September 1st, 2013, 06:34 pm

"Red Baron" Manfred von Richtgofen.

In the morning, the fog closed the field of the German airfield in the village of Kapy in the Summa Valley. There is a famous Squadron "Air Circus". She commanded the legendary Ace Baron Manfred von Richtgofen, who received a nickname red baron due to the bright scarlet color of his combat aircraft. But the fog dispelled, and Triplan Richtgofen could be prepared for a combat departure. While the mechanics were busy business, the Red Baron is in a flying form. The task he received was ordinary - to head the patrol, and if necessary, to repel the attacks of British aircraft - intelligence officers who sneak over the valley of Somma. Short instructing pilots, a look at the scratching sky, and Richtgofen sits in the cab, which sticks out two machine guns. And now he will take off at the head of the first fighter link.

Patrol Richtgofen returned from the task with the sorrowful news - the commander is shot down over English positions. Red Baron seemed invincible, did he replenished the sad statistics of millions of killed? For the last time, Richtgofen was seen when he had one of the Squadron Squaders of the British Air Force. Piloting his captain Brown. The death of Richtgofen was a terrible blow on the moral spirit of the Germans. Triplan Red Baron was shot down over the location of the Australian infantrymen. Everyone fell to the worm of doubt: is Brown, the captain of the British Air Force, hit the legendary ASA, and maybe this is the merit of someone from the Australian machine gunners who swallowed in one of the trenches? This mystery added another touch to the myths accompanying the career of the Greater Asa of the First World War.

Manfred von Richtgofen was born on May 2, 1892 in the city of Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland) in the family of Prussian aristocrat, and this urged the career of the military was predetermined.

Generic coat of arms von Richtgofen
At the end of the Military School in Valdstadt, he entered the Military Academy and became an excellent shooter and a rider. In 1912, in the rank of lieutenant, he began the service at the horse shelf. In August 1914, the peaceful rhythm of the army service was interrupted by war. Manfred was appointed commander of the unit participating in the offensive to Russia. Soon his company was transferred to the West Front. However, the war in France was not for cavalry: a person on a horse among trenches and barbed wire would be just a helpless targeted target for enemy machine guns. Like allies, Germany kept cavalry in Ajegard, expecting a breakthrough in vain. Richthofen had to fulfill the responsibilities of the Intendant. Wearing with pieces, tedious economic affairs turned the dreams about combat exploits into something unrealized. A young officer had a lot of time to watch how a new form of hostilities was born above his head. This gave the opportunity to get rid of boredom and trench mud. Richtgofen began to learn the observer profession and was soon shipped to the Eastern Front, where he regularly participated in the intelligence flights. Motors have come, and the former cavalryman moved from the horse to the plane. He realized that flights were his element. Manfred wrote Mother: "I fly daily over the troops of the enemies and I repeat about their movement. Three days ago, he reported on the retreat of the Russians. You do not imagine how happy I was."

In August 1915, Richtgofen was redirected to the Western Front to a super secret connection under the codenate name "Brigade of Pigeons", intended for bombing operations. After graduating from the same year, the training course and having received the long-awaited wings, the new pilot could finally fully satisfy his ambitions. Preparing for combat departures, Richtgofen screwed up to the top wing of his scout aircraft machine gun.

Now the air battles looked differently than at the beginning when pilots used carbines and revolvers. The jump was committed in February 1915, when the Frenchman Roland Garosse installed a stationary machine gun, which shot through the rotating propeller. The German aircraft designer focker, having studied the captured French aircraft, came up with a breaker, thanks to which the machine gun released bullets only at the moment when there was no screw on their way. The Focker Breaker was put on a monoplan of Aystdekker, who became the first real fighter. The machine gun on the aminekkers has become a hellish scourge for almost defenseless intelligence aircraft of the Allied Forces. For ten months, the terror started in August 1915, the aminekkers practically cleared the sky from the enemy cars. In January 1916, the headquarters of the British Royal Air Force gave an order to accompany each intelligence aircraft three fighters in a closer building.

AYTDECCER brought a whole cohort of fighters - asces. Oswald Belka developed basic and unfortunate rules of air combat. His friend Max Immelman first carried out a classic maneuver, called "Coupling Immelman" - a turn and a semi-proof, who immediately removed his plane over and behind the enemy aircraft, usually with a fatal outcome for the enemy. At that time, Richtgofen had not made his way into the ranks of the Ass. He continued exploration and bombing flights first under the meter, and then again on the Eastern Front, where in June 1916, Russian troops switched to a big offensive. Richtgofen noted that shelling columns by enemy cavalry is very effective. Under the fire of his machine guns, the Cossack troops literally crumbled in different directions. It was then that Richtgofen was noticed by the father of the air battlefield, arrived on the Eastern Front in search of pilots for his air hunter shelf. Baron Von Richthofen seemed to him quite suitable candidate for the division of his regiment. In September 1916, Richtgofen entered Jasta-2. His dreams came true, he became a fighter.

Max Immelmann Oswald Belka
By that time, the British and the French were intercepted the initiative thanks to new airplanes Newport. Aminedekkers are outdated. To change them to the front arrived streamlined, with shark noses, biplans called Albatros. It was on Albatross that Richtgofen opened the score of his victories by hitting on September 17, 1916 Biplan Bitish Air Force FE-2. Fe-2 was a mannery aircraft, but the rear of the screw did his beautiful target for attack at the back. The deadly wounded pilot managed to plant Biplan. Richtgofen sat down to be convinced of his success. In the evening, in honor of the first victory, he ordered a silver cup from the Berlin jeweler. Then he had a lot of them. One career began, and the other ended - Osvald Belka dies on October 28. Three days later, on the day of the funeral, Richtgofen Neus on a black pad of his teacher's medal. Richtgofen's victories rated rapidly, but on November 23, 1916, he almost found death in a duel with the English Asom Major Hoker, the commander of the Squadron of the British Air Force. Once the Hawker died, and two steps from the English defense line. Major Hoker flew on obsolete DK-2 with a pushing screw, but now Albatrosi was thrown challenge the new fast and yurik aircraft of Svolimitch-Dad, one of the first British fighters armed with a machine gun shooting through the propeller.

Albatross DV background Richtgofen
Superiority in the air often depends on a little more speed, a little more steep drive, a little greater rainfame of the machine gun and, of course, from the skill of the pilot to squeeze all of these advantages. There was a lot of pilots no worse than Manfred von Richtgofen, but he knew how to fight to the end. On November 16, 1917, he was awarded the Order "For Personal Bravery". Then he was appointed Kamander Jasta-2. Unlike the British Air Force, the Germans collected their best pilots into elite divisions. Under the command of Richtgofen, his brother - Lothar, who ended the war with 40 victories. Their multicolored aircraft gave the unit nickname "Air Circus". With the further reorganization of the German Air Force in June 1917, Manfred von Richtgofen commanded four Jasta groups collected in the Jagdgeschwader-1 combat wing. (Fighter Wing 1)

Albert Ball Georges Gihemer Lothar von Richtgofen
In April 1917, Richtgofen surpassed the Belke himself, knocking up 40 somoles. He became an instrument of German propaganda. The allies also had their heroes - the names of such Asians as an Englishman Boll and the Frenchman Generier became a legend. These bright personalities, "Knights of the Air", as they were called, became famous for the whole world. From American Asis, one of the best was Raul Lafberry (16 victories), which served earlier in the French squadron Lafayette. But all these heroes died. First, Lafberry and the Giemer, and then the Boll. The last in the brutal battle with the air circuit knocked Brother Richtgofen Lotara, but he stayed alive, and the Ball died in the same battle. Only the red baron seemed invincible. He turned the air combat into an exact science. In addition, Richtgofen became an excellent air acrobat. He shot the sacrifice from a very close distance, opening the fire only at the moment when he was sure that he could make a fatal blow on the car or the pilot himself. Manfred von Richtgofen did not belong to the category of joker, but once he said: "I prefer to see my client's face." In July 1917, an incredible thing happened - in the most severe fighting immediately with the six FE-2, the Red Baron was heavily injured. I miraculously avoiding death, almost blinded, in a semi-conscious state, he still planted his albatros. Three weeks later he escaped from the hospital and with a bandaged head led his pilots into battle. After that, JG-1 transferred to the new Triplan Fokker - a watched battle car, which Richthofen said that she climbs up as a monkey. The German Air Force only in 1917 ordered 320 such fighters. But this plane did not have much influence on the overall course of the war. He, however, was a lung in the management and quickly gained his height, but at speed he was inferior to the fighters of the allies.

Glory Richtgofen was explained by the fact that since September 1917 and until the day of his death in April 1918, he demonstrated his unique skill on red focker. Flying on this triplan, Richtgofen won the last 17 victories. Meanwhile, the British resistance in the air is in the day intensified. Thanks to the ever-increasing number of new generation aircraft, the balance of power in airspace sided towards the allies. Among their new aircraft was especially allocated by Se5a, opposed by the Triples of the Red Baron, as well as the convolation of Camel, whose nickname occurred from the dugorby the shape of the casing, which closed his paired machine guns. By the end of the war camel, more than 1,300 German aircraft were shot down. But the number of victories of Richthofen himself grew. The promonant of the Dad, who he knocked down flying on Focker, was 61 his victory. The English pilot of a shot down aircraft Berd, captured by the Red Baron, was happy that even survived. But one person is unable to change the course of events, moreover, in April 1917, the United States declared Germany's war. Five months later, the US Air Force Squadron entered the battle on the British and French side. Americans flew in English and French aircraft, as the US own combat vehicles have not yet been. However, the very participation of Americans in hostilities sharply raised the moral spirit of the Allies. Time worked against Germany.

By this time, Richtgofen became a kind of national icon. But the Red Baron began to get tired of his popularity and with great pleasure spent his free time with his beloved dog Moritz than with people. It seemed that not only those surrounding, but the Manfred von Richtgofen himself believed in his exceptionality and immortality. He behaved arrogantly, causing respect in people, but not worship, like, for example, his teacher Oswalid Belka.

The final head of the Red Baron began on March 21, 1918, when the selected parts of Germany rushed to the last offensive on the West Front. While the infantry was coming, the Yag-1 link was on Earth, but at dawn on April 3, triplens rose into the air. By April 20, 80 victories were already on the account of the Red Baron. His last sacrifice was the Svolimit Camel, shot almost in emphasis. And then came the fatal day for Richtgofen. On April 21, his link placed on two aircraft - scout. The brutal fiction over the English line of defense caused an anti-aircraft fire. Captain Brown Squadron rose to the aid to their intelligence in the air. Richtgofen immediately chose himself Lieutenant Maja, who in the heat of the battle was shot all his cartridges, and began to press him to the ground. Now they were over the Australian Troops area. Flying is completely low above the enemy trenches, Richtgofen violated one of its main rules - never exposed to unnecessary risk. Australian machine gunners opened fire on the triplan passing over them. During the prosecution, Maa, Richtgofen stained himself under his machine gun under him. The pursuer became persecuted. On the tail of Richthafen, absorbed by the desire to finish the enemy, sat down Captain Brown, trying to get a gunner red focker. What happened further is unclear. It is known only that the triplan was shot from the ground, and from the air. In a minute, he collapsed in the field.

Arthur Roy Brown
Richtgofen's body was in an airplane, and his hands were still squeezed. Soon there is nothing left of the equipment of Focker - is there a better souvenir than a detail of the famous Asa aircraft? No one looked at how the angle were made by the holes in a shot of the plane and how many of them. The next day, Richtgofen was buried in the cemetery at the village of Burtega. The opening of his body was not produced. After a superficial medical examination, the conclusion was concluded that the Red Baron killed a bullet released by Captain Brown. The inscription from his enemies on the grave read: "our strong and noble opponent." True, the reaction of one of the British Ass Edward Mannok was less than Gentlemen. Upon learning of the death of Richtgofen, he said: "I hope he roared until I fell." Ten days later, Manfred von Richtgofen would be 26 years old. In November 1925, the remains of Red Baron were transported to Germany and buried in the Berlin Cemetery of the disabled.

Richtgofen left his life, but the question of who released the bullet who killed him remains open. After the death of Red Baron, General Rowleson personally congratulated the two Australian machine gunners of Ivance and Buy with a victory over the Terrible Ass. However, the pilots of the British Royal Air Force division, which was commanded by Captain Brown, were firmly on their own. They argued that victory honor belongs to their commander. Prove anything almost impossible - the Richtgofen plane was pulled by souvenirs, eyewitnesses of the event showed that Richtgofen was injured in his feet and belly, and on the floor of his cabin there was a sea of \u200b\u200bblood. In general, eyewitness testimony indicate that he was killed by the queue from the ground, and not Bulun bullets. But truth we will never know. Whether the Red Baron remembered the bitter words of the Romance of the English pilot Cecil Lewis, who described the air grip:

Peak, the earth as if overturned
And there is a powerful breast on me,
Motors noise and cables Scrops,
From the throat the moan and sobs are rushed,
And the machine gun is heard.


