Testing Time
oil on linen, 18" x 18.5"

(private collection)

The Beobachter of the sleek and elegant Albatros C.XII(OAW) C1200/17 looks over the cockpit side during a qualification test flight. As was normal for most back seaters, he was not strapped in with a belt or harness during large portions of most missions. This aircraft was the first OAW C.XII built and was used as a typenprüfung or test-type for OAW production of 100 C.XII aircraft. The OAW C.XII were plagued by weight gain during their production, which seriously compromised their performance.
(Caption from Windsock Datafiles)

Testing Time is featured as the cover for Windsock Datafiles 129 - The Albatros CXII, vol. 2