This piece was found folded up in a book at an old fashioned auction house by a friend in Australia. Obviously collected by some Digger. Very good condition, kept out of sunlight. Has written on the back “a piece of German…” Happy to match up to a pantone colour chart if anybody wants this type of information. Photo with vertical tape measure is outside view, with some form of clear, yellowing dope flaking off in places. Photo with horizontal tape is back view.
Would be interested to provide feed back on what type of aircraft wore this pattern.
Thank you.
By: skyskooter - 16th August 2013 at 22:31
Fabulous find. Looking forward to expert comments.
By: slicer - 16th August 2013 at 12:01
Brings back fond memories of Old Warden’s LVG CVI….
By: powerandpassion - 16th August 2013 at 11:57
Pantone colours for this piece are :
Purple 2622U
Green 3165U
Blue 3025U
Pink 703U
Yellow 130U
This fabric is screen printed on coarse cloth with threads showing, so the colours seem washed out by 30% white thread.
I understand the dope was purposefully yellowed to tone down the bright primary colours rather than being yellowed by age.
I understand that this disruptive camoflague was not so much intended to blend with the background but to disrupt the regular shape of the fuselage to make fast, accurate sighting more difficult. Leading artists of the Dada school were engaged to create disruptive patterns for battleships and aircraft, no doubt hauled from absinthe and tobacco reeking Berlin dives to assist the Imperial German war effort. I always thought these patterns were painted on in the field but the mechanical printing seems to imply an organised approach. I am now setting up a screen based on this material around the computer so my loved ones cannot see me on keyforum and direct me to other tasks such as cleaning the gutters…
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June 5, 2013 at 12:42 pm