A Fokker for the First

A long while back we ran a series of posts on the 1st Aero Squadron. Today we continue our look at the 1st  with a post-war photo showing one of the most interesting types to be flown by the outfit at any point during its existence.

During the First World War, the Fokker D.VII proved to be one of the most formidable aircraft employed by any nation in that conflict. And one of the stipulations of the armistice agreement after the war was that Germany hand over all examples of the type to the allied nations. The USA acquired more than 140 D.VIIs for evaluation, testing, and training by the Army and Navy, with numerous outfits receiving one or more examples.

One of the aforementioned outfits was the 1st Aero Squadron, and today we present a photo showing one of their D.VIIs in flight over Long Island, New York in July of 1924 with First Lieutenant Eugene Barksdale behind the stick.

Library of Congress

And a closer look...

Library of Congress

Barksdale Field, Louisiana was named after the Lieutenant, who was killed on August 11th, 1926 while spin testing a Douglas O-2 at McCook Field, Ohio.

National Museum of the United States Air Force

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Pincher and the Camel

Today we present a fine photo showing 'Pincher', resident mouser aboard the Royal Navy seaplane carrier HMS Vindex, perched atop the propeller hub of a Sopwith Camel during the Great War.

Enjoy...

 

Imperial War Museum

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Aufgegeben Gotha

Today we bring you a photo showing the last variant of the famous heavy bomber series produced by Gothaer Waggonfabrik AG during the Great War... the Gotha G.Vb.

Once the war had come to an end, a stipulation of the resulting Armistice was that Germany hand over a large number of aircraft to the Allies... about 1700 or so. Among those specified to be surrendered was the Gotha G.V, and apparently a number of the final G.Vbs to come off the assembly line were delivered to the Allies direct from the factory. It is thought that the aircraft shown here is one of these.

Posted by Kees Kort on Flickr

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An Aerdrome in Northern France

Alrighty folks, as stated in the past... your blogmeister loves these crates from the 'Great War', but knows relatively little about them as compared to aircraft from other periods in time. All he knows about this photo is that it is said to have been taken in Northern France during the Spring of 1918 and that it shows three Fokkers D.VII, at least two, possibly three Fokkers Dr.1, and a single Albatros, which looks to be a D.V., maybe.

Anyhoo, the only other thing your blogmeister knows about this photo is that it is dang groovy... enjoy!

Posted by 'Synonymes' on Flickr

A couple'a closer crops...

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Flying Razor From Down Under

Generally we like to present original period photos in this-here cyber rag, but every now and again we come across modern-day stuff that is too groovy not to share.

Here's a few snaps of The Australian Vintage Aviation Society's Fokker D.VIII replica, powered by an original Gnome rotary engine, which flew for the first time earlier this year.

Dave White photo

Dave White photo

Dave White photo

Dave White photo

Dave White photo

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Canadian Fokker

For today's quickie we present this view showing Fokker D.VII 8493/18, one of about twenty of the type to be operated briefly by No.1 Fighter Squadron of the Canadian Air Force during early 1919.

Project 914 Archives

For much more info and several more photos showing Canada's Fokker D.VIIs, take a looksee HERE.


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A Jenny at Langley

In our last installment we shared a few photos showing a Nieuport 17 that was under evaluation at Langley Field during June of 1917. As stated in that previous ish of our little cyber-rag, many a foreign type was given a look by a U.S. Army that had recently been committed to the fight, was pitifully unprepared as regards things aviation, and intent on catching up to the European powers in this area.

Aside from all the foreign types that were put through their paces, a number of domestic designs could also be found at Langley in the Summer of '17... including the ubiquitous Curtiss JN-4 Jenny. And here's a couple'a shots of one such machine. In the first view the aircraft is fitted with an experimental 'Olmstead Propeller', while in the second view it has a standard prop.

Library of Congress

Library of Congress

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