Manfred Von Richtgofen Awards

Pour Le Merite (Prussia), 12/01/1917 in honor of the 16th air victoryOrder of the Red Eagle of the III degree, with crown and swords (Prussia), 06/04/1918 in honor of the 70th air victoryOrder House of Hohenzollers, Knight's Cross with swords (Prussia), 11/11/1916 Iron Cross I degree (Prussia, 1914Iron Cross II degree (Prussia, 12/09/1914Order "For military merit" IV degree with swords (Bavaria), 29/04/1917Military Order of St. Heinrich, Knight's Cross (Saxony), 16/04/1917Order "For military merit",knight's Cross (Württemberg), 13/04/1917 Order of the house of Zaksen-Ernestin, Knight's Cross I degree with swords (Saxony), 09/05/1917Hanseatic Cross (Bremen), 25/09/1917Hanseatic Cross (Lubeck), 22/09/1917Order of iron crown III degree (Austria), 08/08/1917Cross "For military merit" III degree (Austria-Hungary), 1917Order "For courage" IV grade I class (Bulgaria), June 1917Silver Medal Imitation with Sabers (Turkey), 1917Silver Medal Liacat (Turkey), 1917Military Medal (Iron Crescent) (Turkey), 04/11/1917
Richtgofen in cinema

"Red Baron" (von richthofen and brown), 1971, director Roger Kormman
in the role of Red Baron, John Philip Lo

"Red Baron" (Der Rote Baron), 2008, Director Nicholas Mullarshen
in the role of Redar Baron Thomas ConsotnikQuote communication

Baron Manfred von Richtgofen
Red fighter

My family.
To date, Richtgofen did not take very large participation in the wars. Background Richtgofen lived always in the village. Practically, my father was the first member of our surname, faced the thought of becoming a soldier. He entered the Cadet Corps and served later in the Ulansky regiment. The current generation of Richtgofen has much more soldiers. I lost six cousins, they all served in cavalry.
My father served in the 1st Kirassirian regiment in Bresslavl, when I was born on May 2, 1892. Then we lived in Kleinburg, where I received a home education under 9 years old. Year I visited a private school, and then became the cadet in Valstadt. Preparing for the career of the military, I entered the 1st Ulansky regiment.
Another pilot - Richtgofen - my brother Lothar. He was awarded the Order of Pour Le Merite. My youngest brother is still studying in the Cadet Corps and is looking forward to time when it can enter the actual service. My sister, like all women of our surname, are engaged in caring for wounded.

My cadet life.
An eleven-year-old boy came to the Cadet Corps. I did not want to become the cadet, but my father wanted it. My personal wishes were not taken into account. I hardly tolerate the rigor of the discipline and the army order. I did not listen to the instructions and never differed in training subjects. Wash, it was unnecessary to do more than enough - so I worked as little as possible, as a result of which my mentors did not think about me too much. On the other hand, I really loved sports, especially gymnastics and football, and even received several prizes from the boss.
I had a terrifying tendency to different risky tricks; Once, with my friend we climbed with the help of a thin lighting wire on the Valstadt bell tower and tied on the top of my nose handkerchief. Ten years later, when I arrived at Valstadt to visit my younger brother, I saw on the bell tower still tied my handkerchief.
I liked the Cadet Case in Lighterfeld much more. There we were not so isolated and began to live more likely.
Somehow in contests in Lighterfeld, my opponent was Prince Friedrich - Karl. I lost to him a few races, as I trained with a smaller diligence.

Admission to the army.
I was not very failed to get into the army. At the end of the final exams, I left and was appointed in the 1st Ulan Regiment. He stood in Silesia, where I had many acquaintances and relatives.
Be a cavalurist is a great start of service for a young soldier. In the autumn of 1912, I got the epoles. The glorious was a feeling when I was called Lieutenant. Father bought me a beautiful horse, and I began to train it. Here I moved with my colleague vocae. We trained together to participate in races and snipliers. During the day to the contest, my horse slipped and damaged his shoulder, and I broke the clavicle. Another time, in a sipla-chase, my horse fell into the river, I was separated only by bathing in clothes.
I received the last prize in 1913, participating in the races on the Kaiser prize. I was the only distance left without a single error.

War began.
For a long time in newspapers, in addition to fantastic stories about the war, nothing was kept. We are somehow accustomed to the thought of the possible beginning of the fighting, we were so often forced to pack our service suitcases that it had time to bother. We stood close to the border, being "the eyes of the army", and less than all believed that there would be a war. The day before the start of military cooking, we sat in the officer club in ten kilometers from the border, ate oysters, drank champagne and played. For war, none of us did not think.
True, a few days earlier we a little alarmed such a fact. Mother Vedler arrived to see the son from Pomerania and invited us to breakfast. Suddenly, in the midst of the breakfast, the Cospot graph entered, the Ols administrator. We welcomed it. He said that it was specially arrived on the border to find confirmation of rumors about the immediate beginning of the world war. We told him that the probability of war was very small. He was surprised to Nimalo and told us that all bridges in Silesia were guarded by the army and that measures were taken to strengthen defensive positions. Soon we were given an order to speak.
Each of us knew what to do, but at the same time no one knew what was the most important thing. Each of us sought to show maximum courage and prove to all their personal value.
We, cavalrymen, got in the first days difficult, but interesting work: We had to study the terrain, work in the enemy rear and destroy important objects.
The first time I led my people to the task at night. The raid passed without unpleasant surprises, as the opponent did not find us. On the fifth day we had trouble, almost faced with the Cossacks. By that time, my detachment was very kept, as I was obliged to send me every day to the headquarters for a messenger with the report.
We decided not to join the battle, but to hide. The Cossacks soon were removed by the ravis, and we returned to our garrison. I watched me like a ghost, because the rumor was gone, that we were killed at the end of the raid, and this was stated in such rich details that Silesia spread throughout Silesia. My mother has already received condolences.

To France.
Suddenly we ordered to plunge into the train. No one had ideas where we were lucky. Prescribed to take a lot of provisions for a long journey through the railway. The rumors were very much, but everyone converged to what we were lucky to the West.
So happened; We were driving through Silesia, then - Saxony, heading, apparently, towards Mets. At all stations we met crowds of people with flowers and joyful cries. The people were covered by military enthusiasm. Apparently, those who drove here before us said that we met with the enemy. We were told as heroes, and we felt like heroes. Velel conquered the girls found by him somewhere the Cossack checker. The fun lasted before our landing in Buzendorf. There we were ordered to follow north, in the direction of Luxembourg. We did not know what kind of relationship is Germany with this little country, which resulted in some funny excesses.
After passing the city of Luxembourg and Esch, we went to the Belgian Studyonon. We joined the offensive. Difficulties this change did not cause, since we performed the same maneuvers as in peacetime. There were scattered parts of our army around us, disorder reigned. The case was aggravated by the fact that the airplanes flew over us, and then, at the beginning of the war, we did not yet know that our cars are denoted by crosses, and the enemy-circles, as a result of which the airplane had ever had a misfortune. Until now, old pilots love to tell about their feelings, when they were shot by both friends and enemies with the same impartiality.
We moved, sent forward patrols, but the evil enemy was still far away. Finally, we entrenched in Arlen.
Local residents behaved hostilely, but before open clashes, it was rarely reached. Once I got into an unpleasant alteration, walking through the entire city by bike in order to explore the neighborhood from the bell tower. When I went down down, gloomy young people surrounded me, speaking something threateningly. The bike had a tire pinchot and there were six miles to go on foot. At the same time I learned about the death not far from Arlen of my cousin.
As already former in contact with the enemy, who had already seen the war, we, cavalrymen, were the subject of the envy of soldiers of other types of troops. For me it was the best time for the whole war.

Whistle first bullets.
On August 21, I was instructed to search for an enemy in the Big Forest near Verton. Inspected the edge and not noticing anything
suspicious, I am with my squad out of fifteen people joined the forest. A broken road said that shortly before us was the enemy cavalry. My Ulans wanted a fight. The forest began to retreat and I felt confidence that we would soon meet the enemy.
Ahead, we opened a non-wiring meadow, acquired by a wire bar. Suddenly the sound of hooves heard. We stopped - the road was blocked by barricade. Between the trees I saw a hurrying enemy cavalry, about a hundred bayonets. We found themselves in the Western. Nothing remained, how to turn back, despite the whole desire to attack. Sumyatitsa followed, aggravated by a rising rifle shooting. Several of my people horses suffered and I saw how they leaseed through a wire barrage. Apparently, they captured. We continued to waste, but the fire intensified and several horses were killed. With the remnants of the detachment, I miraculously broke out of the West. Two days later, my ordinarian returned to us, whose horse was killed first. He managed to hide from the French by climbing the near-rock, and when the enemy retired, continued his escape.
During the battle of Virton, I was sent to the reconnaissance of Marton. We grew up the enemy, made a report, and then, in the evening, was disturbed by the problem of overnight. Not far from the position of the enemy was the monastery, where we went and despite the dangers of meeting with the displeasement. The monks were very kind, they fed and drove us very well, it was also necessary to leisure horses.
At night I was woken with the news that in the monastery of the French. From the memorandum it was very difficult to respond, and after a minute I slept peacefully. In the morning it turned out that at night the French passed by the monastery and our watch sheltered them. We have breakfast and continued the way.
Soon we drove the valley, in which the battle recently came, and saw that there were French soldiers and people from the Red Cross. None of us think about shooting. With all possible speed, we hurried ahead and it became clear to us that our troops did not come, but retreated. To our happiness, it turned out that the enemy retired in the opposite direction. We passed the village of RebanelonT, from where they moved to this intelligence. A local resident glanced to tell us that the Germans were gone. Only afternoon we connected with our regiment.

Tomorrow is verte.
I'm troubled by nature, so my sleeveless can be called a tale. At first I was in the trenches, in place,
where nothing happened. Then I became ordains and hoped for adventures, but it was not there! The combat officers began to despise me and consider the "rear pig." But I was not in the rear, I was not allowed to push further 1500 Arshin for the advanced turn. I had a good, bombing bombing, from where I had to run to the place of battle on the orders. It was a rather tedious lesson: it was necessary to run from a hill on a hill back and forth, through the trenches and dirty pits. My position was rather stupid after a short stay on the front line.
Land work began. We did not understand why you need to build the moves of the message, dig new trenches, etc., especially since it was considered the lot of military engineers. Other troops to this should not have been involved. Here, at Cambre, everyone is hardly fishing and tried to break into the ground as much as possible. In some sections, the French were so close from us that we could talk freely with them, saw their faces and smoke their cigarettes. Nevertheless, we tried to annoy them in every way, mainly by means of a hand grenade.
Fierce day battles did not interfere with me a little hunging on wild pigs at night. Only after a few months the events began. We had a small attack and my hopes to distinguish themselves as a coherent again came to life. But again disappointment!
Desperate, I wrote a letter to General with a request to transfer me to aviation. At first I wanted to make a reprimand, but then I performed my desire. At the end of May 1915, I entered the aviation service - my most incredible dream came true.

The first time in the air.
My first flight as an observer began early in the morning, at 7 o'clock. I was excited, I had no idea what it should be like. Everyone who I asked about the sensations, I spoke differently.
We arrived at the airfield and for the first time I got into the aircraft. The wind from Propeller was hellish. The first my discovery was that it was impossible to contact the pilot. Everything was demolished by the wind. I took out a piece of paper - she disappeared. My helmet rolled down, the glasses flew from the head. My jacket was badly buttoned, in short, I felt very uncomfortable.
Before I managed to think what will happen next, the car rolled, gaining speed. I grabbed the Boca Gondola. Suddenly the shocks ran out, we were in the air, the earth went away from me.
I was told where we would fly. I had to direct the pilot. We made several evolutions and I completely lost an idea of \u200b\u200bwhere we and where we fly. I gently started looking overboard. People looked ridiculous - small, at home, it seemed to be exhibited from the box with toys. The view was very beautiful. In the background was Cologne. The cathedral looked like a small toy.
Be so high above the ground, there is a lord of air - a wonderful feeling. I lost a sense of time and was very distressed when the pilot decided that it was time to descend.
I wanted to immediately go to the new flight immediately. I did not have any trouble in the air, say, dizziness. Attractions like "American swing" for me, I do not feel safe on them. But on the aircraft, you feel quite reliably, you sit on the airplane, as in a comfortable chair, dizziness is simply impossible. At the same time, the flight acts on the nerves, especially when the airplane dives sharply when the motor stops and no less terrible silence occurs after terrible noise. Instinctively grab it overboard and you think: "Well, now you fall to the ground." However, everything goes natural order, and landing, when the Terra Fermo is again concerned, it seems such a simple that there should not have been such a feeling as fear. I was full of enthusiasm and was ready to sit in an airplane all day. I considered the clock until the next start.

