I must admit I just speed read over that account before posting it, a little too quickly I guess. You are quite right on those aspects, thanks for pointing out said errors. 
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The Australian War Memorial also had his boots at one time. I acquired this pic from the web some time ago. As to what MvR was wearing, well, this last photo of him before he boarded his plane makes it pretty clear.
Peter Kilduff corroborates the Soviet capture of MvR's medals. He also states that both Manfred and Lothar's plaques and honor wall were destroyed and plowed over. He believes they likely still exist and unlike most, believes they will surface someday to be restored back to Germany and / or his family. SteveComment
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To be honest, one of the linked accounts of Von Richthofen's air combat techniques seems to be on the derogatory side, providing a description of his technique that not in keeping with the facts (i.e., that he always looked for stragglers, and that he engaged the enemy only while he was well protected by his comrades).
As the squadron commander he would, under the German engagement tactics, be the first to make an attack. Naturally, other pilots would then be following him in. But there is more than ample evidence of his abilities and courage to demonstrate that he hardly sought out "easy kills" while guarded by other pilots.
The suggestion that he, for some reason, carried the photo of a dead British pilot with him is also something that I have never read in any biography or account of his life. It seems unlikely to me. At on point Von R spoke with a fellow pilot at the feelings that he experienced in killing another man. They were hardly words of bragging. And Von R told the pilot that he had once expressed these same thoughts to the Kaiser. According to Von R, the Kaiser replied "My soldiers do not kill other men; they annihalate my enemies!".
I'm not trying to paint Von R as a saint here, but I've never seen any indication that he was some heartless killing machine who reveled in the deaths of other men. I think that he was what he seemed: an excellent combat fighter pilot who did what he was trained and equiped to do.
A fascinating recent book: "The Last Flight of the Red Baron". It was just published within the last year or two. It is an exhaustive investigation into what happened on v. R's last mission. The author's conclusion is that he was certainly brought down be a single ground-fired bullet that hit his heart. However, according to one witness, a British soldier who was first to reach the plane, he lived for a few moments after landing. This soldier, who was in a forward observation post, was sent by his commanding officer to take the pilot (then unknown) prisoner. When he arrived, within moments of the plane landing, he heard the pilot say, through a gurgling sound, what sounded like "War es" and then the clear word "Kaput". Presumably Von R said "Alles Kaupt", or "I'm finished".Comment
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I have read that account as well, and regard it as rubbish. the bullet that killed MVR went thru his lungs,hit his spinal colum,grazed his heart and exited his chest. With such a severe injury i cant cant see him landing the plane,then being able to speak considering the massive injury he had sustained.Originally posted by Bill Dienna View Post
i disregard it the same way i disregard the story that Aussie Infantry killed him after he landed.Comment
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Actually, I spoke with a neurologist after reading the account, a doctor who is something of a history buff. His opinion was that it was entirely possible. Von R was flying low, and it was a "hard" landing, but not a crash landing, indicating that even after sustaining his wound he retained control over the aircraft. Additionally, there is a difference, he pointed out, between a massive wound that results in immediate death, and a mortal wound that results in death quickly. In his opinion the reports of the British military physicians who examined the body described a wound that was fatal, but would not have been immediately so. My physician friend was certain that it would have taken a few minutes for a man so wounded to "bleed out" until he lost consciousness and then died. Remember, he pointed out, that even with the massive head wound sustained by John F. Kennedy, he physically continued to live for some minutes until dying at Parkland Hospital. Additionally, nothing about Von R's wound would have impaired his ability to speak.
If Von R had allegedly said something that was incredibly eloquent or moving or patriotic, or if he was supposed to have delivered some lengthy soliloquy, then it might seem suspect to me. But the story is that he was barely conscious, was even making a "gurgling" sound (which my doctor friend said was quite accurate) and, perhaps seeing a figure he thought was going to try to help him, said "I'm finished". To me (and my neurologist friend) it seems well within the realm of possibility.Comment
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I find i rather bizarre that he'd wear PJ's into combat. But then who the heck knows. If he did, I find it hard to imagine pinning any medals on his immediate person
And I'm pretty sure they didn't wear them on the outside of their flight suites .... sooo ....Comment
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I believe the PJ story. why bother with a uniform if its a scramble.
as an aside, when we first got on the internet at the college back in 1995, I was contacted by someone that said they had Lothar's flight badge. I thought it was BS at first, but apparently, a relative flew with him. he had period photos of his relative & lothar, and of the badge, that had somthing engraved on the back of it. He had no intention of selling, but saw my ad somewhere and was curious to the appraised value. Sadly years ago I have lost both the images he sent and his email. But, it may still be out there...Comment
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