TEl

T H E R I C H T H O F E N F A M I L Y H E R I T A G E

R e i c h t a u c h d e r S t a m m b a u m n i c h t i n s g r a u e A l t e r t u m ,

1 s t ' s d e n n o c h e i n g a r a l t e s , w a c k e r e s G e s c h l e c h t ;

C h r i s t a l l h e l l , u n g e t r i l b t b l i e b s e i n e s N a m e n s R u h m ,

H o c h h i e l t e s s t e t s d i e W a h r h e i t , E h r e u n d d a s R e c h t .

T r e u s e i n e r V i i t e r B r a u c h , f r o m m , t a p f e r , b r a v u n d s c h l i c h t ,

H a t G o t t e s g n i i d ' g e H u l d v o r S c h a d e n e s b e w a h r t .

o w a n k a u c h f i l r d e r n i c h t v o m P f a d d e r C h r i s t e n p f l i c h t ,

F i l h r d e i n e n N a m e n s t o l z n a c h e c h t e r R i t t e r a r t !

E s b l i l h e m i i c h t i g d i e s G e s c h l e c h t , d e r E h r e B i l d ,

N i e f a l l ' e i n S c h a t t e n a u f s e i n W a p p e n s c h i l d !

R e a c h i n g b a c k n o t i n t o g r e y a n t i q u i t y , t h e f a m i l y t r e e

I s n e v e r t h e l e s s o f a n i n d e e d o l d a n d w o r t h y l i n e a g e ;

C r y s t a l - c l e a r , u n c l o u d e d r e m a i n s t h e g l o r y o f i t s n a m e ,

H e l d h i g h f o r a l l t i m e i n t r u t h , h o n o u r a n d j u s t i c e .

T r u e t o a n c e s t r a l w a y s , d e v o u t , b r a v e , h o n e s t a n d m o d e s t ,

H a s b y G o d ' s g r a c i o u s f a v o u r b e e n p r o t e c t e d f r o m h a r m .

O h , w a v e r n o t f r o m t h e p a t h o f C h r i s t i a n d u t y ,

F u r t h e r y o u r n a m e p r o u d l y i n t h e m a n n e r o f t r u e k n i g h t s !

E v e n a s t h e l i n e a g e f l o w e r s h e a r t i l y , t h e v e r y p i c t u r e o f h o n o u r ,

N e v e r s h a l l a s h a d o w f a l l u p o n t h i s n o b l e e s c u t c h e o n !

V e r s e s t h a t s e r v e a s t h e m o t t o o f t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e R i c h t h o f e n

f a m i l y , c o m p o s e d b y t h e G e r m a n e n v o y , E m i l F r e i h e r r v o n

R i c h t h o f e n , w h o d i e d i n 1 8 9 5 . N e w t r a n s l a t i o n b y P e t e r I < i l d u f f

a n d n e w r e n d e r i n g o f t h e R i c h t h o f e n c r e s t b y G r e g V a n W y n g a r d e n .

RED BAROThe Life and Times of

Manfred von Richthofen

PETER I{ILDUFF

,..

ARMS ANDARMOUR

T h i s b o o k i s d e d i c a t e d t o F a l k H a l l e n s l e b e n ,

w h o h a s w o r k e d w i t h s i n g u l a r d e v o t i o n t o p r e s e r v e

t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e R i c h t h o f e n G e s c h w a d e r

f r o m i t s b e g i n n i n g t o t h e p r e s e n t .

A r m s a n d A r m o u r

A n I m p r i n t o f t h e C a s s e l l G r o u p

W e l l i n g t o n H o u s e , 1 2 5 S t r a n d ,

L o n d o n W C 2 R O B B

P e t e r I < i l d u f f , 1 9 9 9

A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . N o p a r t o f t h i s b o o k m a y b e

r e p r o d u c e d o r t r a n s m i t t e d i n a n y f o r m o r b y a n y

m e a n s e l e c t r o n i c o r m e c h a n i c a l i n c l u d i n g p h o t o -

c o p y i n g r e c o r d i n g o r a n y i n f o r m a t i o n s t o r a g e a n d

r e t r i e v a l s y s t e m w i t h o u t p e r m i s s i o n i n w r i t i n g

f r o m t h e P u b l i s h e r .

F i r s t p u b l i s h e d 1 9 9 9

B r i t i s h L i b r a r y C a t a l o g u i n g - i n - P u b l i c a t i o n D a t a :

a c a t a l o g u e r e c o r d f o r t h i s b o o l < i s a v a i l a b l e f r o m

t h e B r i t i s h L i b r a r y

I S B N 1 - 8 5 4 0 9 - 4 1 4 - 9

D i s t r i b u t e d i n t h e U S A b y S t e r l i n g P u b l i s h i n g C o .

I n c . , 3 8 7 P a r l < A v e n u e S o u t h , N e w Y o r l < ,

N Y 1 0 0 1 6 - 8 8 1 0 .

D e s i g n e d a n d e d i t e d b y D A G P u b l i c a t i o n s L t d .

D e s i g n e d b y D a v i d G i b b o n s ; e d i t e d b y M i c h a e l

B o x a l l ; l a y o u t b y A n t h o n y A . E v a n s ; p r i n t e d a n d

b o u n d i n G r e a t B r i t a i n .

A l s o b y P e t e r I ( i l d u f f

T h e R e d B a r o n

T h a t ' s M y B l o o d y P l a n e

G e r m a n y ' s L a s t K n i g h t o f t h e A i r

U S C a r r i e r s a t W a r

A - 4 S k y h a w k

G e r m a n y ' s F i r s t A i r F o r c e 1 9 1 4 - 1 9 1 8

R i c h t h o f e n - B e y o n d t h e L e g e n d o f t h e R e d B a r o n

O v e r t h e B a t t l e f r o n t s

T h e R e d B a r o n C o m b a t W i n g

Foreword 6Introduction 7

1 The Legend Begins 102 One Eagle Falls, Another Rises 25

3 Bloody April and Beyond 414 A Commander of Steel-Hard Will 59

5 Frail Mortality 766. A Flyer Through and Through 92

7. The Last Patrol 111

Appendix I People Associated 129with Richthofen

Appendix II Jagdgeschwader 141Richthofen Pilot Rosters

Notes 150Bibliography 155

Index 157

6I t i s q u i t e r e m a r k a b l e t h a t m y u n c l e M a n f r e d w a s

r e m e m b e r e d b y t h e p r e s e n t - d a y J a g d g e s c h w a d e r

R i c h t h o f e n i n W i t t m u n d , E a s t F r i s i a , o n 2 1 A p r i l 1 9 9 8 ,

t h e 8 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y o f h i s d e a t h . A l a r g e d e l e g a t i o n

f r o m t h e p r e s e n t G e s c h w a d e r a s s e m b l e d i n t h e

W i t t m u n d m a r k e t s q u a r e . T h e L u f t w a f f e M u s i c C o r p s

p r o v i d e d m u s i c a l a c c o m p a n i m e n t . M a n y h u n d r e d s o f

c i t i z e n s g a t h e r e d , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e s o l d i e r s , i n o r d e r t o

r e m e m b e r t h i s a i r f o r c e o f f i c e r o f t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r .

T h i s e v e n t f o l l o w e d b y s o m e y e a r s - a n d o n l y a f t e r

l e n g t h y n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h t h e t h e n G e r m a n D e m o c -

r a t i c R e p u b l i c r e g i m e - t h e s u c c e s s o f m y f a t h e r ,

B o l k o F r e i h e r r v o n R i c h t h o f e n , i n h a v i n g M a n f r e d ' s

g r a v e , h i s m o r t a l r e m a i n s a n d t h e m e m o r i a l s t o n e

b r o u g h t t o W i e s b a d e n f o r a f i t t i n g i n t e r m e n t i n 1 9 7 6 .

H i s g r a v e i n t h e I n v a l i d e n f r i e d h o f ( C e m e t e r y f o r t h e

D i s a b l e d ) i n E a s t B e r l i n h a d b e e n c o m p l e t e l y

n e g l e c t e d . I t h a d n o t b e e n p o s s i b l e t o c a r e f o r t h e

g r a v e b e c a u s e t h e c e m e t e r y h a d b e e n l o c a t e d w i t h i n

a n o f f - l i m i t s a r e a o f t h e G D R ' s i n t r a - G e r m a n b o r d e r .

M y g r a n d m o t h e r , I ( u n i g u n d e F r e i f r a u v o n

R i c h t h o f e n , d i e d i n 1 9 6 2 a n d s h e w a s b u r i e d i n W i e s -

b a d e n . F o l l o w i n g h e r e s c a p e f r o m t h e f a m i l y h o m e i n

S c h w e i d n i t z , S i l e s i a , s h e h a d f o u n d a n e w h o m e t h e r e

a n d l i v e d f o r s o m e t i m e w i t h h e r d a u g h t e r l I s e v o n

R e i b n i t z ( n e e R i c h t h o f e n ) . A l a r g e g r a v e s i t e w a s

a c q u i r e d f o r t h e m o r t a l r e m a i n s o f m y g r a n d m o t h e r , m y

u n c l e M a n f r e d , m y a u n t l I s e a n d m y f a t h e r B o l k o , w h o

w a s M a n f r e d ' s y o u n g e s t b r o t h e r . A f t e r m y u n c l e w a s r e -

i n t e r r e d i n W i e s b a d e n , m y f a t h e r d o n a t e d t h e I n v a l i -

d e n f r i e d h o f m e m o r i a l s t o n e t o t h e G e s c h w a d e r i n

W i t t m u n d , w h e r e i t n o w o c c u p i e s a p l a c e o f h o n o u r .

I n c i d e n t a l l y , B o l k o , w h o w a s t h e o n l y f a m i l y

m e m b e r n o t t o b e c o m e a p r o f e s s i o n a l s o l d i e r , b u t a

s u c c e s s f u l b u s i n e s s m a n , a l s o h o n o u r e d t h e f a m i l y

t r a d i t i o n a n d m a i n t a i n e d t i e s t o a c t i v e d u t y p i l o t s . F o r

t h i s h e r e c e i v e d h o n o u r s f r o m t h e R o y a l C a n a d i a n A i r

F o r c e , w a s a w a r d e d t h e t i t l e ' H o n o r a r y C o m m a n d e r '

b y t h e A m e r i c a n s , a n d w a s a l w a y s a w e l c o m e g u e s t

w i t h N A T O a i r u n i t s . M y f a t h e r a t t e m p t e d t o r e c l a i m

f o r t h e f a m i l y t h e R i c h t h o f e n M u s e u m i n S c h w e i d -

n i t z , a c o l l e c t i o n o f ' R e d B a r o n ' m e m e n t o e s , w h i c h

h a d b e e n c a r r i e d o f f b y t h e R u s s i a n s d u r i n g t h e

c o n q u e s t o f S i l e s i a . W e k n o w t h a t t h e c o n t e n t s o f t h e

m u s e u m w e r e t a l { e n t o M o s c o w . T h e f o r m e r S o v i e t

r e g i m e e m p l o y e d d e l a y i n g t a c t i c s i n r e p l y i n g t o l e t t e r s

t o J o s e f S t a l i n f r o m m y g r a n d m o t h e r a n d f a t h e r ,

r e q u e s t i n g t h e r e t u r n o f a f e w p e r s o n a l m e m o r a b i l i a

o f t h e f a m o u s s o n s . T o d a y m y f a m i l y i s s t i l l t r y i n g t o

o b t a i n t h e s e f r o m t h e c u r r e n t R u s s i a n g o v e r n m e n t .

I t i s s o m e w h a t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t n e w p h o t o g r a p h s o f

m y u n c l e ' s l i f e a s a p i l o t c o n t i n u e t o s u r f a c e . T h e y

i n c l u d e d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f h i s b u r i a l a t t h e I n v a l i -

d e n f r i e d h o f a n d c o u n t l e s s p h o t o g r a p h s t a k e n b y

m a n y m e n , w o m e n a n d y o u n g p e o p l e d u r i n g h i s

a p p e a r a n c e s a t s c h o o l s , h o s p i t a l s a n d n u r s i n g

h o m e s . E v e n t h e k e e p e r s o f t h e T r a d i t i o n R o o m a t

J a g d g e s c h w a d e r R i c h t h o f e n c o n t i n u e t o r e c e i v e m a i l

e v e r y m o n t h f r o m a r o u n d t h e w o r l d c o n c e r n i n g t h e

' R e d B a r o n ' p h e n o m e n o n .

