ABSTRACT

The most famous of the flying Ace pilots was a young German officer named Manfred von Richthofen. Known for his red Fokker triplane, Richthofen was credited with shooting down 80 enemy aircraft. When Richthofen graduated from military school, he joined a cavalry unit and served under Emperor Alexander III of the Russian Uhlan Regiment. He was still serving in the cavalry when war broke out. He wrote a letter to his commanding officer asking to be transferred to a unit where he could be of more use than counting bullets and peeling potatoes. Legends and stories about Richthofen claim that he was a daredevil reckless pilot that flew alone, hunting down enemy pilots. After his 17th victory, Richthofen painted his Albatross a bright red.