Quoted Text
"Hello Stephen,
My name is Zdenko Bugan and I'm writer for Czech modelling magazine Modelar. At this moment, I'm reviewing the new Wnw kit Pfalz D.XII, and after I have read your great review on aeroscale.co.uk, I have one question for you:
You are writing that machine D.2486/18 which is well know from all publications as a P.Vogel's machine and was salvaged after crash-landind (and later was described in Ministry of Munition report), was one of two Pfalzes sent to USA after armistice? Because if it's true, then it must be that poor plexiglass red Pfalz that is now in Smithsonian's, ain't it? I just wanted to ask you if you have some more information, or if you did some research to history of this machine after the war.
If is this theory right, then this one Pfalz have a very rich history.
But there I some questions that make me doubt
- was this machine repaired before sending to USA after the salvage? I think that after the armistice there were many machines left in good state, so why should Americans take this damaged one. Also the technology of glueing ply layers is a little too complicated to just fix it on the spot.
- could it be the result of wrong interpretation of werknummer (work number) as serial number? This could happen easily.
- isn't this just the typo that started in P.M. Grosz Windsock
Datafile 41 and then was automatically repeated in all other sources? . . ."
". . . I'm really excitingly awaiting your opinion. If the link between Vogel's D.2486/18 and Smithsonian's Red One proves right, I'm planing to write an article about fascinating history of this machine and how historically significant airplane like this one can end in museum with bogus hollywood paint. Thank you for your time. . ."
Zdenko Bugan
Modelar Magazine"
Greetings sir,
First thank you for your concern I will try to answer with your questions. First I will go back to my article Reference #9 in the review you mention.
Pfalz D.XII, "A workhorse in foreign fields" by S. T. Lawson, C&C Intl. Vol. 30, #4, 1999.
I too referenced the Datafile #41. I also knew Pete Grosz and had a phone conversations with him. First it is Pete's research I referenced. He was keen on studying serial numbers and technical details of WWI aircraft. Colours were something he cared little for. Originally the two Pfalz aircraft came from the British capture stores labeled as previously mentioned as "Fokker D.VII" types. As you also mention D.2486/18 was originally in a pretty demolished state. Even so it was used in a British "Ministry of Munitions report" for technical observations.
Both were in flying condition in 1929 and used in the movies but were often just set dressing in the films. D.2486/18 was altered into a 2 seater version with second cockpit opening in the spine. The photos I have from this time (from Pete Grosz) show the fuselage was not in its original factory shape and profile.
The two main owners of these machine after the US govt sold them into private ownership was a Col. Jarrett (who had an aircraft display (farm / museum) in New Jersey. The details are in my article. The person who took to thouroughly restoring D. 2486/18 was a Paramount props manager Buck Kennell. With Jarrett's help it was restored to a single seat aircraft and the fuselage was very close to the original shape.
The numbers thought to be serials 7511 & 7517 were factory werke serials and only one belonged to the Pfalz machines. Jarrett's machine 2848/17 was original 7511. So much of D.2486/18 was restored that most of its record was lost. Jarrett helped Buck Kennell restore his machine so a bogus serial number was applied.
Pete was given a "Fellowship" to the NASM and used this as a tool to further his research. It was he that came up with the original serial from the pertinent documents. This serial first appeared as as a note in Datafile #41 (published 1993) on survivor aircraft. My article was written in 1998 and published in 1999. No questions were posed on this serial then.
Since that time others have seriously questioned the idea. I can't see a whole serial as a typo. Transposed numbers are possible but Pete had the final say on the draft copy of the Datafile in question. Can anyone point out where Pete recanted this? I am not "all knowing" and would be interested in any verifiable info.
Yes, Buck Kennell's (D.2486/18) 7517 was handed over to the EAA in Wisconsin and after nearly seven years was badly handled. They put 1/8" of fibreglass over the whole fuselage. Much of the re-aquired instrumentation was missing. Hence the reason that NASM painted in similar livery as to when it was in is Hollywood heyday. Though I am sure it was black and white not red & white. They also chose to hang it from the ceiling as the cockpit is pretty bare. A any rate we have Peter M. Grosz as the author of the serial number research. By the way, Pete's research & historical documents all went to the German National Museum / Archive at the time of his death.
