My favorite ORA plane: 1917 Albatros D.Va!!

[beaky]

This is a mid-70s replica built by Palen and friends; she originally had a period Mercedes engine, but that was soon replaced with a Ranger engine after the crankshaft failed.  Still, it's a wonderful reproduction; a symphony in steel, plywood, and canvas. This type of fighter was also one of the most popular and successful of WWI... despite his association with the Fokker Dr.1, Von Richtofen, the "Red Baron," scored most of his many kills in Albatros airplanes, and was killed in one.
Here she is on the flight line, pre-show.


This high-zoom shot shows off the simple starter mechanism of such an aircraft...



Here she is trundling along in preparation for takeoff into the wind.



Seemed that every time these planes were aloft, the light went all to hell. but this is a nice view of the sinister silhouette of a prowling bird of prey... this beast makes a great sound in passing, also, because that wood monocoque fuselage resonates with the engine vibrations.


An excellent landing, especially with no forward view to speak of!

[Craig.]

Looks like your really getting a hang of the new camera:) cool little plane

[Hagar]

Now I'm really jealous.

Von Richtofen, the "Red Baron," scored most of his many kills in Albatros airplanes, and was killed in one

No. He was killed in the Dr.1.

[beaky]

No. He was killed in the Dr.1.

My bad. He was shot down  in an Albatros (by an FE2D gunner, just checked)... but not killed. Seems unlikely a bullet  from the ground would penetrate that wooden tub so easily, anyway... T

[Joe_D]

Yup, that would be my favorite at
Rhinebeck also.

Seeing all your great pics really increasd my anticipation for my planned

[Sytse]

hehe that thing looks mean.

Just for your information:

Apparantly Von Richthoffen was killed by some gunner on the ground. They investigated it in Discovery channel's 'unsolved history'. So he wasn't shot down by another pilot. He was hit in the side of his chest and the bullet came out sideways on the other end (the thing rotated 90 degrees inside his body, because of the weight at the back end) suffering from this fatal injury, he still managed to put his plane down, but he died in his plane standing on the ground.
Looking at the direction/angle of the bullet, they could tell it had been fired from the ground.