100 years ago today

[Erickn]

Hello Wilhelm,

Per your request, aircraft used by MvR.......Hope this helps.

[Erickn]

10 May 1917

Hi Wilhelm,

Lothar scored victory #22 on this day 100 years past @ 0750 hours, a Sopwith Pup (A7303) south of Vitry. PLM very soon. (credit Aerodome)

Thanks for your encouragement to continue posting on this fine and interesting thread!

regards,
E.

[Wilhelm]

Thank you Erickn. Great to see his various aircraft. People focus on his red triplane, while as you show he had used a stable of machines over his rise to fame. He was truly a great man.

[Erickn]

11 May 1917

While Manfred is still away Lothar remains in command of Jasta11, very busy. Today, 100 years past, he scored his 23rd victory @ 1710 hours, a Bristol F2b (A7111) at Izel.
(Aerodome)

As described by MvR, "Lothar's flying style was aggressive, almost reckless with an insatiable thirst for action". Manfred described himself as a hunter. He labeled Lothar a "shooter". Manfred was precise and exacting, culling out his targets carefully. Lothar was a charging bull, filling the sky with bullets. Manfred despised aerobatics and advised against them. Lothar twisted and dove with regularity, wringing every bit of performance from his aircraft".
(War Stories Media)

Images below from the web show Lothar taking off in his Albatross III and then, returning from a mission.

[Wilhelm]

There is some confusion about the date of the following event. May 7, 1917? But it did occur. While Manfred was hunting Lothar was in command of Jasta 11. At his hunting camp Manfred received a telegram. Lother had been shot down and wounded by an Englishman.
Lothar and several of his men got into a dogfight with several British machines near Vimy Ridge. Lothar was engaging a two seater, with 2 exceptional shots on board. He attacked from the front and rear. Suddenly a burst of .303s splattered into his motor, instrument panel, and his right leg. He saw a meadow below and headed for it. Lothar believed in luck. On this day Lady Luck was perched on his shoulder. He was 1000 feet up, flying over 100 miles an hour when he looked down and saw his own blood flowing from his hip. He fainted. Somehow, the unconscious pilot landed the plane safely!! He remembered nothing, waking up in the field hospital with no other wounds than a shattered hip. This was the battle where the English ace Captain Albert Ball crashed to earth with a German bullet through his head. Lothar received credit for this victory, but in the confusion there was no way to be sure. Ball was buried at Annoeulen.

[Erickn]

7 May & 13 May 1917

Yes, Wilhelm, I understand 7 May to have happened although with a few different details. Lothar leading a flight of (5) Albatross D III's encountered (11) S,E.5's from #56 Squadron, a Spad VII from No. 19 Squadron and a Sopwith Triplane from No. 8 Squadron in which a confrontation occurred near Douai. Visibility was deteriorating due to a thunderstorm and both sides were scattered over Bourlon Wood. Captain Albert Ball's aircraft was seen to lose control and fatally crash. Lothar's aircraft badly damaged was forced to land but he escaped injury.
Details of this encounter remain to be unclear. Pilots of No. 56 reported seeing Ball chasing an all red Albatross before he crashed. Later research suggest Ball became disoriented by vertigo, entering into a vertical dive which choked his carburetor, killing the engine, causing the crash. Later his body examined by a doctor showed much damage resulting from the crash but, no bullet wounds.
This action with such a celebrity personality, Britain's leading Ace, Captain Albert Ball had great propaganda value and the German High Command awarded the victory to Lothar.

Today, 100 years past, Lothar scored his 24th victory @ 1135 hours, a B.E.2e west of Fresney. I understand he was wounded in the hip from ground fire, barely managing to crash land his Albatross behind German lines. This wound grounded him until September 1917.

On 10 May he received the HOH w/ Swords. In recognition of his 24th ariel victory, the award of Germany's highest honor, Pour le Me'rite very soon.

sources;
WWI Aviation Aces
The Reckless Richthofen, O'Brien Browne
War Stories Media
Aerodome

[Wilhelm]

Floyd Gibbons wrote his book in 1927. Since that time much more info has come out. The "fog of war".

