The Red Baron-
However, after a few months of touring the empire to boost morale, he found that he missed flying too much and yearned to go back to his comrades on the front line. So he was given permission to go back to the front.
This is when he formed his famous flying circus. He was also given the latest state
of the art Fokker tri-
The Red Baron learned how to shoot as he grew up on his family estate in Prussia.. He developed the skills of a sharpshooter. These skills made him a fearsome fighter pilot. After his first victory, Richthofen ordered a silver cup engraved with the date of the fight and the type of enemy machine.
He continued this tradition until he had sixty cups, by which time the supply of silver in blockaded Germany was restricted.
Of course, the enemy forces both on the ground and in the air could also recognise him easily and would try to shoot him down. Anyone who shot down the Red Baron would become world famous overnight. The successful assassin/killer/hero would find himself on every front page in the world.
Von Richthofen was killed just after 11 a.m. on April 21, 1918. He died after being struck by a single .303 bullet while flying over the front lines. After being hit, von Richthofen managed to make a hasty but controlled landing in a field on a hill in a sector controlled by the Australian Army. His famous Fokker tri plane was not damaged by the landing. Shot in the chest Germany’s greatest hero died within minutes.
His death has become one of the most controversial, mysterious and legendary incidents
in history. The identity of the person who fired the fatal shot is unknown. Many
individuals have claimed the credit for the deed. However, although historians from
many different countries have forensically investigated the circumstances of his
death no-
Of the millions of servicemen who died in the First World War the Red Baron’s death had probably the most impact. It was a great blow to Germany but a great boost to Britain, France and their allies.
In January 1917, von Richthofen assumed command of Jasta 11, which ultimately included some of the elite of Germany's pilots, many of whom he had trained himself. Several in turn subsequently became leaders of their own squadrons.
As a practical aid to easy identification in the melee of air combat, Jasta 11's aircraft soon adopted red colorations with various individual markings, with some of von Richthofen's own planes painted entirely red. This practice soon had its use in German propaganda.
Von Richthofen led his new unit to unparalleled success, peaking during April of 1917. In that month alone, he downed 22 British aircraft, raising his official tally to 52. By June, he was the commander of the first of the new larger Jagdgeschwader (wing) formations. These were mobile tactical units that could be sent at short notice to different parts of the front as required. In this way, his units became "The Flying Circus" or "Richthofen's Circus", which got its name partially from the aircraft of all different colours and that they used large tents to house men and machines.
He was world famous. More celebrated and admired than even today’s celebrities, such as Brad Pitt or David Beckham.
Richthofen is also known as "le Baron Rouge", "le Diable Rouge" ("Red Devil") in France. The German translation of Red Baron is "der Rote Baron", and Richthofen is known by this name in Germany.
Richthofen started the war as a cavalry officer in the famous Prussian Uhlan cavalry regiment. Tired of inactivity during the trench stalemate and attracted to the new and what seemed glamorous life of a flier he acquired a transfer to the German Army Air Force in May 1915.
THE BLUE MAX
Manfred von Richthofen viewed his plane as a platform from which to fire his guns, and from that standpoint his reputation and skill as an aerial marksman ranked him higher than any fighter pilot of his era.
However, being a WW1 fighter pilot was an extremely dangerous occupation. Life expectancy was only 6 weeks. There were many reasons for this short life expectancy. Plane design was still in its infancy. The pilots did not wear parachutes. Although, parachutes had been invented for a few years, pilots did not wear them. It was thought to be cowardly and unmanly to wear them.
Apart from people on the ground and in the air trying to shoot you down, plane engines were unreliable and could cut out without warning. The aerodynamics of these early planes were similar to a stone; they did not glide well.
He became so important to the German war effort that the German Kaiser (King) personally ordered him to stop flying. The damage that would be done to the German nation’s morale if their greatest hero was killed in battle could not be risked.
He was one of the very few German servicemen to win
Pour le Merite (The Blue Max).
The Pour le Mérite gained international fame during World War I. Although it could
be awarded to any military officer, its most famous recipients were the pilots of
the German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte), whose exploits were celebrated in
wartime propaganda.
In aerial warfare, a fighter pilot was initially entitled to the award upon downing eight enemy aircraft.
Ace Max Immelmann was the first airman to receive the award, on January 12, 1916. Because of Immelmann's renown among his fellow pilots and the nation at large, the Pour le Mérite became known, due to its color and this early famous recipient, as the Blue Max.