T h i s b o o k b e a r s i m p r e s s i v e w i t n e s s t o t h e f a c t

t h a t , t h a n l { s t o p h o t o g r a p h y , w h i c h h a s u n d e r g o n e

s u c h l i g h t n i n g - s w i f t d e v e l o p m e n t d u r i n g t h e 2 0 t h

c e n t u r y , w e a r e a b l e t o s e e n e w a s p e c t s o f h i s t o r i c

p e r s o n a l i t i e s a n d e v e n t s . T h r o u g h m a n y p r e v i o u s l y

u n k n o w n p h o t o g r a p h s t h i s b o o k p r e s e n t s a n e w a n d

m o r e e x t e n s i v e i n s i g h t i n t o t h e l i f e o f R i t t m e i s t e r

M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n , a s w e l l a s p r o v i d i n g

d r a m a t i c g l i m p s e s o f t h e w o r l d o f e a r l y a v i a t i o n .

M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n

B e r l i n , G e r m a n y , M a y 1 9 9 8

Of all the aviation heroes of the First World War,Manfred von Richthofen has gained a special placein the history of that era. First and foremost, theyoung nobleman - a hereditary Freiherr (Baron) -evoked a modern image of a gallant aristocratassuming the combat leadership role that went withhis rank in society. His fulfilment of noblesse obligecame when Rittmeister (Cavalry Captain) vonRichthofen became the war's top-scoring fighterpilot. He shot down 80 enemy aircraft.

The second reason for his lasting fame is thatManfred von Richthofen was a bold and fearlessaerial combatant, a capable and charismatic leaderwho earned the trust of his superiors and had analmost mystical ability to inspire his men to emulatehis bravery and achievements. He was the star pupilof the great airfighter Haupt-mann (Army Captain) OswaldBoelcke and went on tocommand his own Jagdstaffel(Fighter Aircraft Section) andthen to lead Germany's firstJagdgeschwader (Fighter AirWing).

Third, Manfred vonRichthofen became and remainsa character of 20th-centurymass communication media; hehad a natural ability to lool{good for still or motion picturecameras and had personalcharm to impress journalistsand other civilians who methim. Athletic and handsome,Manfred von Richthofenprojected what is now called

'star quality', an important asset to the German mili-tary administration that needed to cultivate popularheroes to reinforce public support for a protractedand debilitating war.

To affirm the correctness of its own role infurthering the air hero's image, the German presseagerly reprinted a neutral newspaper's report whichmirrored their own impressions. A Dutch journalistwho visited Richthofen at the Front in early May1917 found him to be '... a young man of at most 25years of age, with bright blue eyes that revealed agood nature and a cheerful smile.

'What could he really tell me? [That he hadJ-~flown for only a short time. He'd had~ood luck. TheGerman aeroplanes now in use are not inferior to theFrench and British [aircraft]. Also the German pilots

7

I N T R O D U C T I O N

a r e n o t l a c k i n g i n b o l d n e s s .

A n d t h a t h i s G e s c h w a d e r h a d

j u s t b e e n e s p e c i a l l y l u c k y - i t

h a d b r o u g h t d o w n 1 4 0

e n e m i e s , w h i l e o n l y t w o

m e m b e r s o f h i s S t a f f e l h a d n o t

r e t u r n e d - a n d , R i c h t h o f e n

h i m s e l f w r o t e , o n t h e w h o l e ,

t h e G e r m a n f l y e r s w e r e b e t t e r

m a r k s m e n . B u t a l l h a d h i g h

r e g a r d f o r t h e B r i t i s h f l e r s ,

( w h o w e r e ) c o u r a g e o u s f e l -

l o w s a n d t o u g h s p o r t s m e n

w h o , f o r a l l t h a t , r e g a r d e d

f l y i n g n o t o n l y a s a s p o r t , b u t

a l s o a s a s c i e n c e . A s o p p o -

n e n t s , t h e y a r e t o b e t a k e n m o r e s e r i o u s l y t h a n t h e

F r e n c h , w h o , t o b e s u r e , d i d n o t l a c k c o u r a g e a n d

c o n f i d e n c e , b u t w h o c o u n t e d t o o m u c h o n t h e i r

e l e g a n t f i g h t i n g s t y l e .

' T h e y o u n g R i t t m e i s t e r t o l d a l l a b o u t i t w i t h o u t

b o a s t i n g . A m a n w h o i n h u n d r e d s o f a e r i a l e n g a g e -

m e n t s h a d c o m e t o k n o w m o r t a l d a n g e r i s i n d e e d

f u l l y c o n s c i o u s o f h i s g l o r y ; h e l { n o w s , h o w e v e r , t h a t

t h e f a t a l m o m e n t t h a t d i d n o t s p a r e B o e l c k e a n d

I m m e l m a n n c a n a l s o c o m e f o r h i m . H e w h o m u s t

s t a n d r e a d y , n i g h t a n d d a y , t o u n d e r t a k e t h e

d a n g e r o u s h a z a r d s o f w a r , a s y o u n g a n d f a m o u s a s h e

m a y b e , h a s n o s y m p a t h y f o r b o a s t i n g . H i s n e r v e s a r e

l i k e t h e b r a c i n g w i r e s o f h i s a e r o p l a n e , s t u r d y a n d

8

e v e r t a u t . H i s j a w r e m a i n s f i r m , h i s a p p e a r a n c e

c a l m . ' l

T h e s a m e p u b l i c m o o d t h a t e m b r a c e d t h e w a r t i m e

i m a g e o f M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n l a t e r a c c e p t e d t h e

p o r t r a y a l o f F i r s t W o r l d W a r a e r i a l c o m b a t s c r e a t e d

i n t h e p h o t o g r a p h s o f t h e C o c k b u r n - L a n g e C o l l e c -

t i o n , o n t h e p r e c e d i n g p a g e a n d b e l o w l e f t . D e s p i t e

t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f a c t u a l a i r - t o - a i r p h o t o g r a p h s , s u c h

a s t h e o n e a b o v e a n d o n t h e f o l l o w i n g p a g e s , t h e

C o c k b u r n - L a n g e p h o t o s w e r e n o t p r o v e d t o b e

f r a u d u l e n t u n t i l s o m e 7 0 y e a r s a f t e r t h e w a r .

2

T h e

p h o t o g r a p h i c i m a g e s o f M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n a r e

g e n u i n e , b u t t h e y a l s o m e r i t c l o s e r e x a m i n a t i o n b y

t h e m o d e r n w o r l d .

W h i l e g a t h e r i n g m a t e r i a l f o r a t r a n s l a t i o n o f

M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n ' s m e m o i r s , a b i o g r a p h y a n d

a n o p e r a t i o n a l h i s t o r y o f t h e a i r w i n g h e l e d , t h e

a u t h o r h a s v i e w e d t h o u s a n d s o f p h o t o g r a p h s

p e r t a i n i n g t o t h e ' R e d B a r o n ' a n d h i s e r a . T h e

p r e s e n t w o r k p r e s e n t s n e w l y f o u n d m a t e r i a l a n d

i n f o r m a t i o n n o t u s e d i n m y p r e v i o u s b o o k s a n d t e l l s

m o r e o f t h e s t o r y w i t h s o m e o f t h e m e d i a t h a t u s e d ,

a n d w e r e s k i l f u l l y u s e d b y , R i c h t h o f e n .

T h i s b o o l { w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n p o s s i b l e

w i t h o u t h e l p f r o m f r i e n d s , c o l l e a g u e s a n d o r g a n i s a -

t i o n s o v e r m a n y y e a r s . S p e c i a l t h a n k s a r e e x t e n d e d

t o : t h e l a t e W i n g C o m m a n d e r R o n a l d A d a m , G B E ;

F . W . B a i l e y ; G o t t f r i e d B a r o n ; D r . F r i e d r i c h R .

Bechtle; the late Dr. Gustav Bock; the family of thelate General der Flieger a.D. Karl Bodenschatz; Dr.Kees Booij; Charles H. Donald; the late A. E.Ferko; Dr. Erich Fritsch; Dr. Achim Fuchs; PeterM. Grosz; Dr. Emmanuel Gustin; Falk Hallens-leben; Janice Hayzlett; Dr. Volker Koos; the lateClayton I(night, OBE; Prof. Dr. Zdzislaw I(remens;Lt Col. John Moncure, US Army (Ret); Dr.-Ing.Albert Niedermeyer; Neal W. O'Connor; FritzcarlPrestien; Julian Putkowski; the late Oberstleutnantder Reserve a.D. Hanns-Gerd Rabe; Dr. Hans-J6rgRuge; Dr. Larry D. SaIl; Dr. Leroy Temple; LothairVanoverbeke; Greg VanWyngarden; George H.Williams, Jr.; Dr. Jiirgen Willisch and Dr. ErdmannZimmer-Vorhaus.

The author greatly appreciates help received fromthese institutions: Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv(Munich); Belgian Army Museum (Brussels); Bunde-sarchiv Militararchiv (Freiburg); Elihu Burritt Libraryof Central Connecticut State University (NewBritain); Generallandesarchiv I(arlsruhe; Haupt-staatsarchiv Stuttgart; Imperial War Museum(London); Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr(Berlin-Gatow); Jagdgeschwader 71 of the Luftwaffe(Wittmund); Militarisches Museum der Bundeswehr(Dresden); National Aviation Museum of Canada(Ottawa); Public Record Office (London); TechnicalUniversity ofWroclaw (Poland); Thiiringisches Staat-

INTRODUCTION

sarchiv Gotha; Traditions-Gemeinschaft 'Alte Adler'(Germany); University of Texasat Dallas; US National Archives(Washington, D.C.); Wehrge-schichtliches Museum (Rastatt).

The author is grateful to Dr.Hermann Freiherr von Richt-hofen, Germany's PermanentRepresentative to NATO, andManfred Freiherr von Richt-hofen, nephew and namesake ofthe renowned Rittmeister, fortheir interest and encouragementin the development of this bool{.

Special thanks go to friendswho helped in various unseen ways: Rodericl{Dymott and Karl Eckert for listening to ideas as thebook took shape; David Gibbons of DAG Publica-tions Ltd. for creating the attractive layout and typog-raphy that weaves together these words andphotographs; Dena Harwin for proofreading the textand Dr. S. Martin Harwin for being so helpful inpreparing photographs; and Gary Warner, whosecomputer expertise ensured that modern technologyserved fully in assembling this material.

As always, special thanks go to my wife, Judy, forkeeping things going on the home front while I wasspending many hours in archives or in thought forthis bool{.

Finally, out of profound respect for the combat-ants of all nations who perished or were captured orwounded during the First World War, the author haschronicled as many of their names as possible in theendnotes. To keep the process relevant but concise,the following abbreviations have been used to indi-cate what happened to them: EA (Enemy Aircraft);I(iA (killed in action); I(iC (l{illed in crash); WiA(wounded in action); DoW (died of wounds); PoW(prisoner of war) .

Peter KilduffNew Britain, ConnecticutJuly 1998

9

1 0

B e l o w : M a n f r e d A l b r e c h t F r e i h e r r v o n R i c h t h o f e n

l i v e d f o r 9 , 4 8 6 d a y s . I n t h a t t i m e h e r o s e f r o m b e i n g

a n o b s c u r e c a v a l r y o f f i c e r o f n o g r e a t p r o m i s e t o

b e c o m e I m p e r i a l G e r m a n y ' s m o s t s u c c e s s f u l f i g h t e r

p i l o t , s q u a d r o n l e a d e r a n d w i n g ~ommander. H e w a s

c r e d i t e d w i t h s h o o t i n g d o w n 8 0 e n e m y a e r o p l a n e s

d u r i n g 2 0 m o n t h s i n c o m b a t o v e r t h e W e s t e r n F r o n t

a n d r e c e i v e d 2 4 m i l i t a r y d e c o r a t i o n s , t h e r e b y

b e c o m i n g G e r m a n y ' s m o s t h i g h l y d e c o r a t e d a v i a t o r

o f t h e w a r . ! H i s v a l u e t o h i s n a t i o n ' s w a r t i m e p r o p a -

g a n d a e f f o r t i s s e e n i n t h e f i r s t o f m a n y p o p u l a r p o s t -

c a r d s o f t h e d a y t o b e a r h i s l i k e n e s s . T h i s c a r d , t h e

o n l y o n e i n t h e s e r i e s s h o w i n g h i m i n f u l l d r e s s

u n i f o r m , d e s c r i b e s R i c h t h o f e n a s b e i n g ' o u r m o s t

s u c c e s s f u l c o m b a t a i r m a n ' . I t a p p e a r e d a f t e r h i s s t u n -

n i n g s u c c e s s e s i n A p r i l 1 9 1 7 , d u r i n g w h i c h h e s h o t

d o w n 2 1 a e r o p l a n e s a n d r a i s e d h i s s c o r e t o 5 2 . A t

h i s c o l l a r i s t h e b l u e e n a m e l a n d g o l d M a l t e s e c r o s s

o f t h e O r d e n P o u r I e M e r i t e , P r u s s i a ' s h i g h e s t a w a r d

f o r b r a v e r y . B e l o w i t a r e : t h e I r o n C r o s s 1 s t C l a s s ;

I < n i g h t ' s C r o s s w i t h S w o r d s o f t h e R o y a l O r d e r o f t h e

H o u s e o f H o h e n z o l l e r n ; D u k e E d u a r d C a r l M e d a l

w i t h D a t e C l a s p a n d S w o r d s , a w a r d e d b y t h e D u c h y

o f S a x e - C o b u r g - G o t h a ; A u s t r o - H u n g a r i a n E m p i r e ' s

M i l i t a r y M e r i t C r o s s 3 r d C l a s s w i t h W a r D e c o r a t i o n .

