Freiherr von Manfred Richthofen

Born in Breslau in 1892, Manfred von Richthofen began his military career in the cavalry before transferring to the German air service during World War I. He became famous for his bright red aircraft and for his extraordinary combat record, earning a reputation as the war’s leading flying ace.

Richthofen was officially credited with 80 aerial victories, and his name became closely linked with Jagdgeschwader 1, the fighter wing often nicknamed the "Flying Circus." Though he was celebrated in Germany as a national hero, accounts of his life also show a careful, methodical officer who studied air combat seriously rather than relying on bravado alone.

He was killed in action in France on April 21, 1918, at just 25 years old. Even so, the legend of the Red Baron has endured far beyond the war, keeping him at the center of writing about early aviation, combat, and the strange fame that can grow around a life cut short.