Hi all,
More fodder for the grist mill.
For those not so familiar, (like myself), this will help to get a timeline on the movements of MvR leading up to the time of the photos taken of the all red Dr.I with rain drops still on the wings from a down pour at Lechelle airfield. That is why the prop is covered in the front photo.
I am quoting from Peter Kilduff's The Red Baron. I respect Peter's research greatly.
Page 182;
"...on...March 12th...Manfred and Lothar...and Steinhäuser went after the formation and shot down four.
Flying his new, mostly red, Fokker Dr.I 152/17 in combat for the first time,
Manfred von Richthofen claimed his 64th victory:..."
Page 184;
13 March, Lothar was shot down near Jasta 11's advance airfield at Awoingt.
"Unaware of Lothar's predicament, Manfred, in Fokker Dr.I 152/17, was firing away at his 65th victim."
Page 185;
"When no further news came in after a long time, he got into his crate and flew to the crash site in order to determine for himself more about the fate of his brother, whose injuries turned out to be relatively light, fortunately, despite the hard crash."
Page 186;
In reference to MvR recruiting
Ernst Udet from Jagdstaffel 37.
"MvR...drove through steady rain to Le Cateau on Friday 15 March. ...Udet accepted the...transfer."
"Gen von Hoeppner inspected JG I on 17 March, Richthofen reported a full state of readiness for the offensive."
"Under clear blue skies...on 18 March,...Kommandeur von Richthofen led 30 aircraft from Jastas 6, 10, and 11..." Richthofen claimed his 66th victim.
Page 187;
"The front was quiet the next two days. JG I's equipment was moved quietly at night from Avesnes le Sec and Lieu St Amand and placed in hangar tents at the advance airfield at Awoingt. On the evening of the 20th all aircraft were flown to the new field and quickly housed in the hangars."
"At 0445 the following day [21 March], German heavy artillery...opened fire along a 70km battle line. The German spring offensive had begun."
"In addition to JG I, ...Jastas 5 and 46 were also under [MvR's] command for this operation."
Page 188;
"[21 March] Richthofen's great air armada undertook 52 sorties that day, but claimed only the two balloons as victories."
"Despite bad weather over the next two days,...there was considerable flying activity... Indeed, on the 23rd JG I flew 80 sorties...but gained nothing for their effort."
"On the 24th, 105 sorties and involvement in fifteen air fights produced a loss and a victory. The day's sole victory - Manfred von Richthofen's 67th - was scored... Richthofen, looking like the apparition of red death in his first combat in the all-red Fokker Dr.I 477/17, ..."
"Once again, on 25 March, Manfred von Richthofen achieved JG I's only success and his 68th victory:..."
"[26 March] Ltn.d.Res Ernst Udet reported for duty at Awoingt... It was Udet's first flight in a Fokker Dr.I,... He hung back with the others as Richthofen dived down in his blood-red triplane to seal his 69th victory."
Later on that same sortie he shot down his 70th victory.
Page 189;
"By 1800 that evening [26 March] the airfield [Lechelle] was occupied by German forces..."
"The date 27 March 1918 marks one of the most successful days in JG I's history: 118 sorties, 39 inconclusive air combats and, as detailed in Chapter 1, thirteen successful combats, including Manfred von Richthofen's 71st, 72nd, and 73rd victories."
"The next morning [28 March] Ltn Udet led Jasta 11... ...he scored his 22nd victory that day."
"Richthofen led the afternoon flight and, as reported, shot down his 74th enemy aircraft:..."
Page 193;
75th victory
"Rittm von Richthofen scored the first of JG I's five victories of 2 April."
"He [MvR] was not satisfied until an advance airfield was prepared at Harbonnieres, about 8km from the battlefront."
JG I moves to Harbonnieres April 3rd.
Of interest Kilduff writes on page 196;
"Manfred von Richthofen shot down an enemy aircraft on 6 April, and two more the following day. As Geschwader-Kommandeur he was entitled to his pick of aircraft, and as this time he had three triplanes at his disposal. This arrangement ensured that at least one aircraft would be mechanically ready, fully armed and fuelled whenever he needed a 'fresh' triplane. As noted in chapter 1, on 27 March he achieved three victories with two different aircraft, Fokker Dr.Is 127/17 and 477/17."
Lastly on page 199;
"Bad weather on 16, 17, 18, and 19 April kept JG I on the ground most of the time, but clear skies on the 20th offered Manfred von Richthofen the opportunity to lead his men into battle. Flying his all-red Fokker Dr.I 425/17, he shot down two Sopwith Camels within a few minutes of each other."
Well, that's it! Lots of typing, I hope it is of help to get a perspective of the timeline.
Looks like Kilduff is saying 477/17 is our all red bird at Lechelle. We need to lock down the werk number from the top wing of what has been called 477/17. Taz will return!
Best,
Dave W.