O p p o s i t e p a g e , t o p : R i c h t h o f e n s h o t d o w n 6 0 e n e m y

a e r o p l a n e s w h i l e f l y i n g A l b a t r o s b i p l a n e f i g h t e r s . O n

i t s i n t r o d u c t i o n i n m i d - 1 9 1 6 , t h e A l b a t r o s s e r i e s '

' r u g g e d s t r e n g t h a n d c a r e f u l a t t e n t i o n t o s t r e a m -

l i n i n g ' 2 g a v e h i m a n d h i s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s t h e f i r s t -

r a t e f i g h t e r n e e d e d t o c o m p e t e w i t h n u m e r i c a l l y

s u p e r i o r B r i t i s h a n d F r e n c h a i r f o r c e s . S e e n h e r e i s a

m a c h i n e r e p o r t e d t o b e A l b a t r o s D . V 2 0 5 9 / 1 7 , t h e

o n l y a e r o p l a n e a c t u a l l y f l o w n b y R i c h t h o f e n t o

s u r v i v e t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r .

3

A s w i t h m a n y p h y s i c a l

r e m n a n t s o f h i s a i r f i g h t i n g c a r e e r , t h i s a l l - r e d A l b a -

t r o s h e l p e d p e r p e t u a t e t h e R i c h t h o f e n l e g e n d

b e t w e e n t h e w a r s w h e n i t w a s d i s p l a y e . d i n t h e

Z e u g h a u s ( A r m o u r y ) i n B e r l i n . I t w a s d e s t r o y e d i n

a n A l l i e d b o m b i n g r a i d d u r i n g t h e S e c o n d W o r l d

W a r .

O p p o s i t e p a g e , b o t t o m : T h e R i c h t h o f e n f a m i l y c a n

b e t r a c e d b a c k t o t h e M i d d l e A g e s . O n e a n c e s t o r ,

J o h a n n P r a e t o r i u s ( 1 6 1 1 - 6 4 ) , r o s e t o t h e h e r e d i t a r y

THE LEGEND BEGINS

Bohemian l

T H E L E G E N D B E G I N S

B e l o w : M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n ' s m i l i t a r y c a r e e r ,

w h i c h b e g a n a t t h e a g e o f 1 1 , w a s t y p i c a l o f y o u n g

m e n o f h i s g e n e r a t i o n . ' I w a s n o t o v e r l y f o n d o f

b e c o m i n g a c a d e t , b u t i t w a s m y f a t h e r ' s w i s h a n d I

w a s l i t t l e c o n s u l t e d a b o u t i t , ' h e w r o t e l a t e r . ' T h e

s t r i c t d i s c i p l i n e a n d o r d e r w a s h a r d o n s u c h a y o u n g

p u p [ a n d ] I d i d n o t c a r e v e r y m u c h f o r t h e i n s t r u c -

t i o n . I w a s n e v e r a g r e a t s c h o l a r . . . [ H o w e v e r ] a l l r i s l { y

t r i c l { s i m p r e s s e d m e m i g h t i l y . S o , o n e f i n e d a y m y

f r i e n d F r a n k e n b e r g a n d I c l i m b e d t h e w e l l - l { n o w n

c h u r c h s t e e p l e o f W a h l s t a t t b y g o i n g u p t h e l i g h t n i n g

r o d . I t i e d m y h a n d l { e r c h i e f t o t h e t o p o f t h e s t e e p l e

. . . I s a w m y h a n d k e r c h i e f s t i l l t i e d h i g h i n t h e a i r t e n

y e a r s l a t e r w h e n I v i s i t e d m y l i t t l e b r o t h e r B o l l { o a t

W a h l s t a t t . ' 5 M a n f r e d p e r s e v e r e d a n d w e n t o n t o t h e

M a i n C a d e t I n s t i t u t e a t G r o s s - L i c h t e r f e l d e , o u t s i d e

B e r l i n , b u t n o t w i t h o u t s o m e p e r s o n a l c o s t . A

p a s s i n g r e m a r l { i n h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y a l l u d e d t o s o m e

p h y s i c a l o r p s y c h o l o g i c a l p a i n e n d u r e d d u r i n g t h o s e

f o r m a t i v e y e a r s : ' A c t u a l l y , I c a n s a y l i t t l e a b o u t m y

m i l i t a r y s c h o o l t i m e . I t r e m i n d e d m e v e r y m u c h o f

t h e c a d e t c o r p s a n d , b e c a u s e o f t h a t , i s n o t t o o

p l e a s a n t a m e m o r y . ' 6 I t a l s o d e m o n s t r a t e d h i s a b i l i t y

t o c o m p a r t m e n t a l i s e h i s f e e l i n g s , a u s e f u l t r a i t i n t h e

1 2

c r u c i b l e o f w a r . I n t h i s p i c t u r e f r o m 1 9 1 2 , u n p l e a s a n t

m e m o r i e s s e e m t o h a v e f a d e d i n c o m p a r i s o n t o t h e

g l o w o f M a n f r e d ' s n e w u n i f o r m a s a F i i h n r i c h

( E n s i g n ) i n U l a n e n - R e g i m e n t N r . 1 .

A b o v e : A t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e w a r M a n f r e d w a s a

L e u t n a n t ( S e c o n d L i e u t e n a n t ) s e r v i n g o n t h e

G e r m a n b o r d e r w i t h R u s s i a n - o c c u p i e d P o l a n d . I t

w a s t o o c a l m a s e c t o r f o r a y o u n g w a r r i o r e a g e r f o r

c o m b a t a n d h e w a s e l a t e d w h e n h i s r e g i m e n t w a s

o r d e r e d t o t h e W e s t e r n F r o n t . A s h i s u n i t a d v a n c e d ,

M a n f r e d f e l t t h e p e r s o n a l s i d e o f w a r w h e n h i s 2 4 -

y e a r - o l d c o u s i n W o l f r a m w a s k i l l e d b y a B e l g i a n

s h a r p s h o o t e r o n 1 1 A u g u s t .

7

E l e v e n d a y s l a t e r , i n t h e

t h i c k o f t h e f i g h t i n g f o r V i r t o n , R i c h t h o f e n ' s f o r m e r

c a d e t c o m r a d e , L e u t n a n t H e l m u t v o n F r a n k e n b e r g

u n d L u d w i g s d o r f , w a s k i l l e d .

8

A f t e r a d j u s t i n g t o

t h e s e r e a l i t i e s , M a n f r e d c h a f e d a t t h e b o r e d o m t h a t

s e t i n a f t e r t h e f i r s t f e w m o n t h s o f w a r . L i k e t h e r i d e r

i n t h e p h o t o g r a p h , h e l e a r n e d t h a t w r e c k e d c i t i e s a n d

m u d - f i l l e d t r e n c h e s t h w a r t t h e c a v a l r y m a n ' s m o b i l i t y .

H i s f r u s t r a t i o n g a v e w a y t o i m p e t u o s i t y w h e n h e w a s

a s s i g n e d m u n d a n e t a s k s a s a n o r d e r l y o f f i c e r , a n d h e

t o o l { d i r e c t a c t i o n : ' N o w I w r o t e t o t h e s e c t o r

c o m m a n d i n g g e n e r a l a n d m a l i c i o u s t o n g u e s c o n t e n d

t h a t I s a i d : " D e a r E x c e l l e n c y , I d i d n o t g o t o w a r t o

g a t h e r c h e e s e a n d e g g s , b u t , r a t h e r , f o r a n o t h e r

p u r p o s e . " A t f i r s t p e o p l e t o o k o f f e n c e a t m y r e q u e s t ,

b u t f i n a l l y i t w a s g r a n t e d a n d s o a t t h e e n d o f M a y

1 9 1 5 I j o i n e d t h e F l i e g e r t r u p p e [ F l y i n g S e r v i c e ] . T h u s

w a s m y g r e a t e s t w i s h f u l f i l l e d . , g

Above: Two-seat reconnaissance aeroplanes, such asthis Albatros B.II, gained added importance whenbarbed wire and trench emplacements obstructed thetraditional cavalry mission of reconnoitring theforward lines and beyond. To fill that intelligence-gathering gap, many German officers were trained asaviation observers who directed their enlisted pilots,as if they were aeroplane 'drivers', to transport themover the lines. Thus, Manfred was assigned to theaviation training unit Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 7 inCologne to become an observer. His description ofhis first flight reflects some initial perplexity in thenew role: 'We drove to the airfield, [where] I sat in anaeroplane for the first time. The wind-blast from thepropeller annoyed me tremendously. It was notpossible for me to communicate with the pilot.Everything flew away from me. If I took out a pieceof paper, it disappeared. My flying helmet slipped off,my muffler loosened too much and the jacket wasnot buttoned securely - in short, it was miserable.Before I knew what was happening, the pilot got theengine up to full speed and the machine beganrolling. Ever faster, ever faster. I hung on frantically.All of a sudden the shaking stopped and the machinewas in the air. The ground slipped away beneathme.'lO

Right: When Richthofen posed for this photograph inCologne on 1 May 1917, his days as a neophytestudent observer were two years behind him. But itmust have given him personal satisfaction to stand

before an Albatros trainer similar to the one in whichhe had made his first flights. The 52-victory ace andPour Ie Merite recipient was on his way to meetKaiser Wilhelm II the following day. Richthofen'sluncheon appointment with the Supreme Warlord alsofell on his own 25th (and last) birthday, after which hewent home to Schweidnitz to work on his memoirs.Surely, the exhilaration of those early days was clearlyin mind when he wrote: 'We flew straight ahead for a

13

T H E L E G E N D B E G I N S

b i t , t h e n m y p i l o t t u r n e d a n d t u r n e d a g a i n , f i r s t t o t h e

r i g h t , t h e n t o t h e l e f t , a n d I l o s t m y o r i e n t a t i o n t o t h e

a i r f i e l d . I n o l o n g e r h a d a n y i d e a w h e r e I w a s !

C a u t i o u s l y I b e g a n t o l o o l { o v e r t h e s i d e a t t h e r e g i o n

b e l o w . T h e p e o p l e l o o k e d t i n y , [ a n d ] t h e h o u s e s a s i f

t h e y w e r e f r o m a c h i l d ' s t o y b o x , e v e r y t h i n g w a s s o

s m a l l a n d f i n e . I n t h e b a c k g r o u n d l a y C o l o g n e . T h e

I ( 6 l n e r D o m [ C a t h e d r a l ] loo~ed l i k e a p l a y t h i n g . I t

w a s a g l o r i o u s f e e l i n g t o s a i l o v e r e v e r y t h i n g . W h o

c o u l d t o u c h m e n o w ? N o o n e ! I d i d n o t c a r e t h a t I n o

l o n g e r k n e w w h e r e I w a s , a n d I w a s q u i t e s a d w h e n

m y p i l o t s a i d t h a t w e h a d t o l a n d n o w . ' l l

B e l o w : A f t e r l i t t l e m o r e t h a n a m o n t h a t F E A 7 i n

A l b a t r o s t w o - s e a t e r s o f t h e t y p e s e e n h e r e , a n d

a n o t h e r a c c e l e r a t e d a v i a t i o n c o u r s e a t F E A 6 i n

G r o s s e n h a i n i n S a x o n y , R i c h t h o f e n w a s p o s t e d t o

F e l d f l i e g e r - A b t e i l u n g 6 9 o n t h e E a s t e r n F r o n t . H e

r e c a l l e d : ' O f c o u r s e , I w a n t e d t o g e t r i g h t o u t t h e r e ,

f o r I w a s a f r a i d t h a t I w o u l d b e t o o l a t e t o t a k e p a r t

i n t h e W o r l d W a r . I t w o u l d h a v e t a k e n t h r e e m o n t h s

t o q u a l i f y a s a p i l o t . B y t h e n w e c o u l d h a v e b e e n l o n g

a t p e a c e ; t h e r e f o r e t h a t o p t i o n d i d n o t c o m e i n t o

q u e s t i o n . I n m y c a p a c i t y a s a c a v a l r y m a n p e r h a p s I

w o u l d b e w e l l s u i t e d a s a n o b s e r v e r ; f o r a f t e r f o u r -

t e e n d a y s [ o f t r a i n i n g ] I w a s s e n t o u t , t o m y g r e a t j o y ,

t o t h e o n e p l a c e w h e r e t h e r e w a s s t i l l m o b i l e w a r f a r e ,

n a m e l y t o R u s s i a . ' l 2 H e w a s n o t d i s a p p o i n t e d . F e l d -

1 4

f l i e g e r - A b t e i l u n g 6 9 w a s a v e r y a c t i v e u n i t , a s s i g n e d

f i r s t t o r e c o n n o i t r e a n e x t e n s i v e a r e a o f t h e F r o n t

h e l d b y G e r m a n 1 1 . A r m e e a n d t h e n s h i f t e d t o a n

e x p a n s e c o v e r e d b y A u s t r o - H u n g a r i a n 6 .

