Lothar Richtofen
An Ace with a Distinguished Heritage
MilitaryAcademy
Lothar Richtofen was younger by two years than his famous brother Manfred, and seemed destined to be ever in his shadow; yet Lothar was an outstanding air fighter with 40 confirmed victories. His record was unique in that it was achieved in the 77 days that he served at the front. He was born at Breslau in 1894, the second son of retired army officer Albrecht Richtofen. In the Prussian manner Lothar entered the army through high school and the War Academy. At the outbreak of war he received his commission in a heavy cavalry regiment.
Air Service
His unit took part in the early Western Front engagements and in late 1914 it was transferred to the Eastern Front. Lothar displayed great forbearance in that harsh environment and earned praise for his patrol work. It was inevitable that Manfred would prevail on him to transfer to the Air Service and as an observer he saw extensive service with K.S. 25. Its role was day and night bombing and during his tenure with K.S.25 Lothar took part in 30 missions. Manfred’s successes inspired him to apply for the pilot’s course.
Brothers in Arms
It was a time of expansion in the Air Service and Lothar aspired to be a fighter pilot. The fact that he had an older brother who was both a squadron commander and holder of the Pour le Merite, it was not surprising that he was posted to Manfred’s Jasta 11 in March1917. Manfred was most diligent in schooling Lothar before exposing him to combat on his first patrols; urging him to merely observe and not become involved in combat. On his third patrol, Lothar’s natural impetuosity took over when he was presented with an opportunity. He seized it and scored his first victory.
A New Ace
It was an example of the vast difference in his approach to aerial fighting compared to Manfred. An analogy to Manfred was that of a ‘hunter’; patient and wary and minimising the risks. Such tactics were not Lothar’s style; he was labelled a ‘shooter’; prepared to attack regardless of the odds. In the first four weeks of his operational career he claimed 20 victories. It was a remarkable achievement for a newcomer to the dogfight.
Wounded in Action
May 7 1917 was a day of intense aerial activity, despite the misty and cloudy conditions. Ever aggressive, the RFC despatched several squadrons on offensive patrols, one of which was No.56. It was a famous unit, led by Albert Ball, possibly the greatest of British air fighters. A series of combats began over Arras, involving Jasta 11, and Ball was last seen in combat with a lone Albatros before disappearing into cloud. Germany credited Lothar with the victory, following his account of the battle. His claim was for a British triplane, whereas Ball was flying an SE5; perhaps Lothar was confused following an earlier combat with a Sopwith triplane. Lothar had enough problems of his own after suffering a thigh wound and was fortunate to regain his own lines.
The Armistice
Lothar returned to operations, and like Manfred he became an exponent of the Fokker triplane. In March 1918 he was lucky to walk away from a heavy landing where his DRI was a complete write-off. Following Manfred’s death he sought to avenge him and continued in combat until the Armistice; but unlike so many of his contemporaries he survived the war.
Fatal Crash
In post war Germany Lothar became involved in civil aviation. He was at the controls of a passenger machine in July 1922 when he was faced with engine trouble. He made a desperate attempt to reach Fuhlsbuttel aerodrome but his machine struck some trees on its approach. Lothar was seriously injured and died on the way to hospital
Lothar Richtofen
|
Lothar Richtofen
|
What do you think about this article?
More in History
Latest Articles