Red baron book

**Tristan** · 08-27-2017 15:45

I found this book in Liverpool last year and I not come across it since. . It lists all of his 80 victories and also gives a map reference to where it happened. . It leaves the debate on who or what killed him ( capt brown or trench guns ) alone , as nobody can really say what happened that day.

**Flying Helmut** · 08-27-2017 16:40

I bought this book a few weeks ago - (mine is without that horrible yellow disc on the cover!)

Lots of fascinating, and mostly accurate, information.

**'Warspite'** · 08-28-2017 02:14

Originally Posted by Tristan

, as nobody can really say what happened that day.

I have no issues with who killed MvR. The Australian ground fire got him. The bullet which killed him came from the side and low, rising through his chest cavity and was beginning to topple because of the range at which it hit him. Captain Brown reports being close and behind him when he fired and then pulled away. If Brown had fired the killer shot it would have come from behind, fairly level and would have punched straight through.

The final argument is the timing. MvR was able to fly in a roughly two-mile loop around a hill with the Aussies firing at him as he flew in both directions. His flight was only seen to became erratic after passing the hill the second time. This was several minutes after Brown had fired at him and broke away. The erratic flight suggests a hit on the second pass of the hill, MvR flew erratic and he rapidly went into the ground. His two post mortems suggest the toppling .303 round caused major internal damage and he would have bled out very quickly. That excludes Brown from causing the hit and puts the Aussies squarely in the time frame… correct range (700 yards or so), right angle for a rising bullet from the hilltop where they were shooting and just enough time for him to force land the aeroplane, say 'Kaput' (his reported last words) and die when the troops found him. A recent TV documentary on the subject using laser light over the original ground was quite convincing.

Barry

**flash** · 08-28-2017 08:44

Originally Posted by Flying Helmut

I bought this book a few weeks ago - (mine is without that horrible yellow disc on the cover!)

Lots of fascinating, and mostly accurate, information.

Way better than the film then which was the complete opposite of the above description !