A r m e e k o r p s . B e s t o f a l l , R i c h t h o f e n w a s p a i r e d w i t h

a p i l o t e a g e r f o r a c t i o n , O b e r l e u t n a n t G e o r g Z e u m e r .

W h e n Z e u m e r w a s s h i f t e d t o F l a n d e r s t o r e j o i n h i s

o l d u n i t , t h e B r i e f t a u b e n - A b t e i l u n g ( C a r r i e r P i g e o n

S e c t i o n ) i n O s t e n d , R i c h t h o f e n f l e w w i t h R i t t m e i s t e r

E r i c h G r a f v o n H o l c l { , a n o t h e r d a r i n g p i l o t . F o r m o r e

a b o u t Z e u m e r a n d H o l c l { , s e e A p p e n d i x I .

R i g h t : A s a n o b s e r v e r , M a n f r e d g a i n e d f i r s t - h a n d

k n o w l e d g e a b o u t ' b a c k s e a t f l y e r s ' w h i c h h e l p e d h i m

b e c o m e a m o r e p r o f i c i e n t f i g h t e r p i l o t . F o r e x a m p l e , h e

r e c o g n i s e d t h a t t h e t w o - g u n b a t t l e s t a t i o n i n t h e A l b a . :

t r o s ( s h o w n h e r e ) e n h a n c e d t h e o b s e r v e r ' s f i r e p o w e r ,

b u t p u t h i m a t g r e a t e r p e r s o n a l r i s k . R i c h t h o f e n ' s b r i e f

a i r c o m b a t o p e r a t i o n s m a n u a l , c o m p i l e d n e a r t h e e n d

o f h i s l i f e a n d b a s e d o n h i s v a r i e d e x p e r i e n c e s , n o t e d :

' O n e a t t a c k s t h e t w o - s e a t e r f r o m b e h i n d a t g r e a t s p e e d ,

i n t h e s a m e d i r e c t i o n h e i s g o i n g . T h e o n l y w a y t o a v o i d

t h e a d r o i t o b s e r v e r ' s f i e l d o f m a c h i n e - g u n f i r e i s t o s t a y

c a l m a n d p u t t h e o b s e r v e r o u t o f a c t i o n w i t h t h e f i r s t

s h o t s . I f t h e o p p o n e n t g o e s i n t o a t u m , I m u s t b e

c a r e f u l n o t t o f l y a b o v e t h e e n e m y a e r o p l a n e . A l o n g

a e r i a l c o m b a t w i t h a c o m p l e t e l y c o m b a t - r e a d y ,

m a n o e u v r a b l e t w o - s e a t e r i s t h e m o s t d i f f i c u l t . . . I

c o n s i d e r i t t o b e v e r y

d a n g e r o u s t o a t t a c k a t w o -

s e a t e r f r o m t h e f r o n t . I n t h e

f i r s t p l a c e , o n e s e l d o m

e n c o u n t e r s t h e o p p o n e n t

[ t h i s w a y ] . O n t h e c o n t r a r y ,

f i r s t o f a l l I a m w i t h i n t h e

f i e l d o f f i r e o f h i s f i x e d

[ f o r w a r d - f i r i n g ] m a c h i n e -

g u n , a n d t h e n I n t h e

o b s e r v e r ' s [ w i d e r f i e l d o f f i r e ] .

I f I s q u e e z e t h r o u g h b e l o w

t h e t w o - s e a t e r a n d t h e n w a n t

t o m a k e a t u m , w h i l e i n t h e

t u r n s I o f f e r t h e [ e n e m y ]

o b s e r v e r t h e b e s t t a r g e t . ' l 3

Below: 'After our ventures in Russia gradually cameto a halt, suddenly, on 21 August 1915, I was trans-ferred to fly a "Grosskampfflugzeug" [big battle'plane] at the Brieftauben-Abteilung Ostend. ThereI met myoid friend Zeumer ... ', Richthofen wrote ofhis abrupt shift back to the Western Front. Onceagain his good luck held and he received a choiceassignment, worl{ing with top people such as Leut-nant Fritz von Falkenhayn, son of the former Chief

THE LEGEND BEGINS

of the German General Staff,who would be helpful whenhe rose to command level.For the time being he had tomaster the two-engined AEGG.I bomber (seen here), withwhich the clumsily cover-named Carrier PigeonSection carried out raidsbehind enemy lines. He andZeumer experienced difficultflights, as on an occasionover the English Channelwhen, he wrote:suddenly I noticed that waterwas disappearing from one of

our radiators. I did not like that very much and Ibrought it to his attention. He made a long face andprepared to return home. But we were roughly 20kilometres off the coast and first we had to fly thatfar. The engine began to quit and I quietly preparedmyself for a cold bath. But behold, it went on! Thegiant apple-barge managed with one engine and theexcellent new steering rod, and we reached the coastand made a beautiful landing at our airfield.'14

T H E L E G E N D B E G I N S

R i g h t : M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n

h a d s p e c i a l r e a s o n t o r e m -

e m b e r A E G G . I b o m b e r s ,

b e c a u s e h e r e c e i v e d h i s f i r s t

c o m b a t - r e l a t e d i n j u r y i n o n e .

A s t h i s p h o t o g r a p h o f a C a r r i e r

P i g e o n S e c t i o n a e r o p l a n e

s h o w s , t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e

w i n g s m a d e i t d i f f i c u l t f o r A E G

G . I c r e w s t o l o o k d o w n w a r d a t

t h e i r t a r g e t s . O n o n e o c c a s i o n

d u r i n g a f l i g h t o v e r B r i t i s h l i n e s

R i c h t h o f e n f o u n d a s i m p l e

s o l u t i o n : ' W h e n t h e b o m b

e x p l o d e s b e l o w a n d o n e s e e s

t h e l o v e l y g r e y - w h i t e c l o u d o f

t h e e x p l o s i o n a n d t h a t i t i s c l o s e t o t h e t a r g e t , i t g i v e s

o n e m u c h j o y . S o I s i g n a l l e d t o m y g o o d Z e u m e r t o

f l y [ a t a s t e e p a n g l e ] s o t h a t t h e w i n g s w e r e o f f t o t h e

s i d e . I n s o d o i n g I f o r g o t t h a t t h e i n f a m o u s t h i n g , m y

a p p l e - b a r g e , h a d t w o p r o p e l l e r s , w h i c h t u r n e d t o t h e

r i g h t a n d l e f t n e a r m y o b s e r v e r ' s s e a t . I w a s s h o w i n g

h i m a b o u t w h e r e t h e b o m b h i t a n d - s m a c k ! - o n e o f

m y f i n g e r s w a s s t r u c k . S o m e w h a t s t a r t l e d a t f i r s t , I

d e t e r m i n e d t h a t m y l i t t l e f i n g e r h a d b e e n i n j u r e d .

Z e u m e r n o t i c e d n o t h i n g . I w a s s i c k o f d r o p p i n g

b o m b s , q u i c k l y l e t t h e l a s t o n e s g o a n d w e m a d e o u r

w a y h o m e . M y l o v e f o r t h e b i g b a t t l e ' p l a n e , w h i c h

i n a n y c a s e w a s a b i t w e a k , s u f f e r e d f r o m t h i s

b o m b i n g m i s s i o n . I h a d t o s t a y b e h i n d a n d n o t f l y

1 6

for eight days. Now my finger has only a blemish,but at least I can say with pride: "I, too, have a warwound."'15

Opposite page, bottom: The Brieftauben-AbteilungOstend was the mobile aerial strike force of its day. Onshort notice, BAO crews could be off to a new sectorin their own train. Richthofen described how his ambi-tions were bolstered during an encounter with thenotable fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke (see Appendix I)in a BAO railway car like the one seen here: 'We wereassembled into a Combat Air Wing and headed out [tothe Champagne Sector by train] on 1 October 1915. Inthe dining-car, a young unpretentious Leutnant sat atthe next table. There was no reason to take specialnotice of him except for one fact: of all of us he was theonly one who had shot down an enemy airman and,indeed, it was not just one, but four. He had beenmentioned by name in the Army Daily Report ...Although I had made great efforts, up until then I hadnot bagged one ... [and] ... I wanted very much to learnhow this Leutnant Boelcke had done it. So I askedhim: "Tell me honestly, how do you really do it?" Helaughed, greatly amused, even though I really askedseriously. Then he answered: "Yes, good heavens, it isquite simple. I fly right up to [the enemy], take goodaim [and open fire], and then he falls down."'16

THE LEGEND BEGINS

Below: Richthofen was quicl{ to realise that anobserver in twin-engined bombers could notbecome an aerial combatant like Boelcke. 'So Icame to the decision: "You must learn to fly aFokker yourself, then perhaps things will bebetter",' he wrote. 'Now my thoughts and aspira-tions were on how to learn to "work the sticl{"myself.'17 His later success derived from an incidentthat occurred at the time he left the cavalry. On 18April 1915, the French fighter pilot Roland Garroswas forced down in this Morane-Saulnier Type Lparasol monoplane and German technicianslearned how he had been able to shoot down aero-planes by firing his machine-gun through thepropeller arc. Garros had steel wedges fitted to thepropeller blades to deflect bullets that did not passthrough the arc. The crude device was turned overto the aeroplane designer Anthony Fol{l{er (seeAppendix I), whose engineers developed a moreeffective push-rod gear which interrupted themachine-gun's firing sequence when the propellerblade was in front of the muzzle. This refinementhelped Leutnant Oswald Boelcke become a majorairfighter in Fol{ker monoplanes. In November1915, Manfred von Richthofen began pilot trainingat D6beritz, outside Berlin - the same facility whereGarros' captured aeroplane had been evaluated.

17

T H E L E G E N D B E G I N S

A b o v e : W h i l e h e w a s w i t h F e l d f l i e g e r - A b t e i l u n g 6 9 ,

M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n h a d q u a l i f i e d f o r t h e

B e o b a c h t e r a b z e i c h e n ( O b s e r v e r ' s B a d g e ) a l t h o u g h

n o s u r v i v i n g p h o t o g r a p h s s h o w h i m w e a r i n g i t . T h e

b a d g e w a s e s t a b l i s h e d b y I m p e r i a l D e c r e e o n t h e l a s t

p r e - w a r b i r t h d a y o f I ( a i s e r W i l h e l m I I , 2 7 J a n u a r y

1 9 1 4 , a n d w a s a w a r d e d o n l y t o o f f i c e r s .

1 8

A s a n

o b s e r v e r , R i c h t h o f e n w a s n o m i n a l l y i n c h a r g e o f t h e

a e r o p l a n e , b u t t h a t a p p l i e d o n l y i f h e f l e w w i t h a n

e n l i s t e d p i l o t . M o s t o f h i s e a r l y f l i g h t s w e r e w i t h o f f i -

c e r s w h o o u t r a n k e d h i m a n d h i s s t a t u s a s a ' p a s s e n g e r '

o r s i m p l y a n a e r i a l g u n n e r m a y h a v e a d d e d t o h i s

d e s i r e t o b e c o m e a p i l o t a n d t o f l y s i n g l e - s e a t f i g h t e r s ,

o f w h i c h h e w o u l d h a v e c o m p l e t e c o n t r o l .

