15 November

(UTC+1)

Events on this day in the life of Manfred von Richthofen

From my training period in Döberitz

Der rote Kampfflieger von Rittmeister Manfred Freiherrn von Richthofen, 1917, 351.000 - 400.000, Verlag Ullstein & Co, Berlin-Wien??p. ??

15 November 1915
Döberitz

‘In order to pass my exams, however, I had to go to Berlin. I took the opportunity to fly a giant aircraft in Berlin as an observer and was ordered to Döberitz (15 November 1915). I was initially very interested in the giant aeroplane. But it’s funny, it was the giant thing that made me realise that only the smallest aircraft could be any good for my purposes as a fighter pilot. A big barge like that is too immobile to fight, and that’s the main thing for my business. The difference between a large fighter and a giant aeroplane is that the giant aeroplane is considerably larger and is used more for bombing and less for fighting. I did my tests in Döberitz, together with a dear person, Lieutenant v. Lyncker. We both got on well together and had the same passions and the same views on our future activities. Our goal was to fly Fokkers and join a fighter squadron in the West. A [70] year later, we managed to work together, albeit only for a short time, because my good friend was fatally shot on his third flight.’

Training

Die Erinnerungen der Mutter des roten Kampffliegers Kunigunde Freifrau von Richthofen. Im Verlag Ullstein - Berlin, 1937.??p. 68??

15 November 1915
Döberitz

“His interest in flying has probably increased. At the same time, however, his passion for hunting has come to the fore. He has my husband’s marvellous eye and sure hand. Often – when Manfred was still almost a boy – the two of them went hunting in the Nonnebusch. Manfred was always there, the word “hunt” fascinated him; you could wake him up in the middle of the night. Only once, when my husband got him out of bed before dew and day, did he grumble a little: ‘Just wait, when my brats are ready, I’ll throw them out of the hatch so early.’ But then he jumped out of bed with both feet at the same time and the two hunters took off, this shooting skill was a common heritage of both my husband and my family. So I wasn’t surprised when Manfred wrote that he wanted to become a fighter pilot. But he needs a pilot’s licence for that. So he is now spending four to six weeks in Döberitz and is undergoing training. He wants to take his exams at Christmas.”

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