La Padula, Thomas The Red Baron's Kills

An Illustrated Portrayal of Manfred von Richtofen's Victories

This is a richly illustrated and narrative study of the combat career of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. Using all of the author's original illustrations, The Red Baron's Kills describes each of his 80 aerial victories. Using original sources, the author brings to life the moments in battle when the Red Baron scored each of his kills, making him the leading flying ace of the First World War. Of particular interest is the fact that, in addition to his famous all-red Fokker D.l triplane, the Red Baron also flew a variety of other aircraft. The paintings provide a visual representation, supplemented by descriptive texts to explain the circumstances behind each victory or shoot-down in a clear, graphic timeline. The First World War saw the first large-scale use of aviation. The biplanes and later triplanes they flew were sometimes painted in bright colours, like those of the Red Baron, making him unmistakable in flight. The aeroplanes were made of wood, coated canvas, wire ropes and sheet metal. They reached speeds of more than 125 miles per hour. Pilots were considered heroic knights of the air, led by the Red Baron.