A b o v e r i g h t : A n I m p e r i a l D e c r e e o f e x a c t l y o n e y e a r

e a r l i e r e s t a b l i s h e d t h e F l u g z e u g f u h r e r a b z e i c h e n

( P i l o t ' s B a d g e ) , w h i c h w a s a w a r d e d t o ' o f f i c e r s , n o n -

c o m m i s s i o n e d o f f i c e r s a n d o t h e r r a n k s w h o h a d

e a r n e d i t a f t e r p a s s i n g w r i t t e n t e s t s a n d a f t e r

c o m p l e t i n g t h e i r t r a i n i n g a t a m i l i t a r y a i r s t a t i o n a n d

r e c e i v i n g a q u a l i f y i n g c e r t i f i c a t e a s a m i l i t a r y a e r o -

p l a n e p i l o t ' . 1 9 A s h e r e c o u n t e d , R i c h t h o f e n a l m o s t

1 8

e n d e d h i s c a r e e r o n h i s f i r s t s o l o f l i g h t : ' I s t a r t e d t h e

e n g i n e , g a v e i t t h e g a s , a n d t h e m a c h i n e b e g a n t o p i c k

u p s p e e d . A l l o f a s u d d e n I c o u l d n o t h e l p b u t n o t i c e

t h a t I w a s r e a l l y f l y i n g . A t l a s t i t w a s n o t a n a n x i o u s

b u t , r a t h e r , a d a r i n g f e e l i n g . N o w i t w a s a l l u p t o m e .

C o m e w h a t m a y , I w a s n o l o n g e r f r i g h t e n e d . W i t h

c o n t e m p t f o r d e a t h I m a d e a w i d e l e f t t u r n , t u r n e d o f f

t h e e n g i n e p r e c i s e l y o v e r t h e d e s i g n a t e d t r e e a n d

w a i t e d t o s e e w h a t w o u l d h a p p e n . T h e n c a m e t h e

m o s t d i f f i c u l t p a r t , t h e l a n d i n g . I r e m e m b e r e d

p r e c i s e l y t h e e s s e n t i a l m o v e m e n t s o f t h e c o n t r o l s . I

p e r f o r m e d t h e m m e c h a n i c a l l y , h o w e v e r , a n d t h e

m a c h i n e r e s p o n d e d d i f f e r e n t l y f r o m w h e n [ G e o r g ]

Z e u m e r s a t a t t h e c o n t r o l s . I l o s t m y e q u i l i b r i u m ,

m a d e s o m e w r o n g m o v e m e n t s a n d l a n d e d t h e

t r a i n i n g m a c h i n e o n i t s n o s e . V e r y s a d l y I s u r v e y e d

t h e d a m a g e , w h i c h , l u c k i l y , w a s n o t e x t e n s i v e . . . [ a n d ]

t w o d a y s l a t e r I w e n t b a c k t o m y a e r o p l a n e w i t h m a d

p a s s i o n a n d e v e r y t h i n g w e n t w o n d e r f u l l y w e l l . ' 2 0

O p p o s i t e p a g e , t o p : F o l l o w i n g p i l o t t r a i n i n g ,

R i c h t h o f e n f l e w A l b a t r o s t w o - s e a t e r s w i t h I ( a m p f -

s t a f f e l 8 o f K a m p f g e s c h w a d e r 2 o v e r t h e V e r d u n

sector. He seems subdued here in conversation withI(asta 8's commanding officer, Hauptmann VictorCarganico (left), a pre-war military aviator and BAOveteran. The mood may have matched that whenRichthofen's victory of 16 April 1916 was acl{nowl-edged but, as he noted, not credited to him: ' ... I hada machine-gun mounted betweenthe wings of my machine [outsidethe propeller arc], just lil{e theNieuport, and was very proud ofthis construction. Some peoplelaughed at it because it lookedvery primitive ... [but] soon I hadthe opportunity to use it in a prac-tical way- [when] I encountered aNieuport which, apparently, wasalso flown by a beginner, for heacted foolishly fearful ... I flewafter him and for the first time,from an ever-closing distance,pressed the firing button of themachine-gun; a short series ofwell-aimed shots and the Nieu-

THE LEGEND BEGINS

port reared up and rolled over. At first my observerand I thought it was one of the many tricl{s theFrenchmen lil{e to pull. But this tricl{ did not stop;he went down lower and lower ... [and] fell in aforest behind Fort Douaumont ... on the other side ...A day later I read of my heroic deed in the ArmyReport. I was not unduly proud of it, but this Nieu-port is not counted among my 52 [victories].'21

Below: 'From the begiIlning of my career as a pilot Ihad only one aspiration and that was to ... fly asingle-seat fighter plane,' Richthofen wrote. 'After along annoyance to my commanding officer, Iwangled permission to go up in a Fol{l{er. The rotaryengine revolving with the propeller [bolted to it] wasentirely new to me. Also, sitting by myself in a smallaeroplane was strange to me.'22 Richthofen scoredno victories while flying Fol{ker Eindecl{ers (mono-planes), but he gained his initial experience in theaeroplane type in which he would become mostsuccessful. This view of a Fol{l{er Eindecl{er cockpitshows the sparse instrumentation, steering columnwith built-in machine-gun firing controls and tightspace that l{ept man and machine in such intimatecontact that the aeroplane became an extension ofthe pilot as he engaged in the oldest mode of warfare:individual.combat.

19

A b o v e : I n a d d i t i o n t o O s w a l d B o e l c k e , t h e o t h e r

h i g h - s c o r i n g F o k k e r E i n d e c k e r p i l o t w a s O b e r l e u t -

n a n t M a x I m m e l m a n n ( s e e A p p e n d i x I ) . O n e o f t h e

a e r o p l a n e s t h a t h e f l e w - F o k k e r E 3 / 1 5 s e e n h e r e -

s u r v i v e d t h e F i r s t W o r l d W a r a n d w a s d i s p l a y e d i n

t h e S a x o n A r m y M u s e u m i n D r e s d e n , o n l y t o b e

d e s t r o y e d d u r i n g t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r . T h e s e e a r l y

m o d e l s w e r e p a s s e d a l o n g t o f l e d g l i n g p i l o t s s u c h a s

R i c h t h o f e n a n d f o r g o o d r e a s o n , a s h e w r o t e a b o u t

t h e E i n d e c k e r h e s h a r e d w i t h L . e u t n a n t H a n s

R e i m a n n : ' I f l e w i t i n t h e m o r n i n g , [ a n d ] h e i n t h e

a f t e r n o o n . E a c h w a s a f r a i d t h e o t h e r w o u l d s m a s h

2 0

the crate. [One day] we flewagainst the enemy. In themorning I encountered noFrenchmen, but in the after-noon it was a different story[when Reimann flew]. Hedid not return, there was noreport, nothing. Late thatevening the infantryreported a combat between aNieuport and a Fol{ker, afterthe German had apparentlylanded on the other side ... Itcould only have beenReimann, for all of theothers had returned. Wewere feeling sorry for ourcourageous comrade whensuddenly that night came a telephone report that aGerman officer pilot had appeared in the forward-most infantry position ... It turned out to be Reimann... Some weeks later we received a second Fol{ker.This time I felt obligated to dispatch it to the here-after ... '23

Left: Manfred wrote to his mother that on themorning of 2 May 1916, his 24th birthday, he 'hadthree very nerve-wracking aerial combats' over theVerdun sector. All without success. In the sameletter he commented on his new duties as a fighterpilot and about a friend's fate that he would sharetwo weeks before his own 26th birthday: 'I feel verycontent in my new occupation as a combat airman;I believe that no post in the war is as attractive asthis one. I fly a Fokl{er, which is the aeroplane withwhich Boelcke and Immelmann have had theirenormous successes. I am very sorry about thedeath of [Rittmeister Erich Graf von] Holck. Ivisited him three days before he fell and we had agood time together ... I was an eye-witness to hislast air battle. First he shot down a Frenchman froma large formation, then apparently had a gun-jamand wanted to fly bacl{ over our lines. Then a wholeswarm of Frenchmen pounced on him. With a shot

_TH_E_L_E_G_E_N_D_B_E_G_IN_S-----.,1

through the head, he tumbled down from 3,000metres. A beautiful death. Holcl{ with only one armor one leg would be unimaginable. Today I fly to hisfuneral. '24

Above: To ensure that Oberleutnant Max Immel-mann's victories inspired other airmen, as well as thegeneral public, the ace's exploits were widely publi-cised. His fourth combat success was the subject ofthis illustrated postcard. On the afternoon of 10October 1915, while flying between Lens and Loos-territory that would become familiar to Richthofenjust over a year later - Immelmann shot downB.E.2c 2033 of No. 16 Squadron, RFC. Firing some400 shots at the British two-seater, Immelmanncaused it to crash into a stand of trees. He visited thecrash site and later described a scene that presagedthe recognition accorded to Richthofen: 'The pilotdied a short time later, as he had been shot six times,and the observer had a slight leg wound. The aero-plane was completely destroyed. At the outset I hadrendered the machine-gun useless with a shot to thebreech. While I was still at the scene, Prince ErnstHeinrich of Saxony arrived; he wanted to l{now allabout what had happened and, finally, invited me todinner.'25

21

T H E L E G E N D B E G I N S

R i g h t : W h e n I m m e l m a n n w a s k i l l e d w h i l e f l y i n g a

F o k l { e r E i n d e c k e r , h i s d e a t h w a s o n e o f s e v e r a l

n o t a b l e c a s u a l t i e s t h a t s h o o k t h e G e r m a n F l y i n g

S e r v i c e i n J u n e 1 9 1 6 . T h e n G e r m a n y ' s s e c o n d h i g h e s t -

s c o r i n g f i g h t e r a c e , I m m e l m a n n w a s e n g a g i n g a B r i t i s h

t w o - s e a t e r w h e n h e f e l l u n d e r u n e x p l a i n e d c i r c u m -

s t a n c e s o n t h e 1 8 t h . T h e n e x t d a y , p r o m i n e n t a i r w i n g

c o m m a n d e r H a u p t m a n n E r n s t F r e i h e r r v o n G e r s d o r f f

w a s k i l l e d w h e n h i s F o k l { e r w a s s h o t d o w n b y a

F r e n c h f i g h t e r . T w o d a y s l a t e r , a F r e n c h m a n k i l l e d

O b e r l e u t n a n t H a n s B a i l e r , c o m m a n d e r o f t h e a i r w i n g

i n w h i c h M a n f r e d ' s b r o t h e r L o t h a r w a s s e r v i n g .

F o k k e r ' s a e r o p l a n e s a n d t h e t a c t i c s o f B o e l c k e a n d

I m m e l m a n n h a d s e c u r e d G e r m a n a e r i a l s u p e r i o r i t y ,

b u t n e w B r i t i s h a n d F r e n c h p i l o t s a n d a e r o p l a n e s w e r e

t u r n i n g t h e t a b l e s . M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n ' s w o r r i e d

l o o k i n t h i s p h o t o g r a p h f r o m h i s I { G 2 d a y s i s m a t c h e d

b y t h e h a u n t i n g q u e s t i o n a n d s o m b r e t o n e o f h i s l e t t e r

o f 2 2 J u n e : ' W h a t d o y o u t h i n k o f I m m e l m a n n ' s

d e a t h ? I n t h e l o n g r u n e v e r y o n e b e l i e v e s i t . E v e n

B o e l c k e . T h e c o m m a n d e r o f L o t h a r ' s c o m b a t a i r w i n g

2 2

has also not returned from a bombing mission. A daybefore that the commander of myoId I(G 1, formerlythe BAD, was also shot down. He was FreiheIT vonGersdorff, easily the most qualified commander acombat air wing commander ever had. I always likedhim very much.'26

Opposite page, bottom: In early July, Manfredcrashed in his Fokker Eindecker and emerged fromthe tangled wreckage unhurt. He considered writingto Boelcke and asking to join his unit, but was toolate. Aware of the morale value of its heroes, theGerman High Command avoided the risk of losinganother top pilot so soon after Immelmann's deathby sending Boelcl{e on a good-will tour to Turkey. Atthe same time, I(G 2 went to Russia, where activitiesprovided enough good memories for Richthofen'slater reflection, as can be seen here with HauptmannVictor Carganico (second from left) and LeutnantAlfred Gerstenberg (right). Richthofen recalled: 'Wetravelled through all of Germany in our railway living

