Back with the final of Eugene Frandzen’s “Lives of the Aces in Pictures” from the pages of Flying Aces Magazine. The series ran for almost four years with a different Ace featured each month. This time around we have the August 1932 installment featuring arguably the most famous Ace of WWI—Baron Manfred von Richthofen!

Widely known as the “Red Baron”, Richthofen is considered the ace-of-aces, officially credited with 80 air combat victories! He was awarded the Pour le Mérite, Order of the Red Eagle, House Order of Hohenzollern and the Iron Cross.

Wikipedia summarizes his rise to greatness thusly: Originally a cavalryman, Richthofen transferred to the Air Service in 1915, becoming one of the first members of fighter squadron Jagdstaffel 2 in 1916. He quickly distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, and during 1917 became leader of Jasta 11 and then the larger fighter wing unit Jagdgeschwader 1, better known as “The Flying Circus” or “Richthofen’s Circus” because of the bright colours of its aircraft, and perhaps also because of the way the unit was transferred from one area of allied air activity to another—moving like a travelling circus, and frequently setting up in tents on improvised airfields. By 1918, Richthofen was regarded as a national hero in Germany, and respected by his enemies.

Richthofen was shot down and killed near Vaux-sur-Somme on 21 April 1918.

• Download “Lives of the Aces in Pictures – Part 4: Manfred von Richthofen” (August 1932, Flying Aces)

As a bonus, here are links to all 45 “Live of the Aces in Pictures” that we’ve posted over the years:

Lives of the Aces in Pictures Index

• 1. Eddie Rickenbacker, American Ace of Aces
• 2. Bert Hall, Flying Soldier of Fortune
• 3. Georges Guynemer, Famous French Ace
• 4. Richthofen, German Ace of Aces
• 5. Major McCudden, Famous British Ace
• 6. Raoul Lufbery, Great American Ace
• 7. René Fonck, Famous French Ace
• 8. Thieffry, Ace of Belgium
• 9. David Putnam, American Ace in a Day
• 10. Captain Ball, British V.C.
• 11. Ernst Udet, Famous German Ace
• 12. Major MacClaren, Canadian Ace
• 13. Major Hawker, Famous British Hero
• 14. Lieutenant Werner Voss, Famous German Hero
• 15. Major Vaughn, American Ace
• 16. Georges Madon, Famous French Ace
• 17. Captain Coolidge, Ace of the Yank 94th
• 18. Lieut. Alan McLeod, England’s Youngest V.C.
• 19. Captain Heurteaux, Ace of the Stork Escadrille
• 20. Captain Elliott White Springs, American Ace
• 21. Willy Coppens, Belgian Balloon Buster
• 22. Major Reed G. Landis, American Ace
• 23. William P. Erwin, Yank Observation Ace
• 24. Captain Quigley, D.S.O., M.C.–Canadian Ace
• 25 Lieut. Sumner Sewall, Ace of the Yank 93rd
• 26. Lt. Thomas Hitchcock, Jr. Yank Flyer
• 27. Major Edward Mannock, Great Britain’s Greatest Ace
• 28. Major Andrew McKeever, Famous Canadian Ace
• 29. Oberleutnant Max Immelmann, Famous German Ace
• 30. Captain Frederick McCall, Famous Canadian Ace
• 31. Oswald Boelcke, Greatest German Leader
• 32. Captain Wendell W. Rogers, Canadian Ace
• 33. Lieut. Scaroni, First-Ranking Living Italian Ace
• 34. Lieut. Rudolph von Eschwege, German Eagle
• 35. René Dorme, the Unpuncturable French Ace
• 36. Lt. Col. Harold E. Hartney, Rickenbacker’s Commander
• 37. Lt. Col. Barker, V.C., D.S.O. M.C.
• 38. Carl Bolle, Last Leader of the Jagdstaffel Boelcke
• 39. Gabriel Guerin, Ninth Ranking French Ace
• 40. Major Francesco Baracca, Italy’s Ace of Aces
• 41. Lt. Frank L. Baylies, U.S.–12 Victories
• 42. Capt. Armand Pinsard, of the Cigognes–27 Victories
• 43. Capt. John Mitchell–Commander 95th Squadron
• 44. Major Charles J. Biddle, U.S.–8 Victories
• 45. Adolph Pegoud, of France–6 Victories