D.F.W. C.V

[Jacek]

Aircraft manufactured in 1917 ,  factories Aviatik.
Engine Mercedes  Bz.IV
Aviation Museum Krakow

[Ernie]

Very good pictures, Jacek. Thank you!

Cheers,
Ernie

[uncletony]

Thanks Jacek!

(this is definitely a subject WNW should cover... DFW C.V was built and served in huge numbers...)

[Nigel Jackson]

Thank you Jacek. These are very interesting photos.

Please forgive the dumb question, but do you (or anybody else) know why the two front cylinders have bands of red around them?

Best wishes
Nigel

[Jacek]

No, it's not a stupid question. I'm sorry but I do not know the answer to your question.
Maybe someone knows? !

[uncletony]

Thank you Jacek. These are very interesting photos.

Please forgive the dumb question, but do you (or anybody else) know why the two front cylinders have bands of red around them?

Best wishes
Nigel

(it's all 6 cylinders with red band, , actually)
Denotes an overcompressed motor optimized for high altitude operation, and that cannot be operated at full throttle below something like 1500m.

[Nigel Jackson]

Many thanks Bob,

So is it just a visual reminder for the ground and aircrew (and a paint/tape job?) or it is something which contributes to the optimization?

Best wishes
Nigel

[uncletony]

Yup, just paint, but they say if you paint your car red it goes faster, sooooo.... 

[uncletony]

I started to question whether my info on the red bands is actual fact or supposition, so I did some googling. This thread -- among several others on the 'drome on the subject --  goes to the point:

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aircraft/46312-one-last-fokker-dvii-mercedes-diii-question-5.html

bottom line; the red band likely meant a field modification (presumably upgraded compression etc) or factory built over compressed, but it is not at all clear (at last to me) whether the practice and/or the meaning was universal.

It seems like a lot of modern restorations and display motors are sporting red bands because it looks cool (a TVAL Alby D.Va's Merc D.IIIa has them and as such is probably spurious); the same goes for the white serial numerals. Lesson: check your original sources before relying on museum restorations and replicas -- however well-intentioned they often are fraught with errors.