[Erickn]

Captain Albert Ball

Hi Wilhelm,

Captain Albert Ball as described by MvR,"by far the best English flying man"
20 years old, 44 confirmed kills.
Awarded 3 Distinguished Service Orders
Victoria Cross posthumous.

BTW.....on this day 13 May 1917, 100 years past, Karl Wolff ('zarte Bluemein") as fondly nicknamed by his Richthofen mates for his somewhat shy demeanour, scored his 30th victory @ 1155 hours, French Spad (N1377) while in his short lived command of Jasta 29.

Aerodome
Firstworldwar
swns.

regards
E.

[Erickn]

14 May 1917

Hi Wilhelm,
Today, 100 years past, Lothar is awarded the Pour le Me'rite while admitted to the Hamburg Military Hospital suffering with the hip wound received the day before on 13 May. Recognition of his 24th victory came with a painful price and now, grounded until September.

Acepilots-Stephen Sherman
google images

[Wilhelm]

Manfred was enjoying hunting game, small and large. While at the State Hunting Preserve he received a special invitation. It was from the Prince of Pless, to shoot a European Bison on his estate. These huge animals were nearly extinct. Manfred jumped at the chance to bag one. Which he did, three shots dropped the charging beast 50 yards from where he stood. It was one of his greatest hunting thrills.
Meanwhile, things at the front were changing, not to the favor of the Germans. Manfred's leave would be shorter than expected.

[Erickn]

29 Mai 1917

Today 100 years past, business as usual at Jasta 11. Acting CO Ltn.Kurt Allmenroeder scored his 22nd victory @ 1750 hrs. B.E.2 (A4221) @ Oppy. In 10 days on 9 June Kurt will receive the HOH w/ Swords following his 24th victory. Several days later on 14 June he will receive the PLM following his 26th victory. MvR is due to return on 15 June. Kurt's Albatross D III fuselage was also painted red, although with a white nose. Image below features Kurt w/ his white nosed Albatross D III and 2nd image is Jasta 11 in Mai 1917.

(Aerodome,Google Images)

[Erickn]

9 June 1917

Hello Wilhelm,

100 years ago today Ltn. Karl Allmenroeder was awarded the HOH w/ Swords in recognition of his 24th victory. PLM very soon.

[Wilhelm]

Richthofen's leave was over. 100 years ago today he reported back for duty at General Headquarters in Kreuznach. He met with the Kaiser and the King of Bulgaria. The King presented him with the Bulgarian Cross, for bravery. The tides were changing. In the week of June 1st through June 7th, around the battle of Messines, the Germans lost 24 machines. The new British planes were good, as were the pilots. Plus, thousands of Americans were joining up in the British and French air services.

[Erickn]

Today 100 years past

Hello Wilhelm,

100 years ago today the Pour le Me'rite was awarded to Ltn. Karl Allmenroeder in recognition of his 26 Ariel victory. His last day of acting CO of Jasta 11.
Tomorrow MvR returns.
Also on this day Hauptmann Ernst Brandenburg received his Pour le Me'rite in recognition of leading Englandgeschwader (unofficially known as) a squadron of 17 large bombers on a successful bombing raid on London. 4400 kilograms of bombs were dropped on 13 June 1917 destroying docks, warehouses, railway stations and other targets. Ernst paid a high personal price for this victory, his aircraft suffering mechanical problems crashed on the return flight, critically injured, losing a leg.

Aerodome
Stephen Sherman
Angolia/Hackney
Google Image

[Wilhelm]

Upon his return to duty Richthofen's first official task was the funeral of his friend Lieutenant Schaefer. Schaefer had 30 victories, and had also saved Lothar's life in a dog fight. There were many new faces in Jasta II, Manfred wondered which of the old timers would be the next to go. Now the major action was around Ypres and Dickebush, and between the sea and the Nieuport canal. Morale in the "Circus", as the British called it, was not what it had been.