The life and times of German flying ace

Born on May 2 1892, Manfred von Richthofen learned to hunt at an early age.

As a result of his aristocratic upbringing he and his brothers excelled at hunting and von Richthofen joined a cavalry unit – the 1st Emperor Alexander III of Russia Uhlan Regiment – when he turned 18.

While he served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, trench warfare made cavalry operations outdated and his regiment was disbanded.

Frustrated and bored, the last straw came when he was transferred to the supply branch.

Enraged, he applied to join the Imperial German Army Air Service.

The leader of a squadron known as the Flying Circus, von Richthofen developed a formidable reputation in his bright red Fokker triplane.

At a time when 15-20 aircraft kills were considered exceptional, von Richthofen earned his legendary status and the coveted Pour Le Mérite medal (der Blaue Max, the Blue Max) by shooting down 80 enemy aircraft.

By 1918, von Richthofen was regarded a national hero in Germany and respected and admired even by his enemies.

Von Richthofen was killed on April 21 1918 while flying over Morlancourt Ridge near the River Somme.

At the time he had been pursuing a Sopwith Camel at very low altitude, piloted by novice Canadian pilot Lieutenant Wilfrid May of No 209 Squadron, Royal Air Force.

In the last seconds of his life, he managed to retain sufficient control to make a rough landing.

In 2009, von Richthofen’s death certificate was found in the archives in Poland.

It misspells Richthofen’s name as “Richthoven” and simply states that he had “died April 21 1918, from wounds sustained in combat”.

Manfred von Richthofen.