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A piece of five color irregular polygon "lozenge" undersurface fabric removed from Pfalz D.XII No. 2690/18 when
restored by Jean Salis in 1952. The piece measures approximately 29" x 7". The fabric is shown by itself at left. At right is Dan-San
Abbott’s Five Color Polygon Pattern on which Mr. Abbott has located and colored-in this piece. Mr. Abbott notes that the small strip
of five color upper fabric at the top end of the photo is from the leading edge of the wing where the darker upper surface fabric
meets the lighter undersurface fabric. Along the lower left edge of the photo, one can see the remains of rib tape. The hole is
the front strut hole. Mr. Abbott notes that its location in relationship to the rib tape suggests that this piece is from the undersurface
of the left upper wing “in plane with the interplane struts” and that the
grayish ruby (12D5) reinforcing patch next to the front
strut hole is “to protect the undersurface fabric when adjusting and fitting the front flying wire.” The oriental blue (22D5) patch
in the lower left corner alongside the rib tape is “a protective strip for the fabric when adjusting and fitting the rear flying
wire.” The photo immediately below shows the location of the
fabric on the aircraft. No. 2690/18 has been part of the collection of the Müsee de l'Air et de l'Espace in Paris since the First World War. The
photo at lower right is of this specific plane ex-factory. |
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