Der Rote Kampflieger (The Red Battle Flyer)
Germany
1918
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THE GREAT WAR IN THE AIR BIBLIOGRAPHY PROJECT |
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MANFRED VON RICHTHOFEN (1892-1918) Born in Breslau, Silesia, Von Richthofen entered the military academy at Wahlstast at the age of 9. At the outbreak of the First World War he began serving as an Ulhan (Cavalry Officer) on the Eastern Front but was eventually moved to the West and assigned to a supply unit. In May 1915 Von Richthofen applied for a transfer to aviation and served on both fronts as an observer before eventually being accepted for pilot training. A chance meeting with Oswald Boelke would result in Lt. von Richthofen being asked to join the great German ace's Justas 2, where Von Richthofen began to steadily score victories. After Boelcke's death in the Summer of 1916 Von Richthofen was given the leadership of Jasta 11, a mediocre squadron that had yet to score a single victory. Often flying an all red machine, he soon became known to his enemy as "The Red Baron". Under Von Richthofen's tutelage, Jasta 11 went on to become the German Air Service's most famous squadron and in the Spring of 1918 he was chosen to command Jadgeschwader 1; the Air Service's first combat wing. On April 21st, 1918, Von Richthofen was shot down and killed on the British side of the lines and buried with full honors. From the very beginning, a controversy had arisen as to who has fired the fatal shot that killed Manfred Von Richthofen. Because his last flight had been very close to the ground, there were undoubtedly many soldiers that had fired as he passed over head. In addition, Canadian pilot Roy Brown had briefly given chase and loosed off a shot at The Baron's all red Fokker Triplane. |
Richthofen, Baron Manfred Von
Der Rote Kampflieger (The Red Battle Flyer)
Germany
1918
224 pp
Translated by Jay Hayzlett
Estimated Value:
Doubleday/Air
Combat Classics Edition $13 - $18
Ace Paperbacks $2 - $5
Originally published as Der Rote Kampflieger in Germany in 1918, Von Richthofen's memoir has been reprinted in many editions and languages.
RELATED READING (Richthofen) :
1918 The Red Air Fighter Richthofen, Baron Manfred Von
1927 The Red Knight Of Germany Gibbons, Floyd
1934 Richthofen The Red Knight Of The Air Vigilant
1935 Hunting With Richthofen Bodenschatz, Carl
1959 Von Richthofen And The Flying Circus Nowarra And Brown (Editors)
1969 Who Killed The Red Baron? Carisella And Ryan
1969 Richthofen: A True History Of The Red Baron Burrows, William E.
1970 Richthofen, The Red Baron Schurmacher, Emile C.
1970 The Day The Red Baron Died Titler, Dale
1971 Von Richthofen And Brown (Fiction) Lavinia, Joe
1975 The Red Baron (For Young Readers) Boning, Richard A.
1976 The Red Baron Wright, Nicolas
1990 Manfred Von Richthofen : The Man And The Aircraft He Flew Baker, David
1993 Richthofen: beyond The Legend Of The Red Baron Kilduff, Peter
1995 Under The Guns Of The Red Baron Franks, Giblin & McCrery
1996 Von Richthofen: The Legend Evaluated Bickers, Richard Townshend
1997 The Red Baron's Last Flight Franks & Bennett
1997 The Red Baron Combat Wing Kilduff, Peter
1998 Richthofen's Flying Circus Treadwell & Wood
1999 The Illustrated Red Baron Kilduff, Peter
2004 To The Last Man (Fiction) Shaara, Jeffery
2006 Gunning For The Red Baron Bennett, Leo
RELATED READING (General) :
1917 An Aviator's Field Book Boelcke, Captain Oswald
1959 Air Aces Of The 1914-1918 War Robertson, Bruce And Others (Editors)
1965 Eagles Of The Black Cross Musciano, Walter A.
1971 Pictorial History Of The German Army Air Service Imrie, Alex
1981 Albatros Fighters In Action Conners, John F.
1986 Fokker Fighters Of World War One Imrie, Alex
1987 German Air Aces Of World War One Imrie, Alex
1989 Fokker Dr.1 In Action Nowarra, Heinz J.
1991 Germany's First Air Force 1914-1918 Kilduff, Peter
1995 Bloody April... Black September Franks, Guest & Bailey
1996 Who Downed The Aces In World War One? Franks, Norman
1997 Under The Guns Of The German Aces Franks & Giblin
1998 German Knights Of The Air Treadwell & Wood
2003 September Evening Diggens, Barry
2005
Bloody April Hart,
Peter