Red Baron

Fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen, well known as the "Red Baron", served in the German Air Force. He was an ace pilot who overcame all obstacles to win 80 air battles during World War I, making him a flying legend. Richthofen adopted the title Freiherr after being born into a noble family (equivalent to Baron in English). He afterward painted his plane crimson while flying. As a result, it was visible from a distance, earning Richthofen the moniker Red Baron. Richthofen, who was originally a cavalryman, served on both the eastern and western fronts. Manfred was reassigned to the Signal Corps, where he would soon become weary of trench life, as trench warfare took hold on the western front and rendered cavalry irrelevant. He signed up for the Air Service in 1915 as an observer, where he spent the ensuing few months learning to fly. In 1916, he was one of the initial recruits for fighter squadron Jagdstaffel 2.

Manfred made a name for himself as a fighter pilot immediately on, rising through the ranks to command Jasta 11 and later Jagdgeschwader 1, a bigger fighter wing unit better known as "The Flying Circus" because of the vivid colors of its aircraft, in 1917. Richthofen downed 80 aircraft in his 19 months (1916–1918) of combat flying, earning him a national hero. During World War I, his aircraft was shot down close to Vaux-sur-Somme, resulting in his demise on April 21, 1918.

Lifespan: May 2, 1892 – April 21, 1918

Nation: Germany