Öffag Ba.253 in yugoslav service

[javier_planells]

Hi guys

Wanted to ask if you happen to have any information on the Öffag D.IIIs used by the Royal Yugoslavian Air Force in the 1920s as un-armed trainers. I have an old Blue Rider decal sheet with 3 yugoslav aircrafts (2 fighters and one trainer) but no information at all, like if they took part in the balkan wars of 1919-20, for how long were they in service and in which units.

Any info would be really welcome, since the Roden decals are very, very brittle and off register and the Blue Rider ones give a choce to finish the kit.

Thanks in advance,

J.

[No.1]

Interesting, I know for Blue Rider decals but never sen them, can you make scan please? Not much is published about the this machines, they are captured samples with additional material build locally to make them in flying condition. I have whole manuscript about the war in 1919 but this is stored somewhere and not possible to locate this in moment (day by day account...)

[Profa]

These planes were captured and used by Ljubljana squadron of newly formed Serbo-Croat-Slovene Kingdom in a "war for northern border", as it is commonly known, i.e. war for southern part of Austria where majority were Slovenes. This happened 1919-1920.
Afterwards planes were used for training until mid-twenties, and today unfortunately not a single original exists in our region...

I had that BR decal set, but don't have any idea where it is lost, although I've bought a Roden kit to pair it with.
As far as I know, these planes were originally series 53, later converted to 253. I'll try and find details that differ...
A nice book is expected from two Slovenian authors on these 1919 happenings, but in talks to one of them I learned that no deadline is set, although we're all pushing them to finish... Guys have their day jobs, and that's the reason everything is moving very slowly

No.1, in attachment is pic of this decal sheet, as taken from hannants

[No.1]

Thanks for images

[Profa]

Here are some pics from old Yugoslav Aeromagazin:
1. Line of Albatros at Ljubljana airfield
2. Airmen of Ljubljanska stotnija (Ljubljana Air Unit) stand in front of their, at that time, sole Albatros D.III
3. Alb. 253 at Ljubljana airfield
4. Unidentified Alb. at Mostar airfield
5. Crash landing of 253.169 in vicinity of Novi sad
6. Sergeant pilot Grgic accident on 23.07.1926. White line marks training airplane.

[Profa]

And some paint schemes from the same magazine...

[Profa]

Of note is that the first one, with death's head, is actually 53.57, converted to 253 style.

[javier_planells]

Hi No.1 and Profa,

sorry for the delay in answering but I just realised yesterday that my e-mail account is bouncing every alert message from the modeling forums I'm in.

Thank you so much for the images and the data, they're great and very useful for finishing the Ba.253. I'm still scratching most of the cockpit, since Roden forgot to add nothing but a seat, stick and rudder pedals. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again, have a great weekend.

Javier

[No.1]

Just enjoy and keep us updated

[Profa]

I would for one suggest Parts PE set, it's marvelous!