THE LEGEND BEGINS

quarters consisting of dining- and sleeping-cars and,at last, came to I(ovel. There we stayed on our train.This business of living on trains has many advan-tages, of course. One is always ready to travel on andalways has the same living-quarters. But in theRussian summer heat, a sleeping-car is the mostdreadful thing there is. For that reason, I decided togo with two good friends, Gerstenberg and [FranzChristian von] Scheele into a nearby forest, where wepitched a tent and lived like gypsies. Those werelovely times.'27

Below: Richthofen was back flying one of the Alba-tros C.llls in the line-up seen here during a visit toI(ampfgeschwader 2 by Prince Leopold of Bavaria(A). Another I(G 2 pilot, Leutnant der Reserve ErwinB6hme, recalled: 'From 15 to 23 July 1916 ourGeschwader was with the [9.] Armee commanded byPrince Leopold. The old gentleman was enormouslyinterested in aviation and wanted to fly over theFront with us himself. But, due to almost continuous

T H E L E G E N D B E G I N S

r a i n d u r i n g t h e w h o l e t i m e , a l t o g e t h e r w e g o t t o f l y

t w i c e . ' 2 8 W h i l e i n s p e c t i n g t h e u n i t , t h e P r i n c e s p o k e

w i t h s o m e o f t h e y o u n g o f f i c e r s . H e r e , h e a d d r e s s e s

L e u t n a n t s M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n ( B ) a n d A l f r e d

G e r s t e n b e r g . R i c h t h o f e n d i d n o t r e c o r d w h a t h e s a i d

t o K G 2 ' s d i s t i n g u i s h e d v i s i t o r , b u t h e d i d n o t e h i s

o w n p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e p a c e o f t h e w a r : ' C o m p a r e d t o

t h e W e s t e r n F r o n t , i n a n y c a s e , f l y i n g o n t h e E a s t e r n

F r o n t i s r e l a x a t i o n . . . W e h a v e t i m e a n d n o o n e

b o t h e r s u s . A n e n e m y a i r f i e l d i s r i g h t i n t h e a r e a , b u t

i t s p i l o t s a r e n o t t o b e s e e n . A n t i - a i r c r a f t s h e l l s b u r s t

s p o r a d i c a l l y a n d i n q u i t e a n o t h e r d i r e c t i o n f r o m t h e

o n e w e a r e f l y i n g . ' 2 9

B e l o w : A t a s t e o f t h i n g s t o c o m e w a s t h i s I ( G 2 c e l e -

b r a t i o n i n h o n o u r o f O b e r l e u t n a n t O s w a l d B o e l c k e

( s e a t e d , r i g h t ) w h e n h e v i s i t e d t h e G e s c h w a d e r a t

M o n t i n F r a n c e i n M a r c h 1 9 1 6 . A l m o s t s i x m o n t h s

l a t e r h e e s t a b l i s h e d t h e f i g h t e r s e c t i o n J a g d s t a f f e l 2 a n d

t h r e e p i l o t s a t t h i s p a r t y w e r e a m o n g t h o s e h e s e l e c t e d :

L e u t n a n t d e r R e s e r v e E r w i n B 6 h m e ( s t a n d i n g b e h i n d

B o e l c k e ) ; L e u t n a n t d e r R e s e r v e H a n s I m e l m a n n

( s e a t e d ) ; L e u t n a n t d e r R e s e r v e H a n s W o r t m a n n

( s t a n d i n g b e h i n d I m e l m a n n ) . B o e l c k e a l s o c h o s e

M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n . ' W e w e r e t a l k i n g a m o n g

o u r s e l v e s w h e n s o m e o n e s a i d : " T o d a y t h e g r e a t

B o e l c k e i s c o m i n g a n d w a n t s t o v i s i t u s o r , r a t h e r , h i s

b r o t h e r i n I ( o v e l , ' " R i c h t h o f e n w r o t e . ' T h a t e v e n i n g

t h e f a m o u s m a n a p p e a r e d , v e r y i m p r e s s i v e l y t o u s , a n d

t o l d u s m a n y i n t e r e s t i n g t h i n g s a b o u t h i s j o u r n e y t o

T u r k e y , w h e n c e h e w a s o n t h e w a y b a c k , t o r e p o r t t o

S u p r e m e H e a d q u a r t e r s . H e t a l l { e d a b o u t g o i n g t o t h e

S o m m e s e c t o r t o c a r r y o n h i s w o r k ; a l s o h e w a s t o s e t

u p a n e n t i r e J a g d s t a f f e l . F o r t h i s p u r p o s e h e c o u l d

s e l e c t f r o m t h e F l y i n g S e r v i c e p e o p l e w h o a p p e a r e d t o

h i m t o b e s u i t a b l e . I d a r e d n o t a s k h i m t o t a k e m e w i t h

h i m . N o t o n t h e b a s i s t h a t o u r a i r w i n g h a d b e c o m e

t o o b o r i n g f o r m e - o n t h e c o n t r a r y , w e m a d e e x t e n s i v e

a n d i n t e r e s t i n g f l i g h t s a n d p o u n d e d m a n y a R u s s k i

r a i l w a y s t a t i o n w i t h o u r b o m b s - b u t t h e t h o u g h t o f

f i g h t i n g a g a i n o n t h e W e s t e r n F r o n t a p p e a l e d t o m e .

T h e r e i s n o t h i n g f i n e r f o r a y o u n g c a v a l r y o f f i c e r t h a n

t o f l y o f f t o t h e c h a s e . ' 3 o N e x t m o r n i n g , B o e l c k e

a p p e a r e d a t R i c h t h o f e n ' s q u a r t e r s a n d i n v i t e d h i m t o

j o i n J a s t a 2 . T h r e e d a y s l a t e r R i c h t h o f e n w e n t h o m e o n

l e a v e a n d t h e n o n t o F r a n c e . A s h e d e p a r t e d K G 2 , a

f r i e n d c a l l e d o u t : ' D o n ' t c o m e b a c k w i t h o u t t h e P o u r

I e M e r i t e ! ' I n l e s s t h a n f i v e m o n t h s M a n f r e d v o n

R i c h t h o f e n b e c a m e t h e f o u r t e e n t h f i g h t e r p i l o t t o

r e c e i v e t h a t c o v e t e d a w a r d . ' 3 1

2 4

Right: Hauptmann OswaldBoelcke's return to the WesternFront was marked by newairfighting triumphs. On 2September 1916 he was cred-ited with victory No. 20 andwithin two months he doubledthat score. Aircraft designerand manufacturer AnthonyFokker wanted Boelcke and hiscomrades to fly the new biplanefighters, such as the FokkerD.II seen here, and for a brief time Jagdstaffel 2 wassuccessful with them. Boelcke wrote on 4 September:'A few days ago two machines arrived from Fol{kerfor me and the day before yesterday I made my firstflight [in one of them]. At the Front there was quite alot of enemy air activity. The lads [on the other side]have become very bold ... A bit later I saw shellburstswest of Puisieux. There I found a B.E. biplane andbehind him three Vicl{ers [sic] single-seaters: anartillery-spotting aeroplane and its escorts. I went

after the B.E. But in the middle of my work, the threeothers interrupted me, whereupon I promptly with-drew. One of these lads ... came after me. Slightlyaway from the others I began battling with him andsoon had him all wrapped up. I did not let him getaway and he fired no more shots. While going downhe wobbled violently and quite involuntarily, as hesaid afterwards, because his elevator cables had beenshot through. He came down north-east ofThiepval.'l

Left: Boelcke inspects his 24thvictim, an Airco D.H.2, which heforced down on the morning of 14September. It was his secondvictory that day, he recounted:'Number 23 was a stubborn oppo-nent. I cut in front of [two aero-planes] from a flight and wentafter the second one. The first oneran away. The third was attackedby Leutnant von Richthofen,soon joined by Leutnant [Erwin]B6hme and Leutnant [Hans]

25

O N E E A G L E F A L L S , A N O T H E R R I S E S

R e i m a n n , b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y i t e s c a p e d t o t h e F r o n t .

A t t h e f i r s t a t t a c k , m y o p p o n e n t s p u n d o w n s e v e r a l

h u n d r e d m e t r e s , b u t t h e n c o n t i n u e d o n . A s I k n o w

t h i s t r i c k , I w e n t r i g h t a f t e r h i m . . . [ a n d ] h e d i d n o t

s u c c e e d ; r a t h e r , h e c r a s h e d . n e a r M o r v a l . . . A s h o r t

t i m e l a t e r I s a w s o m e E n g l i s h m e n b u z z i n g a b o u t

n o r t h o f P u i s i e u x . W h e n I a p p r o a c h e d , t h e y c a m e

a f t e r m e . A s I w a s s a u n t e r i n g i n t h e a i r q u i t e h a r m -

l e s s l y ( t h a t i s , I w a s b e l o w t h e m a n d c o u l d d o

n o t h i n g ! ) , I t u r n e d a w a y . S i n c e t h e y d i d n o t s t a r t

a n y t h i n g w i t h m e , o n e o f t h e o p p o n e n t s w e n t a f t e r

a n o t h e r G e r m a n . B u t I c o u l d n o t s t a n d t h a t [ a n d

p r o c e e d e d ] t o m a k e h i m p a y f o r i t . D u r i n g t h e

d o g f i g h t , i n a d d i t i o n t o p u n c t u r i n g h i s f u e l a n d o i l

t a n l < s , I s h o t h i m i n t h e r i g h t t h i g h . H e l a n d e d a n d

w a s t a l < e n p r i s o n e r . T h a t w a s N u m b e r 2 4 . ' 2

B e l o w : M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n g a i n e d a i r c o m b a t

e x p e r i e n c e i n F o k k e r b i p l a n e s , b u t a c h i e v e d s u c c e s s

o n l y a f t e r ] a g d s t a f f e l 2 r e c e i v e d A l b a t r o s D . I I

f i g h t e r s . W e a r i n g r i d i n g - b r e e c h e s a n d a s w e a t e r , h e i s

s e e n h e r e r e l a x i n g i n f r o n t o f a n e w ' m o u n t ' a t L a g n i -

c o u r t a i r f i e l d w i t h ( f r o m l e f t ) : O b e r l e u t n a n t S t e p h a n

l < . i r m a i e r ; L e u t n a n t H a n s I m e l m a n n ; a n d L e u t n a n t

H a n s W o r t m a n n . R i c h t h o f e n ' s b r o a d g r i n w a s w e l l

e a r n e d , a s h e n o t e d a b o u t h i s t r a n s i t i o n t o s u c c e s s f u l

a i r f i g h t e r i n a l e t t e r t o h i s m o t h e r o n 1 8 S e p t e m b e r

1 9 1 6 : ' R e c e n t l y I f l e w a t e m p o r a r i l y a s s i g n e d

2 6

m a c h i n e , w i t h w h i c h I s c a r c e l y g o t g o i n g a n d c o u l d

s t a y a t m o s t a s h o r t t i m e i n a e r i a l c o m b a t . F i n a l l y ,

y e s t e r d a y t h e a p p r o p r i a t e c r a t e a r r i v e d f o r m e a n d ,

w h a t d o y o u t h i n k , w h i l e o n a t e s t - f l i g h t i n i t I s a w a

B r i t i s h f o r m a t i o n o n o u r s i d e o f t h e l i n e s . I f l e w t h e r e

- a n d s h o t o n e d o w n . T h e c r e w m e n w e r e a B r i t i s h

o f f i c e r a n d n o n - c o m m i s s i o n e d o f f i c e r [ s i c ] . I w a s

v e r y p r o u d o f m y t e s t - f l i g h t . T h e d o w n i n g o f t h e

a i r c r a f t w a s , o f c o u r s e , c r e d i t e d t o m e . T h e B a t t l e o f

t h e S o m m e i s n o t q u i t e a s i t s e e m s t o y o u a t h o m e .

