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Thread: German Usage Charts

  1. #1

    Default German Usage Charts

    The Frontbestand data is a record the Germans kept of which aircraft were at the front lines, with records for every two months from the start of the war until August 1918. (Unfortunately the October 1918 records were lost or never completed, which is too bad.) The first place I saw them published was an article by Peter M. Grosz in WW1 Aero, № 107, Dec 1985 and № 108, Feb 1986. There are some errors...planes that show a number before they were ever tested, but hopefully those are minimal. There are some planes that were only kept around as Jasta taxis ("hacks") long after their fighting days were over. They don't include Naval aircraft. But in general they are a superb record of German aircraft use during WWI.

    Long ago I published some charts that showed the numbers as percentages, e.g. of all the fighters in use in a certain month, what percentage was one vs. the other, but these charts show them as raw counts. Let's start with fighters: D, Dr, and E-class aircraft:
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Here's where I wish we had the October 1918 data -- it would be interesting to see how those numbers changed in the last few months of the war.

  2. #2

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    Now for the B and C class two-seaters. (I originally included A-class monoplanes, but it just made a lot of clutter in the bottom of the early months, since there were a lot of manufacturers, all with small numbers. So I left them out.)
    Click image for larger version. 

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    This is the chart that leaves me stunned that Ares hasn't done the D.F.W. C.V.
    Last edited by ReducedAirFact; 06-21-2020 at 10:16.

  3. #3

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    I put the CL and J class aeroplanes together on this chart because they fulfilled similar roles, and they might have gotten lost on the B&C chart. Note that the time frame on the bottom is greatly compressed since these types of planes did not exist until 1917.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by ReducedAirFact; 06-21-2020 at 10:21.

  4. #4

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    Finally, the G-class bombers.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    It's funny how the Gothas have gotten all the "press" -- probably because of their attacks on London, while the Friedrichshafens and AEGs are much less well known, even if they were much more numerous (and well-liked by their crews).

    Again, it would be good to know how some of the newer Gothas stacked up in October 1918 and whether the Fdh G.IVs ramped up quickly.

    I'll see whether I can post these to the Wings of Linen wiki in full-resolution. This forum limits them to 800x600, I think.
    Last edited by ReducedAirFact; 06-21-2020 at 10:28.

  5. #5

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    These are the charts I was waiting for!

    Brilliant, just brilliant - thank you so much!

    I can't Rep you again until I spread a little more around, but rest assured I WILL get back to you!
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  6. #6

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    Thank you for posting this.
    Voilŕ le soleil d'Austerlitz!

  7. #7

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    Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by ReducedAirFact View Post
    I'll see whether I can post these to the Wings of Linen wiki in full-resolution. This forum limits them to 800x600, I think.
    I did follow through on this --- you can see full-resolutions charts on the wiki at these URLs (which are linked from the top page):

  8. #8

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    You're certainly right about the Gotha's grabbing the headlines (and history books). From all accounts, it was a pig to fly, with serious center-of-gravity stability issues.
    The Friedrichshafens and AEGs were used in night raids over the front (and occasionally Paris).
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  9. #9

  10. #10

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    This is amazing work, just so useful.
    Thanks

  11. #11

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    Hi Daryl. A question about the British and French charts please. The scale on the vertical axis - refers to what? Is it percentage of the total aircraft in service at the time?
    I'm assuming the Vertical axis on the German charts show the actual number of aircraft in service.

  12. #12

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    thank you so much for these great charts, Daryl!

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeemagnus View Post
    Hi Daryl. A question about the British and French charts please. The scale on the vertical axis - refers to what? Is it percentage of the total aircraft in service at the time?
    I'm assuming the Vertical axis on the German charts show the actual number of aircraft in service.
    It's the number of "escadrille or squadron equivalents" in my counts. Which isn't the same as "how many units were using this plane?" because I counted a unit with a mix of (say) Nieuport 11s and Neiuport 12s as half an escadrille of each, one with a mix of N11s, N12s, and N16s as a third of an escadrille each type, etc. Put another way, two squadrons, each with a mix of Strutters and Pups, would counted as one "squadron equivalent" of Strutters and one "squadron equivalent" of Pups instead of two for each type.