Observer with Makenzen
June 10, 1915 I arrived in Grossenheim. From there I had to send me to the front and I sought ahead, afraid of only one thing: I could come too late when the world war could already end. To become a pilot, I needed three months, but as long as they passed, the world could be already concluded and my career would have come to the end. I believed that I was quite suitable as an observer, given my cavalry experience. After two weeks of familiarization with the flight, I was sent there, where there were still chances for the maneuverable war - to Russia.
Muensen then nicely occurred, breaking through the Russian defense among Gerlitsa. Under the taught Russian, I joined his army. I was sent to the famous 69th aircraft carriage. Being quite a newcomer, I felt quite stupid. My pilot was Ober Lieutenant Zeer. Now he is a cripple. I am the only remaining of the entire airline.
It began the most beautiful time for me. Daily in the morning and evening, we had to fly to intelligence and very often brought valuable information.

With Holch in Russia.
In the summer we fell with the Moenzen army to Brest-Litovsk. My business was in intelligence. I enjoyed participating in the intelligence flights that took place almost daily. For an observer, it is important to find a pilot with a strong character.
Once we were told that the Count Holk came to our detachment, and I thought that this man just needed me.
Holk appeared not in "Mercedes" and not in a personal sleeping car, as we believed, but came on foot to us at the Rava Rava airfield. After a day, his ordinarian appeared with the luggage. The graph was athlete not only on Earth, to fly for him was also sport. He was a pilot of rare talent and was not afraid to appear before the enemy.
With him we made many reconnaissance flights deep into Russia. Despite the youth of Holka, I have never had a feeling of uncertainty. On the contrary, in critical moments he supported me; When I looked around in flight and saw his decisive face, it added to me spirit and courage.
The latter of our field almost led to a catastrophe. On that day, we did not have a specific task, we had to change the airfield, but nothing was known about the landing place. In order not to expose our old "chest" risk, we flew towards Brest Litovsk. Russians retreated everywhere, all the villages of burned - memorable for life, striking picture. We decided to check the direction of enemy columns and, making it, flew over the burning city of Vizice. Clubs of smoke, staging to a height of 2000 meters, prevented us to continue flight, so we walked at an altitude of 1,500 meters to see everything better. I advised how to find a cloud of smoke, which would take five minutes of a circular path. But Holk decided not to turn, but to fly through. As soon as we flew into smoke, the car began to swing. I could not see anything around myself, my eyes got drunk from smoke. Below was a solid sea of \u200b\u200bfire. Suddenly, the car fell into a corkscrew and began to rapidly lose height. I grabbed the rack and miraculously did not fall out. My only idea was: "It's stupid after all to die such a useless death."
We fell to a height of 500 meters, and then, the dexterity-Lee Holka, or the Highest Will, we suddenly jumped out of smoke. Our "Albatross" immediately came to himself and flew straight forward, as if nothing had happened.
With us it was enough and we decided to return to the old airfield, not the cracked fate. Moreover, 500 meters away were Russian. And then Holk shouted to me that the motor refuses. It must be said that he and I understood the mechanics much less than in horsepower, and before the front was still very far, so we had to go down between the Russians, whose columns were still under us. They shot us from machine guns with great zeal.
The motor stopped at all, apparently, got into it. We managed to plan and rigidly land on the left artillery position. The column and I got out of the aircraft and hurried to hide in the nearest transfer. We had one two-round revolver for two. Already from the transfer, we saw how a person goes to the remains of our car. It was a hat, and not a helmet with a peak, we thought it was Russian. But then Holk joyfully shouted, it was the Grenader of the Prussian Guard. Soon, our offensive was made and finally mastered the artillery position. Only late in the evening, we got to our airfield on the cart.

Russia - Ostend.
With double on two-door airplane. Actions against Russia gradually went on No and on August 21, 1915. I was unexpectedly translated into a large airplane in Ostend. There I met my old friend Tseimer. Here the war felt little; We lived in a hotel on the shore and having fun from the soul. Every day we bathed. Once in the morning, after swimming, we sat on the terrace and drank coffee. Suddenly we were told that the English sea squad was approaching. Soon we saw enemy ships and began to look at them in a pickle tube. Ships released three - four shells in fact, where we just bathed. Then the fire was moved to the harbor. Shells did not cause any damage, only one of them fell into the "Palace Hotel" and caused minor destruction.
In the evening, with Ceyimer flew to experience a new device, which allowed us to fly in a straight line with one turned off the motor. We went far into the sea. Suddenly, I saw a ship walking under water. From the air you can see the bottom at a depth of dozens of seedlings. It seemed that the boat was not moving under, but above the water. We were disturbed by its national affiliation, but it could only determine the sailor, and not always. We had two bombs on board and I began to argue with Zeeromer, reset them onto a boat or not. While we thought, it turned out that the water was over in the radiator, and there were another 12 miles to the shore. I quietly prepared for a cold swim, but our "apple barge" still totant to the shore on one motor and a new device.
A good thing to be happy! If we were not tested on that day a new device, we would not have the slightest chance to return home and we would, no doubt, drowned.

Blood drop for fatherland.
Amazing business, but I have never been wounded. Apparently, I just got lucky. Once the bullet passed through both of my boots, another time - punched the helmet. There was a case when the bullet passed along my hand, through the fur and the skin of my jacket, but I did not hurt me.
We flew with Zeeromer to bomb the British. I dropped the first bomb and decided to look at the result produced by it - why deprive yourself of pleasure from the type of grayish-white cloud of bombing break! But here is a nuisance - an impenetrable obstacle in the form of our "apple barge" rose between my eyes and the earth. I leaned over the board, but I did not see the break, but only heard him. Then I waved Zeimer so that he put the car in a turn, forgetting that our "big" airplane is not really great, and the screws rotate too close to the fuselage. Suddenly, I felt the pain and I was surprised to find that my little finger was bloody. Having such a comic way to wound his first wound, I quickly freed our plane from the rest of the bombs and we flew to the base. After this incident, my love for large airplanes suffered greatly. I
it should have been sitting on Earth and treat a finger, but I can say with full right that I was injured in war.

My first fight in the air.
And I, and Zeerer suffered a lot because we had no air combat. Every day we flew to 5-6 hours and not even once did not even see a single English apparatus. Only one title of our grossfludugzeug did not allow us to doubt that for any enemy airplane, a meeting with us will become fatal. And so in one beautiful morning, so off, we found the careless "Farman", leading air intelligence. Zeerimer TT also headed for him, and I prepared to shoot. I was wondering what would happen next, because I had about the air a vague imagination.
Before I could navigate, our devices rushed to each other. I managed to release four bullets from strength and lost his enemy out of sight. It hung on our tail and began to water the machine-gun fire. I could not answer him. I did not have a feeling of danger, since I had no idea what the result of our battle could pour out. We have dizzy for a long time, as on the carousel, after which the Englishman, to the greatest disappointment, turned away and flew away.
We returned home in the precompan location of the spirit. He scolded me for a bad shooting, and I am him for the fact that he did not shoot me.
After seeing our device, we found a venerable scheduling in it. On the same day, we once again flew to hunt, but unsuccessfully. I felt sadly: it seemed to me before that one - two bullets is enough to bring down the aircraft. Now it seemed to me quite the opposite that a machine gun was not at all a weapon against the aircraft, and how many do not shoot it, do not beat.
Meanwhile, in the courage we did not have a shortage: Zeerer was a wonderful pilot, and I am a good shooter. Just before us was the challenge that is relevant for many and now; We needed to learn to shoot down the enemy. In the end, the flight business should be studied perfectly.

Battle in champagne.
From Ostend, we were transferred to Champagne, where a big battle began. We soon made sure that our grossflugzeug was a spacious airplane, but he was never destined to become a good fighting machine.
Once I flew to the task with Osterota by car, which was less than our "apple barge." In three miles behind the front line, we noticed the double "Farman" and decided to fire it. Osterota deftly attached to him on the side, so that I could shoot. I ate well and began to fir the enemy. He, apparently, did not notice us first and began to respond, only when I had a delay with a machine gun. For the first time I watched the enemy airplane so close. I spent my 100th cartridges and did not believe my eyes when I noticed that the enemy car spiral goes to the ground. "Farman" fell into a funnel and pulled the tail to the sky. On the map, he fell in three miles at the front, i.e. was shot down on the enemy
territory, and at that time, such victories were not counted. Otherwise, to my honor, I would have one shot down airplane more. I was very proud of my first success, in the end, there is no case, believe or not.

How I met the Belka.
My Zeimer got a fighter - the monoplane "Focker" and I stayed alone. The battle in Champagne was raging, French pilots began to fly intensively. We were ordered to form a combat detachment and plunge on the train on October 1, 1915
My neighbor was an inconspicuous lieutenant, about which I knew that his account had four shot down airplane and that his name was mentioned in reports. I was awkward that during this time I did not have a single confirmed victory. I asked him how he could succeed. He answered that she was suitable close to the enemy, he was well aiming and the enemy drops. I said that I do the same, without understanding that the difference between us is that it flies on Focker, and I am on the grossflugzeug.
I caught fire to find out the secrets of his skill.
We talked a lot and finally, I decided that I would need to learn to fly on Focker. Now, my only desire began to learn how to learn
put an airplane. Fortunately, soon I got a chance to take pilot lessons on the old "chest" in champagne. I was engaged in training as follows and after twenty-five training flights was ready for the exam - the first independent flight.

My first independent flight.
October 10, 1915
On this day, my teacher Zeimer told me: "Now you are flying ourselves." I must say that I am pretty redesigned. But this feeling is not worthy of a man fighting for the Fatherland, so I did not give a look and climbed into the car. Zeerer once again explained to me what to do, and I launched the engine. After a short runway, I took off. I stopped feeling afraid, rather I was proud that I finally leaving himself. I laid squeezed left turn and began to prepare for landing. Turning off the motor, I began to decline, as I was taught, but I did not want to obey me the car. I lost an equilibrium, made several panic movements and the airplane was scaled.
I was very sad, looking at the damage that my device underwent. Yet they were not very high. After another two days of persistent training, I mastered the wisdom of landing. Two weeks later I passed my first exam. I completed the entire program prescribed to me, describing several eights and successfully dive.
However, to my worst chagrin, I was told that I could not manage. The only way to get into the pilots was once again to go all the way from the beginning.

My workouts in Debitz.
To undergo testing anew, I had to go to Berlin. I was prescribed to go on a giant airplane. His difference from our "barge" consisted of more bolted sizes. This airplane finally assured me that the smaller the device, the more suitable for air combat. Big aircraft are best for the role of bombers, they are too hard for other tasks.
I arrived in the Debrice, near Berlin, together with my comrades, a linker. We simultaneously trained, had the same ability and inclinations. Our goal was to become fighters, fly on "fockers" and get to the West Front. A year later, our roads crossed again and we flew together for a short time. He died, knocking down three airplanes.
The Debrew had good opportunities for hunting. In the estate of Bukhov, I was well known and invited to hunt, but the barrage did not give me this to do. In Bukhov, I agreed that in the evening I would fly and hunt a pig with the owners at night. In the evening, with the second pilot, we flew to Bukhov, sat down and I went hunting, and the pilot returned the device at the airfield. In the morning my pilot delivered me back. It was sometimes easy, as you had to fly in any weather, however, my friend never failed me.

I became a pilot.
In Christmas 1915/16 g. I stood the exam and became a fighter. After that, I was sent to Fokker plants in Schwerin, where I flew along with my mechanic. After the inspection of the plants, we flew to Breslavl, then in the reservoir, from there - in Luboy, and finally, returned to Berlin. Being an experienced observer, I never got off the road, we made a few stops on the way, visiting my relatives.
In March, I joined the second fighter detachment under the verte. Flying on a double apparatus, I studied the tactics of air combat.
On April 26, I received an informal recommendation in a message from the place of battles, although my name was mentioned. Shortly before that I
installed on its aircraft using the type "New Map". We laughed at my installation, I really looked primitively. But in the described day, I met the enemy "Newport" whose pilot was apparently like I begin to. When I was dredied to him, he rushed in bulk. I had no thoughts to knock him down, I just decided to check my installation on it. I set up behind him and opened fire with short queues. "Newport" turned over to the back and began to lose height. At first I thought it was a trick that the French often do, seeking to get out of the battle, but the coup did not stop. He fell into the forest not far from Fort Duomon, on the enemy territory. My observer congratulated me; It was the second one shot down, though, again, not referred to my 52 victories. The official report said that two enemy airplanes were shot down above Fleiri, south and west of Domona.

