1927 1st year edition; with drawings by Clayton Knight; Garden City Publishing Company, New York; hardbound in black boards with red lettering and decor on cover and spine; quite good condition with unmarked pages and minor age foxing; black and white photo of Baron Manfred von Richthofen opposite title page; previous owner stamps inside page; no dust jacket
Description -
This is the story of Baron von Richthofen, Germany's great war bird. Manfred von Richthofen was known as the Red Knight or, more commonly, the Red Baron due to the color of his plane. As a German aviator in World War I, he was attributed with eighty kills, or enemy planes shot down, and ended up being killed in action in 1918.
Wikipedia on Baron von Richthofen -
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), also known as the "Red Baron", was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories.
Originally a cavalryman, Richthofen transferred to the Air Service in 1915, becoming one of the first members of fighter squadron Jagdstaffel 2 in 1916. He quickly distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, and during 1917 became leader of Jasta 11 and then the larger fighter wing unit Jagdgeschwader 1, better known as "The Flying Circus" or "Richthofen's Circus" because of the bright colours of its aircraft, and perhaps also because of the way the unit was transferred from one area of allied air activity to another – moving like a travelling circus, and frequently setting up in tents on improvised airfields. By 1918, Richthofen was regarded as a national hero in Germany, and respected by his enemies.
Richthofen was shot down and killed near Vaux-sur-Somme on 21 April 1918. There has been considerable discussion and debate regarding aspects of his career, especially the circumstances of his death. He remains one of the most widely known fighter pilots of all time, and has been the subject of many books, films and other media.