Pilots for East Africa in WW1

[Poiter50]

I've ordered the GW GW book from Gripping Beast with the bonus Richtofen vignette which set me to thinking. What would the pilots of the British seaplanes wear when hunting for the Konigsberg and does anyone make suitable figures? What seaplane was it? I read Tip & Run recently but neglected to check to see if Mr Paice mentions the type of plane.

Thanks to a hint from a fellow LAFer, I managed to order a copy of T&R in hardback (together with several Foundry publications at a considerable reduction in price) from Book Depository as I was so impressed with the book that I wanted my own copy and I prefer hardbacks for my collection.

[Plynkes]

The RNAS had two Caudron GIIIs and two Henri Farmans at their disposal during the operations against the Königsberg. I don't know what exact mark of Farman they were.

As far as I know nobody makes kits of these planes, but Special Hobby make a Sopwith Schneider in 1/48th which would do at a pinch if you're not too picky (though you'd need a big table for your cruiser at that scale).

Don't have precise uniform details, but something along the lines of this RFC pilot in the Middle East seems reasonable...


Though the uniform would perhaps have more naval stylings, such as rank bars on the cuffs, like my own RNAS chap:

[Plynkes]

Alternatively, there is a photo in "Tip and Run" of some RNAS types preparing one of the planes for take-off in the water. The uniform of one of them consists of a Wolseley helmet and nothing else at all.

If you painted up one like that that it would make for an interesting talking point when showing your figures to friends. 

[Trencher]

A floatplane version of the Cauron G.3 would look like this. I know that this is the wrong scale...
A French manufacturer, AJP, does a a Caudron G.3 "Hydro" in 1/48. But these kits are expensive and have to be build like the real thing (photoetched framework, Japan paper - very delicate!!!) and so I doubt if they would stand up to the wear and tear of a gaming table. Sadly, their website doesn't work (at least for me...).

[Ray Rivers]

Wow Plynkes...

That's a lovely mini!   

[Helen]

Hi Guys,

Thanks Poly for assisting here. You are right on the mark plus you could thrown in any other chap with a topis as well.

Add in some attachments to the flying suit like a leopard skin around the collar and on the belt and you have a top character.

Have a photo of one such chap in flying outfit attire.

Oops! forgot the aircraft question 

Aircraft:

No4 Expeditionary Squadron RNAS had the following in the hunt for the Konigsberg:
Sopwith Type 807 (serial Nos 920 & 921)
Short Type 81 (serial Nos 119,121 & 122)
Henry Farman F27 (serial Nos 3617 [SA/9] & 3618 [SA/8])
Caudron GIII (serial Nos 3873,3874,3268,3269,3285,3880,3881 & 3882)

Miscellaneous Aircraft - Zanzibar Station:

Curtiss 'F' Flying Boat (Hired at Durban for Konigsberg ops x 2 aircraft. The latter Curtis was used to repair the first Curtis 'F' Flying Boat.

If you want the history of these aircraft and names of the squadron personnel then please let me know. 

I've used the two vols from the "Cross & Cockade"  on RNAS Ops in East Africa 1914-1918 for the above.

[Poiter50]

Thanks Plynkes, Trencher & Helen for such a wealth of info, now I need to hunt up a suitable pilot type, maybe do a head swap and look at an aircraft from the range that helen posted.

Ah, this forum is superb!! 

[WillieB]

Trencher,

try this site. Most of the AJP models are pictured here.
http://www.arcaneloisirs.com/ajp-maquettes.aspx

[Chris Dale]

What about the German plane out there?
http://www.sacktrick.com/igu/germancolonialuniforms/hist%20aircraft.htm

Cheers
Chris