Red Baron shot down 102 years ago today...

Mythical character, amazing it was so long ago.

His squadron was then taken over by another ace, Herman Goering.

 

Hauptman Wilhelm Reinhardt actually took command of Jagdgeschwader (fighter group or wing) I, made up of Jagdstaffeln (fighter squadrons) 4, 6, 10, and 11, on MVR's written orders when he died on 21 April 1918. Reinhard was killed on 3 July 1918 flying a prototype Zeppelin D.I at the Adlershof fighter competition. Goering took over JG I on 14 July 1918 and remained in command until war's end.

 

My dumb story on The Red Barron:


Colorado had the US’s most amazing WWI aviation museum (LaFayette Escadrille Flying Museum), reported to be the best in the US.


I was there with a car club, (if I remember it was one of the first times I met TCAR on this forum) and we got the HUGE privilege of the owner Andy Parks giving us the tour of the museum.

One of the people in the group was a know-it-all. He knew everything, just ask him.

We got to a display case that contained something dealing with the Red Barron.

Mr. KnowItAll started telling the group about the Red Barron, and was focusing on how von Richthofen died.
something along the lines of “And he was shot in a dog fight bla bla words words words”
Andy tried to diplomatically correct Mr KnowItAll on some issues.
Mr. KnowItAll’s started getting louder and louder… “I watch the show on Discovery Channel and THIS is how it happened. He was shot in the air doing this, bla bla words words words”
Andy, again diplomatically, said something like:
here’s the deal. I have many hours in the flying replica of his tri-plain outside and there is no way von Richthofen could have sustained the fatal injury he did in that location on his body if he had been flying.
The only way he could have received those injury to his chest, and not his chest AND arm, was if he was shot on the ground.
Mr. KnowItAll responded basically:
Look, last time I was wrong was in the third grade. Here is how Richtofen died and I know I am right! Bla words bla bla words
Andy’s amazing response was basically, and calmly (I need to learn that):
Sir, the fatal bullet entered his body in his chess here, and exited his body here. That would not happen if he was shot in the air.
Then the cherry on top was when Andy said, point blank.
I have the original x-ray (whatever they called early x-ray film) showing the injury upstairs if you would like to see it.
Mr. KnowItAll was sort of quiet after that.

 

From what I read long ago. Manfred was not a great pilot in the beginning. He made up for whatever short comings in flying by his good shooting. He was an avid hunter and didn't shoot to take the airplane down but to kill the pilot. I imagine that in the long run he improved his flying to match his shooting. I'm not a know-it-all but I remember a few things. If I can't remember it, I make up some stuff. X-Ray was always X-Ray, if I remember.

 

Bob- Affirmative, Edison's assistant died from radiation poisoning from repeatedly x-raying his hand in demonstrations. Nobody had a clue that radiation was cumulative or deadly. Except possibly clock makers who used radium paint on clock dials and pointed up the paint brush with their tongues.