Death Holka.
On April 30, 1916, I flew over the Fort Duomon and noticed that I was not interested in the "focker" attacking three "Codrons". I drew the attention of my observer to the fact that the German very competently fight. We suggested that it was a Belka and decided to find out after the flight. Then I saw that the forces of the French were agreed to 10 airplanes and the German car, defending it, forced to decline much. I could not help him for two reasons: first, I was too far away, and secondly, my "Albatross" could not go against a strong oncoming wind. At an altitude of about 900 meters, "Fokker" was once again attacked and he disappeared into a small cloud, and, as we suggested, went under his cover. What was our grief, when after the flight we learned that it was my friend on the eastern campaign Count Holk, and that from that cloud he fell to the ground with a shot-blind head. This person has always served me an example for imitation, being my kind friend. His death was a blow to me and killed me out for a long time.

I'm flying to the storm.
Under the vertex, our combat work was disturbed by frequent hurricanes, and for the pilot there is no more unpleasant thing than bad weather. On Somme once there was a case when the English patrol of several aircraft was forced due to the strong wind to land on our territory and surrender.
I was sent to explore the situation in the Metz Fortress area. In the air hung a storm. I have never passed through the thunderstorm clouds, but I would not refuse experience. On the way back I had an adventure.

At the airfield of Metsa, I was discarded to fly, as the Cellular gray cloud approached. But I promised to return to my airfield and felt myself a liar if I hadn't tried. I took off and sent an airplane straight into the cloud. Rain whipped, it became dark.
I took off my glasses, they flooded. Mad strength wind picked up my "Albatross" as a newspaper. I coped with control with the control, with any attempt to get into the turn I began to flutter and demolish. I was forced to fly only in a straight line, jumping through obstacles; At low height, there was a chance to save orientation in space. I jumped through houses, bell tower, trees, hills ... I prepared for death, a zipper hit me several times around me.
Suddenly, I noticed that in front of me, the darkness begins to dissipate, and suddenly I flew out of clouds. The rain is still lil in streams, but it was not so scary. I sat down at my airfield, where everyone had already considered me dead.
I will never fly in the storm anymore, if this does not require the fatherland, it is too reminded of suicide. But still I want to say that I experienced a glorious feeling in this flight and now everything seems great.

For the first time on Focker.
From the very beginning of my flight career, my sole desire to fly on a single battle car. After a long annoyance, my commander I finally got permission to climb to Focker.
We owned the old fighter on the pays with my friend Riemann. I flew in the morning, and he - after lunch. We roarly watched our old "chest" was always normal and afraid that any of us once breaks it. Once in the morning I flew to the task, but the enemy did not meet. In the evening, Roman flew and did not return. Late in the evening, the infantry reported on the air Between Newpore and Fokker, and the German car sank somewhere in the Morty Ohm area. In the middle of the night, we were informed on the phone that the German pilot appeared in the advanced trenches of Mort Oma. It turned out to be Riman. He said that our fighter motor was broken by the bullet and he struck the car with difficulty, after which it was settled and hid it in the shell funnel and waited for the night. In the dark he is overwhelmed into our trenches.
Soon I trusted a new "focker", which I, I repent, broke. I went to take off, how suddenly at a low height refused the motor. I could not put a car and she crashed. Fortunately, I did not suffer.

Bombing in Russia.
In June, we were immersed again in the wagons and sent to the east, to Russia. We stopped in Kovel and stayed in our train - an obvious advantage over the hotel, do not change the apartment and always ready to go further. True, at the height of the Russian summer, a fixed bedroom car represents a branch of hell. Therefore, we settled with two friends nearby, breaking the tent in the forest.
Our tasks made themselves in the bombing of railway units. Once we flew to the bombing of the Manevichi station, which was 20 miles in the depths of Russian defense - very far. Russians were preparing for the offensive and the station was to refuse long echelons, they stretched for kilometers and was simply impossible to miss.

The only real danger in flights in Russia was the refusal of the engine over the enemy territory. We also checked the engines in front of the start. There were no enemy aircraft, or rather, almost no, and they were prepared badly. The anti-aeroeroplanne artillery of the Russians was good, but extremely small. So flying in Russia compared to the Western Front - a day resort.
I flew loaded with bombs - Sometimes my apparatus raised them 8 pounds! In addition, I had two more machine guns and a very heavy observer. The airplane flew very reluctantly. Nevertheless, I usually participated in two departures per day. It is a pity that my collection of shot down, for obvious reasons, was not replenished with any Russian.

In the raid on Manevichi, we flew over the vast forests, inhabited, apparently, lysy and elk. The only village in the whole district and were maneuvet, the village itself looked smoothly, we noted only the inconspicuous number of barracks at the station and the army tents nearby. It can be seen, another aircraft carrier visited us here, as the paths on the departure from the station were bombed, and the locomotive, which was standing next to the pairs. I coal at another edge of the station moving locomotive and hurried to stop it. We aimed well and dropped a bomb on the rails in front of him. The locomotive stopped.

We threw a bomb for a bomb, well ahead and not in a hurry: anti-aircraft orders worked not in our direction, but there were no Russian airplanes and was not prevailing, despite the proximity of their airfield. We left one bomb on the opposite way and turned home. On the way, we examined the Russian lagi. Russians, especially their cavalry, are very afraid of machine-gun heat from the air. Their attack can be tilted with one airplane: when shelling it, they lose all combat dust and dissipate. I would not want to be a commander of the Cossack Corps in a similar situation. We raised a gift in the form of the remaining bomb. We raised the Russian snake aerostat raised to observe the front. With our appearance, he began to lower quickly,
but when we dropped the bomb, the descent stopped. I do not think that we got into it, probably, the Russians just fled, throwing their comrade in a helpless position. Landing, we found that in the wing we had a hole from the bullet.

Another time we were sent to attack the crossing of the river, where the Russians brought the floodplain. Falling to the place, we were surprised that the crossing was already acting - the cavalry had already passed on the bridge, very dense masses of people and horses. It became clear to me that hitting a bomb to the bridge, you can hurt a huge damage to the enemy. We dropped three bombs at once, none of them fell into the bridge, but the rustling began the creepy. My observer fired by the crossing from the machine gun and we retired, because we were still all aircraft carriage. I believe that our blow was the reason for the failure of the Russian attack. Perhaps after the war, official Russian documents will bring the truth before me.

Finally!
In mid-August, our Kovel airfield visited Belka. He had just traveled with a military mission to Turkey and was now returned to the main headquarters. Tolding us about your journey, he mentioned that he wants to organize a fighter aircraft carrier and continue combat work on Somme. For this, he had permission to recruit people in his squad, who, in his opinion, had value for his case. I did not dare to ask him to take me; I did not bother a Russian front, it was interesting to fly here, but the thought about the quarry of the fighter in the Western Front did not give
i have peace.
The next morning Belka was supposed to go further. At all sooner, someone knocked into my door and I was out of delight, seeing on the threshold of a great man with a tape "Pour Le Merit". We were familiar, but I did not have in my thoughts to become his student. He asked, I don't want to go with him to Somme. Three days later I was already driving through the whole Germany to a new place of service. My dream finally turned. I did not think that I would have the success I had now. When I left my own in Russia, one of my friends shouted to me: "Look, do not come back without Ordre Pour Le Merit!"

My first English victim.
September 17, 1916
The 16th of the next fabric instructed us. We have not yet had great success, and therefore ate with open mouths. We got new airplanes and the next day flew with the Belka for the first time.
The big activity of the British was expected. Going to the front, we saw a large squad of British aircraft heading for Cambre. Belka noticed him first and we rushed after him in the attack. We all wanted to adequain the exam in the eyes of our beloved commander.
We cut off the British from the front and began rapprochement. We were five, their - seven, large double bomber. Belke attached close to the lead, but not yet shot. I followed his example. My victim began to loop, not letting me go to the tail. I opened fire, but did not hit. My opponent answered me from his moving machine gun. I owned one thought: this unit is obliged to fall. I didn't think for a moment about the fact that another Briton can come to the aid of his comrades. Finally, the Englishman stopped looting, apparently, having lost me out of sight. I went to him
the tail is so close that I was afraid to hit him, and gave a short queue from my machine gun. I almost overwhelmed from delight !! The propeller of the Englishman stopped spinning, the car began to rock it strange, apparently, I shot the pilot. The observer was also not visible. The Englishman lowered near one of our airfields. I was so excited by the victory that I sat down near, almost smash my device. A lot of soldiers ran to us. My guesses were true: I broke my engine and severely wounded the pilot and an observer. The observer died on the spot, the pilot - along the way to the dressing point. I honored the memory of the fallen enemy and hurried home.

When I returned to the airfield, everyone was already tomoral, I was asked why I was delayed. I proudly said that I shot down the Englishman. Everyone was very happy, that day everyone who flew with the Belka, and he himself, shot down on the enemy airplane.
It should be noted that since then no English squad looked like to fly from Cambra, while there was a detachment of Belka.

Battle in Somme.
In all his life, I have not met so many enemy aircraft as in Somme. The first English appeared with the sunrise, the latter disappeared with the sunset. Belke once said that Somme is Eldorado for the fighter. He himself in the shortest possible time brought the number of his victories from 20 to 40. We, who did not have his experience, still boldly looked in the eyes of danger. Every day it was hot. Sometimes 40 - 60 British acted against us. Unfortunately, we often turned out to be in the minority. But for our opponent, the amount was more important than quality.
The British is still necessary to admit, prompt guys. They often visited us, aimed bombing apartment Belke. They often caused us to fights and never refused to fight, not as an example of the French, who was in every way to avoid meeting with an air opponent.
Belka was our idol, we sought to walk on it and did not even allow the thoughts about falling back in something. By the time the faces of the Belka, our squad had 40 air victories, and by now more hundreds. The Spirit of Belka, a magnificent air fighter, lives among his worthy followers.

Death Belka
October 28, 1916
Once, under the leadership of the Belka flew to the enemy. The weather was windy, cloudy. In addition to fighters, there were no other airplanes. In the closure of the clouds we saw two English apparatus, which seemed to be played bad weather. We were six.
The battle began the usual maneuver: Belka attacked one Englishman, I am on the other. But I was immediately forced to turn away, since the German car rose on my way. Belka was meters of 200 from me, he, together with his driven, shot the Englishman. Their cars went wing to wing. Suddenly I immediately noticed the unnatural movement of both cars. "Collision!" - I understood. I have not seen this yet. In fact, it was not a clash, but only the contact of two airplanes, but taking into account their huge speed, it apparently had fatal consequences for the airplane of the Belk. He threw his victim and began a spiral descent. When he passed under me, I saw that the wings of his airplane were separated. Hoping in the cloud, he lost a whole surface. His fall accompanied his slave, whose apparatus remained unharmed. When we returned home, we were waiting for a terrible message - the belch died. I imagine how it was supposed to worry about a person who was the involuntary cause of the death of our Komarter. A strange thing: many people sincerely believed that they were the best friends to Belke, in fact they were barely familiar with him. He did not have personal enemies; Everyone without exception, this man was pleasant. Only one person, the one who was the cause of his death, perhaps he was closer than others. Nothing happens without God's Will, this is the only consolation for our soul during the war.

My eighth victim, or I get a medal.
In the time of the Belka 8 wins was a venerable number. Now that some victory pilots are calculated with dozens, it may seem that the airflows have become easier. This is not the case: with an increase in the number of airplanes, the likelihood of aerial victory increases, but you do not need to forget that you can rather kill then. Armament of our enemies is gradually improving, and their number increases. When Max Immelman knocked his first airplane, he discovered that there is no machine gun on it! Such an oversight can now be allowed only on rear airfields yes in curriculum.

