Manfred Von Richthofen

Manfred was born in Wroclaw Poland in May of 1892. He is the most famous World War one pilot for the Central Powers of Germany. In 1911 he joined  the first Regiment of Uhlans, which were mounted solider or cavalrymen. who acted as scouts. Manfred became a supply officer after the French were taking a beating and cavalrymen were no longer needed. The former cavalryman hated his new job. Manfred became a reconnaissance flyer across Russian lines. In 1915 went back to the western front. He became a bomber, but hated the bomber planes, so whenever he got the chance he flew as an observer in an Albatros. Manfred decided he would learn to fly a fighter plane. He shot down two planes, but they were over enemy lines, so they didn't count. On his Albatros he had a second machine gun mounted into the pilot's seat, since the only one is in the cockpit with the observer. Manfred joined the Jasdstaffel Two or the Jasta Two. On his first combat mission, Manfred shot down an English plane on the German side, on September 17, 1916. After the death of Manfred's friend and teacher, Oswald Boelcke, he shot down many more planes, but one flier gave him the fight of his life, Major Lanoe Hawker. After a series of dog fighting and going in circles, Manfred shot him down. Ariel duels such as the one with Hawker made Manfred on of the most famous aces in Germany. Manfred was given his own squadron called the Jasta 11. Although the men of the Jasta 11 were good, none of them had shot down one plane, until Manfred came. The day came when six members of the Jasta 11 shot down 13 enemy planes with only slight damage. Every solider had a bright red Albatros. Their squadron was nicknamed Richthofen's Circus. In 1917 the Circus wiped out a whole fleet of British planes. Although the Circus had only been around for less then a year, they scored their 100th victory on April 23, 1917. Manfred himself shot down his 47th plane that day, and was now Germany's leading ace. Early in July a British pilot shot Richthofen in the head, and he was blind and unconscious at times, but he lived. In early August Manfred was able to fly again and him and his Circus kept patrolling the skies. In April of 1918 there was a delay of flight because of some fog. The British also delayed flight and when both sides took liftoff they got into a battle. Manfred had decided to shoot down a lonesome plane, but when the Captain, Arthur Brown saw what was happening he came to the rescue and somehow shot down Manfred. Manfred was buried in Germany and with over 80 aircraft victories to his name.