Get documents about "Manfred 20Von 20Richtofen
Document Sample
Manfred Von Richtofen
The Red Baron
By Travis Roberts
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
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.
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.
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
WWI pilots field positions and the idea of aerial
Badge combat was born.
• Manfred, ever the hunter, wanted to be part of these new
fighter units especially as the deeds of the world‟s first aerial
aces, Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann spread across the
country.
Modest beginnings
• One day Richtofen had a chance meeting with
Germany‟s first great ace Oswald Boelcke and
was able to talk with him. Boelcke would
eventually become Richtofen‟s 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,
Oswald Boelcke
Boelcke‟s elite fighter unit.
• On October 17th 1916, Manfred von Richtofen would shoot
down the first aircraft of his career. Under Boelcke‟s 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.
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-III
Aircraft 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 he‟d have twice as
many kills as I do” a testament to his respect for the man.
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
Prussia‟s 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.
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 Manfred‟s was the only one painted solid red.
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 Manfred‟s 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 Manfred‟s
head. He blacked out and spiraled to earth
waking up just in time to make a crash
landing.
War takes it‟s 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.
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.
Who killed the Red Baron?
A bullet had passed through Manfred‟s 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.
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.
• Richtofen‟s 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.
Legacy Lives on
• Richtofen‟s 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‟.
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)
DAS ENDE