On November 9, 1916, we with my friend Immelman - a single-referring of the late Great pilot, former than 18 years old, flew to the enemy. We have been familiar to him for a long time, and the partnership is an indispensable thing in the air. I have already seven victories, Immelman has five. We saw the detachment of enemy bombers going towards our airfield to the front. They were very much and we immediately rushed into the attack. I approached the last car and opened fire. The first queues I turned off the machine gunner. Perhaps I got into the pilot, since the car sharply
i went down, without dropping bombs. To secure success, I shot several more times. At the same time, Immelman sat on the tail to another Englishman and also dumped him. Both airplanes fell nearby, not far from our airfield in Lyakira. We hurried to land to look at the cars knocked down by us. As soon as landed, we jumped into the car and drove to the place of falling the enemies. It was very hot, I took off the jacket, helmet and unbuttoned the shirt. My boots were knee-deep in the mud, so the view I was not at all combat.

I went to the car that became my victim. There are a lot of people around. I approached one of the officers, visorned and asked him about his impression of air combat. He asked me in detail, and then, asking who I took the hand and led somewhere. I found himself in the company of several officers, which was presented. I didn't like my position, since they all looked with a needle, and I, as I said, had a very shabby look. A strange officer has been interested in me: he was dressed in general pants, had uncertain Epolets and the Order on the neck. His boyfriend appeared
i am familiar; During a conversation with him, I was fastened as unnoticed as possible and generally accepted a more military view. I still could not remember who it was. I said goodbye to him and went home. In the evening, we came to the detachment and I learned that I was not talking to anyone else, as with His Highness of the Grand Duke of Sax Coburg Gota. I was ordered to go to him. It turned out that the British wanted to bomb his bid, and I hung their intention to your attack. For this I received a sax-koburg medal for courage.

Major Hoker.
I was very proud when I learned that on November 23, he hit the pilot, who was considered by the English Immelman. It happened so.
In the morning I flew to a loose hunt and noticed three English fighters. They rushed at me, and since I was not averse to fight, I did not disappoint them. I was below them, and therefore was forced to wait until any of them attack me.
One Englishman tried to sit on the tail, but I dreamed, getting into a steep turn. Carousel followed, and I tried to go to each other in the tail. The height was about 3000 meters.

I realized that I met a novice. The Englishman did not want to interrupt the battle in any way, and he flew on a very cold car. My advantage was that my device was quickly gaining height. Finally, I was able to take a position slightly higher than him and go to his tail. The height was already 2000 meters. My opponent was to think if it was time for us to say goodbye: the wind more and more demolished him to our positions. When we were at an altitude of 1000 meters, he having fun to me with my hand, they say, how are you? Circles, discharged by us, had a diameter of only 80-100 meters. I was so close from him that looking down, in the gondola of his "de Heviland", could see every movement of his head.

The Englishman, no doubt, was a good athlete, but now there was a dilemma in front of him: to sit in the enemy's mill or try to break through with me. Naturally, he chose the second, in vain trying to flush from me dead loops and steep turns. He tried to shoot me, but missed. Then he sank to 100 meters and flew by zigzags, trying to confuse not so much of me, Some terrestrial shooters. Shooting, I followed him at an extremely small distance, as suddenly I had a delay in the machine gun, which almost deprived me of success. But my opponent was
they will overtake the last my shot and fell with a shot-shaped head 50 meters behind our lines. A machine gun with his airplane now decorates the entrance to my home.

I get Ordre Pour Le Merit.
I shot down sixteen enemies and walked at the head of the list of pilots - fighters. Thus, I reached my goal, because last year I jokingly said this to his friend. Honestly, I myself didn't really believe in it. But the deceased Belka, as I was told, at one time allocated me from the rest of my comrades, saying that I was waiting for fame of the best fighter.
Belke and Immelman got their Pour Le Merit, hitting 8 aircraft. For my own account, the main apartment has kept the silence that I admit it. It was rumored that I was going to give a fighter detachment under the beginning, which was soon confirmed: the telegram came to us, which said that Lieutenant Richthofen was charged with the command of the 11th fighter aircraft carriage. I must say that it was annoyed me: I really did not want to go somewhere from the detachment of the Belka, from my comrades, with whom I was already sfed and flown. In addition, I was waiting for my merits, nevertheless were estimated, I needed the Order of Pour Le Merit.

Two days later, when we sat all the detachment, the second telegram came from the main apartment, the second telegram came from the main apartment, that His Majesty Kaiser was pleased to please me Ordre Pour Le Merit. It was indescribable joy for me and for my friends.
I never thought that it would be so good to command an avoidance. Even in the most audacious dreams, I could not assume that the von Richtgofen would ever be.

"Red baby."
I came the idea to paint your "focker" in bright red color.
As a result, everyone now recognized my car in the air. The enemy also soon realized about this transformation.
Once, already on another section of the front, I attacked the enemy "Vickers", photographed our position. Apparently, he did not have the opportunity to defend himself, as he had no machine gun.
Having hanged airplane, I noticed that he caught fire. I decided not to finish unarmed and gave him the opportunity to sit on forced. The enemy airplane on Earth fell into a wire bar, turned over and stopped himself, the crew quickly left him. I got into a rather comic camouflet, because at an altitude of 500 meters I refused the motor and I was forced to be urgently and without any preparation to sit next to my opponent.
Both Englishman, Nimalo Surprised by my high-speed descent, congratulated me with the victory. These were the first enemies shot down by me and the survivors, so I gave a great pleasure to talk to them. By the way, I asked them if my opponents know my plane and saw it in the air. "Oh yeah! - Havowed one of them - we often saw him. We call it" Red Baby ".

English and french pilots.
We competed in the number of faced with a detachment of the Belka and could not get ahead of them: as a rule, they had advantage over us, only sometimes let us go with them at the same level. It all depended on whether we had a deal with the focuscripts - the French or with bold guys - the British. True, their courage sometimes bordered with stupidity, although in their eyes they looked the extreme manifestations of heroism.
I believe that the main thing in the air combat is not the ability to write puzzles, hinges and turns, but the delay of the pilot and his desire to win. You can arrange a circus performance in the air and not to bring down a single enemy. The offensive spirit is that the main thing, and therefore we will always have an initiative in the air. The French has a completely different character: basically they beat out of ambush, soda. True, only the newcomer can get caught in the west, because the airplane in the air does not hide. Sometimes Gallic temperament gives herself to know, and then the Frenchman attacks,
however, the fighting smeared, as a rule, briefly.
The British see in flights, mostly sports. They find a lot of pleasure in loop, backs on the back and other tricks suitable except for a sports holiday or for the fun of our infantry in the trenches. True, we, the pilots of the opposite side, do not appreciate, requiring not circus, but combat skills. Therefore, the victory in the air will remain beyond us.

I am shot down.
March, 1917
We patrolled a detachment and noticed a group of enemy machines over Germanic artillery positions in the Lunce area. Flying on the enemy and anticipation of the fights very tickly nerves, not even as the battle himself. In battle from you, ice calm is required to aim well and in-time shoot. But when you feel the inevitability of the fight, when you fly on the enemy, the hunting excitement is played. We defined how many machines have an enemy, what is the position, whether it is profitable for us. We were five, the British - three times more. They flew in closed fighting order, to upset which is difficult to even a group of airplanes, and for loner - it is absolutely impossible. They also noticed us and turned to attack.
Watching the enemy, we also closed the system, as they understood that if someone from ours fell, we will be in a much worse position.

One Englishman separated from the system and dropped to the side. "Here you are gone!" - I thought and sat down on the tail. Apparently, the British did not stand the nerves and his observer began to shoot me when I was still far away. Not particularly occupied by this, I approached him with meters at a hundred and, having aiming, gave several queues. In my imagination, I have already seen him shot down. I was completely calm. Continuing rapprochement, I approached the enemy to a pistol distance of 20 meters and again opened the fire, as a strong crackling suddenly he was heard, and I realized that I was getting into me, more precisely, in my device. With horror, I noticed a jet of gasoline. My motor reduced the turnover and soon froze. An Englishman with double energy watered me from
machine gun, because I stopped shooting. I began to dive intensely, turning off the magneto, hardly praying that gasoline would not blame. Hellic liquid whipped me from the pierced tanks to your feet.

Looking around, I saw a whitish loop of gasoline vapors for my car - a faithful harbing of an explosion or a fire. Meanwhile, the speed grew, I could no longer join my head out without risk.
The height was about 3000 meters. The fight remained far behind.
Suddenly, I saw a flaming falling airplane. He looked like our, but when he stood with me, I was delighted - it was the Englishman. Immediately after him, one more apparatus was falling out of the battle vertically down, this time, German. He fell, strongly rotated, then he was still able to restore the balance.
At an altitude of about 300 meters, I switched to the pitching hobbed, managed to extinguish the speed and landed the car without breakdowns on the meadow at the road near Heenen Letar. My comrade sat safely a few kilometers from me. I sat down, twisted my legs from my breakdown in many places of birds and sat so quite a long time, making it probably a very stupid face.

Soon the officer came to me. He hurried very much to me on the revenue and sank. He asked, did not happen to me something and invited to go with him in His apartment in Heinen Letar. He was a military engineer and little sense in aviation.
To begin with, he asked me where my "chauffeur" and I really fell in his eyes when I replied that I was a fighter and fly one. Then, already in the dugout, he asked how many airplanes I shot down. I replied that twenty-four. After that, he was dryly said that if I want to eat, to my services an officer club and retired. Obviously, I turned out to be the most unscrupulous lg from all that he met. Well, that my Pour Le Merit was with me.

In the evening I seemed in the officer club with my order. My new acquaintance and his comrades were extremely embarrassed and finally asked my name. When they found out who I was, their misfortunes, I was with a hand, I was treated with champagne and oysters, until my ordinarian finally arrived and did not take me to the squad.
I learned from him that, together with me, our comrade Lyubert on the nicknamed "Pooles" was shot down: in every battle, his car was gladed.
Lyubert got off his easy injury and was now in the hospital. After a few months, our dear "Pooles" died for Fatherland.

The adventure of the pilot.
End of March 1917
Our army moved to the famous positions of Siegfried and air battles began with a new force. Leaving the enemy the terrain, we left the airspace. The British, who tried to move from the positional to a maneuverable war, were still leaving the trenches with great reluctance. We followed their behavior and did not allow toastive. At this time, Prince Friedrich Karl was killed.
During the free hunt taken by the detachment of Belka, Lieutenant Foss hit the Englishman, but his aircraft was damaged. It sank in the neutral strip between the trenches. He was lucky: We left this land, and her enemy had not yet occupied, there were only maneuverable patrols of both sides. The English apparatus stood right there, his pilot thought that the territory was already busy with the British.
Foss was another opinion. Taking advantage of the fact that the Englishman moved away somewhere, leaving the apparatus without supervision, he quickly took the machine guns and other valuable things from him, lit the device, and then waved the British on him and was such.

My first double victory.
Early in the morning of the second April, I was awakened by the Cannonade, this time especially speaking. My ordinarie fell with the news that our airfield attack the British. I jumped like a dressed and quickly dressed. Enemies really circled over our field. My mechanics knew that I would not miss the case to hunt and my red bird was refilled and ready to take off. I flew.

As I hurried, it turned out to be the last. Immediately, one of the British tried sister to the tail. It was a twock. We started kadril. Sometimes my opponent flew on his back, sometimes she mixed me with other acrobatic numbers. Soon we were alone, the chances of winning were at the one who would be cool. My rival went down sharply, I realized that he was going to sit down, but he decided to fight to the victorious. On the shaking flight, he went on a direct course, fasciating me by him. Continuing to fill it, I had to follow, so as not to hurt the houses of the village, over which we flew. I felt getting into my engine. Yet he had to fall. At full speed, he crashed into the house. I did not leave him a choice. This once again proves that the Briton showed more stupid courage than true courage. Instead of falling and getting out of the battle, he preferred to die stupid. Energy and zeal should be distinguished from idiocy.

I returned home. My comrades congratulated me with the victory. On that day, our newbie knocked his first aircraft, and the foss's attached to us the twenty-third. He walked the second after me on performance. At lunch, when he had to fly home, I volunteered to spend it. The weather worsened and we did not hoped to find more game. Over Arras, my brother Lothar joined us, learning my bird in color. Suddenly we noticed the English patrol, conceive us to attack us, but seeing my "red baby", turned away and tried to hide, but we overtake them thanks to the speed of our devices. I was closest to the enemy and attacked the last device. He took the battle, and his comrades left him.

The fight was like the morning. My opponent knew her job well and he shot well. But I still turned out to be more more, I sat down on the tail and struck the benzobac. Behind him reached a gasoline loop. He tried to get away from me in a cloud, and then when the engine stopped him, continued to defend themselves, shoot until the latter. But he had to admit that he lost. When he finally landed, I sank down to find out, I killed him or not. What would you think made this fraudster? He managed to remove the machine gun from the turret and shot me the wing. Foss, when I told him it, was very
it was outraged and said that in my place he would shoot a height, but I decided to show generosity, and this guy remained one of the few who survived my attack. I flew home in a pleasant location home and celebrated my thirty third victory.

