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Thread: Death of von Richthofen 21 April 1918, 99 years ago today

  1. #1

    Default Death of von Richthofen 21 April 1918, 99 years ago today

    Rittmeister Freiherr Manfred von Richthofen, victor of 80 air combats, flew his last flight and fought his last fight 99 years ago today.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I salute his memory, along with all those lesser known Great War fliers who served their countries with distinction and paid the supreme sacrifice.


  2. #2

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    Well said.

    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  3. #3

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    Our little red triplanes wouldn't be the same without him.

  4. #4

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    Imperial German certainly lost not only a very successful fighter pilot, but a major tactical innovator in his own right.

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    He was a Boelke Babe and learned from the master himself.
    Thankfully he fell, can you imagine him surviving & running the Luftwaffe instead of fat Herman..

    "He is wise who watches"

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by flash View Post
    He was a Boelke Babe and learned from the master himself.
    Thankfully he fell, can you imagine him surviving & running the Luftwaffe instead of fat Herman..
    HaHa! But I believe that he would disagree with you know who.

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  8. #8

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    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  9. #9

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    To a brave soldier, flier and patriot of his country

    Quote Originally Posted by flash View Post
    can you imagine him surviving & running the Luftwaffe instead of fat Herman..
    An interesting what-if; that assumes he would stomach working for the Nazis.

    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jager View Post
    An interesting what-if; that assumes he would stomach working for the Nazis.
    And vice versa -- remember: MvR was born to a Prussian family, but was in fact born *outside* "Germany" proper (in what is now Wroclaw, Poland). I suspect between the two, he would not have gotten on well with Dear Old Uncle Adi and his crew.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carl_Brisgamer View Post
    Rittmeister Freiherr Manfred von Richthofen, victor of 80 air combats, flew his last flight and fought his last fight 99 years ago today.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Richthofen Blue Max.jpg 
Views:	53 
Size:	106.0 KB 
ID:	221605

    I salute his memory, along with all those lesser known Great War fliers who served their countries with distinction and paid the supreme sacrifice.

    Yes well said Carl.
    R.I.P. MvR & all the pilots lost in WW1 from all countries.

  12. #12

    Thumbs up

    For those who may not have seen it before here is an image of the Diorama of MvR's fatal crash which is in the Omaka Aerodrome Museum in New Zealand (Thanks to Sir Peter Jackson)

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	WW1 Omaka <acronym title=MvR diorama take 2.jpg  Views: 29  Size: 104.6 KB  ID: 221638" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" />

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by csadn View Post
    ... remember: MvR was born to a Prussian family, but was in fact born *outside* "Germany" proper ...
    As was Uncle Adi !
    Wolfram served in the Luftwaffe throughout WW2, I don't find it a stretch to believe that, had they survived, both Manfred & Lothar would not have done the same and, like others from the previous conflict, possibly becoming ardent national socialists.
    We can but speculate; all of them served their country with distinction and I can respect that.

    "He is wise who watches"

  14. #14

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    A lot of good points made.
    I tend to think MvR would have ended up like Rommel if he had survived and gone on to the second war.

    Thanks for posting Carl - and thanks for that diorama photo, Baz.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by flash View Post
    As was Uncle Adi ! :slysmile:
    Wolfram served in the Luftwaffe throughout WW2, I don't find it a stretch to believe that, had they survived, both Manfred & Lothar would not have done the same and, like others from the previous conflict, possibly becoming ardent national socialists.
    We can but speculate; all of them served their country with distinction and I can respect that.
    The main problem is: MvR didn't commit any political statements to paper that anyone knows of; so there's no telling what his political views were.

    He could have been the German Calvin Coolidge.... :)

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    As a young officer involved in a war I don't believe his 'political' views ever went beyond a desire to serve his country to the best of his ability in order to achieve victory.

    How he would have responded to the defeat of November 1918 and the subsequent Versailles Treaty we will never know, but like many of his comrades it may have pushed him to the same political standpoint adopted by many of his brother officers.

  17. #17

    Setarius's Avatar May you forever fly in blue skies
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    A man well respected by his peers. To the man who was the greatest of all time.
    His legend only grew with his death.
    In reading about MVR and family members, an uncle of his lived in Colorado and started the Denver Chamber of Commerce. So the question can be asked, If MVR had survived the war, would he have stayed in Prussia or visited the U.S. enough to switch sides for WWII?
    Or would he have joined the Polish units fighting for the British?

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    May he rest in peace.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carl_Brisgamer View Post
    As a young officer involved in a war I don't believe his 'political' views ever went beyond a desire to serve his country to the best of his ability in order to achieve victory.

    How he would have responded to the defeat of November 1918 and the subsequent Versailles Treaty we will never know, but like many of his comrades it may have pushed him to the same political standpoint adopted by many of his brother officers.


    i suspect his reaction wouldve been much like rommels, initially pleased with germany being restored to her former glories in defiance of the restrictions of the versailles treaty with increasing disquiet and outright distaste with how hitler and the nazis were behaving and their policies.

  20. #20

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    With the greatest respect to him and everyone else who fought in the war.



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