Author Topic: Lozenge fabric panel  (Read 3662 times)

Offline petero

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Lozenge fabric panel
« on: August 15, 2018, 01:30:38 AM »
I saw this lozenge fabric panel on Antiques Roadshow:

https://www.pbs.org/video/antiques-roadshow-appraisal-wwi-german-aircraft-fabric-fragment-ca-1918/

It looks like there are rib tapes on it, so I presume it's from a wing.

Peter

Offline Dave in Dubai

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2018, 05:38:33 PM »
Any chance you could post a screen capture or two please and a brief narrative?

Unfortunately I cannot access the video link over here in this region.


Online lcarroll

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2018, 11:05:57 PM »
    Thanks for posting this Peter. It appears to be a very well preserved example, nice color definition. Interesting that the commentator states it's from a fuselage; given it's lower pattern and has very clearly visible lozenge rib tapes it's likely from a wing position. So, $6-7,000 US Dollars ......... lovely trophy but that's a lot of Kits!
Cheers,
Lance

Offline petero

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2018, 11:07:26 PM »
Happy to oblige, Dave!





The appraiser didn't seem particularly knowledgeable about it. Two remarks that stand out are that Lozenge camo "came out late in WW1", and that the Germans "used it across a number of different aircraft". He said there's no way to tell what type of aircraft it came from. He said that smaller swatches are fairly common, but that large pieces with "complete cross insignias" are rare. He valued it at $5,000-$6,000.

I'm certainly not a lozenge expert, but I would think this must have come from the fuselage, since the cross doesn't seem large enough for a wing. There's also a stitched seam, so the item may be displayed sideways. I also note that the lozenge pattern is mismatched across the seam. Could this indicate a field repair, or late-war manufacturing?


Offline sobrien

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2018, 12:51:08 AM »
To me it looks like a piece of fabric from the bottom of the wing judging by the colors in the fabric. Were any wings that small in width?

Offline jamieg

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2018, 02:56:32 AM »

>To me it looks like a piece of fabric from the bottom of the wing judging by the colors in the fabric. Were any wings that small in width?<

It has rib tapes so it is from a wing, not a fuselage for certain. Could it be from the lower wing of an Albatros D.V?


Online lcarroll

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2018, 03:26:36 AM »

>To me it looks like a piece of fabric from the bottom of the wing judging by the colors in the fabric. Were any wings that small in width?<

It has rib tapes so it is from a wing, not a fuselage for certain. Could it be from the lower wing of an Albatros D.V?

    That was my guess as well. A quick measurement of the Data File 3 Views indicates the D.III, D.V, and D.Va lower wing chords as roughly 3 feet 6 inches to 3 feet 9 inches which looks about right in the photos. The colors are definitely lower pattern and the tapes are very clearly presented. Lovely piece of history!
Cheers,
Lance

Offline Doug Mace

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2018, 11:07:48 AM »
I say it's an LVG.
"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes"  -   Oscar Wilde

Offline mike in calif

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2018, 03:19:53 AM »
My initial thought was an Albie, given the rough size, and orientation of the tapes, as well as the obvious lower pattern.
My reckoning would be that an LVG would have a wider wing just by virtue of being a 2 seater. Perhaps a Seimens -schukert has a similar wing in chord?

Offline Rob_Owens

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Re: Lozenge fabric panel
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2019, 03:29:21 AM »
Everything I've seen says the S-S D.III lower wings were covered span-wise by a single "full bolt" due to their narrow chord.