The Red Baron

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen was a German fighter pilot known as "The Red Baron." He was the most successful flying ace of WWI having scored 80 recorded kills before his death by a single .303 bullet from a Canadian flyer piloting a camel. He was initially a reconnaissance observer over the Eastern Front but on being transferred to the Champagne front, he managed to shoot down a French Farman aircraft with his observer's machine gun. He was not accredited with this kill on acount of it taking place in allied territory. He later claimed another unrecorded kill after he joined Kampfgeschwader 2. Following the success he met fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke who asked him to join the new Jagdstaffel, Jasta 2. Von Richthofen then won his first victory over Cambrai, France, on September 17, 1916.