‘Taube’ as generic description for German planes

[Gustywinds]

I’ve been reading the diaries of Laurence Cadbury, the chef of SSA13 of the Friends’ Ambulance Unit in Dunkirk and, in talking about bombing raids he refers to the German plane as ‘Taubes’. Now there was a plane called the Taube https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etrich_Taube but it was prewar and only used for a few months into it so seems unlikely he would be seeing them in the time I am reading (mid 1915 on).

Did Taube becaome a generic name like Hoover? 

[Dolphin]

Yes, certainly in the early years of the war.  Another generic term was 'Aviatik' - the name of a form of German aeroplane builders, but also used to describe any German aeroplane in 1915-1916.  

 

If you read accounts written by Allied personnel in Palestine, you will see that even as late as 1917, all German aeroplanes were termed 'Taubes'.

 

Gareth

[Nick Beale]

The British war artist C.R.W. Nevinson's painting "The Taube" does not show the aircraft but a victim of bombing so it looks like he was using the term generically. He also painted "Sweeping Down on a Taube", "Pursuing A Taube" and "Taube Pursued by Commander Samson". Look closely enough at that last one and the Taube's distinctive wing planform is visible at the bottom left.

[Gustywinds]

17 minutes ago, Nick Beale said:

The British war artist C.R.W. Nevinson's painting "The Taube" does not show the aircraft but a victim of bombing so it looks like he was using the term generically. He also painted "Sweeping Down on a Taube", "Pursuing A Taube" and "Taube Pursued by Commander Samson". Look closely enough at that last one and the Taube's distinctive wing planform is visible at the bottom left.

 

That first painting is very striking and heart rending.

The last is clearly missdescribed on Wikipedia as the pursuing plane is not a Camel and it could not have been in 1915. Bristol Scout perhaps?

[quemerford]

The Taube was copied by many manufacturers aside from Etrich - and I'm sure they were in use during 1915, so the term would have been appropriate.

[Dolphin]

5 hours ago, Gustywinds said:

 

That first painting is very striking and heart rending.

The last is clearly missdescribed on Wikipedia as the pursuing plane is not a Camel and it could not have been in 1915. Bristol Scout perhaps?

I think it's more likely a poor interpretation of a Nieuport 10 or 12.

 

Gareth

[sdparker]

Hello,

V- shaped wing struts, and overwing lewis gun make the aeroplane likely to be a Nieuport Scout 10 or 12

as Gareth has suggested

Regards

Geoff

[Gibbo]

According to Aces and Aircraft of World War I by Christopher Campbell, Samson flew a Nieuport X during the Gallopoli campaign.

[nils d]

When the Gothas bombed London in 1917 the press called them "TAUBES"