My record day.
There was an excellent weather. In our detachment was a visitor who burned from the desire to see the air battle. We decided that we can satisfy his curiosity, put it with a pylon pipe and soared fourwise. We were lucky: near our airfield, the enemy patrol from five cars came to us. During a short battle at an altitude of about 2 kilometers, we damaged three enemy machines and destroyed two. Our friend was surprised at the bottom, he expected a dramatic spectacle, and saw something quite peaceful, as it seemed from the Earth until several cars fell. From our no one was even wounded. We had a tight challenge and were again ready for the exploits. Na Airplanes were filled and prepared for battle. We flew again.

In the evening, we proudly telegraphed that six German cars destroyed 13 enemy. The detachment belt only once sent such a report. One of ours, Lieutenant Wolf, for today he hit four airplane, my brother, Schaefer and Fevester - two, and I am three.
On the next day, we, terribly proud, read about our exploits in the official post. Inspired, we shot down on this day more eight.
I spoke with one of the prisoners of English pilots and found out an interesting thing: it turned out that among the Britons, the opinion was that on the "red devil", as my airplane was now called, a certain young lady, Germanic Jeanne d "Ark. My English colleague was surprised And apparently, upset when I debunk this legend, telling him that this lady stands in front of him. He thought only a woman can fly on such an unusually painted car.

I want to make a slight digression, telling that in all my adventures I was accompanied by my dog \u200b\u200bMoritz. This dog has always been quite intelligent and understood. I bought it with a puppy in Ostend and arrived from the very early age to the aircraft. In Russia, I sometimes drove it with himself instead of an observer, he was greatly overlooking the neighborhood, the only trouble was that the mechanics often had to drag airplane after such flights.
One day an incident occurred, almost worth the Morita of Life.
In general, I must say that normal death for a pilot dog is death from propeller. Moritz was then two years already, but he had not yet gained the seriousness that was inherent in dogs of his breed.
He adored accompany my airplane during takeoff. Once he, as usual, ran ahead of my car, when my airplane overtook him. The screw broke down, and Moritz lied his magnificent scholarship ear, I once refused to stop them. After that, the ears of Morita began to do not quite correspond to one another.

Night attacks of the British.
During the full-rongged April nights of 1917, the British began to visit our magnificent Big Airfoder.
Somehow late in the evening, when we sat in the officer meeting, we were told on the phone that the British were noticed. There was some confusion. We hurried to bomb shelter. At first we heard only the remote, similar to the mosquito, the just, which turned soon in the rotary rock. Our searchlights and zenithors were ready to meet him. The enemy circled for a long time over our airfield, we already thought that he refused to strike on us and looking for other goals.

Suddenly he turned off the motor and probably began to decline. The searchlights caught it and raised shooting throughout the airfield. We jumped out of refuge and began to shoot from the Karabinov. On the hunt in Bukhov, I jerked in the night shooting and now I was able to apply the ability to practice.
The enemy decreased to meters to 100 and dropped the bomb, followed by a whole series. Fireworks was beautiful, but no effect was made. Generally speaking, I find in the night bombing more moral effect, designed for weak nerves, rather than the opportunity to apply a serious damage. Under the end, the flying piano threw his bombs from a height of only 50 meters, which was already the ridiculousness. After it was removed, we returned to the meeting and discussed our actions in case the Briton regards the next day. Over the next day, the edges of the field were the discovers of the columns on which the trophy machine guns were installed. Use our machine guns we counted too much honor for the British. On the
we put Night Sights and, I look forward to the appearance of night visitor. In the evening we were again called from the assembly, and we took our positions from the machine guns. The first guest arrived exactly as well as yesterday, at a very high altitude, and then dropped to 50 meters, heading towards our barracks. He was caught in the spotlight and the fun began. Probably, the attack of the cavalry corps would not be encountered with such fire spoil. Nevertheless, this bolt under gunsino - machine-gun fire did not turn, flying right above us.

When he passed over our heads, we naturally jumped into the blonde, lacked still pilots in the flourishing of the forces to die from the urban bomb.
Despite the lack of visible damage in the enemy airplane, our pallet reached the main goal, the Briton dropped the bombs aimlessly and disappeared. True, one of them exploded next to my "red kid", but harm did not cause. After that, I went to bed, but the British visited a few times overnight, one day one of them was so low over my apartment that I pulled the blanket on my head. From the windows from close rupture raised glass.

The next morning we were quite happy, seeing that they shot down three British. Their airplanes were lowered by the non-attract from our airfield, and the pilots were captured. It is a pity that they left us alone: \u200b\u200bthey delivered a lot of fun.

Schaefer sits between the lines.
On April 20, we flew to the hunt and the Shepher was not honored at the return. Everyone was very hoping that he would be at home before twilight, but she struck ten, and it was not all. We suggested that he sat somewhere on forced, no one in his thoughts allowed that he was shot down. By phone, we did not know anything. We went to sleep, confident that he will come back.

In two departures, the telephonist woke me up and said that Shefficient is in the village and really wants to bring him home. The next morning, for breakfast, our missing friend appeared. He was immediately fed and he told us about his adventures.
He flew along the front, returning home, how suddenly the director of the arthoge suddenly noted. He attacked him and hit, but the soldiers in the trenches decided not to let him go and opened a hurricane fire. Schaefer realized that his salvation was only at speed, because the British did not guessed to shoot with the absorption. But the airplane still fell into the airplane; A motor stopped with a crash, and the enemy began to fill with double energy. Shefficiently tried to leave the zone of the English positions.

As soon as he landed, his aircraft was turned into a noise of several machine guns from the outskirts of the village of Moshney from Arras.
Shefer does not think for a long time, sat down in the nearest shell funnel. He became clear that he sank out English lines, but very close to them. Fortunately, it was already quite late. For sure to destroy it, the British staged a small art delivery with gas shells, and then sent to the wreckage of his airplane and to the place where he was hiding, soldiers with machine guns. Those fired a funnel, but they did not get into it, although they made it take. Schaefer was ready to jump out and run.

Closer to the night he was left alone. The partridges walked around his funnel, and he, as a crazy hunter, understood that he was not threatened with him. Suddenly, one pair of birds took off, another followed by her. Apparently, the patrol was walking to wish the slicer of good night. Schaefer realized that he was time for him. He was overlooking him from a funnel to the funnel, moving so about an hour and a half. At the end of his way, he heard that a group of soldiers approach him, but could not determine his own or enemies. Finally, he saw that this was a German patrol. The soldiers took me to their commander, he said that Shefer sat down less than 50 meters from English troops and that our infantry considered him missing. He dined, and then went to the detachment. The British began art preparation, they wanted to take an attack to capture the sophon. But he was already far away. At two o'clock in the morning, he found the first telephone in the village and and connected with us.
We were all happy again to see him in good health.
Another would be resting in his place after such an adventure, but Schaeffer in the afternoon flew with us to hunt.

Circus Anti-Richtgofen.
For some weeks, the British have decided to get rid of me and started hunting for my "Red Devil". How were they disappointed when they found out that all our squad repainted airplanes in red. I learned that there is a certain group on our front site, aimed at knocking me down. Nevertheless, I liked it even more than the previous position: now the buyers themselves went to the shop, did not have to be engaged in their search.
We arrived at the forefront and a few minutes later the hot British on the "decline", wished to attack us. Now it was a rare phenomenon, the British recognized the offensive tactics overly expensive and stopped using it. At first there were two more "recession" against me, Wolf and my brother. At the very beginning, despite the fact that the enemy considered himself above us because it was sitting in the best airplanes, the attackers turned into defendants. The usual carousel began, but the wind favored us, because he blew towards the Germanic positions. My Englishman fell first. I broke a motor and he decided to go down down, but I now did not gear anyone and attacked him again, after which he fell apart
in the air. Wolf and my brother also forced opponents to fall near my victim. We flew home, sincerely hoping that the Circus of Anti-Richthofen will continue a good tradition to return after the fight with us strongly powered.

Visit of our father.
Our father served as the commandant of a small town near Lelle, not far from us. April 29, in the morning he came to us at the airfield. My brother and I just landed and jumped out of the Cabin of our devices, shouting the same thing: "Hello, father, I just hit the Englishman!" Our old man was very happy to us, we had breakfast and then went to fly. At this time, a fight took place over our field: the English squad broke through. His intelligence airplanes attacked. Suddenly, one of the German cars turned over and fell out of battle, then moved to normal planning and landed on the airfield. A machine gunner was killed, and the device is badly damaged. For about noon we flew again, I
hit another Englishman. After lunch, I rode a little, and Schaefer, Almenrroder and Wolf increased his combat account for one car. In the afternoon, at the afternoon, almen garrode, Schefer and my brother flew two more times, the first time - unsuccessful, and in the second - we attacked two artillery adjustments approaching our front. I have never had such a quick victory. My brother also dumped the enemy, killing the pilot. Other our comrades watched the battle in the distance, because we had a rule that the victory should be obsessed with one apparatus, the rest can only observe or cover the attacking tail in case of danger.

We closed the ranks, because nearby there was a collection of the Anti-Richtgofen Club. We discovered them, but they were too high and we were forced to wait for their attacks. Their "Soviet-triplens" and "decline" of course, above all praise, but the pilot did not want to fight, although we honestly offered them. I do not understand what sense to send a detachment against us in order to show the tail? Finally, one of them got courage and attacked our closing, but we all defiantly turned in his direction and the Briton drew. The beginning was laid. Another Englishman tried to do it with me, but I met his machine-gun fire. Leaving on his high-speed airplane, he was below me and disappeared: the single fighter cannot fire back. I applied one of my tricks to him: opened fire from a big distance to scare it. He got into a turn, I cut the distance and repeated the trick several times, until the moment I could open fire for defeat. From a distance of 40 meters, I broke through the benzobac and Briton laid and collapsed. During this day, it was my fourth victory. Lothar knocked down two. Looks like we made a wonderful treat. In the evening we had a treat, we invited several people, including those who were then nearby. I think the British completely lost sympathy to us.

I'm flying home.
I hit 50 airplanes of the enemy and received a vacation. In the evening of the same day, they wanted to talk to me on the phone in the main apartment: His Majesty wished me to personally meet me. I received this message on April 30, but I had to arrive on May 2. If I used the train, then I would be late. I decided to fly, because this method of movement is much more pleasant. The next morning I took off, but not in my red airplane, but on a large double car. One of my officers flew with me, Lieutenant Kreft, also preferred the air way of movement and as well as I sent on vacation.

We flew through Namur, Liege, E Lia Chapel and Cologne. It was nice to fly without thoughts about the war. The weather was beautiful, we saw steamboats on the rivers and train on the railways. We easily overtook everything downstairs. By the evening we gathered clouds, we continued to fly on the compass and the sun. In order not to get lost and the lacaround is not to sit in Holland, we descended down and found that we are above a march.
At about noon the next day we reached Cologne. On the eve of the newspaper reported about my 52nd victory and people were waiting for us.

From Cologne, we flew along the Rhine for some time. I repeatedly traveled here by train, steamer and car, but now flew at the airplane. I share you, Rhine is a very beautiful air river. The landscape swallowed us too fast to enjoy his beauty, although the feeling of speed, like when traveling in a train or car, was not. By the way, for the pilot, this is a cunning thing: if a few minutes are distracted from the landscape, you can skip the desired benchmarks and get lost. After noon, we arrived at the home apartment and I went to my friends, I worked all the war there. I jokingly called their ink fighters.

The next day I was adopted in the main apartment of Hindenburg and Ludendorf. It was not very much to sit in the holy of the Saints - the room where the fate of Mirv was peaked, and therefore I gladly obeyed the orders to breakfast with Kaiser. His Majesty, apparently, was aware that today is my birthday, and congratulated me with my success and twenty-five. He handed me a gift. Could I assume that in my twenty-fifth birthday I will sit on my right hand from Feldmarshal Hindenburg and will be mentioned in his speech?! The next day I had to have breakfast with the empress and flew to Hamburg, where he was accepted with all possible courtesy and even catalog her at airplane. In the evening, Hindenburg had dinner, the next day I went to Freiburg, where I got on the airplane and flew to Berlin. The weather was disgusting, the rain was replaced by a hail, after which the propeller became jazbed as he saw. He fascinated with the struggle with the bad weather, I forgot to be checked with the terrain, and when it was unwound, it was too late. I lost the road and did not have an idea where I am. Focusing mainly on the compass, I tried to go to the direction of Berlin. Useless! Later I found that I was demolished by 60 miles to the side. Desperate to find the road in bad weather, we decided to sit in an open place and wait for a storm. To sit at an unfamiliar place - the occupation is unpleasant, as you can raise the wheel in the wrinkle on any moment and lose the car. So it turned out, when landing in the meadow we damaged the chassis and could not fly further. I had to continue the journey through the railway.
A few days later I arrived in my hometown of Schiewdnitz. The people rejoiced to me, several demonstrations passed. After that, it became clear to me that the people take a living part in their soldiers.

