I guess I'll throw out an afternoon clue to hold you guys until the AM..

What Warbird do I describe?
Clues:

1. This airplane is little know today but was considered to be a great success and would be the basis for 3 other Warbirds.
2. The Warbird in question had two variants.
3. The designer was world renown for aircraft design and dabbled in private transportation for a short time.
4. In spite of it's success only about 180 of the original design were built.
5. Only one famous Ace ever flew it and it was his primary fighter.
6. The original design was flown by two countries one licensing the design after the war ended.
7. Future versions would be flown by up to 7 countries.

Clue time! I hear a lot of crickets out there is anyone reading these clues?

What Warbird do I describe?
Clues:

1. This airplane is little know today but was considered to be a great success and would be the basis for 3 other Warbirds.
2. The Warbird in question had two variants.
3. The designer was world renown for aircraft design and dabbled in private transportation for a short time.
4. In spite of it's success only about 180 of the original design were built.
5. Only one famous Ace ever flew it and it was his primary fighter.
6. The original design was flown by two countries one licensing the design after the war ended.
7. Future versions would be flown by up to 7 countries.
8. This airplane and the first one it was based on were both biplanes the other two airplanes based on this design were monoplanes.

One more clue!
What Warbird do I describe?
Clues:

1. This airplane is little know today but was considered to be a great success and would be the basis for 3 other Warbirds.
2. The Warbird in question had two variants.
3. The designer was world renown for aircraft design and dabbled in private transportation for a short time.
4. In spite of it's success only about 180 of the original design were built.
5. Only one famous Ace ever flew it and it was his primary fighter.
6. The original design was flown by two countries one licensing the design after the war ended.
7. Future versions would be flown by up to 7 countries.
8. This airplane and the first one it was based on were both biplanes the other two airplanes based on this design were monoplanes.
9. This Warbird had an unusual rudder design.

Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 The upside down rudder was the clue if I'm right

Hinkle designed this plane

I think you nailed it, elmshoot; but I think he is actually looking for the earlier Hansa-Brandenburg W.12, which was the biplane, based on the original KDW, which was developed into the monoplane W.29. I'm just cleaning up your guess, not trying to preempt you. Thanks; Ernie P.


The Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 was a German biplane fighter floatplane of World War I. It was a development of Ernst Heinkel's previous KDW, adding a rear cockpit for an observer/gunner, and had an unusual inverted tailfin/rudder (which instead of standing up from the fuselage, hung below it) in order to give an uninterrupted field of fire.

The W.12s (under the Naval designation C3MG) served on the Western Front, based at the Naval air bases at Ostend and Zeebrugge. The aircraft had some success, and one shot down the British airship C.27.

In April 1918, a W.12 made an emergency landing in the neutral territory of the Netherlands, where it was interned and flight tested by the Dutch. In 1919 the government of the Netherlands bought a licence to build the aircraft. 35 W.12s were subsequently manufactured by the Van Berkel company of Rotterdam as the W-A, serving with the Dutch Naval Air Service until 1933.

Elmshoot, Ernie is right I was looking for the earlier W.12 model however; I still consider your answer to be close enough to be the winner! If you look at aircraft carrying the Hansa-Brandenburg name they were all variances of the same airplane. I figured the Maxford clue would give it away but there weren't a lot of clues left for such an obscure airplane.

Now for the bonus question Who won the lone Blue Max winner who flew the W.12 and what was his most unusual "kill"?

Since I have the info near at hand, I'll save elmshoot the trouble. Most unusual? How about an airship and a submarine captain? Thanks; Ernie P.


Friedrich Christiansen (12 December 1879 – 3 December 1972) was a World War I German seaplane ace who claimed shooting down twenty planes and an airship; thirteen of those victories were confirmed. During World War II, he was the commander of the German Wehrmacht in the Netherlands.

In August 1914, Christiansen was called up and posted to Zeebrugge as Naval Aviator. He flew Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 seaplanes over the North Sea, the English Channel, and Britain. For his bombing missions on Dover and Ramsgate, he was awarded the Iron Cross Class 2.

From 1915 to 1916, Christiansen went on numerous reconnaissance and bombing missions, helping to make his unit at Zeebrugge one of the most successful in the German Naval Air Service. On 27 April 1916, as Leutnant der Matrosen Artillerie (Lieutenant of Naval Artillery,)Christiansen was awarded the Iron Cross Class 1 and Knights Cross with Swords of the House Order of Hohenzollern.

Christiansen claimed his first air-to-air victory 15 May 1917 by shooting down a Sopwith Pup off Dover. On 1 Sept 1917 he took command of Naval Air Station at Zeebrugge, and being promoted to Oberleutnant, shot down a Porte FB2 Baby off Felixstowe the same day. On the 11 December 1917 he shot down the non-rigid coastal class airship C-27, Cdr. Flight Lieutenant John Francis Dixon, DSC, near the Belgian coast.

Christiansen continued to carry out reconnaissance, rescue, and bombing missions, such that by December 1917, he had completed 440 missions, including shooting down Airship C27. At this time he was also awarded the Pour le Mérite ("Blue Max"), the first of only three given to naval aviators and the only one to a seaplane pilot. He was promoted to Kapitänleutnant in 1918.

On 15 February 1918 Christiansen shot down a Curtiss H12B flying boat off Felixstowe, followed by 2 more on 24 April and 25 April. In June he claimed three more Felixstowe F2As. On 6 July he surprised and damaged British submarine HMS C25 in the Thames estuary, killing its captain and five crewmen (the submarine reached harbour). By November 11, 1918, he raised his personal tally to 13, as well as some shared victories, which cumulatively may have brought his total to 21.

But you left out all the interesting stuff like being Goring second in command and his conviction for war crimes! ;)

You're up Elmshoot!

I almost listed both planes since I wasnt sure the question the W-12 was the dirivative that came before the W-29.
I always wanted to build a model of this odd duck.

I really don't have anything to post. I will yield the floor to any lurkers that want a crack at posting clues

Sparky

I'd like to see a new poster take this opportunity. But, if no one else steps up by tomorrow PM, I'll post a question. How about it guys? There has to be a lurker out there who hasn't posted a question; or at least one who hasn't posted a question lately. The floor is open, so first one to respond has the floor. Thanks; Ernie P.

I was surprised Maxford USA put out an ARF of the W-29 ut it is a good but odd looking airplane. I guess Heinkel didn't trust the gunner not to blow the rudder off.

It wasn't so much to keep the gunner from blowing off his own tail. Simple stops prevented that. It was to offer a better field of fire for the gunner. Thanks; Ernie P.

Any new posters want to take a crack at leading the parade? Then you had best post your question soon! Thanks; Ernie P.

I might be able to come up with something if no one else does soon

Sir; if no one else posts by this evening, please do so. Thanks; Ernie P.

Give it a go Hydro, I'll bet you come up with a great question!

Okay, since you all insist:
Looking for a plane in this case:
1) This warbird never saw combat before being phased out of service
2) This warbird had the smallest crew ever used for a plane of its size
Good Luck

B-47?

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ON THE FIRST TWO CLUES NO LESS?????????????????
You know what this means, YOU'RE UP AL!!!!!!!!!!!

Good job, Sir; Ernie P.

OK, here we go again.

Looking for the name of an airplane.

1. A somewhat-modified civilian plane.

2. The modifications to make this airplane suitable for military use were mostly to the fuselage.