T h e o p p o n e n t a t t a c k s w i t h e n o r m o u s l y s u p e r i o r

f o r c e s . . . [ w h i c h ] h a v e c h a n g e d t h e f a c e o f m o b i l e

w a r f a r e . S u r e l y , y o u l < n o w t h a t m y f r i e n d [ L e u t n a n t

H a n s v o n ] S c h w e i n i c h e n h a s f a l l e n . I w a n t e d t o v i s i t

h i m , a s h e w a s r i g h t i n m y a r e a . ' 3

R i g h t : W h e n t h e E h r e n b e c h e r ( C u p o f H o n o u r ) w a s

e s t a b l i s h e d t o r e w a r d c o m b a t a i r m e n f o r s h o o t i n g

d o w n e n e m y a e r o p l a n e s , t h e f i r s t t w o w e r e p r e s e n t e d

t o O s w a l d B o e l c l < e a n d M a x I m m e l m a n n o n

C h r i s t m a s E v e 1 9 1 5 . B o e l c k e d e s c r i b e d t h e s c e n e : ' I n

t h e e v e n i n g w e o f f i c e r s e x c h a n g e d C h r i s t m a s

p r e s e n t s i n t h e o f f i c e r s ' m e s s , w h e r e a t t h e s a m e t i m e

v a r i o u s a w a r d s w e r e d i s t r i b u t e d . F o r m e t h e r e w a s a

v e r y b e a u t i f u l s i l v e r g o b l e t n e x t t o o t h e r s m a l l a r t i -

c l e s . T h i s g o b l e t , b e a r i n g t h e i n s c r i p t i o n " D e m S i e g e r

i m L u f t k a m p f " [ T o t h e V i c t o r i n A e r i a l C o m b a t ] , h a d

b e e n p r e s e n t e d t o m e b y t h e C h i e f o f F i e l d A v i a t i o n

[ M a j o r H e r m a n n v o n d e r

L i e t h - T h o m s e n ] . I m m e l -

m a n n r e c e i v e d t h e

s a m e . ' 4 B o e l c k e h a d

s c o r e d s i x v i c t o r i e s a n d

I m m e l m a n n s e v e n a t t h e

t i m e t h e y r e c e i v e d t h e i r

o n e - l i t r e s i l v e r g o b l e t s ,

w h i c h w e r e p r o d u c e d a t

t h e d i r e c t i o n o f I ( a i s e r

W i l h e l m I I b y G o d e t , a n

e x c l u s i v e g o l d s m i t h i n

B e r l i n .

5

L a t e r a i r u n i t

l e a d e r s p r e s e n t e d g o b l e t s

t o t h e i r m e n - o f f i c e r s

a n d e n l i s t e d a l i k e - o n

the occasion of their first combat success. Thus in1916 Boelcke presented an Ehrenbecher to Manfredvon Richthofen, who, in turn, bestowed similargoblets to men who served under him.

Right: On the evening after Manfred vonRichthofen's first confirmed victory, Boelcke had acelebration for the Jasta 2 men who had scored thatday. Leutnant Erwin B6hme, who also recorded hisfirst victory, received the Iron Cross 1st Class fromBoelcke. Richthofen's old rival, Leutnant der ReserveHans Reimann, was toasted for his second triumph.It was too soon for Richthofen to receive his Ehren-becher, which Boelcke had to request with properdocumentation to verify the award. As if anticipatingthat some day he would have a great collection ofwar souvenirs, Richthofen ordered the first of a series

ONE EAGLE FALLS ANOTHER RISES

of small, plain silver cups to marl{ his victories. It wasinscribed '1. Vicl{ers 2. 17.9.16' to indicate his firstvictory, scored over a 'pusher'-type two-seater on 17September 1916. Some seventeen years later a Britishjournalist visited Richthofen's home in Schweidnitzand described the display seen at the right of thisphotograph: 'Perhaps the most interesting thing inthis room is a glass case filled with little silver cupswhich a Berlin jeweller made to Manfred's order onconfirmation of each victory; these cups do not total80, because towards the end of the war Germany wasrunning short of silver, but all the same, they make animposing array; the case also contains a cup won byRichthofen in his cavalry days, as well as numerousgifts to [his mother] Freifrau von Richthofen ... '6

27

O N E E A G L E F A L L S , A N O T H E R R I S E S

R i g h t : E v e r t h e h u n t e r , M a n f r e d

c o l l e c t e d c o m b a t t r o p h i e s , a s h e

w r o t e h o m e : ' O n 3 0 S e p t e m b e r

I s h o t d o w n m y t h i r d E n g l i s h -

m a n . H e f e l l b u r n i n g . O n e ' s

h e a r t b e a t s f a s t e r w h e n t h e

o p p o n e n t , w h o s e f a c e o n e h a s

j u s t s e e n , r u s h e s i n t o t h e a b y s s

o n f i r e f r o m 4 , 0 0 0 m e t r e s .

D o w n b e l o w , t h e r e w a s o f

c o u r s e v e r y l i t t l e r e m a i n i n g o f

t h e m e n o r t h e m a c h i n e . I t o o l .'1~"J1 .o.n~l.B....... f 4to ) 4_~h

'.".'JJ_1. ~'4."~.~1i',' .1.10.t. .7.30 1 '; '.tl.ld.~i.'.4 (cUe. )4'O$:a1lJl1.~lt"Z' 1.~.CJ.fIAJt.. l1 ( ... 43.'

"';l1,....1' 9~OOl~, ,,,.it, 1.i4-~,.O""1uf~.~ .o.ll ~ :118&.. t1., .... tar. :.$1: .. 11' ,~.1J.,. aulg."i.__ .'

,~,...- 4.r le:doht"oolM L~'tampt tt.b ~ 'Jtrf '_1*.. "

a 9.,.1..,' .Itt,. I.P.. ht*6.1....~..' ",..... ~.#.(Al. 2~., ".'.. ' ,~!H!.tn. .-. ,'$.All U... 171._. el)mtltL. l~.t.,1J:1 Jt 1.' Mit'. . . ._. o-H'.11-, .. 1"}. .~et~'.~ 1l_xt aft 4 ottl!4'h .....

... 1'.4.11 V*O.:el~.... lel.8t.2:4 .. Ut .ht-R..-pt" a.wer T.nuut"1~.) ".ol1iere.. :

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" " .'. (jW'~*"'i:''''~ftt.,J1:;':'.'t.1011 t.1'11.,..nmt.~ i ....l ........otii.f.:t

47

4 8

O n t h a t d a y t h e R i c h t h o f e n b r o t h e r s a n d t h e i r

c o m r a d e s d o m i n a t e d t h e A r r a s s e c t o r a n d o u t -

p e r f o r m e d a l l o t h e r J a s t a s , a s w e l l a s t h e i r a d v e r -

s a r i e s . R e l a t i v e l y m o d e s t s u c c e s s o n W e d n e s d a y , 1 1

A p r i l - s e v e n o u t o f n i n e s c o r e d o n 6 . A r m e e ' s f r o n t

- w a s f o l l o w e d t w o d a y s l a t e r b y t h e b e s t d a y i n J a s t a

1 1 ' s h i s t o r y . O f t h e s i x t e e n v i c t o r i e s c o n f i r m e d t h a t

d a y f o r t h e s e c t o r , t w e l v e w e r e c r e d i t e d t o J a s t a 1 1

a f t e r f i g h t i n g t h a t h a d l a s t e d f r o m m o r n i n g u n t i l

e v e n i n g . R i t t m e i s t e r M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n l e d t h e

d a y ' s s c o r i n g w i t h h i s 4 1 s t v i c t o r y a t 0 8 5 6 h o u r s . H e

s h o t d o w n h i s 4 2 n d o p p o n e n t a t 1 1 4 5 a n d

c o n c l u d e d t h e d a y ' s a c h i e v e m e n t s w i t h h i s 4 3 r d

v i c t o r y a t 1 9 3 0 h o u r s . T i m e s a n d p l a c e s f o r a l l o f t h e

d a y ' s s c o r i n g - i n c l u d i n g L o t h a r v o n R i c h t h o f e n ' s

4 t h a n d 5 t h , a n d I ( u r t W o l f f ' s 1 0 t h t o 1 3 t h - w e r e

c l e a r l y i d e n t i f i e d a n d c o r r e s p o n d w i t h k n o w n R F C

l o s s e s . I t e m N o . l I o n t h e s e c o n d p a g e o f t h i s r e p o r t

v e r i f i e s t h a t J a s t a 1 1 ' s s t u n n i n g p e r f o r m a n c e f o r t h e

w e e k w a s n o t o f f s e t b y l o s s e s . A s i g n i f i c a n t 6 . A r m e e

c a s u a l t y w a s r e p o r t e d f o r 8 A p r i l , h o w e v e r , w h e n

L e u t n a n t W i l h e l m F r a n k l , l e a d e r o f J a s t a 4 a n d t h e

o n l y J e w i s h r e c i p i e n t o f t h e O r d e n P o u r l e M e r i t e ,

f e l l i n c o m b a t o v e r V i t r y .

A b o v e : S t i l l s m o u l d e r i n g , o n e o f f o u r n e w R . E . 8 t w o -

s e a t e r s b r o u g h t d o w n b y J a g d s t a f f e l l I o n t h e

m o r n i n g o f 1 3 A p r i l i s e x a m i n e d b y G e r m a n t r o o p s

i n t h e a r e a . A f l i g h t o f s i x R . E . 8 s f r o m N o . 5 9

S q u a d r o n w a s w i p e d o u t w h i l e h e a d i n g f o r a p h o t o -

r e c o n n a i s s a n c e m i s s i o n o v e r E t a i n g , s o u t h - e a s t o f

J a s t a 1 1 ' s a i r f i e l d . L e u t n a n t I ( u r t W o l f f d e s t r o y e d o n e

o f t h e m , L o t h a r v o n R i c h t h o f e n w a s c r e d i t e d w i t h

t w o a n d M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n s h o t d o w n o n e ,

w h i c h w a s t h e f i r s t o f h i s t h r e e ' l { i l l s ' t h a t d a y .

V i s i t i n g j o u r n a l i s t W e g e n e r w i t n e s s e d t h e a p p a r e n t

e a s e w i t h w h i c h t h e J a s t a 1 1 p i l o t s h a d f o u g h t a n d

r e p o r t e d t h e s o b e r i n g a f t e r m a t h : ' N o o n e w a s

i n j u r e d . I t a l l l o o k e d l i k e i t c o u l d h a v e b e e n a

s u c c e s s f u l s p o r t i n g e v e n t . B u t R i c h t h o f e n ' s m a c h i n e

s h o w e d h o w l i t t l e i t w a s r e a l l y l i k e t h a t . A n e n e m y

m a c h i n e - g u n b u r s t h i t [ h i s ] l o w e r l e f t w i n g a n d t h e

f a b r i c f o r a b o u t a m e t r e a n d a h a l f l o o l { e d a s i f i t h a d

b e e n s l a s h e d o p e n b y t h e s w i p e o f a b i g k n i f e . A n d

o n t h e o u t e r w o o d e n c o v e r i n g c l o s e t o t h e p i l o t ' s s e a t

r a n a s e c o n d s c a r s h o w i n g t h a t a n o t h e r s h o t h a d

c o m e c l o s e t o t a k i n g h i s l i f e . ' 1 6

R i g h t : A c r a s h e d B r i t i s h a e r o p l a n e ( a r r o w e d ) l a y

n e g l e c t e d i n t h e s h e l l - p o c k e d d e s e r t b e t w e e n t h e

l i n e s n e a r B u l l e c o u r t , n o r t h - e a s t o f B a p a u m e , w h e n

i t w a s p h o t o g r a p h e d b y a G e r m a n r e c o n n a i s s a n c e

a e r o p l a n e o n 1 4 A p r i l . I t i s a t r i b u t e t o R o y a l F l y i n g

C o r p s a n d R o y a l N a v a l A i r S e r v i c e c r e w s t h a t i n a 4 -

week period of such heavy losses - 912 pilots andobservers in 50 squadrons, about one-third of Britishair strength on the Western Front17 - they perseveredand, indeed, recovered their ability to bring the warto their adversaries. The value of each airman, irre-spective of nationality, was aptly phrased byRichthofen: 'Airfighting in this world war is the lastvestige of knightly individual combat. A hundredyears ago the leader of an army stood on his hilltopcommand post and from there directed the battleand, when it went badly, led the attack himself. Now,the army leader sits at the telephone for hours, hasthe situation map under his nose and storms againstbits of paper that represent nests of Englishmen. It isdifferent in the air. There one finds no General. Staffofficer to lead the attack against an enemy formation

BLOODY APRIL AND BEYOND

... One just flies toward theBritish formation, then there isa battle and it ends in indi-vidual combat. I do not pindown the enemy formationwith my machine-gun; rather, Iseek out a single opponent.Then it is a matter of: you orme!'18

Above: Old comrades werereunited when Richthofenvisited his former Brieftauben-Abteilung pilot, HauptmannPaul Henning von Osterroht,on 15 April 1917. Osterroht, acareer army officer and pre-waraviator, was then commandingJagdstaffel 12. Richthofenrecalled his former superior asan intrepid pilot: 'Once I flewwith Osterroht, who had asomewhat smaller aeroplanethan our old [AEG G.II].About five kilometres behind[French lines] we encountereda Farman two-seater. Osterroht