My brother.
On the eighth day of my vacation, I got a telegram that my brother Lothar was injured, as a result of the questions, I realized that he was very rawless. They together with Almenroder over the enemy territory attacked the infantry airplane, heading in our direction. The difference in height between them was 1000 meters. My brother began to dive, approaching with the goal, but the enemy also spicked, hoping to avoid the battle. Lotara did not care, he was over whose positions. I sometimes didn't pay attention either, but my brother completely lost his head, if he did not have a single flight shot.

Only at a very low height of Lothar sat down the enemy on the tail and hit it. It happened so that the earth was hanging on the ground that day was hung and my brother did not have time to navigate at a low altitude, and he was far behind the front, behind the ridge by Vimi, who was the only meter 100 in height, but hid from Lotra our positions. He flew home through the front and was hardly fired. They fell into it, and his own blood was upset. He was shot through the thigh and he quickly lost his strength. He flewed the front in the sevenness and lost consciousness, summing up the device to the first meadow and turning off the motor. His
"Focker" fell by itself, although I do not know the airplanes that are trapped automatically. True, there is a legend that on one of the training airlocks in Cologne there is an old training "Taube", which, when you sit in it and start a motor, takes off on my own, makes a semicircle and sits down after the exact five minutes of the flight. My brother was not on such a wonderful car, but still not crippled when landing. He came to himself only in the hospital and was sent to Doue.

In general, behind the lot of the air is interesting to observe. If he feels, and that the enemy is stronger than him, he simply pretends to be shot down, falls out from the battle and imitates a messy fall. The spectacle is not for the faint of heart, especially for me, his brother. The enemy, as a rule, rushes after, and here Lothar shows what is capable of, sitting in a lung on the tail and knocks him.
Sometimes miracles happen. Once the observer from the enemy apparatus, heated by me and tanned, jumped out of it at an altitude of 50 meters, and this is the height of a good bell tower, and separated only a fracture of the leg. Another time I wounded the British in the head and the double car, vertically falling, crashed. Then it turned out that the observer from this apparatus only slightly damaged his skull. In another case, who also happened in my eyes, "Newport", shot down by the Belke, crashed into clay, his pilot was injured in the stomach and dislocated his hand in the joint, but remained alive.
But the case of another kind. One of my friends at the landing broke his back, when his airplane at the end of the mileage scaled. Getting a wheel in a rabbit Nora. The hopping was slow, the blow is insignificant, and still a man cripped up.

In general, Lothar was never afraid of danger and he was always crazy. For example, in 1914, he, being a draguan, was in winter at Warth. Speak the river for the purpose of intelligence was almost impossible, but he made it, made the location of the Russians and returned to the same way back, after which he spent the rest of the day in the saddle in garpless clothes and did not even catch a cold.
In the winter of 1915, he entered the aviation service, was an observer, and then, withstanding the exam, in March 1917 he became a fighter and got into my squad. In the third flight Lothar showed the initiative, attacked and hit the Englishman. Four weeks later on his account was already 20 victories - probably the only case in the world. The famous English Captain Boll became his opponent, as well as Major Hoker. They showed equal skill in the maneuver with Loter, and the Briton fell victim to the frontal attack, however, taped Lothar to gas tanks. Ball shot down 36 German cars, but he himself did not escape the same fate. This is, in my opinion, the best death for a soldier.

If Lothar was not injured on May 5, I suppose that he would also have 52 victories to my return from vacation.
My father found the difference between the athlete and the butcher in the fact that the latter shoots for fun. I, let's say, does not give pleasure to knock down two airflow in a row, just one. My brother thinks otherwise. I watched as he attacked the enemy fighter and shot it until he exploded.
Next to the victim of Lothar was the second apparatus, and the fire was immediately postponed to him, despite the fact that the first victim did not even fall on Earth. The second airplane also fell. Upon return, he asked me how much I shot down.
- "I replied.
-And - two! - he said.
I immediately sent him to help references. He, as befits the butcher, looked casually and found only one of two.
I found another on the next day ...
When visiting the main apartment, I met the prince von Plessert and received an invitation from him to hunt in his estate on the bison. The Plesule estate is the only place in Europe, except for the Belovezhskaya land of the Russian ex-king, where the bison is found. On May 26, I arrived in Plesert and began hunting, during which I was attacked by a giant bison. I killed one beast and was pleased with the hunt.

Infantry, artillery pilots and intelligence cars.
I do not become a fighter, I would probably become a infantry pilot, because they can bring the maximum benefit by their troops whose work is the hardest. These brave people flew into any weather and helped our troops to communicate with each other, attack enemy infantry, corrected shooting. Sometimes I did it, the release of the turn is another for the enemy trenches along the way home from the task. Such shooting, of course, has more moral meaning. Adjusting Artogne with the help of wireless telegraph - the lesson is still quite new and requiring specific data from the pilot. I can't do it for a long time, my lot is the battle. Probably, artillery officers are becoming better adjustments;
they have good knowledge in the form of weapons that interact.

In the Russian front, with the late friend, the holk conducted an uncountable number of air exploration. In a maneuverable war, reconnaissance - already half of success. I acted by cavalry methods, but this is not enough on the West Front. Here, from the air, all the paths of the message seem dead and lifeless, although in fact there are neglected movements under you. At times of analysis in the flight it is not enough and you have to photograph the object, after which it is necessary to deliver the record home in order not to start all over again.
Often the photographer must get into battle, although I am not a supporter of it; Photoflastic is often more important than the detachment of the detachment. Therefore, the photographer should, if possible, avoid battle.
Now exploration is the most difficult task, especially in the Western Front.

Hermann airplanes.
During World War, our airplanes have undergone significant evolution. Let's say during the war there was such a type as a giant airplane. This is a colossus capable of carrying 3-5 tons of bombs. He is slow, honey, his gas tanks resemble railway cars. In its case you can walk. Nearby day when whole divisions will be transported by them.

Flight on such a device is possible not due to instinct, but thanks to technical devices, raised on board. The fuselage has even a wireless telegraph, through which it is possible to communicate with the Earth. The fuselage is suspended and bombs similar to Livel sausages. The arms consists of a large number of machine guns, and wings with numerous backups create the impression of serfs. In general, I find them terrible, unsportsmanlike, boring and rude. My passion is a single fighter, something like my "Red Baby". When you fly on this, you have an indifferent position in space - at least a head, although up the engine. You can fly like a bird. I believe that soon you can buy a personal set of wings, plumage and motor, dress it like a suit, and to enjoy the flight enjoyment.
I think my dear readers are already laughing at this fairy tale. But I do not think that our children also laughed at it. Fifty years ago, as a fairy tale perceived the thought of flight over Berlin. I remember what kind of sensation produced in our capital the arrival of the first "Zeppelin" in 1910. Now, when the airship flies in the sky, the German boy rarely even looks into the sky.

In addition to giant airplanes and small fighter machines, there is still a huge number of diverse types of aircraft, and the invention has not yet reached the vertex and, apparently, will not soon reach. Therefore, who knows what people will fly on a decade later?

Note by the author of literary translating
Manfred von Richtgofen breaks his records for almost a year before his death, which followed the spring of 1918. The British, who had recently proclaimed the Baron toasts, decided that this person is too much threatened for them, because by the time of death he was already shot down more than 80 airplanes. Therefore, the squadron of the British Air Corps "Black Fleet", who flew on the "Soviet - Triplan" was given a task to destroy the "Red Baron" in any way and at any cost. "Black Flyt" called "Circus Richtgofen" to the fight, and Richtgofen, the faithful traditions of aviation knighthood, went ahead for battle with the commander of the British commander one to one. Four "Soviet" rushed at him, and one of
they were selflessly substituted under his attack, demonstratively leaving towards English positions with a decline. Richtgofen rushed after him, without noticing another Englishman on his tail. He fired a "red baby" and "focker" without leaving the peak, fell behind the line of English troops. The identification of the shot showed that the only bullet hit the baron - right in the heart. The British gave tribute to their noble enemy and buried him with the appropriate military honors.

Lucky Licks

In 1916, the German pilot Baron Manfred von Richtgofen in the district of Classy won his first victory in the air, hitting the aircraft Fe 2B English bombing escort ... It happened September 17.
Manfred Albrecht Frajerr von Richtgofen (May 2, 1892 - 21, 1918) - a German fighter pilot, which became the best Asom of the First World War with 80 shot down opponent aircraft. It is widely known for the nicknamed "Red Baron" ("Der Rote Baron"), which he received only after the war, because at one time he came to paint into a bright red color of the fuselage of his Albatros DV, then Fokker Dr.i, and Due to its belonging to the German Baron Noble Sil. Until now is considered to be many "Asom from Asov".

Richtgofen decided to become a pilot after a random meeting with the famous Asom Osvald Bölke. Later, Richtgofen served at Böhku in the squadron Jasta 2. He won his first air duel 17.09.16 in the Cambrai area. After that, he ordered a silver cup with a jeweler's friend with an engraved battle date and type of shot airplane. When silver interruptions began in blockade Germany, Richtgofen had 60 such cups.

Like many other pilots, the background Richtgofen was terribly superstituted: he did not fly to the task without receiving a kiss from his beloved. This superstition quickly got the spread of military pilots.

Albatros D.II.

On November 23, 1916, Manfred knocked his 11th enemy - English Asa Leno Hoker at Airco D.H.2, which was then called "British Böhk". Despite the victory, he decided that his Albatros D.II fighter was not good enough and he had a plane with better maneuverability, even less fast. Unfortunately, Albatrosse were the main fighters of the German Air Force for a long time. Richtgofen flew on models D.III and D.V a significant part of 1917, while in September did not receive Triplan Fokker Dr.i.

This aircraft, painted in a bright red color, is considered to be a symbol, although there are still doubts, whether the Baron flew ever on a completely red triplan, or only separate parts of the aircraft were painted.
In January 1917, Manfred knocked down the 16th enemy and was awarded the Higher Military Award of Germany - the Order "Pour Le Mérite". In February, he was entrusted by the command of Jasta 11 squadron. Many German Assa flew in it. In order to simplify each other's recognition in combat in the coloring of all aircraft of this unit, a red color was used, and some, including the Richtgofen fighter, were completely red. The Personal composition of Jasta 11 was usually located in tents, which allowed to be located closer to the front line and ensured the mobility necessary to avoid the bombing of the allies. Because of this, the squadron was called the "air circuit".

Under the command of Richtgofen, the squadron operated very successfully: in the most successful month - April 1917, called English pilots "Blood April", alone Manfred knocked 22 opponent airplane. On July 6, he was seriously injured and out of order for several weeks. The wound in the head led to severe consequences - Richtgofen suffered from headaches and nausea, his character was also changed. It is believed that before the injury he was not characteristic of stubbornly follow one goal, forgetting others. Later, this quality played a role in his death. After returning to Richtgofen, the command was entrusted with the command of the 1st fighter regiment (fighter escade), consisting of squadrons Jasta 4, 6, 10 and 11.

Fokker Dr.i Backhthafen Background in 1918and his fighter after a rigid landing, which became the last in the life of "Red Baron"

According to rumors, by the beginning of 1918, Richtgofen became so legendary that the command was afraid that in the case of his death the Germans will be inflicted a heavy blow. He was offered to resign, but he refused, stating that his duty was to provide support from the air to soldiers on earth, which do not have such a choice.

After the death of Richtgofen, the command "Air Circus" passed to the successor chosen by him - Wilhelmu Rainhard, who commanded the unit until his death in a catastrophe of July 3, 1918 at the departure of the new fighter. After that, the command passed to Herman Goring.

