Flying under false colours

[Rockdoc]

I know that captured planes were sometimes pressed into service but thought they were repainted with the markings of their new owners. However, I've come across a short-lived order of April 1918 that suggests there was a problem with attempts at deception by the Central Powers, in the Salonika Theatre at least. The AA Sections were told that, from a certain date, all British planes would fly a four-foot streamer from the rudder and that any plane carrying British markings without a streamer should be immediately engaged. The order was rescinded only a few days later and it isn't hard to imagine what the streamer might have done to the handling of the planes but there must have been a reason for it, although I haven't found any reference to a mismarked aircraft in the Diaries.

Anyone else come across anything like this?

Keith

[centurion]

It might have been the result of an unexplained incident rather than an actual case of an enemy aircraft caught with Allied markings.

The writer of the war diary quoted below for example obviously suspected something of this nature

 

 

[Rockdoc]

It must have been something like that but I've not found anything in the AA Section Diaries to suggest it had happened and you might have expected at least one of them to have picked up on a British plane behaving oddly. There was a good-enough system available for AA Sections to be able to query unidentified planes with Allied air forces and still engage them if necessary so it's a bit of a curiosity.

I expect it didn't do much for the aircraft handling and it only lasted from 17.14 on 13th April 1918 to midnight on 21st/22nd April. Perhaps the positive identification was not adequately balancing the loss in manoeuvrability?

Keith

[centurion]

Streamers were often used as an ID but usually of rank etc eg a flight leader might fly streamers (but most often from the wings) they were fairly narrow and might not have affected flight characteristics that much.

[Rockdoc]

I knew that streamers were used on aircraft and I believe that some were used on struts to indicate the relative speed of the aeroplane before speed indicators were available. A small streamer on a wing obviously didn't affect a plane's performance because, as you say, many planes flew with them but a four-foot streamer on the tail? It had to be big enough to be seen clearly from 15,000 feet for the AA gunners' benefit, which is why I wonder how much of an effect they might have had. By April 1918 British and French planes were regularly duelling with enemy aircraft and even a small alteration in the way a plane handled might make a life-and-death difference in combat.

Who knows but, if the order only lasted a week, I don't think it could have been a complete success.

Keith

[centurion]

I knew that streamers were used on aircraft and I believe that some were used on struts to indicate the relative speed of the aeroplane before speed indicators were available. A small streamer on a wing obviously didn't affect a plane's performance because, as you say, many planes flew with them but a four-foot streamer on the tail? It had to be big enough to be seen clearly from 15,000 feet for the AA gunners' benefit, which is why I wonder how much of an effect they might have had. By April 1918 British and French planes were regularly duelling with enemy aircraft and even a small alteration in the way a plane handled might make a life-and-death difference in combat.

Who knows but, if the order only lasted a week, I don't think it could have been a complete success.

Keith

Four feet was about standard for a flight commander's streamers. Many RFC and RAF fighters would have had streamers. A streamer on the tail would probably not be attached to the rudder. Streamers were also used by the Germans - for example the first contact patrol aircraft used streamers to ID themselves to the infantry. I think (but am willing to stand corrected) that the movement of the coloured streamer was one thing that made it visible.

[Rockdoc]

The wording of the order recorded in 73rd's Diary is:

Until further orders all British machines will fly 4 foot streamers on rudder. Machines with British colours without streamers as above should be engaged."

Whether this was done or enterprising RAF fitters complied with the spirit of the order and attached the streamers somewhere on the rear of the aircraft is anyone's guess unless a photo happens to turn up.

Keith

[Rockdoc]

I think I may have found at least one reason why British planes needed to be readily identifiable in 91st AAS's Diary for 23rd May, 1918. At the time, 91st 'A' Sub was at a position East of Fusilier Ridge (1726/1704 - Orljak 1/50000 map):

23.44 Hostile plane dropped bombs & approached 'A' Sub position. Only seen for moment. Fired 11 rounds in short bursts in direction of sounds at height estimated. Plane turned several times, fired two white lights & apparently came down near our lines. It was believed that it must have been hit. Plane was a captured British 'Armstrong-Whitworth'.

Even if it were marked properly, its outline would be very confusing to Allied troops and it's likely that the plane gave the Germans some success. It's interesting, though, that the decision to dispense with the streamers took place before this plane was brought down.

Keith

[fetubi]

Keith,

I must admit I'm fascinated by this - a captured FK8 being deployed by the enemy in night bombing! In mid 1918. I've not heard of anything like this before, and I suspect whether there were streamers or not it would have been difficult for those on the ground to make sense of what they were shooting at.

Great bit of research.

Trevor

[centurion]

Keith,

I must admit I'm fascinated by this - a captured FK8 being deployed by the enemy in night bombing! In mid 1918. I've not heard of anything like this before, and I suspect whether there were streamers or not it would have been difficult for those on the ground to make sense of what they were shooting at.

