UNDER GUNS OF THE RED BARON: Complete Record of Von Richthofen's Victories and Victims [Paperback]

Norman Franks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1998

This is not a study of von Richthofen's life or death, but of the men he shot down. It is an up-to-date reference book covering the 123 men von Richthofen is reputed to have brought down while amassing his score of 80 victories over Allied aircraft between September 1916 and April 1918. The backgrounds of the men he fought are documented, and the later lives of those who survived the encounter with the Red Baron are also fully reported.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'A remarkable and splendid book' Western Telegraph 'A truly trail-blazing book...the culmination of years of research and detective work' Eastern Daily Press 'This book is fascinating...a remarkable job.' Air and Space 'A very valuable contribution to our greater knowledge of the war in the air - a brilliant production.' Air Pictorial" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Grub Street; New edition edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1898697965
• ISBN-13: 978-1898697961
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,654,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An in-depth look at each of Richthofen's victories, July 5, 2001

By 

Azamiryou "azamiryou" (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: UNDER GUNS OF THE RED BARON: Complete Record of Von Richthofen's Victories and Victims (Paperback)

This book is not only a treasure trove of historical information, it also manages to evoke the humanity of the Great War. The authors have tracked down tons of information on Richthofen's victims - where and when they were born, some tidbits of their lives, where they were buried and who they left behind (or what became of them after the war if they survived). The book seems to reveal two sides of Richthofen, too - sometimes, a cold-blooded hunter, other times, more of a sportsman who delighted in meeting his adversaries after defeating them.

The authors have also very, very carefully investigated each confirmed 'kill' to try to determine which Allied loss, if any, it was - and in the process exposed the difficulties and inconsistencies in identifying enemy aircraft, determining what happened to them, and recording all the information correctly. Not surprisingly, their research has revealed that some of the 'victims' may have made it home after all - and that perhaps Manfred did not claim every enemy he shot down.

The book is packed with wonderful photographs, of victims and aircraft and, of course, Richthofen himself. There are color paintings of ten of the victories, along with the artist's comments on some of the historical accuracies and liberties he took.

The only problem - and one that is easily overlooked - is some sketchy editing. Some of the text is not as clear as it could be, and some of the text is not well organized.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A one of a kind history book, March 30, 2000

By 

Matt Harm - See all my reviews

This review is from: UNDER GUNS OF THE RED BARON: Complete Record of Von Richthofen's Victories and Victims (Paperback)

Massive amoumts of research were obviously put into this book.UNDER THE GUNS OF THE RED BARON recounts every single one ofRichtofen's eighty enemy kills, and, the death of the Baron himself. It also contains a short biography of the pilots who were shot down, and what plane the victims were piloting. Although this may not be your typical history book, it should be in every aviation enthusiasts bookshelf.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Word., May 13, 2007

By 

Paul Forster (Minnesota , USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Under the Guns of the Red Baron: The Complete Record of Von Richthofen's Victories and Victims in Graphic Detail (Hardcover)

This book is pretty much the last word on Richthofen's 80 victories.Many previously misidentified "victims" are finaly correctly identified.Another great work from Norman Franks.