The other day I came across a photo of Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the leading ace aviator of World War I. If a photo could talk, this one does. It reflects a very determined, arrogant, steely-eyed and and self-confident young man, who in his brief service to Germany as a warrior earned his country's highest award for valor, the Pour Le Merite, or Blue Max.
It prompted me to take this photo - using as a prop a C-96 Mauser pistol made in 1914, which would have been in existence at the time of Richthofen's exploits. Also depicted is a Blue Max, similar to the one he wore in his photo.
The story of his life is fascinating. He was born Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen on May 2, 1892. He was from birth a Freiherr (literally "Free Lord"), a title of nobility often translated as "Baron." His birthplace was Kleinburg, near Breslau, Lower Silesia (now part of the city of Wrocław, Poland) into a prominent Prussian aristocratic family.
After attending a military school, he joined an Uhlan cavalry unit. When WWI began, he served as a cavalry reconnaissance officer on both the Eastern and Western fronts. He was then assigned to a supply post, and disappointed that he was not slated to see combat, he volunteered for the fledgling German air service and was accepted.
The rest was history. He was a natural flier, and quickly rose into the ranks of prominent aces. He was well known to both the Allies and the Germans, and soon gained the nickname "The Red Baron" with his Fokker triplane painted red - a simple dare for anyone to pick him out and try to shoot him down. He was not a careless aviator, preferring to dive down from the sun while attacking. He was steady and cool, winding up with a confirmed total of 80 kills. In January, 1917, he was awarded the Blue Max for 16 kills, and assumed the command of a squadron of aircraft. It was at this time that he had his plane painted red - and other members of his squadron also began to paint portions of their aircraft red - they became known famously as the "flying circus."
In July, 1917 he received a serious head wound, causing temporary blindness in one eye. He pushed himself to recover and was soon in the air again against doctor's orders.
As he was becoming a national hero, there was a movement to assign him to a ground job to lessen the chance of his being shot down, which would surely be a blow to German morale. He refused any such assignment, saying that the average German soldier had no such choice, and that he would continue flying.
Richthofen was fatally wounded just after 11:00 am on April 21, 1918, while flying over Morlancourt Ridge, near the Somme River. While captain Roy Brown of the RAF is credited for this, other evidence points to him being shot from the ground by a machine gun. At any rate, a .303 bullet pierced his chest. He made a hasty landing in enemy territory, but died shortly thereafter.
He was buried with full military honors by the British.
He was just 25 years old.
John
It prompted me to take this photo - using as a prop a C-96 Mauser pistol made in 1914, which would have been in existence at the time of Richthofen's exploits. Also depicted is a Blue Max, similar to the one he wore in his photo.
The story of his life is fascinating. He was born Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen on May 2, 1892. He was from birth a Freiherr (literally "Free Lord"), a title of nobility often translated as "Baron." His birthplace was Kleinburg, near Breslau, Lower Silesia (now part of the city of Wrocław, Poland) into a prominent Prussian aristocratic family.
After attending a military school, he joined an Uhlan cavalry unit. When WWI began, he served as a cavalry reconnaissance officer on both the Eastern and Western fronts. He was then assigned to a supply post, and disappointed that he was not slated to see combat, he volunteered for the fledgling German air service and was accepted.
The rest was history. He was a natural flier, and quickly rose into the ranks of prominent aces. He was well known to both the Allies and the Germans, and soon gained the nickname "The Red Baron" with his Fokker triplane painted red - a simple dare for anyone to pick him out and try to shoot him down. He was not a careless aviator, preferring to dive down from the sun while attacking. He was steady and cool, winding up with a confirmed total of 80 kills. In January, 1917, he was awarded the Blue Max for 16 kills, and assumed the command of a squadron of aircraft. It was at this time that he had his plane painted red - and other members of his squadron also began to paint portions of their aircraft red - they became known famously as the "flying circus."
In July, 1917 he received a serious head wound, causing temporary blindness in one eye. He pushed himself to recover and was soon in the air again against doctor's orders.
As he was becoming a national hero, there was a movement to assign him to a ground job to lessen the chance of his being shot down, which would surely be a blow to German morale. He refused any such assignment, saying that the average German soldier had no such choice, and that he would continue flying.
Richthofen was fatally wounded just after 11:00 am on April 21, 1918, while flying over Morlancourt Ridge, near the Somme River. While captain Roy Brown of the RAF is credited for this, other evidence points to him being shot from the ground by a machine gun. At any rate, a .303 bullet pierced his chest. He made a hasty landing in enemy territory, but died shortly thereafter.
He was buried with full military honors by the British.
He was just 25 years old.
John
Last edited:
