Help Identify Plane?

G

Geezer Gamer

Guest
Flight Sims are a passion, but family history tie in's to WW1 are also an interest.

My wifes Grandfather was born in Scotland, South Barrwood in Kilsyth and served with the 7th Battalion of the Argylls and fought in WW1. I have his medals including one for "Bravery in the Field" .

My family is primarily German from Westphalia and I had a Great Grandfather who was injured while serving in the Calvary

Looks like I had relatives on both sides of the war.

We ran into two pictures that applied to the era, one of the Zeppelin LZ 127 which likely was taken in the states after the war was over

The second I am at a loss to identify, looks like bomber by its size and with twin motors if you look close. Any help on more details?

Trying to figure whos side it was on and what it is.

WW1Bomber.jpg
 
Well I'm no historian, but you can clearly see the German crosses on the upper wings. I don't suppose that helps if the picture was taken after the war...

-Ben
 
Looking around a bit on the net, I couldn't find anything that looked like this beast. I suppose that's why you asked, but sorry I can't be of any help here.

-Ben
 
Thanks for trying Ben, should have seen the crosses. Maybe this was late WW1 early WWII, will keep digging
 
Unfortunately no on both counts. The Siemens-Schukert has internal engines in the main body with props outboard driven by a chain. The Friedrichshafen is looking very similar, but close inspection of the photo submitted shows that the engines were not in a "pusher" configuration, with the prop on the forward end.

The type of cross shown on the upper wing dates the craft to somewhere between 29 Oct 1916 - 17 Mar 1918, as this was the time where the Eisernes Kreuz with small white border were in use. See http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aircraft-articles/23234-national-markings.html?garpg=4 for an explanation of the German markings in use.

-Ben

Edit: one further thing I noticed, is that it may be that this photo was taken on a beach, considering the consistency of the ground. May have been a naval plane with no floats.
 
I remember seeing pictures of something like this when I was a kid, and was lead to believe at the time it was a captured German bomber that was used in Hollywood in movies like "Wings". Which would certainly explain the clothes that are worn in the picture.

Beard
 
Aha! Im onto it. It is the German bomber from "Hells Angels". It was actually a Sikorsky S29 mail plane. I think It might have had windows in the front at one time. Which could have been taken out and replaced with steel panels. The MG ring was also later mounted on and the whole thing was painted to look like a German Gotha bomber.

If thats your photo and an original thats a pretty amazing find .

-Rooster
 
The original photo showed a guy dressed in knickers which were popular in the 1930s. I wore a corduroy set and they called me, "Whistle Breeches".
The Hells Angels film was refreshing but that Rock and Roll music is not in keeping with WWI aircraft. I haven't seen that film for over 60 years and am surprised how good it was.
 
A modified Sikorsky S29 .... is correct!

Here you go, read more on the plane .... Click Here.

Great movie!

Cheers,
WF2

sik_s-29.jpg
 
Good snoop dog, ROOSTER!
That must be it! Here's another pic from the set of "Hell's Angels".
Cheers; Olham
 
You guys and gals are fantastic!!

In the original post I gave some of my family history related to WW1.

What I left out was my more recent family history.

Both sets of Grandparents lived in Los Angeles in the early 1900's. My grandmother was a seamstress for Columbia pictures and made costumes for Marilyn Monroe, Gene Harlow and others.

The setting does look like the beach and the cloths look much more like film era folks than WW1

You've solved one family mystery!

.....your reward, another snapshot from the same album. LZ 127 ( LZ 126 was the USS Los Angeles, given to the US as part of WW1 reparations, LZ 129...the Hindenburg)

LZ127.jpg
 
This plane at WIKIPEDIA

The Sikorsky S-29-A was an all-metal, twin-engine biplane airliner, first flown in 1924. It was the first aircraft aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky built after coming to the United States, hence the special "-A" suffix signifying "America". The pilot and mechanic sat in an open cockpit between the upper wing and the tail, while up to 16 passengers were accommodated within the streamlined fuselage.
With the airline industry only just emerging in the United States at that time, the S-29 failed to attract the customers that Sikorsky had hoped. It was eventually sold, however, and had a varied career in merchandising, acting (among other rôles) as a flying cigar store.

After being bought by Roscoe Turner in 1929, it appeared in the Hollywood movie Howard Hughes' Hell's Angels, taking the part of a Gotha bomber. The S-29-A crashed during filming and was damaged beyond repair.

NOTE especially the last two lines; Cheers; Olham
 
by the way, my brother noted that both pictures are from the same roll of film, likely the Zep was used in Hell's Angel's too.
 
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