Freiherr von Manfred Richthofen

Born in 1892 in what was then Breslau, Germany, Manfred von Richthofen began his military career in the cavalry before moving into the air war of World War I. As aircraft combat became more important, he quickly proved himself an exceptional pilot and tactician.

Richthofen was officially credited with 80 air victories, more than any other pilot of the war, which helped make him famous far beyond Germany. He became especially well known for flying brightly painted aircraft, including the red plane that inspired the nickname "the Red Baron," and for leading the fighter unit that opponents dubbed the "Flying Circus."

He was killed in combat in 1918, at just 25 years old, but his name has remained closely tied to the early age of aviation. Accounts of his life often balance the drama of air combat with the image of a disciplined officer whose fame grew into myth almost as quickly as the airplanes of his era changed history.