an error on the negative, now I'm back to thinking it might be an emblem due to the patterns on the sides of the mark.

Any guesses or thoughts?

[gully_raker]

I found a close up of part of this image in the book "Fokker Aircraft of WWI" by Paul Leaman. I made a scan as I am trying to figure out what the emblem is on the side of the Halberstadt II in the background. (top of pic) You can also see the emblem/photo blemish on the side of the Fokker D.III "Moritz." I thought at first this was an emblem, then switched over to an error on the negative, now I'm back to thinking it might be an emblem due to the patterns on the sides of the mark.

Any guesses or thoughts?

Not really sure?
The top one certainly looks like an emblem but the second looks to me more like a blemish.

[greenalfonzo]

The only reason why I think the Fokker one may be an emblem, is that it seems the area around it is cleaner than the rest of the plane, like it was scrubbed of oil, the two little symetrical triangular "points" pointing forward and aft at the top of the splotch, and the fact that I can almost swear that I can see the support wires crossing the splotch, which shouldn't be evident if it is a blemish.

The emblem on the Halberstadt "HO" is cool, since there aren't many pics showing them in anything other than base scheme. It would be nice if Ares puts some personal markings like these on their upcoming models.