Funeral Manfred von Richtgofen on Bertange Cemetery, April 22, 1918

On April 21, 1918, Manfred was mortally wounded in a battle in the Somma River area, pursuing the Sopwith Camel aircraft of Canadian Lieutenant Wilfred Mea. In turn, Red Baron pursued the commander of the Canadian squadron captain Artur Roy Brown. Also on the Red "Focker" Richtgofen was the fire of machine gunners and arrows of the Australian Infantry Division. Richtgofen was injured from the 183rd caliber bullery, standard for small arms of the British Empire, which fell into the chest from the bottom from the bottom and passed through. He landed immediately. His "Focker" was not damaged when landing. Some sources reported that Richtgofen died a few seconds after the Australian soldiers ran up to him, and that he had time to say a few words before death, of which only "Cuput" disassembled. However, most researchers believe that by that time he had to be unconscious or dead.

Manfred in his car with other pilots squadron Jasta 11

For a long time, at the end of World War I, many historians believed that 80 opponent aircraft shot down by Richtofen are an exaggeration of German propaganda. They stated that opponents shot down by his squadron or a link were recorded on his score. However, on the crest of the new wave of studies of the First World War in the 1990s, a detailed proceedings were conducted. The study of the English historian Norman Franks, published in the Book of the Under The Guns of the Red Baron, did not docume at least 73 victories of Manfred - up to the names of the pilots shot down by him. Together with unconfirmed facts, the Personal Account "Asa from Asov" can reach 84 victories.

Friday, 07/31/2015 Wednesday, 05.08.2015

Manfred von Richthofen: the first Aces and the last knights

On the example of the Great War, one of the last manifestations of a peculiar merger of images are "modern" the armed forces and chivalry coming from the last drops of noble blood. Such were the pilots of the First World War, and Manfred von Richthefen is the best among them.

The beginning of the First World War served as a powerful impetus for the development of various types of weapons, including aviation. Initially, aviation was not a self-sufficient combat ring in general, building with infantry and fleet. Airplanes (and at that time - airplanes and biplans) did not have arms, were small and performed the function of intelligence. It was also the case with training pilots: there were no specialized educational institutions for combat pilots.

Recall that the very first aircraft was invented shortly before the war of 1914-1918, therefore, by the time of the war of the fighting, few people could really appreciate the military potential of aircraft. The imperfection of the design, the inability to carry the weapons and the impossibility of distant flights made aircraft rather with cars for local intelligence than a serious weapon.

At first, after the start of war, the aircraft flying out for exploration was not threatened. The flights were calm, and the pilots of different sides at the meeting had the habit of greeting each other, but soon the situation changed. When the parties felt the danger of intelligence data, it was decided to destroy aircraft and pilots. It was then that terrestrial aircraft technique began to develop, and the pilots themselves became often taken in the flight gun. Despite these measures, there was no particular effect, and then the designers began to work on the installation on the model of the machine gun aircraft, more perfect at that time of the weapon. Large rapidity and high-speed shooting have become an effective means of combating the enemy aircraft.

It is from this moment that the history of the many areas of both warring parties begins, military aviation takes its beginning. And it is here that the story should be started about one of the best pilots in history - Manfred von Richthofen or, as he called, Red Baron.

Richthofen's family has always been famous for its military. Manfred's father was a military man, and no one doubted that Manfred and his younger brother Lothar would also wear uniforms. At first, young manfred chose Cavalry for himself, because her brilliance would attracted ambitious young people. He was enrolled in the Ulansky regiment, and then a great war began for Richthofen. As part of the cavalry regiment, he managed to participate in brief hostilities on the Eastern Front, and then was moved to the West. Manfred in his autobiography said that during the transfer they were welcomed as heroes, the first to meet the enemy. It also provides a funny incident - already close to the destination, not far from the enemy territory, the train went to the tunnel and stopped, one of the soldiers or something in a joke, or she accidentally shot the window, the bullet hit the train, and the rest seriously Thought about ambush. A pallet began in the tunnel, which could lead to wounds, but the train of the Sun Kore went, and the confusion was ending, fortunately, fortunately, did not turn out.

On the Western Front, Merfred's career lasted for a long time - in one of the reconnaissance trains, his detachment fell into the ambush and was almost completely interrupted. By simple accident, the future speaker survived and was translated into the rear service. Manfred passed orders to the detachments at the front, but this work was more annoyed by him, since he could not fully develop his potential. As a result, it came to the fact that Manfred began to appear in the trenches with a bunch of grenades, so that in the very narrow section of a none land to throw them into an enemy trench. But of course, it did not add to him popularity, because it came, it was left, and the enemy could not act immediately.

Ambitious and ambitious, Manfred could not stand long service and filed a petition for his transformation into real hostilities. "I didn't go to the army for this," he spoke in his past.

Manfred was translated into aircraft, at that time an exploring intelligence, where he served on the Eastern Front. At that time, the pilot of the German army Oswald Bölke was considered as a asce from Arsa, all the pilots knew about him and sought him to like him. Bölka had its own unit (Jagdstaffel 2), where he personally took the pilots, and Manfred was lucky enough to be one of the elect. By the time the war in the air has changed radically - there were many technical problems of the first aircraft, and now aircraft represented combat-ready military vehicles that could cause serious damage to priest.

In the overwhelming majority of battles, German pilots fought with the Pilots of Great Britain. As in the troops of the royal air armed forces, and among the imperial pilots - most were descendants of more or less rich noble families. Many of the pilots of different sides were familiar before the start of the war.

Manfred turned out to be the most capable student of Osawald Bölke and after some time received his first single aircraft (single cars were maneuver and had advantages over dwarf aircraft). Manfred gives tribute to his opponents, describing British pilots in his book as brave, at times reckless and never refuse to call soldiers. In the air rarely happened equal battles.

German pilots in their letters and books compare themselves with the knights of their era, and air battles - with equestrian chalk (srinkage on the horse tournament), which is a considerable degree corresponds to the truth. The similarity is undoubtedly: like the rider with a spear, a single aircraft had only one direction of attack - ahead. The same applies to behavior's manners: pilots have never had sincere intention to kill his opponent. Moreover, if there was an opportunity to preserve the enemy's life, it was most often done, since the main purpose of the pilot was to knock off the aircraft.

Manfred von Richthofen was a hunter, he loved to collect trophies since childhood. Every shot down plane, he celebrated the order of a small cup, and every tenth - a large cup. This tradition passed through the whole life of the pilot to the last shot of the aircraft. The whole room in the parent house was tired by trophies.

At the end of 1916, during a combat departure, Böhke died. So the question was solved, who worried many pilots then: "What happens when there is a collision of aircraft?" The plane Bölka did not encounter the enemy plane, but only the wing hurt him, nevertheless, it was already impossible to escape.

A few months later, Manfred received his own squadron (Jagdstaffel 11) under his command. By that time, he was the most famous pilot of Germany - it was he who hit Lano George Hoker, Asa Royal Air Forces. And soon after this victory, he received the highest issued combat award - Order for the merit of Pour Le Merite. By this moment, his account included 16 shot down aircraft.

In those years, the success of German aviation developed very rapidly, and April 1917 became an apogee - "Bloody April". This month and allies, new models of aircraft were developed by central Europe. But the allied armed forces did not have time to get their cars, the result of which was a loss of more than a hundred aircraft and crews. Manfred was already beyond the faith, which another pilot had ever reached, - the number of his victories was closer to forty. Nevertheless, the air warriors never lost noble behavior - the frequent phenomenon was that the pilot who shot down the opponent's plane, tried himself to take it in captivity earlier infantry, to further arrange something like this to receive, discuss with him the latest events and simply general considerations After that, of course, the enemy went to official captivity. Also pilots always tried to transfer a message about the capture or death of a pilot on the other side of the neutral land.

The allies managed to paint the Division of Manfred by a flying circus, and his most - a red baron. With the target that is not extracted (although there are many options), Manfred painted his plane in red. The name "Flying Circus" came from a number of actions - for mutual identification, the aircraft had a bright color, and their locations were performed in the form of tents (such a grouping was beneficial in bombing).

Manfred became widely known, he wrote a lot of letters, he had a lot of fans and beloved, which, according to colleagues, he was going to take his wife after the end of the war. But none of them revealed the identity of this woman. In the 2008 film, Der Rote Baron, Kate Odesdorf nurse was depicted as a beloved pilot - this is a free interpretation and one of the permissible versions.

According to the film, the Baron came to the hospital, where he met a nurse: Manfred was wounded in the head, which by coincidence did not end with death for him. According to the feet of the colleagues, this wound was one of the reasons for his premature death. According to comrades, after this wound, the Baron changed somewhat in the character, and this often negatively influenced their fighting. The rank, fame and number of victories of the Red Baron at that time increased even more, but at the same time increased the desire of the leadership to push him away from direct participation in hostilities: too strong a blow to propaganda would cause his death.

Manfred Albrecht Frajerr von Richtgofen (It. Manfred Albrecht Freiherr Von Richthofen; May 2, 1892 - 21, 1918) - the German pilot fighter, which has become the best Asom of the First World War with 80 shot down opponent aircraft. It is widely known for nickname Red Baron (It. Der Rote Baron), which he received after he came to paint into a bright red color fuselage of his Albatros D.V aircraft, then Fokker Dr.i, and thanks to his belonging to the German Baron Noble Village of Frajerr. Until now is considered to be many "Asom from Asov".

Origin

Manfred Albrecht Baron von Richtgofen was born on May 2, 1892 in Breslau, Silesia (now Wroclaw in Poland) in the noble family. Father - Albrecht Baron Von Richtgofen; Mother - Cunigund Baroness von Richtgofen, Uncle - Ferdinand von Richtgofen. Brothers - Lothar von Richtgofen, Holy Background Richtgofen. Sister - Ilze von Richtgofen. Cousin - Tungsten von Richtgofen.

The ancestor of Manfred was the famous Prussian Field Marshal Leopold I, Duke Anhalt-Dessau. When Manfred turned 9 years old, the family moved to Schweidnits (now Svidnitsa in Poland). In Youth, Manfred was fond of hunting and horse riding, which predetermined his choice of career: after the end of the Cadet school, he entered the 1st battalion of the West-Prussian Ulan Regiment named after Emperor Alexander III (Him. Ulanen-Regiment Kaiser Alexander III. Von Russland) .

After the start of the First World War, Manfred participated in hostilities on the eastern and Western fronts in the rank of a cavalry officer, but soon it was bored with him, and in May 1915 he requested translation into aviation. There he became a pilot-observer.

Career

Richtgofen decided to become a pilot after a random meeting with the famous Asom Osvald Bölke. Later, Richthofen served at Böhku in the squadron Jasta 2. He won his first air duel on September 17, 1916 in the Cambly area. After that, he ordered a silver cup with a jeweler's friend with an engraved battle date and type of shot airplane. When silver interruptions began in blockade Germany, Richtgofen had 60 such cups.

Like many other pilots, the background Richtgofen was terribly superstituted: he did not fly to the task without receiving a kiss from his beloved. This superstition quickly got the spread of military pilots.

On November 23, 1916, Richtgofen knocked his eleventh enemy - English Asa Leno Hoker at Airco D.H.2, which was then called "British Bölk". Despite the victory, he decided that his Albatros D.II fighter was not good enough and he had a plane with better maneuverability, even less fast. Unfortunately, Albatrosse were the main fighters of the German Air Force for a long time. Richtgofen flew on models D.III and D.V a significant part of 1917, while in September did not receive Triplan Fokker Dr.i. This plane, painted in a bright red color, is considered to be a symbol, although there are still doubts, whether the Baron ever flew on a completely red triplan, or only separate parts of the aircraft were painted in red.

Air Circus

In January 1917, Manfred von Richtgofen knocked down the sixteenth opponent and was awarded the Higher Military Award of Germany - the Order "Pour Le Mrite". In February, he was entrusted by the command of the squadron (stuffle) Jasta 11. Many German aces flew in it, including Ernst will go. In order to simplify each other's recognition in combat in the coloring of all aircraft of this unit, a red color was used, and some, including the Richtgofen fighter, were completely red. The Personal composition of Jasta 11 was usually located in tents, which allowed to be located closer to the front line and ensured the mobility necessary to avoid the bombing of the allies. Because of this, the squadron was called the "air circuit".

Under the command of Richtgofen, the squadron operated very successfully: at the most successful month - April 1917, named by English pilots "Bloody April", alone Manfred knocked 22 opponent airplane. On July 6, he was seriously injured and out of order for several weeks. The wound in the head led to severe consequences - Richtgofen suffered from headaches and nausea, his character was also changed. It is believed that before the injury he was not characteristic of stubbornly follow one goal, forgetting others. Later, this quality played a role in his death. After returning to Richtgofen, the command was entrusted with the 1st fighter regiment (Jagdgeschwader I), which consisted of Jasta 4, 6, 10 and 11 squadrily.