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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists World War One Aircraft  Fokker Dr.I |
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Looking for Business, March 1918 by Ivan Berryman. Arguably the best known of all World War 1 fighter aces, Mannfred von Richthofen, the 'Red Baron', is depicted here flying Fokker Dr.1, serial No 425/17, in its final livery following the introduction of the Balkenkreuze, early in 1918. Contrary to popular belief, this was the only Triplane flown by the Rittmeister that was painted all red and was also the aircraft in which he lost his life on 21st April 1918, the celebrated ace having scored a confirmed 80 victories against allied aircraft over France. His brother, Lothar von Richthofen, also flew with Jasta 11 and his aircraft can be seen close by with the all-yellow rear fuselage. Pilots of von Richthofen's 'Flying Circus' were permitted to paint their aircraft in their own personal colours, provided that they retained the red cowl, struts and wheel covers that denoted Jasta 11. |
Showtime at the Circus by Stan Stokes. Born in Prussia to wealthy aristocratic parents, Manfred F. von Richtofen, The Red Baron, was to become the top ace of World War I, with 80 confirmed kills, and probably another 40-50 which took place over enemy lines and could not be confirmed. Richtofen was originally a cavalry officer, but with great persistence he was transferred to the air arm. After a brief period on the eastern front Richtofen was transferred to the western front in August 1915. His first confirmed victory was recorded in September 1916 and by November he recorded eleven kills, including Major L. Hawker, the top British fighter pilot at that point in time. With his keen reflexes and eyesight he quickly ascended, and by June 1917 Richtofen took control of a unit near Coutrai. This unit became known as Richtofens Circus. By July the ringmaster had his fifty-seventh victim. Despite his successes Richtofen shunned publicity and became increasingly withdrawn. Richtofen was wounded in combat and spent three weeks in the hospital recuperating. After his return to duty Manfred became a vocal proponent of the Fokker triplane. The bright red paint scheme utilized on one of Richtofens aircraft is what earned him the nickname, The Red Baron. Richtofens brother, Lothar, was also an ace with forty victories to his credit. By April of 1918, aided by Americas entry into the War, Germany was facing overwhelming numbers of enemy aircraft, and many with performance capabilities the equal to, and in some cases superior to, their own. The Germans mounted a final desperate offensive, and on April 21,1918 The Red Baron finally fell victim to the perils of combat. Although there is considerable controversy over the Red Barons demise, it appears that Richtofen was either killed by Captain Arthur Brown, a Canadian flying with the RAF, or was shot down by Australian machine gunners while evading Captain Brown. Richtofen was provided a full military funeral by the Allies, and on the evening following his funeral a single RAF fighter dropped a small package containing photos of the funeral onto the Circus headquarters. By Wars end the Circus was credited with the destruction of 644 aircraft, but 56 of its airmen had been killed, 32 seriously wounded, and 6 captured. |
The Brothers Richthofen by Stan Stokes. Arguably the best brother team of two fighter aces was Manfred and Lothar von Richtofen, with 120 WW I aerial victories between them. Manfred, who became known as The Red Baron, was the top ace of WW I and his reputation is still alive and well today thanks to movies and books. The Richtofen family was minor nobility, and Manfred painted the aircraft he flew in the squadron he commanded bright red - hence the name Red Baron. Manfred was born in Poland in 1892, and was sent to military school at age eleven. When WW I commenced Manfred, commissioned as a lieutenant, initially served in the cavalry. He became enthralled with aircraft while watching planes perform aerial reconnaissance missions. In 1915 he attended flying school, and was first assigned as an observer to a bombing squadron. Inspired by the exploits of the famous ace Oswald Boelcke Manfred put in for pilot training. He passed the pilots test on his third try. He was fortunate to fly with Boelcke in Jasta 2, a unit of promising young pilots. In October of 1916 Manfred witnessed the death of Boelcke when the great ace collided in midair with one of his squadron mates. Richtofen carried Boelckes medals at the funeral, a symbolic portending of his future greatness. Richtofen began flying an Albatros D.1 with red stripes and had good success including the downing of Lanoe Hawker the first British ace of the War. By