Great bit of research.

Trevor

It could have been an FK3 (little Ack) as these were also deployed operationally in this theatre (and in the bomber role) and were so right up to October 1918

[Rockdoc]

Trevor, this is proving a fascinating bit of work for me and it's leading me towards more work as I find little snippets like this. I'm basically a genealogist, researching my Grandfather's service, but I found I couldn't just stick with 99th's Diary. There was too much to be missed by not looking at the British AA gunnery in Salonika as a whole.

One of the things I'll need to get a handle on after my initial transcriptions are finished are the Central Powers machines and their postings (is that the right word?) around this time. Up to the early part of 1918, the majority of plane movements took place on XIIth Corps' Front (Doiran area) with much less happening along the Struma. The situation by May 1918 is quite the reverse, with far more flights over the Struma than ever before. The XIIth Corps AA Sections are not even seeing planes on the majority of days while 95th Section and 98th Section's A Sub were moved to the Struma from LoC to help out 74th and 91st Sections. 98th's B Sub had been moved earlier, btw, and was near the aerodrome at Lahana.

It's just struck me that the A-W was being flown in the dark and very late at night. Night flying doesn't appear to have been very common in Salonika so the immediate question is why would they do it with a strange machine? I'm guessing that this meant the Sections would have to rely on other senses so the engine note would be taken for a friendly plane, the (presumably) German markings would be invisible and that if the plane flew against the moon, say, its outline would confuse for those vital few moments. Its use in daylight would be a different story as there were quite a few OPs and the like on the Struma front taking note of aircraft movements and a "British" plane coming from the enemy lines might just have given the game away.

Keith

[fetubi]

Keith, Despite saying I'd not heard of "anything like this" I think I've found the aircraft involved! (following that jog from Centurion):

12th February 1917:

6219 A.W.FK3 47Sqn

** seen going North DEMIR HISODA ftl "EoL" MIA(2Lt AC Stopher POW) ["AW 6219" forced to land sDEMIRHISAR 12.2.17] a’c captured and believed to be used by Bulgarian forces for 42 night bombing raids until the 23rd of June 1918 when shot up from the ground and forced to land

Looks my entry should probably be .. until 23 May!

I've kept adding numerous bits to Sky Their Battlefield - this is an example. How I came to think of 6219 is that there is a frankly hilarious set of photos associated with Stopher's capture, which I was lucky enough to come across in the RAF Museum last year, contained in a Bulgarian aviator's album. These show a positively beaming RFC pilot - Stopher - relaxed and leaning on his prop, as though he had just got his Wings! Then there's a superb side-on of 6219 - and best of all - a view of a section of a Bulgarian airfield, hills, a few tents, and Stopher's FK3 sat there, and in front of it a large table where about 30 or 40 Bulgarians are sitting drinking and feasting - celebrating the capture of the machine no doubt. You can't see him, but I suspect I know who their guest of honour was!

Can I ask you to confirm your date please, given the contradiction of sources (problem with my source for this is that I've got no easy way of knowing where I dug this up from - though it clearly seems to have been spot-on, apart possibly the date.

Regards,

Trevor

[Rockdoc]

Thanks, Trevor! So it was an FK3 rather than an FK8 and it can be identified precisely. Yet again the Forum leaves me open-mouthed.

I can confirm the date as being May 1918. I've uploaded the appropriate page from 91st AA Section's Diary to Photbucket so if you click on the following thumbnail you'll see it. The entry is about half way down the page. If you'd like a copy of the original image, drop me a PM with your email address.

Keith

[Rockdoc]

And Googling for the plane led me to this coloured drawing of the very one, in her Bulgarian colours.

http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/o/423/236/0/1

Keith

[centurion]

Keith, Despite saying I'd not heard of "anything like this" I think I've found the aircraft involved! (following that jog from Centurion):

12th February 1917:

6219 A.W.FK3 47Sqn

** seen going North DEMIR HISODA ftl "EoL" MIA(2Lt AC Stopher POW) ["AW 6219" forced to land sDEMIRHISAR 12.2.17] a’c captured and believed to be used by Bulgarian forces for 42 night bombing raids until the 23rd of June 1918 when shot up from the ground and forced to land

Looks my entry should probably be .. until 23 May!

I've kept adding numerous bits to Sky Their Battlefield - this is an example. How I came to think of 6219 is that there is a frankly hilarious set of photos associated with Stopher's capture, which I was lucky enough to come across in the RAF Museum last year, contained in a Bulgarian aviator's album. These show a positively beaming RFC pilot - Stopher - relaxed and leaning on his prop, as though he had just got his Wings! Then there's a superb side-on of 6219 - and best of all - a view of a section of a Bulgarian airfield, hills, a few tents, and Stopher's FK3 sat there, and in front of it a large table where about 30 or 40 Bulgarians are sitting drinking and feasting - celebrating the capture of the machine no doubt. You can't see him, but I suspect I know who their guest of honour was!

