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bub · 04-25-08, 06:32 PM

Here are some links to articles about famous WWI fighter pilots

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Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918) was a German fighter pilot known as "The Red Baron". He was the most successful flying ace of World War I, being officially credited with 80 confirmed air combat victories.[1][2] Richthofen was a member of an aristocratic family with many famous relatives.

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Richthofen led his new unit to unparalleled success, peaking during "Bloody April" 1917. In that month alone, he downed 22 British aircraft, raising his official tally to 52. By June, he was the commander of the first of the new larger Jagdgeschwader (wing) formations, leading Jagdgeschwader 1 composed of Jastas 4, 6, 10 and 11. These were highly mobile combined tactical units that could be sent at short notice to different parts of the front as required. In this way, JG1 became "The Flying Circus" or "Richthofen's Circus", which got its name both from the unit's highly mobile nature (including the use of tents), and from its brightly coloured aircraft. The end of April, the "Flying Circus" also became known as the "Richthofen Circus."[10]

Manfred von Richthofen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Lothar-Siegfried Freiherr von Richthofen (27 September 1894 – 4 July 1922) was a German First World War fighter ace credited with 40 victories during the war. He was younger brother of top-scoring ace Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron) and a cousin of the Luftwaffe field marshal Wolfram von Richthofen.

Starting the war as a cavalry officer, Lothar transferred to the German Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) in 1915 and his first posting was to his brother's Jasta 11 on 6 March 1917. Lothar flew during the period of German dominance known as Bloody April and by the start of May had scored 16 victories. When Manfred went on leave, Lothar assumed command of the squadron. Manfred considered his brother rather reckless, describing him as a "shooter" rather than a "hunter".

He scored three more kills in the first week of May. On the evening of 7 May near Douai, Lothar's Jasta 11 encountered eleven British aircraft from the "elite" No. 56 Squadron RFC, including English ace, Albert Ball. In a running battle fought in deteriorating visibility, the aircraft became scattered until Lothar was engaged in a one-on-one dogfight with Ball which ended with both aircraft crashing behind German lines. Ball was killed, but Lothar survived and was credited with the victory. Lothar's comrades went to great lengths to grant Lothar the honour for this victory, going so far as to fire a revolver at the wreckage of Ball's SE5 plane and then show the bullet holes as evidence. Later research has shown that it was likely Ball had become disoriented during the battle, accidentally entered an inverted dive which choked his plane's carburator and killed the engine

Lothar von Richthofen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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René Paul Fonck (27 March 1894–18 June 1953) was a French aviator who ended the Great War as the top Allied fighter ace. His 75 (72 solo and three shared and a further 52 'probable' victories) [1] victories also ranked him second only to Manfred von Richthofen, (80 planes confirmed shot down) as the top ace of the conflict. When all succeeding conflicts are considered he remains the top scoring Allied Ace to date. Taking into account his probable claims, Fonck's final tally could

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Oberleutnant Löwenhardt was an aggressive, skilled fighter whose score grew steadily. At the end of May 1918 he received Germany's highest honour, the Pour le Mérite (Blue Max) after 24 kills. Flying the new Fokker D.VII, he added eight more in June and no fewer than 16 in July. His tally climbed to 53 on August 9.

The next day (August 10, 1918) Oblt. Löwenhardt shot down a British fighter near Chaulnes (Somme area of France). However, he collided with another Fokker D.VII (of Jasta 11) and though he jumped from his aircraft, his parachute failed to open, thus causing the young man to plummet to his death from around 12,000 feet. His body was recovered 4 days later, battered and beaten. He was 21. (The other pilot who collided with him, Leutnant Alfred Wenz, bailed out successfully.)

Erich Loewenhardt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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