Manfred von Richthofen

Rittmeister Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (German: [ˈmanfreːt fɔn ˈʁɪçthoːfn̩]; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories.

Originally a cavalryman, Richthofen, discovered by Oswald Boelcke, transferred to the Air Service in 1915, becoming one of the first members of the fighter squadron Jagdstaffel 2 in 1916. He quickly distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, and during 1917, he became the leader of Jasta 11. He eventually rose to command the larger fighter wing Jagdgeschwader I, better known as "the Flying Circus" or "Richthofen's Circus" because of the bright colours of its aircraft and perhaps also because of the way the unit was transferred from one area of Entente air activity to another – moving like a travelling circus with their aircraft loaded on railroad flatcars and frequently setting up in tents on improvised airfields. A master tactician and an effective leader, Richthofen became famous due to the mystique of his scarlet planes and was regarded as a national hero in Germany; he also inspired fear and respect in his enemies.

Richthofen was shot down and killed over France near Vaux-sur-Somme on 21 April 1918. Discussion and debate regarding aspects of his career have been considerable, especially the circumstances of his death. He remains one of the most famous fighter pilots of all time and has been the subject of many books, films, and other media, usually with his Red Baron moniker and flying his signature red Fokker Dr.I.

Name and nicknames

Richthofen was a Freiherr (literally "Free Lord"), a title of nobility often translated as "baron". That is not a given name nor strictly a hereditary title, since all male members of the family were entitled to it, even during the lifetime of their father. Richthofen painted his aircraft red, which, combined with his title, led to him being called the "Red Baron" (), both inside and outside Germany.