Pride of Boelcke, Richthofen Wing 50th, Zeppelin Commemoration

[egbert]

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke", this special art Tornado commemorates Oswald Boelcke in his Fokker D III

[David Filsell]

Bet the pilot can't shoot the prop off that one! But did Boelke ever fly a Fokker D3, , he died in an eindecker.

[Cnock]

Hi,

Boelcke died in an Albatros DII, thus the biplane on the Tornado's tail is correct.

Cnock

[Adrian Roberts]

Bet the pilot can't shoot the prop off that one! But did Boelke ever fly a Fokker D3, , he died in an eindecker

The Germans preserved Boelcke's Fokker DIII (or was it a DII?) in the Deutsch Luftfahrtsammlung (Air Museum), along with MvR's Albatross DV. Unfortunately they were destroyed by Allied bombing in WW2, along with the DoX flying boat and many other historic exhibits.

It was Immelmann (among many others) who died in an Eindecker and allegedly shot off his prop (we've debated this one before!)

I wonder if the present-day Luftwaffe are more interested in their past than the RAF ! I don't see a Mannock or a Gibson squadron in the RAF.

[Russell Smith]

Boelcke flew many different types - Eindekkers, the Fokker DIII and the Albatros DII (in which he died).

Love the tail flash. A great tribute to an outstanding aviator.

russ

[David Filsell]

Thanks for the correction, brain fade!!

[Jonathan Saunders]

I wonder if the present-day Luftwaffe are more interested in their past than the RAF ! I don't see a Mannock or a Gibson squadron in the RAF.

Adrian,

I expect you know but in case this has passed you by, there is a Mannock Sqn in the ATC. This is at Wellingborough, Cambs, where Mannock spent some of his early adulthood.

Regards,

Jonathan S

[Adrian Roberts]

Adrian,

I expect you know but in case this has passed you by, there is a Mannock Sqn in the ATC. This is at Wellingborough, Cambs, where Mannock spent some of his early adulthood.

Jonathon

Thanks, I didn't know that actually. My comment about the RAF's lack of interest comes from hearing a leading Cross&Cockade member saying how difficult it was to interest them in the Society.

However, the RAF's VC10 transports, some of which are still in service, were named after VC recipients, including McCudden and Mannock

Adrian

[Jonathan Saunders]

Thanks, I didn't know that actually. My comment about the RAF's lack of interest comes from hearing a leading Cross&Cockade member saying how difficult it was to interest them in the Society.

Hi Adrian,

As I now know there are some very decent people among the London Branch of C&C but around March of this year I did email C&C International via their website and ask if any commemorations were being held to mark the 90th anniversary of McCudden's death - I had no reply whatsoever.

Also I visited McCudden's grave twice (morning and early afternoon) on this 9 July and there was nothing to suggest anyone had visited from C&C to leave so much as a poppy.

McCudden was arguably the greatest Scout pilot of his generation yet a significant anniversary of his death is ignored by the very Society that should be working hard to improve his modern profile and memory. If you're in regular contact with this leading C&C member you might like to give him some feedback on the disappointment I felt in this regard.

Regards,

Jonathan S

[RobL]

Definitely wouldn't say the RAF lack interest in their own history - off topic, but they've repainted a BAe Hawk of 19 Squadron (the first Squadron to fly Spitfire's) in dark earth and green camouflage, complete with yellow '19' on the tail, so in the same markings as a pre-WW2 Spitfire, and looks beautiful

[SiegeGunner]

Definitely wouldn't say the RAF lack interest in their own history - off topic, but they've repainted a BAe Hawk of 19 Squadron (the first Squadron to fly Spitfire's) in dark earth and green camouflage, complete with yellow '19' on the tail, so in the same markings as a pre-WW2 Spitfire, and looks beautiful

Any photos?

[RobL]

Quite a few on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=19%20squad...0hawk&w=all

[SiegeGunner]

Thanks, Rob – it does indeed look the business, as, of course, does the Boelcke Tornado.

[Adrian Roberts]

Hi Adrian,

As I now know there are some very decent people among the London Branch of C&C but around March of this year I did email C&C International via their website and ask if any commemorations were being held to mark the 90th anniversary of McCudden's death - I had no reply whatsoever.

Jonathan S

Jonathan

I'll send you a PM on this, this evening

Adrian

[Jonathan Saunders]

Adrian - thanks.

[Cnock]

Oswald Boelcke,

who established the tactics of air combat and became the father of the German fighting airforce.

Cnock

[egbert]

Eddie, do you want to pull the thread back to its original subject?

(Photo is courtesy of http://www.jetjournal-galerie.net)

[egbert]

...and lots of more photos of 43+65 here

[egbert]

Pride of Boelcke in flight here. The last one is great art work from the port side

[Cnock]

Hi Egbert,

nice pics, thanks for sharing

Cnock

[Cnock]

Oswald Boelcke

Cnock

[egbert]

Excellent group picture. Do you know who are the other chaps?

[Cnock]

Egbert,

I don't know

Cnoc

[Cnock]

also look here :

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Zone/4914/dicta.htm

Cnock

[egbert]

Nice link, thanx Cnock