early 1917 Manfred had sixteen victories and was awarded the Blue Max. At the same time he was given command of his own unit, Jasta 11. As an incredible leader Manfred trained his pilots well in both aerial tactics and strategies. He insisted on formation flying principles and his pilots were not permitted to fly recklessly or attack without assistance. They were taught to look for situations of relative advantage whether in terms of altitude, position of the sun, or relative strength. This scientific approach made Jasta 11 one of the most successful units. It became a squadron of aces, including Ernst Udet, Werner Voss and Lothar Richtofen, Manfreds younger brother. JG 1, a group of four Jastas, was organized in June of 1917 with Manfred as its Commander. With all the planes painted bright colors for identification, this unit became known as Richtofens Flying Circus. This crack unit was moved around the front as needed, and it concentrated on intercepting and destroying enemy aircraft. Very little reconnaissance or escort missions were flown. The unit attained between June 1917 and November 1918 an incredible 644 aerial victories compared to the loss of only 52 of its own aircraft. The Fokker Dr. 1 triplane was deployed with JG 1 in 1917. This diminutive aircraft was too slow to be effective with pilots of ordinary skill, but in the hands of the skilled pilots of JG 1 its advantages of climbing rate and maneuverability were put to great use. Manfred attained his last 20 victories in the triplane. Manfred was downed in April of 1918 behind enemy lines. He received a full military funeral by the British. Lothar would attain 40 victories - equaling Boelckes total and making him the 10th highest scoring German ace of the Great War. Lothar downed Albert Ball (the leading British ace at the time with 44 victories) in May of 1917. |
Manfred Von Richthoffen (The Red Baron) by Tim Fisher. The scene depicts an encounter between Manfred Von Richthoffen, leader of the Jasta II squadron and a patrol of Sopwith Camels. This particular battle above France took place only weeks before Richthoffen was killed as can be seen from the Balken Kreuz insignia which replaced the iron cross on German aircraft after a directive dated March 1918. |
Baron Von Richthofen, March 1918 by Chris Collingwood. Germanys greatest First World War fighter ace, Baron Von Richthofen, known as the Red Baron is shown departing his Fokker DR.1 Triplane 425/17 after yet another successful sortie. 425/17 was the aircraft in which the Red Baron finally met his end in April of that year. No fewer than 17 of his victories having been scored in his red-painted triplane. |
Seeing Red by Ivan Berryman. Credited with no fewer than 80 victories, Manfred Von Richthofen, The Red Baron, became legendary, not least for the 17 kills scored whilst flying the diminutive Fokker DR1 Triplane. Contrary to popular belief, however, only one of his aircraft is known to have been painted all red. Serial no. 477/17 is shown here dicing with an SE5. |
Fokker Dr I Aces of World War One. Undoubtedly the most famous fighter type to see service on either side during World War 1, the Fokker Dr I was a revelation when it entered service on the western front in 1917. Manfred von Richthofens JG 1 circus was the first Jasta to completely re-equip with the new fighter, and in the skilled hands of its numerous aces the Dr I proved a formidable opponent. The Dr I remained in service on the Western Front until replaced by the superior Fokker D VII in May 1918. Just weeks prior to that, however, Germanys leading ace, the great Red Baron, had been killed at the controls of a Dr I. |
The Red Baron (with original WW1 signature) by Ivan Berryman. (P) This unique piece is a pencil drawing of the Red Baron - Manfred von Richthofen - claiming one of his 80 victories, carefully added by the artist to an existing sheet of paper signed by the Red Baron himself. This rare signed sheet was acquired from a respected German military autograph company. |
| Fokker Dr.I Pilot and aircrew signature details |
  Manfred von Richthofen Our estimated value of this signature : £1050 Died : 1918 | Manfred von Richthofen The legendary Red Baron was the most successful flying Ace of World War One, with over 80 confirmed victories. With his aircraft painted bright red, this brilliant tactician and leader served with Jasta 11 before commanding the new, much larger wing, Jagdgeschwader I, soon to earn the immortal nickname of Richthofens Flying Circus. On 21st April 1918, during a low level aerial duel, Manfred von Richthofen was fatally struck by a single .303 bullet, believed to have been fired from the trenches below. He was buried by his Allied opponents with full military honours. |
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