Hello All
I wasn't sure where to post this and trust that Des will relocate it if necessary.
The Independent, a UK daily newspaper, today reports that an interesting auction will take place at Bonhams in New York on Wednesday. Apparently, the lots include a statement made by Lieutenant Donald Fraser, an intelligence officer with the 11th Australian infantry brigade, about the shooting down of Richthofen and photographs taken by him of the wreckage. Reportedly, he states,
"I congratulated Sergeant Popkin on his successful shoot but afterwards found out that two AA Lewis Guns … had also fired at this plane when it was directly over my head,"
"(They) probably assisted in sealing the fate of this airman as he apparently flew right into their lines of fire.
"However, I am strongly of opinion that he was first hit by Sergeant Popkin's shooting as he was unsteady from the moment of that first burst of fire."
Fascinated, I went to the Bonhams site. The overall auction is devoted to Conflicts of the 20th Century and scattered amongst the lots are a number related to the Great War in the air, although sometimes the catalogue description reveals some limitations. In addition to various items of flying costume and uniform I also found the following as I skimmed through the hundreds of lots. I should state that I have no connection with either Bonhams or any of the lots and that in the notes I have broadly used their words.
Each of the following lots is shown by photo on their website.
154 British RFC coat, gloves and helmets.
155 RFC Warren safety flying helmet and goggles
156 RFC souvenirs including a section of German aircraft fabric and two flèchette darts
158 British airship propeller
190 US Navy Curtiss floatplane aviators life vest
197 Rare aircraft insignia from the first US owned aircraft flown by Americans in World War 1, the Dorland Ar.1, 1st Aero Squadron...
198 93rd Aero Squadron "Screaming Indian" nose art art panel 1918
200 Standard JR.1 aircraft wheel, 1918
204 Imperial German Naval Aviation: 5 hatbands, with Iron Cross, wound badge and rank insignia 1914-18
205 Imperial German Air Force silver mess presentation tankard to Alton Foerck air gunner 3 August 1918
206 World War 1 aviation medals: 3 aviation ace and Austrian service medals
207 Pour le Merite Blue Max medal awarded to German flying ace Robert Ritter con Greim 8 October 1918
209 German flyer's leather jacket
210 Baron von Richthofen aircraft skin section with insignia (?)
211 Baron von Richthofen collection including plane fabric sections, coffin splinter, contemporary accounts and period photos (Is this the lot mentioned in the newspaper report?)
212 Diary and photograph of Gunner F. R. Seaton detailing Baron Richthofen crash (Or is it this one?)
213 Canvas fragment from German Fokker D.VII (F)
214 A German Iron Cross insignia (sic). A fabric skin from a downed German aircraft 1916-18 (sic)
215 German aircraft skin. A section with the Balkan cross taken from a Fokker Aircraft 1914-16 (sic).
216 German Jagdstaffel aircraft fabric and data plate 1916-18 (sic)
217 Scrapbook recording downed German aircraft with fabric samples 1914-18
This last, handwritten item looks very interesting. On the page shown, the author writes that it is a copy of a Type description Report which he wrote at the time. Under the date heading September 1917 it notes "the type as one of the new Triplane scouts, with the serial 103/07, brought down as a total wreck by a flight of SE5s. It goes on to add that "The type features a new attempt by the enemy at camouflage. The entire upper and side surfaces are doped a greenish grey. This colour taking the form of streaks at various angles. The under surfaces are a light greyish blue. The fabric itself is of good quality but the dope is somewhat inferior to usual."
Please forgive the length of the post but I thought it of interest. Of course, I have no idea as to the provenance of the said items.
Best wishes
Nigel
