Hello Mob and Friends,

I thought i'd share a few photo's of my grandfather.

He was a flight instructer in Germany in the early 1900's.He was a self taught mechanic, and pilot.

The photo in the field.This was the first plane he built with his friend dated 1912.He is in the cockpit and his friend is standing by the propeller.The story behind this is at the time they did not know how to fly.So they went to Berlin to find a pilot who did.The pilot took it up and crashed and died.They rebuilt it and At that point my grand dad said i"ll take it up and he did.He was now a pilot.A true Barnstormer.

It looks at first to be an Fokker Eindecker with no skin but they were not in military service till around 1915.I believe its a Taube Albatross 1 or "Dove" or it my just be a hybred .

The other photo is him with his students.

I wish i could post more pic but im very limited here,mb wise you no.

In a day or so ill wipe out my file attachments and post some more.

I hope you enjoy them.

"The Mechanic"

Take care

Great Pictures! Your GF sounds like a one wild guy! Is that where you got your name or are you a mechanic also?

Great pictures

Thanks Snot Rocket and Rommel,Here are a couple more pis's.

I came up with my name "The Mechanic" from the movie "The Mechanic",staring Charles Bronson.A great movie about an ageing hitman.His specialty was blowing up the contracted individual.I enjoy shareing that trait,you know blowing things up!!Anyway you should rent the movie its very good.And the ending very unexpected..

Pic 1 Dated 1920,Grandfather was an airport manager in Cottbus Germany.He was also directed to destroy all airplanes and supplies under observation of Entente personel.

Here he is standing infront of a Albetros D-3.The Albetros D-3 Sported an inline 6 cilinder 175 hp engine,could reach speeds to about 110 mph,a ceiling of 18,000 ft,and had a gross weight of about a ton..This plane however had its draw backs.The V strut wing design did not hold up very well to high speed dives or turns and had a tendency to twist the lower wing cracking it or breaking it off altogther.The RED BARRON experienced that very problem first hand when he was given his first D-3.After landing and close inspection he noticed the lower wing seperation from the body of the plane.A very scarey prospect at 10,000 ft,in the heat of battle would"nt you say?

My mom said,every so often my grand dad would come home and say"well we lost another trainee" due to that very problem..

Pic 2 Dated 1920.

This here is the only mishap or crash granddad ever had due to low oil psi and engine defect.He stands in the suit to the far left,and the guy with the ax on his sholder was the owner of the land where he crashed,he sued granddad for about 3 dollars for knocking his trees down..

Hope you enjoy..