Page 58
D.1996/16, Lt. Hans-Georg Edward Lübbert, Jasta 11, La Brayelle, France, March 1917
Lt. Franz Ray, Jasta 28, Varsenare, Belgium, autumn 1917
This attractively colored Albatross D.III was
a personal mount of Edward Lübert during
his service with Jasta 11. According to the
interpretation of the black and white photographs,
the aircraft most likely bore a yellow and blue
fuselage livery, with the order of colors being
reversed on the left and right sides, as well as on
the rudder and vertical stabilizer. However, the
serial number was left unpainted on the wooden
base on both sides. Lübbert was wounded
in combat with this aircraft on March 6, 1917
(shoulder gunshot wound) but managed to land
it and Manfred von Richthofen flew it back to
the unit. The Red Baron also borrowed Lübbert’s
aircraft on March 17 and scored his 27th kill
with it. Less than two weeks later, on March 30,
Lübbert was shot down and killed, but he did
not fly this aircraft on that occasion. It remained
with the unit until May 11, 1917, after which it was
used by Lt. Rudolf Hohberg of FF(A) 263 for photo
reconnaissance purposes. Edward Lübbert was
nicknamed Kugelfang (bullet catcher), as there
was perhaps not a single engagement from which
his aircraft did not bring some sort of damage.
On the D.1996/16 there are patches of shots-
through of the vertical stabilizer clearly visible.
Franz Ray began his career as a fighter pilot
on October 1, 1916, when he joined Jasta 1.
He achieved his first kill on November 23 that year,
then was transferred to Jastaschule 1 in mid-
December, where he remained until mid-January
1917. Subsequently, together with Max von Müller,
he was tasked to form the new Jasta 28w
(w as the Württemberg). Ray did not achieve his
second kill until September 10, 1917, but thereafter
further successes began to rapidly accrue and
on September 23 he became the fighter ace after
achieving his fifth victory. At the end of 1917, Jasta
49, one of the new units formed in response to
the US entry into the war (the so-called “Amerika
Programm”, i.e., doubling the number of Jasta
units from 40 to 80) was established. Franz Ray
became its commander and achieved eight more
kills there, raising his score to a final 17 victories.
He achieved his last one on September 30, 1918,
then was called to Germany in October to test
new aircraft and never returned to the front.
His Albatros D.III he was flying in autumn 1917
had the rear half of the fuselage painted blue-
violet, the upper surface of the upper wing having
a reversed order of camouflage colors compared
to the standard.
INFO Eduard58
January 2024