Manfred Von Richtofen The Red Baron

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Manfred Von RichtofenThe Red Baron
By Travis Roberts
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The Early Years

• Manfred Albrecht von Richtofen was the eldest of
  four children and was born on May 2, 1892 in
  Schweidnitz Silesia, which is now modern day
  Swidnica Poland.

• The young Manfred was shipped of to the military
  academy at Walhstatt by his parents in August
  1903 at the age of 11

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War Breaks Out!

• In 1911 Manfred graduates from military school
  and goes straight into active service with Uhlan
  Regiment 1 which is a German cavalry unit.

• In 1914 the First World War breaks out and the
  world is sent into conflict.

• Manfred would ride into the war as a Luetnant
  with the Cavalry. But with the invention of
  trench warfare, cavalry was now obsolete and
  Manfred was soon confined to the trenches.

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Pilot training

• Richtofen would grow increasingly frustrated
  with his lack of involvement in the war and wrote
  the following letter to his commanding officer to
  request a transfer. Dear Excellency, I did not
  go to war to gather cheese and eggs, but for
  another purpose.

• Manfred had set his eyes on a brand new
  invention, the aero plane, and in May 1915
  Manfred got his wish and was transferred to
  Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 7 for pilot training.

Etrich Taube
Little did anyone know how this simple transfer
would change the aviation world forever.
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Becoming a Jagdflieger

• After receiving his pilots badge Manfred flew as
  an observer, reporting the enemies field
  positions to the Army. This was the way that
  aircraft were first used in combat as no one
  really had any idea what else to do with them
  yet.

• Eventually it became necessary to shoot down
  these aircraft that were giving away field
  positions and the idea of aerial combat was born.

WWI pilots Badge

• Manfred, ever the hunter, wanted to be part of
  these new fighter units especially as the deeds
  of the worlds first aerial aces, Oswald Boelcke
  and Max Immelmann spread across the country.

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Modest beginnings

• One day Richtofen had a chance meeting with
  Germanys first great ace Oswald Boelcke and was
  able to talk with him. Boelcke would eventually
  become Richtofens teacher, friend and influence
  for the rest of his life.

• Boelcke was impressed with the young Manfred,
  and after his fighter training was complete in
  1916 he went to fly in Jasta 2, Boelckes elite
  fighter unit.

Oswald Boelcke

• On October 17th 1916, Manfred von Richtofen
  would shoot down the first aircraft of his
  career. Under Boelckes watchful eye, Manfred
  swooped in behind a British F.E.2.b and shot it
  from the sky. Victory number 1 was now officially
  achieved.

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Boelcke falls

• On October 27th 1916 Oswald Boelcke is killed
  when one of his students collide with him in mid
  air during an attack. Manfred was flying behind
  him and watched the entire event.

Fokker E-IIIAircraft that was being flown by
Jasta 2 at this time.

• Manfred never forgot that scene, and he never
  forgot his teacher. Even after Manfred was
  established as the greatest ace he would always
  say if Boelcke were alive hed have twice as
  many kills as I do a testament to his respect
  for the man.

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The Blue Max

• Richtofen was now becoming one of the greatest
  pilots of all time. By January 1917 he had shot
  down 16 aircraft in 3 months.

• For this great effort he would be awarded
  Prussias highest military honor the Pour Le
  Merite or better known as The Blue Max. An award
  all German pilots strived for.

• At the same time he was awarded the Pour Le
  Merite, Manfred was also given command of his own
  squadron Jasta 11. It was to contain the best
  pilots of the Luftstreitkrafte.

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The Red Baron is Born

• In late January 1917 Jasta 11 received a brand
  new fighter aircraft the Albatross DIII. Manfred
  decided out of nowhere that he wanted his
  Albatross painted glaring Red. And thus was born
  the legend of the Red Baron.

Exact Albatross DIII that Manfred flew in

• Now he would become well known, his all red
  aircraft bearing down on you meant no escape. But
  this all red aircraft also made him a target for
  the allies. So to confuse them the rest of Jasta
  11 added bits of red to all there aircraft, but
  Manfreds was the only one painted solid red.

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Shot down

• Now Richtofen was shooting down aircraft at a
  tremendous rate sometimes 3 or 4 a day, and by
  May of 1917 he had shot down 41 aircraft and was
  sent home for a rest.

• Soon after Manfreds return to combat in July
  1917 he was attacking an aircraft as usual when
  the tail gunner fired a lucky shot from 300 yards
  that grazed Manfreds head. He blacked out and
  spiraled to earth waking up just in time to make
  a crash landing.

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War takes its toll

• Manfred would be plagued by the injury for the
  rest of his life.

• The propaganda machine, the media and fans began
  to weigh heavily on him while he was recovering.

• Soon he would return to combat again despite
  urges from his country and his family to retire.

Jasta 11 pilots, all killed by 1918 except for
Richtofen

• War began to take a heavier toll on the Baron.
  The loss of all his good friends and his injury
  were catching up to him. Yet he continued flying
  because he felt he had to.

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The Rittmeister falls

• The Rittmeister continued his amazing streak of
  aerial kills, attaining 80 aerial victories by
  April 1918. He was now the highest scoring ace of
  the entire war at just 25 years old.

• Then on April 21st 1918 Richtofen took off in
  his Fokker Dr1a Tri-plane. Disobeying his own
  doctrine he entered into a low fight, over trench
  lines. As he pursued a Sopwith Camel, another
  fighter dropped behind him and fired. At the same
  time and Australian gun battery fired from the
  Ground, along with another field regiment.

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Who killed the Red Baron?
A bullet had passed through Manfreds heart
killing him instantly. Evidence shows that most
likely he was killed by the Australian ground
gunners and not by Canadian Capt Roy Brown that
dropped behind him in his Sopwith Camel.
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Endings

• The weight of war is a heavy one. Many remarked
  that Richtofen was not the same man he used to be
  at the towards the end of his life. He had lost
  all his friends, he had been wounded himself, and
  he was fighting in a loosing war. But he kept
  going until he had nothing left.

• Richtofens body was recovered by Australian
  ground forces who gave him a full military burial
  with a 21 gun salute. He was there enemy, but he
  was still respected.

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Legacy Lives on

• Richtofens Legacy lives on however. The
  tactical doctrine he developed is still used in
  pilot training. Even in this modern jet age, his
  theories on aerial combat hold true.

• To this very day, the Modern German Luftwaffe
  keeps a jet fighter squadron named in honor of
  the great ace, Jagdgeschwader 71 Richtofen.

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Bibliography
Boucher, Ira. A Pictorial History of WWI.
http//www.wwiaviation.com/index.shtml (2002)
Graf, Gaston. Koeniglich Pruessische Jagdstaffel
2 http//www.jastaboelcke.de/ (2002)
Kilduff, Peter. The Red Baron Beyond the
Legend. Cassell Military paperbacks., 1994
The Aerodrome Aces and aircraft of WWI.
http//www.theaerodrome.com/index.html (2002)
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DAS ENDE