Looking through the I my old copy of Avalon Hills "RICHTHOFEN'S WAR" I also found a list of Manfred von Richthofen kills, all 80 of them.
Looking through the I my old copy of Avalon Hills "RICHTHOFEN'S WAR" I also found a list of Manfred von Richthofen kills, all 80 of them.
The majority of the victims seems to be inferior (in comparison to a scout) reconisance/bomber planes. Maybe it's a similar situation as it was with Erich Hartmann - he had the highest score, but mostly inferior planes. Others pilots like Gallant had more equivalent sparring partners.
You can only shoot what is in front of you & two seaters would be the prime targets for the obvious reasons, not forgetting MvR was shot down by one of these 'inferior' machines !
If you look at the WW1 aces I'm sure the tallies tell similar tales - McCudden for instance - 38/57 two seaters, Mannock 22/61 plus a few balloons, Ball 30/44 plus a balloon.
Sapiens qui vigilat... "He is wise who watches"
Destroying two-seaters was the way to win the 'ground war'. It reduced reconnaissance, artillery spotting and bombing.
Of course, destroying the recon and bombing planes was obviously the primary task for the scouts. Nonetheless I had always the impression, that aces earned their reputation by killing other fighters (aces) by beating them through their extraordinary flying and shooting skills.
Doubtless there was an element of that too but Tim's right - stalk, get in, kill, get out - was the usual tactic.
Albert Ball's preferred method was to get under the target and fire a burst through the cockpit floor - still extraordinary flying and shooting skills just not quite how you imagined them !
Sapiens qui vigilat... "He is wise who watches"
The most commonly practised method of shooting down an opponent was to sneak up behind them, shoot them up (when they had no idea the attacker was there) and escape.
Slower two-seaters are the easiest to catch and kill in this way (provided the observer is busy on his mission).
The "Knights of the Air" misconception is just that - a misconception.
Anyway, more than half of those 80 are fighters/scouts.................
I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!
For a better understanding of The Red Baron and his career - try reading 'Under the Guns of the Red Baron' by Franks , Gibley & McCrery
Never Knowingly Undergunned !!
These two companion books are also excellent reading.
Rob
"Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."
Yup, I have all three and they are most enlightening!
I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!
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