Hi
I am starting to build a 1/72 scale model of a Nieuport and want to do it with the markings of Frederick H Prince Jr of the Lafayette Escadrille, but cannot find any information on the Net re his aircraft number or personal markings. I was wondering if anyone here can Please assist me with this.
My reason is that my name is also Prince (No relation) and I just thought it would be appropriate.
Thanks

Dear William (or Harry), good luck with your modelling project ...

I've just acquired a book about the French Air Service that contains numerous photographs, but unfortunately none of them show your man or his aircraft.

A little info here

http://www.earlyaviators.com/eprince.htm

Pic of the insignia on wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafayette_Escadrille

and some more here - includes a sketch showing position of insignia

here

You might have already had all that, but its a start, will look through some books I have at home to see if I have any pics of Freddies actual Plane

I might have something (no promises though) and I'll try and lift the dust sheets in my library (waiting the return of the builders) when I get home tonight and look.

Sorry I thought I had a photo of Fred Princes's Nieuport (with rockets) but it turned out to be Norman Prince's aircraft.

The photograph of Fred Prince next to a Nieuport 11 at http://www.earlyaviators.com/eprince.htm also appears in Cross & Cockade Journal Vol 2 No 1 of Spring 1961, where the caption indicates that it was taken while Prince was instructing at Pau. I've had a look through various books and journals for a photo of a Nieuport 17 flown by Fred Prince while with N.124, but without success.

I'd say that you can be pretty sure that Prince's machine was doped in overall silver/aluminium, with metal parts in their natural state. The unit insignia in the pre-April 1917 period was the head of a Seminole chief (see below). It was changed to the more familiar Sioux chief after the US declaration of War. See Norman Frank's Nieuport Aces of World War I, ISBN 1 85532 961 1, for a colour drawing of the Nieuport flown by Sgt Raoul Lufbery of N.124.

I hope that this helps you.

Gareth

Many thanks for this help and information. It seems that photos/information on Fred are very hard to find, and as this is the case I guess I will just do a stantard Nieuport of the Lafayette Escadrille, or put my own marking on to signify his aircraft (As well as the Seminole Head) After all who is going to know any different!
I will keep looking and hopeing that some information comes to light.
Thanks again

This is from my favourites. I don't know if it or the links (les liens) are of any use to you. (I haven't searched.)
Escadrille home page
Escadrille page with links

There is a photo of Fred Prince and his Nieuport in the book Lafayette Escadrille Pilot Biographies, by Dennis Gordon. The bbok was published in 1991. See page 154 for the photo.

Detail is the name of the game. Why not paint the pilot in his original Lafayette jacket