Digital restauration and colorization of soldier's pictures

Paranoid_Womb

Paranoid_Womb

New member
I would like to share with you guys a little project of me and Rui, which involved the restauration and colorization of period original military photography (Imperial Germany).

I just deliver the pictures and part of the info, so all credit for this time-consuming task goes to Rui, who does further research and makes the portraits come to life again. We of course aim to get it as historically correct as possible, as anyone here should be able to appreciate. As I can't rely on my knowlegde, or info on the internet and books alone, we have had help from Marshall V Daut, Tony Schnurr, Brett Butterworth, Thomas Wiktor and Glenn RJ already. Again, much gratitude gentlemen!!!

For the next weeks weeks, I will upload one side by side each week, this in a chronological order as we made/make them. I hope you'll enjoy them.

The first one is a Saxon Ulahn in parade dress:



Some info:

The Tschapka helmet with Feldzeichen features a silver Saxon wappen on a gilt star with gilt chinscales. Note that the helmet is one with parade accountrements, namely the haarbusch and a coloured fabric on the base of the top. On his blue Ulanka with gilt epaulettes featuring their regimental cypher, he's also wearing a Parade-rabbat, an additional section on the chest of this double breasted tunic. The rabbat is in red, as well as the Polish cuffs. He's also wearing a special belt in blue and red, worn by enlisted men during parades. Given the white litzen on the collar and cuffs, he can only be from the Kgl. Sächs. (Royal Saxon) 1. Ulanen-Regt. Kaiser Franz Josef von Österreich, König von Ungarn'' Nr.17. He brougth his Kavalleriedegen 1889 with him and the military issue Faustriemen is nicely visible. On his chest/shoulders is the Ulanenfangschnurr (normally attached to the helmet as well, to secure the helmet to the tunic, so they couldn't lose it during combat) and the Mannschaftbandelier to carry the cavalry ammo pouch.

More period original photography can be found on my photostream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paranoid_womb/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
#2



Some info:

Unused postcard showing a soldier of Rfa501, as evidenced by the oval “501” sleeve patch on his M1915 Feldbluse with guard lace on the collar. Prior to his service with Riesenflugzeug-Abteilung or later Riesenflieger-Abteilung Nr. 501, this man had training at Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung Nr. 1, as indicated by the winged propeller above 1.

On his left is a soldier of an infantry regiment in a pre-war Dunkelblau Waffenrock with Brandenburg cuffs piped in blue. The shoulder straps are red with a yellow cipher for “Infanterie-Regt. König Wilhelm I (6.Württembergisches) Nr.124”. Note the clear Württ. state kokarde on his visored cap, identical to the one worn by the member of Rfa501.

Now let’s get back to this most interesting Rfa501. Operating from Wilna-Porubanok (1916-17), Rfa501 bombarded several troop camps and railway stations in the region. After their service on the Eastern front, they were transferred to Belgium, arriving September 22, 1917. They operated from the aerodrome at St. Denjis-Westrem (Gent) and in 1918, they repositioned 20 km south-east to Scheldewindeke (Oosterzele), south-east of group headquarters at Gontrode. From the Ghent area, they were capable of performing operations in Belgium, France and even Great Brittain! Rfa500, the only other gaint-airplane detachment, was based at Castinne, France, with its primary targets French airfields and ports.

The exploits of Rfa 501 during the Great War are legendary. Between September 28, 1917, and May 20, 1918, 27,190 kg of bombs were dropped during 11 night bombing raids over England. Their targets included the Royal Hospital Chelsea and St Pancras railway station. Aircraft flew individually to their targets on moonlit nights, requesting directional bearings by radio after takeoff, then using the River Thames as a navigational landmark. Missions on the 340-mile (550 km) round trip lasted seven hours. During these missions, not one of the 30 participating Staaken bombers was brought down over England due to enemy action, but two crashed returning to base in the dark. Quite impressive, knowing that 28 Gotha G-bombers (big instead of giant bombers) were shot down over England. In total, Rfa 501 participated in 110 combat missions for the Luftstreitkräfte on the Eastern and Western fronts throughout the war, during which only four R-planes were lost to enemy action.

Rfa 501 had approximately five R-planes at its disposal at any one time. Each aircraft had two Officers and seven men as flight crew, plus a maintenance crew of approximately 20-50 men. These included: mechanics, riggers, fitters, electricians and carpenters. Different types of gaint-airplanes existed, including the Zeppelin-Staaken R.IV. Some details of this model are listed below. The engine installations differed with each aircraft type but generally followed the layout of a single nose engine, usually driving a two-bladed propeller and engine nacelles either side suspended by struts between the mainplanes each housing two engines in tandem, geared to drive single pusher propellers. Construction of the aircraft was almost entirely of wood or plywood with fabric covering, steel detail fittings and struts. The wings were three bay strutted and wire-braced assemblies supporting the engine nacelles, at around mid gap and the single axle main undercarriage units.
 
Lined up this week: Musiker of the "Kaiser Alexander" Garde-Grenadier-Regt. Nr.1 with Miter helmet



Some info:
Small CDV by Atelier Postlep in Berlin providing a very nice - and scarcely met - view of how the men of the 1st Guard Grenadier Regiment "Emperor Alexander" looked like in parade attire. This man in particular is a "Musiker", a regimental musician, as evidenced by the "Schwalbennester" or swallow's nests on the shoulder of his pre-war Dunkelblau Waffenrock. Also note the "Bouillonfransen" or fringes on it, indicating that he had a certain level/skill as a musician, it was worn by Bataillons-Tamboure and Staff-Oboe, although his belt buckle and bayonet knot indicate that he is just a soldier. The Brandenburg cuffs and collar feature Guard lace.

Most striking is of course the Miter helmet, with a large Imperial Eagle in the center of a star, with above that a crown. On top is a "Puschel" or pompon. The first two battalions in the regiment displayed white pompoms with a red center, while the III. Battalion (the Füsilier) was white with a yellow center. For musicians however, the Puschel was supposed to be entirely red, as seen here.
Above the chinscale swivel at the side of the helmet, there is a bursting cannonball, indicating that he is from the I. or II. Battalion. I believe the III. had an eagle there. The company troddel has a white stem, indicating I. Bataillon.
 
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