The Red Battle Flyer

The Red Battle Flyer is Manfred von Richthofen's autobiography which mainly deals with his role as an ace Fighter Pilot in the First World War for the German forces. The book describes how he went from being a cavalry officer to an observer on an aircraft, to a fighter pilot, and finally to the most famous fighter pilot of the war. Von Richthofen provides gripping detailed descriptions of his and his comrades' exciting exploits as fighter pilots, but we also learn about the continued loss of comrades in death and the suffering of war. Von Richthofen had 80 "kills" to his name, making him the most successful flying ace during the war. He was known as the "Red Baron", where the "Red" referred to the bright red colour of his famous Fokker triplane and the "Baron" referred to his title of Freiherr, which means Baron. This thrilling account of air fighting in World War I allows us more than a glimpse into the mind and life of one of the most effective and skilled warriors of all time.