Von Richthofen's Shoulder Straps ?????

[Bill D.]

Can anyone help me out here?
I've been looking at photos of Manfred Von Richthofen wearing his everyday feldgrau unlanka, which apparently was trimmed in red.
I've been trying to determine what his shoulder straps or boards on that tunic would have looked like. I can't find a clear photo and I don't know enough about Imperial uniforms to figure it out for myself.

Any help would be much appreciated !

[Robert Shoaf]

Richtofen's regiment was Ulanen -Regt.Kaiser Alexander III von Rusland (Westpreusisches) Nr.1 The shoulder boards were gold bordered, with white cloth, covered with the cypher of Emperor Alexander III of Russia. Apologies for my technical failings, or could provide a photo. Perhaps someone with a good reference work on Imperial uniforms can help.

Bob Shoaf

[Bill D.]

Thanks, Robert, very much ! I am grateful !

If anyone has an image I would of course appreciate it !

[Nykodaemus]

Try the following site which purports to have MvR's shoulder boards on photograph http://war-only.com/oficerskie-pogon...j-aviacii.html

T

[Chip M]

The Russian site shows von Richthofen's shoulder boards as being M1915 Feldachselstücke (gray cords with black and white Prussian colored threads) with a base (Unterlage) of red for the Ulans branch color and a secondary piping (Randstreifen) in the regimental color, white.

The crown and cypher are of the Russian Tsar in brass metal. They also display an minature winged propeller.

I can't tell you if these were actually von Richthofen's shoulder boards, but it is conceivable. This is one of several patterns he might have worn on various styles of officer uniforms.

Chip