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The Albatros D series formed the backbone of the German Jagdstaffelnduring the last two years of the war. From their appearance in the Fall of 1916 until the middle of 1918 they were the most frequently encountered type. Here are six profiles of Albatros D.III and D.V fighters in various markings. In Allied combat reports various colorful descriptions are given of Albatros markings. Artwork is by Chuck Stearns, Bob Pearson, Alan Durkota, and Aaron Weaver.
This Albatros D.III, D 1999/16 was flown by Leutnant der Reserve Heinrich Büssing of Kesta 4b. It is in normal factory finish with the addition of white bordered black band bearing the number 4. Wings were in the standard dark green and reddish brown finish.
Based on a sketch from the excellent article in Vol. 1/3 of Over The Front, this scheme represents the aircraft of Leutnant der Reserve Otto Brauneck of Jasta 11.
This aircraft is the Albatros D.V 2236/17 flown by Leutnant Ludwig Weber of Jasta 3. Wings and rudder are in lozenge fabric while the rest of the aircraft is in standard factory finish.
Leutnant Hans Waldhausen, nicknamed the "Eagle of Lens" flew this aircraft with Jasta 37 in September 1917. He was shot down and made POW in this aircraft. The tailplane bore the unit markings of black and white diagonal stripes while the crescent and star was a personal marking. A larger white bordered black star was painted on the top of the fuselage with one point facing to the rear. The wheels were white with a black stripe, another unit marking of Jasta 37 at this time.
These two aircraft were flown by Max Müller, later to become Max Ritter von Müller following a posthumous award of the Military Max-Joseph Orden. In his letters to his father he stated that he changed the markings of his aircraft every two weeks to confuse the enemy. The red D.V below is based on an interpretation on tonal values. These aircraft bear the yellow tailplane with two chordwise black stripes signifying Jasta 28. The undersurfaces of the red D.V each are marked with a large chordwise "M", probably in black.
Albatros of Jasta 23b. The 'b' signifies that it was a Bavarian unit. This Albatros aircraft represents 2359/17 which was flown by Leutnant der Reserve Otto Hohmuth. Hohmuth was transferred to the unit from Jasta 32b in September 1917 with 2 victories to his credit. He would score 2 more, a French Caudron on December 10, 1917 and an observation balloon on 19 January. He was wounded on March 6, 1918 by an R.E.8 of no. 13 Squadron R.F.C. He landed his machine intact and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner. This profile originally appeared on the rear cover of the Cross & Cockade Journal, vol. 21, no. 3. Chuck Sterns was the artist.