At this stage in the war the Little Ack was being flown as a single seat bomber which would make it a sitting duck if tackled by a fighter in daylight (which might explain how Stropher was forced down and would account for the Bulgarians using it for night raids). This has kicked some memory cells back into life. Many years ago I spoke with a Salonika Veteran who recounted how a single Bulgarian aircraft used to make regular nuisance night raids on the British Camps depriving everyone of their sleep (rather like the sewing machine bombers of WW2). One consequence was that many men used to leave their tents and kip out in the open thus increasing the incidence of malaria. Wonder if this was the aircraft in question. Doesn't explain the streamer issue though and would sispect that this was caused by something else.

[fetubi]

Keith,

Thanks for confirming the date. I can see it on the image you've provided.

I think I got the mention of this machine having been used on bombing raids after capture out of the Windsock Mini-Datafile on the FK3 by Jack Bruce. I'll try and confirm this some time.

Regards,

Trevor

[apwright]

You might have this already, but from Heydemarck's War Flying in Macedonia, Chapter XII (tr. C.W.Sykes):

[my emphasis!]

The nearest to our hearts were, naturally, the Bulgarian airmen belonging to the sections commanded by Popkristeff and Bogdanoff. Two of their officers accomplished a real cavalryman's feat when they managed to recross the English trenches after a forced landing behind the enemy's lines. The following is their actual report:

REPORT

on flying operations in night hours of May 23rd-24th, 1918. Orders: to bomb and attack with machine-gun fire English establishments in the area between Gümüsdere and Lake Takhino.

Operations: 25-kg bombs in Gümüsdere Valley, 12.5-kg on Kopriva station, 12.5 on the station to the north of Dragitshevo, 25-kg on Orljak camp. Attacked camps and stations between Orljak and Lake Takhino with machine-gun fire, descending to 400 metres over Gorasanli station and illuminating objective with star shells.

On the return flight one cylinder failed, and then the engine went dead. Nevertheless, we succeeded in landing on marshy ground on the flooded left bank of the Struma, where our machine was half submerged in the morass.

We broke up the machine and its gun, and strewed all the parts in the water. We refrained from burning the machine (an English two-seater captured at Demirhissar) for the following reasons:

1. It was completely unserviceable.

2. It was impossible to salve it.

3. The flames would have drawn the attention of the enemy to our presence, so that it would have been impossible for us to make our way back through the marsh and thick bush.

With guidance from our compass we marched in a north-east direction during the night and slunk through the cordon of enemy pickets at dawn, reaching our own outposts about 12 (noon).

Lieut. Usunoff, Pilot.

Lieut. Pop Atasanoff, Observer.

of the Bulgarian Flying Section 1.

He goes on to mention another Bulgarian, Lt Balan, who "had the cockades of a captured Nieuport painted out and replaced by crosses", but "did not achieve the desired victory in this machine".

Adrian

[centurion]

The Bulgarians had two other British aircraft besides the Little Ack already mentioned elsewhere. The Bulgarians had converted completely to night operations since the begining of 1918 so markings were probably not a particular issue. The raid described sounds very much like a typical nuisance raid - small number of bombs and some mg fire over a number of targets ensuring a sleepless night for the maximum number of people.

[Rockdoc]

Thanks, Adrian. It's interesting how the British and Bulgarian reports dovetail with slight differences. 91st A Sub sound as if they were reasonably sure they'd caused it to come down. They may have done, I suppose, if a Shrapnel ball hit the engine that failed but the crew don't mention AA fire. "Fired two white lights" is presumably a reference to what the Bulgarians call star shells.

As Centurion says, it couldn't have been more than a nuisance mission. Gumusdere to Lake Tahinos is quite an area and dropping one or two bombs at a time isn't likely to do that much, beyond wake everyone up and make them run to the trenches and dugouts.

Keith

[centurion]

The night time nuisance raid was a technique considerably expanded in WW2 on a number of fronts using obsolete and or training aircraft (eg Po2, various brands of Dh Moth). These were often referred to as Sewing Machine Bombers. Indeed so much disruption was caused that other ancient aircraft were converted into night fighters to counter them. Thus the Avro 504 is probably the only type to have seen service as both a bomber and a fighter in both world wars. Greece was probably the first place it happened with Avro 504s ( K and N) being used for night time raids against the Italians

[Rockdoc]

Last night I went to the Midlands East WFA meting to hear the talk Ghosts of the Somme. We saw the official film of the Battle and one of the most striking things was the state of the German troops being brought in. Even though they had been safe from the deadly effects of the shelling in their dug-outs, here were men absolutely at the end of their tether after a week of constant noise. Based on that, it isn't hard to see that regular nuisance raids could cause a lot of damage to morale, even if the material effects were quite limited.

Keith