WW1 German plane trophy

[Beattie-B]

My apologies if this is the wrong area for this as there isn't a dedicated area for ww1 German airforce stuff, please feel free to move.

Today I picked up an interesting First World War trophy of what appears to be the cross belonging to a German airplane. The person selling it wasn't 100% on its authenticity but was honest in saying that it came from an estate sale in the US and the owner was part of the air corps. I was wondering what the experts here think.

I've taken a strand and it's passed the burn test with ease and using a UV light the paint does not glow but the canvas under it does but not consistently. It's my understanding that almost all planes were coated in "dope" for weather protection and that this substance does glow under UV light. Lastly there appears to be natural crazing of the paint some of which can be found with a jewellers loop and some with UV light.

Thank you for any comments or opinions!

[Beattie-B]

overall piece

[Beattie-B]

opposite side with a circle around a possible structure point of the plane?

[Beattie-B]

Some UV light over portions where paint has chipped away revealing the doping and canvas.

[Beattie-B]

Portion where a great deal of paint has come away, whats important to note is the uneven glow from the doping below the paint which leads me to believe the piece is authentic. (note the large amounts of crazing)

[Brian L.]

The problem is that faking one of these would be dead easy.

[Beattie-B]

The problem is that faking one of these would be dead easy.

Thanks bolewts, i'll post a couple reverse photos maybe someone will come up with something more?

[gregM]

I have no idea if it's good or bad. It is such a neat piece I really hope
that it turns out to be the real deal.

[Brian L.]

Thanks bolewts, i'll post a couple reverse photos maybe someone will come up with something more?

To elaborate; the same type of canvas is available because of the reproduction WWI biplanes flown at aero clubs around the world. Painting it, doping it, aging it and putting "strut" marks on the reverse to make it look like it had been cut from a plane would be easy for someone with even a modicum of artistic ability.

[tmca05]

I do not get a warm fuzzy about this one.
None of my originals glow at all.
The dope should only be on the topside. Hard to tell in the attached photos how this one was dropped.