Information
\nMany thanks to Detlev Mahlo who kindly supplied the following information:
\nThe photography is a rare aerial view of the airfield of the famous Jasta 2 (later: Jasta Boelcke) at Lagnicourt,which I had never seen before in such detail and quality. The photograph should be of some historical value for researchers and historians about WW1 air war.
\nIn the lower right angle of two roads entering the village, you can spot the tents, which the Jasta (Jagdstaffel = fighter squadron) used for maintenance and covering of their aircraft. Near the road that goes to the bottom of the photo, we see a curved row of Albatros D.I or D.II scouts – the new fighter which regained air superiority for the Another Albatros can be seen a little further down and right – maybe just starting or landing. In the tent area we also find 3 Albatros.
\nJasta 2 had its airfield at Lagnicourt from 22 September – 4 December 1916. It was commanded by Germany’s top scoring ace at that time: Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke. The date the photo was taken lies only 5 days before Boelcke’s death – he died in a flying accident on 28 October 1916. (Source: “The Jasta Pilots” and “Above the Lines”, both Norman Franks & Frank Bailey, Grub Street, London).
\nIt is most likely, that this aerial photography was made to trace and locate the Jasta’s home field, as Jasta 2 was the most notorious fighter squadron of that time. (Boelcke alone had at this time shot down 38 enemy air-craft. Manfred von Richthofen was flying under Boelcke there, before he later became commander of his own Jagdstaffel 11).
\nI had made a detailed description of what the photo shows, in a forum of flight simulation. I know that is not a scientific or historical environment, but it may explain the detail a bit better.
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