    And yes the German charts show the actual count of planes in service according to the Frontbestand data.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by ReducedAirFact View Post
    Now for the B and C class two-seaters. (I originally included A-class monoplanes, but it just made a lot of clutter in the bottom of the early months, since there were a lot of manufacturers, all with small numbers. So I left them out.)

    This is the chart that leaves me stunned that Ares hasn't done the D.F.W. C.V.
    Even more amazing as LVG stole DFW's designer and made their own copy of the DFW C.V.

    Thanks for the links to the full resolution charts.
    Last edited by Teaticket; 06-22-2020 at 05:02.

  15. #15

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Teaticket View Post
    Even more amazing as LVG stole DFW's designer and made their own copy of the D.V.
    .
    If there is another two-seater Ares need to make ....

  17. #17

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    So this suggests to me that our major German missings are... (bold are tandems, bold italic Special Packs)

    Roland D.II
    Pfalz D.II
    Albatros C.I (possibly retool C.III?) or C.VII
    DFW C.V
    LVG C.V
    Hannover CL.II

    Friedrichshafen G.III
    Ae 800 balloon (reissue)
    Parseval-Sigsfeld balloon
    Last edited by Diamondback; 06-21-2020 at 21:30.
    Historical Consultant/Researcher, Wings and Sails lines - Unless stated otherwise, all comments are personal opinion only and NOT official Ares policy.
    Wings Checklists: WWI (down Navarre Nieuport, Ares Drachens) | WWII (complete)

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Diamondback View Post
    So this suggests to me that our major German missings are... (bold are tandems, bold italic Special Packs)


    Albatros C.I, C.III or C.VII
    We already have the C.III

    C.III

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stumptonian View Post
    We already have the C.III

    C.III
    Thanks, forgot about that. Since the main difference between C.I and C.III was tailgroup, think just tooling new tailfeathers would do?
    Historical Consultant/Researcher, Wings and Sails lines - Unless stated otherwise, all comments are personal opinion only and NOT official Ares policy.
    Wings Checklists: WWI (down Navarre Nieuport, Ares Drachens) | WWII (complete)

  20. #20

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    Off the top of my head DB the Alb C.I has side radiators, pilot in the back, no front gun so a little more to consider than just the tail group.

    "He is wise who watches"

  21. #21

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    The Albatros C.I "Windsock" has the multiple variations as side radiators (most), later Mercedes leading-edge radiators instead (same as C.III): all have pilot front, observer rear (as does final series Albatros B.I, sometimes armed).
    Options exist for forward gun mounted on the upper wing (fired by observer standing up) - Bergmann, Parabellum, Lewis (!), but majority had none.
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  22. #22

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    Rep-worthy resource dive, Daryl!

  23. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Helmut View Post
    The Albatros C.I "Windsock" has the multiple variations as side radiators (most), later Mercedes leading-edge radiators instead (same as C.III): all have pilot front, observer rear (as does final series Albatros B.I, sometimes armed).
    Options exist for forward gun mounted on the upper wing (fired by observer standing up) - Bergmann, Parabellum, Lewis (!), but majority had none.
    Does that mean B.I and C.I could share a sculpt, with tooled "variant parts" slapped on as needed like Strutter vs Comic? Could probably start from the C.III's CAD model, even though it does mean major retooling that would retain the core engineering and trim costs a bit there.

    Would try the same "What's Glaringly Missing" analysis on the French, but for some reason the charts there make my head hurt.
    Historical Consultant/Researcher, Wings and Sails lines - Unless stated otherwise, all comments are personal opinion only and NOT official Ares policy.
    Wings Checklists: WWI (down Navarre Nieuport, Ares Drachens) | WWII (complete)

  24. #24

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    Brilliant work, rep guns blazing away...

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  25. #25

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    More great info, thanks Daryl, good reference material.

  26. #26

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    awesome!!! great to see these!!!



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