Manfred von Richthofen

Manfred von Richthofen is most famously associated with the Fokker Dr.I triplane, which he painted entirely bright red. However, he actually scored the vast majority of his 80 aerial victories flying earlier aircraft, specifically the Albatros D.III. He only flew the Fokker Dr.I during the final months of his career.

Richthofen achieved a remarkable 80 confirmed aerial victories during World War I, making him the war's top-scoring flying ace. This incredible official tally was meticulously tracked and verified by the German military. It was an unprecedented and unmatched record at the time of his death in 1918.

The exact person who fired the fatal shot is still debated by historians, as he was flying low over enemy lines in France in April 1918. While Canadian pilot Captain Arthur Roy Brown was officially credited with the kill by the Royal Air Force, modern forensic analysis heavily suggests he was hit by ground fire from an Australian machine gunner.

Manfred von Richthofen was just 25 years old when he was fatally wounded on April 21, 1918. Despite his young age, he had completely dominated the skies of the Western Front for nearly two years. He was given a full military funeral by the Allied forces out of deep respect for his piloting skills.