Tri-Service
Red Baron: The Day Fearsome First World War Pilot Was Finally Defeated
Almost a hundred years since his triplane struck fear into young pilots of the Royal Flying Corps, here we take a look into the history of Manfred von Richthofen - better known as the fearsome Red Baron - and the day he was finally shot down and killed.
Richthofen earned his nickname after scoring 24 aerial victories in his bright-red painted Albatros D.III aircraft, one of a number of models he flew throughout the First World War.
The Red Baron's all-red Fokker Dr.I alongside a modern-day replica
Other members of his Luftstreitkräfte squadron, Jasta 11, also later took to painting parts of their aircraft red - both as a unit identification and to prevent their leader being singled out in combat.
Unlike some other flying aces, Richthofen wasn't a spectacular or aerobatic pilot, but rather relied on his prowess as a tactician, squadron leader and marksman. Many of his 80-odd successes, meanwhile, were achieved against enemies in greater numbers and flying superior aircraft.
One of his main tactics involved diving from above to attack targets with the advantage of the sun being behind him, and with other German pilots covering his rear and flanks.
The basic rule Richthofen instructed to fly by was:
"Aim for the man and don't miss him. If you are fighting a two-seater, get the observer first; until you have silenced the gun, don't bother about the pilot".
'Jasta 11' was the most successful German fighter squadron in WWI
But while Richthofen's victories are extremely well-documented, the circumstances surrounding his death remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
The Red Baron's final battle began on the morning of April 21, 1918, when he became involved in an aerial battle with two aircraft piloted by Canadian members of the RAF.
Richthofen was struck through the chest during the ensuing dogfight by a single .303 bullet, and despite managing to make a hasty but controlled landing, died shortly afterwards.
The RAF at the time claimed the shot had been fired by one of the pilots involved in the aerial duel, Canadian Captain Arthur "Roy" Brown of No. 209 Squadron, but it is now generally accepted that it must have been fired from somewhere on the ground, most likely by a machine gunner. Who actually killed Richthofen remains a matter of debate, however.
No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, assumed responsibility for the Baron's remains as the nearest Allied air unit to the site of his death.
The regard in which he was held can be seen below in footage of the full military funeral he was given.
It was a feeling summed up by Captain Brown, who wrote after viewing Richthofen's body: "There was a lump in my throat. If he had been my dearest friend, I could not have felt greater sorrow."
Allied squadrons stationed nearby, meanwhile, presented memorial wreaths, one of which was inscribed with the words, "To Our Gallant and Worthy Foe".
Whilst the exact circumstances surrounding the Red Baron's death remain unclear, these were fitting tributes indeed to the First World War's greatest flying ace.
With thanks to Bundesarchiv and Oliver Thiele.
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