Special Sub-Topic: The Red Baron Click Here To Play: The Red Baron

Why did the Red Baron paint his plane red?

To intimidate and draw in enemies. Strange as it sounds, the Red Baron was trying to put fear into his enemies and tell them he was coming by painting his plane red. The color also acted as beacon to rally or group his men in order behind him. The lesser pilots had less distracting colors, whereas the better pilots had more distracting colors.

How many kills is the Red Baron credited with?

80 kills. He had a total of eighty kills, and one only needed five to be considered an ace. His first kill, however, was not credited to him because the pilot that was with him was more prestigious and called it his kill but in fact it was an assist.

What was the nickname of the Red Baron's squadron?

The Flying Circus. The nickname 'Flying Circus' was used by British and French pilots who saw the strange colored planes.

What was the Red Baron's real name?

Manfred von Richthofen. Lothar von Richthofen (1894-1922) was a younger brother of the Red Baron and was also a World War I ace, with 40 kills. Ernst Udet (1896-1941) was Germany's second highest scoring ace in World War I, with 62 kills.

In what year was the Red Baron shot down?

1918. He was shot down and killed on 21 April 1918, less than seven months before the end of World War I, but he lived on as a legend. He was succeeded as the commanding officer of Jasta 1 by Hermann Goering.

What type of plane did the Red Baron fly from October 1917 onwards?

Fokker Dr I triplane. He flew it for only a few months, but - along with the Blue Max, it has become one of his icons.

In what year was the Red Baron born?

1892. Like many World War I pilots, he was very young - and died young, too.

How did the Red Baron celebrate his wins?

By having an engraved cup with the kill number on it. He ordered a trophy cup for each kill until the silversmith ran out of silver because of increasing price in World War I! The last trophy was number 60.

When did the Red Baron first fly?

May 1915 in his regimental air school. By 1909 he was not a boy: he was 17 by then!

What weapon(s) shot his plane down?

A Lewis gun on the ground.. Fired by Snowy Evans, the Lewis gun brought down the legend. However, there has been a lot of controversy about exactly who shot him down.