Manfred von Richthofen (Red Baron)

Manfred von Richthofen

It was on March 1891, I decided to visit Germany during my leave. Oh excuse me I didn't introduce myself! My name is Edward Mannock and I'm piloting for the British Royal Air Force today. So I was walking slowly between the richest houses of Breslau, a German town.
But on this day a little boy caught my eyes. He was playing in the garden of his castle with one other boy, maybe his brother or his best friend. They were playing with paper planes, jumping from the green trees trying to fly. I decided to meet this boy. I asked him his name but he didn't know how to speak English. He seemed to be very shy, though proud of himself. But the little boy next to him said :

-I'm Manfred's English correspondent and I can speak English !
-Oh so his name is Manfred? The little boy nodded his head. "Nice to meet you Manfred and you what's your name?
-I'm Lanoe Hawker, I'm from Longparish in the Hampshire ,...
I was bewitched by Manfred's attitude and I wasn't listening to Lanoe until he said :
-We want to become pilots!
-Oh! Great! So are you trying tactical air combat with paper planes?
-Yes sir!
-With his child's brain and his red planes Manfred had found a better tactic than all the other pilots could imagine.
-Your tactic is excellent Manfred! You have to name it!
-It will be ... Flying Circus, he answered.
His butler called him
-Mister Von Richtofen, dinner is served.

Fokker Dr1 Tiplane

Manfred Von Richthofen ... I've spent an afternoon with the future most famous World War I German ace, who terrified all the free world with his Flying Circus. He flew on a red Fokker Dr1 triplane.
I've spent an afternoon with the Red Baron who shot down the famous British ace Lanoe Hawker on November 23rd 1916. The one and the only one who won more than 80 flying combats.