49

B L O O D Y A P R I L A N D B E Y O N D

c a l m l y b r o u g h t u s n e a r h i m a n d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e I s a w

a n a d v e r s a r y i n t h e a i r r i g h t n e x t t o u s . O s t e I T o h t f l e w

v e r y s k i l f u l l y [ a n d ] s o c l o s e t h a t I c o u l d e a s i l y b r i n g

h i m u n d e r f i r e . T h e a d v e r s a r y h a d n o t n o t i c e d u s a t a l l ,

f o r i t w a s n o t u n t i l t h e f i r s t t i m e m y g u n j a m b e d t h a t

h e b e g a n t o r e t u r n f i r e . A f t e r I f i r e d m y f i r s t d r u m o f a

h u n d r e d r o u n d s , I c o u l d n o t b e l i e v e m y e y e s ; a l l o f a

s u d d e n t h e a d v e r s a r y w e n t d o w n i n a c u r i o u s s p i r a l . . .

a n d t h e n d r o p p e d i n t o a b i g b o m b c r a t e r ; w e s a w i t

s t a n d i n g o n i t s n o s e , t a i l h i g h i n t h e a i r . O n a m a p I

d e t e r m i n e d t h a t i t w a s f i v e k i l o m e t r e s b e h i n d t h e l i n e s

t h e n i n e f f e c t . A t t h a t t i m e , h o w e v e r , a e r o p l a n e s s h o t

d o w n o n t h e o t h e r s i d e d i d n o t c o u n t ; o t h e r w i s e I

w o u l d h a v e o n e m o r e o n m y v i c t o r y l i s t . ' 1 9 A t t h e t i m e

w h e n t h i s p h o t o g r a p h w a s t a k e n R i c h t h o f e n h a d 4 4

v i c t o r i e s t o h i s c r e d i t a n d O s t e r r o h t f i v e .

B e l o w : O n 1 6 A p r i l , b e c a u s e o f i n c r e a s i n g B r i t i s h

a t t a c k s o n L a B r a y e l l e a i r f i e l d , J a g d s t a f f e l 1 1 w a s

m o v e d t o R o u c o u r t , s o u t h - e a s t o f D o u a i , w h e r e t h e

o f f i c e r s w e r e b i l l e t e d i n a n e l e g a n t c h a t e a u . H e r e ,

M a j o r A l b r e c h t F r e i h e I T v o n R i c h t h o f e n ( t h i r d f r o m

r i g h t ) i s s e e n d u r i n g a v i s i t t o t h e n e w q u a r t e r s . H e w a s

w a r m l y w e l c o m e d a n d j o i n e d h i s s u c c e s s f u l s o n s a n d

t h e i r c o m r a d e s o n t h e c h a t e a u ' s s o u t h e r n s t e p s . F r o m

l e f t ( t o p r o w ) : L e u t n a n t C a r l A l l m e n r o d e r ( 1 M 2 7 J u n e

1 9 1 7 ) ; L e u t n a n t L o t h a r v o n R i c h t h o f e n ; L e u t n a n t

W o l f g a n g P l i i s c h o w ( D o W 5 J u l y 1 9 1 8 ) ; L e u t n a n t v o n

H a r t m a n n . ( B o t t o m r o w ) : L e u t n a n t G e o r g S i m o n

( P o W 4 J u n e 1 9 1 7 ) ; L e u t n a n t I < u r t W o l f f ( 1 M 1 5

S e p t e m b e r 1 9 1 7 ) ; M a n f r e d v o n R i c h t h o f e n ( 1 M 2 1

A p r i l 1 9 1 8 ) ; M a j o r v o n R i c h t h o f e n ; L e u t n a n t d e r

R e s e r v e I < o n s t a n t i n l < r e f f t ; L e u t n a n t d e r R e s e r v e H a n s

H i n t s c h ( 1 M 2 5 M a y 1 9 1 7 ) . H a u p t m a n n W i l h e l m

R e i n h a r d , w h o s u c c e e d e d M a n f r e d a s I < o m m a n d e u r o f

J a g d g e s c h w a d e r I , r e c a l l e d t h a t t h e M a j o r ' w a s c a l l e d

" d e r F l i e g e r v a t e r " [ f a t h e r o f t h e f l y e r s ] b y e v e r y o n e i n

t h e G e s c h w a d e r a n d r i g h t f u l l y s o . H i s s o n s w e r e t w o

f l y i n g - h e r o e s . T h e n u m b e r o f a e r i a l v i c t o r i e s o f b o t h o f

t h e m r e a c h e d t h e i m p r e s s i v e h e i g h t o f 1 2 0 . . . F a t h e r

R i c h t h o f e n a l s o f l e w , n o t a g a i n s t t h e e n e m y , t o b e s u r e ,

b u t t o v i s i t h i s s o n s a n d , a t t h a t , n o t o n l y o n c e , b u t

o f t e n . S u c h a v i s i t w a s a d a y o f h o n o u r f o r t h e

G e s c h w a d e r . . . D e s p i t e h i s a g e [ 5 7 ] , F a t h e r R i c h t h o f e n

p l a c e d h i m s e l f a t t h e d i s p o s a l o f t h e N a t i o n ; h o w e v e r ,

a s h e w a s p a r t i a l l y d e a f , h e c o u l d n o l o n g e r f i g h t a t t h e

F r o n t a n d b e c a m e a g a r r i s o n c o m m a n . d e r . ' 2 0

O p p o s i t e p a g e t o p : J a g d s t a f f e l 1 1 m a r l { e d i t s m o v e

t o R o u c o u r t w i t h t h r e e v i c t o r i e s o n 1 6 A p r i l . L e u t -

5 0

BLOODY APRIL AND BEYOND

nant Lothar von Richthofen shot down a Nieuportfighter that morning for his eighth confirmed claim;Vizefeldwebel Sebastian Festner also got a Nieuportin the same fight, which was logged as his 12th 'kill';and late in the afternoon, Rittmeister Manfred vonRichthofen shot down a B.E.2e, like the one seenhere. Richthofen's description of his 45th triumph isthe classic attack from above and behind, catchinghis opponent totally unawares: 'When ... flying justunder the clouds, which were at an altitude of 1,000metres, I observed an artillery flyer at 800 metres'altitude. I approached him unnoticed and attackedhim, whereupon the aeroplane plunged downwardsmoking. The pilot caught the machine once more,but then lost control at 100 metres. The aeroplaneplunged down between Bailleul and Gavrelle.' It isnoteworthy that Richthofen's claim was acceptedwithout question, even though the two-seater fellwithin British lines. Indeed, the B.E.2e from No. 13Squadron, RFC, crashed only 25 kilometres from itsairfield at Izel-les-Hameau. The pilot, LieutenantAlphonso Pascoe, was wounded and sent back toEngland for treatment. Pascoe's observer, Second-Lieutenant Fredericl< S. Andrews, was more severelywounded and died thirteen days later.21

Right: Jagdstaffel 11 Albatros D.Ills were joined bythose of Jasta 4 to create this view of a massive arrayof German airpower at Roucourt. The photographwas widely circulated and, in this case, it appeared

on the cover of the weekly illustrated supplement tothe Austrian Tages-Post of Linz. The Albatros in theforeground may have been flown by Richthofen's

lhe., ~t1>aei3 ~"U 1)11"'"'hf*~~n~f ,E:~riftltttt'~ ffi\' ~t#,rl'ti4 Ut-, W.h~>\idt e~_lIht tu_j.

51

B L O O D Y A P R I L A N D B E Y O N D

t e c h n i c a l o f f i c e r , L e u t n a n t d e r R e s e r v e I ( o n s t a n t i n

l < r e f f t .

2 2

U n m i s t a k a b l e b e h i n d i t i s M a n f r e d v o n

R i c h t h o f e n ' s ' r e d b i r d ' a n d t h i r d i n l i n e i s L o t h a r ' s

d a r k - c o l o u r e d m a c h i n e w i t h t h e r e d b a n d b e h i n d t h e

c o c k p i t . T h e f o u r t h a e r o p l a n e a p p e a r s t o b e o n e

f l o w n b y I ( a r l - E m i l S c h a f e r .

R i g h t : A l { e y t o R i c h t h o f e n ' s s u c c e s s a s a l e a d e r w a s

h i s a b i l i t y t o d r a w s u b q r d i n a t e s a n d s u p e r i o r s t o h i m .

T h a t q u a l i t y w a s d e s c r i b e d b y H a u p t m a n n E r i c h v o n

S a l z m a n n , s e e n h e r e ( c e n t r e ) d u r i n g a v i s i t t o

R o u c o u r t i n A p r i l : ' O n o n e o f t h o s e b e a u t i f u l s p r i n g

d a y s i n n o r t h e r n F r a n c e w e w e r e s t a n d i n g o n a s t r e e t

i n D o u a i w h e n a s m a l l r a t t l e t r a p o f a c a r c a m e

d a s h i n g t o w a r d u s . . . T h e c a r s t o p p e d . T w o y o u n g o f f i -

c e r s g o t o u t ; o n e i n a s h o r t , o p e n f u r c o a t , h a i r a s k e w ,

o f m e d i u m h e i g h t a n d s o l i d , c a m e u p t o m e a n d s a i d

i n c l i p p e d , m i l i t a r y s t y l e : " R i c h t h o f e n " . S o t h i s w a s .

t h e a i r m a n w h o w a s b e g i n n i n g t o b e c o m e f a m o u s .

I n m y l i f e t i m e I h a v e k n o w n v e r y m a n y p e o p l e , [ o f

w h o m ] m a n y r e m a i n i n m e m o r y , m a n y I h a v e

f o r g o t t e n . A t t h e t i m e R i c h t h o f e n w a s j u s t a t t h e

b e g i n n i n g o f h i s g l o r i o u s r i s e , p e r h a p s o n l y o n e

a m o n g m a n y . D e s p i t e t h a t , h e c a u g h t m y a t t e n t i o n

i m m e d i a t e l y . T h e r e w a s s o m e t h i n g i n h i s b e a r i n g t h a t

c r e a t e d a n e s p e c i a l l y p l e a s a n t i m p r e s s i o n . R i c h t h o f e n

p o s s e s s e d i n l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s t h a t t y p i c a l l y c h a r m i n g

s e l f - a w a r e n e s s a n d s e l f - a s s u r a n c e , w h i c h m u s t b e

i n n a t e , w h i c h o n e c a n n e v e r l e a r n . I n h i s f a c e t h e r e

w a s a c a l m , f i r m a n d y e t f r i e n d l y m a n l i n e s s , w i t h o u t

a n y p r o n o u n c e d , d e t e r m i n e d t e n s e n e s s , a s f o u n d i n

m a n y o f o u r o t h e r y o u n g h e r o e s . . . ' 2 3

O p p o s i t e p a g e , t o p : R i c h t h o f e n ' s w a r t r o p h i e s w e r e

s e t u p i n a r o o m i n t h e f a m i l y h o m e i n S c h w e i d n i t z

w h i c h l a t e r b e c a m e a m u s e u m . T h e ' c h a n d e l i e r ' ( t o p

c e n t r e ) w a s m a d e f r o m a c a p t u r e d r o t a r y e n g i n e . H i s

e a r l i e r h u n t i n g t r o p h i e s a t t h e l e f t - a b o a r ' s h e a d a n d

a n t l e r s f r o m s e v e r a l s t a g s - w e r e o v e r w h e l m e d b y

s o u v e n i r s f r o m ' b i g g e r g a m e ' - f a b r i c b e a r i n g s e r i a l

n u m b e r s t a k e n f r o m a e r o p l a n e s h e h a d s h o t d o w n .

L e f t t o r i g h t , t o p t o b o t t o m : 6 9 9 7 - v i c t o r y 1 8 , R o y a l

A i r c r a f t F a c t o r y F . E . 2 b , N o . 2 5 S q u a d r o n ; A . 1 1 0 8 -

v i c t o r y 2 3 , S o p w i t h 1

1

/ 2 - S t r u t t e r , N o . 4 3 S q u a d r o n ;

5 2

6 5 8 0 - v i c t o r y 5 , R o y a l A i r c r a f t F a c t o r y B . E . 1 2 , N o .

1 9 S q u a d r o n ; 5 8 4 1 - v i c t o r y 3 2 , R o y a l A i r c r a f t

F a c t o r y B . E . 2 d , N o . 1 3 S q u a d r o n ; A . 6 3 8 2 - v