Von Richthofen's Halberstadt victories

[baclightning]

I'm not sure whether to post this in "people" or "aircraft", as it involves both...

I'm confused about how many victories Manfred Von Richthofen achieved while flying the Halberstadt D.II. Some sources say one; others say up to six. Does anyone have the definitive answer to this?

[retread]

This is hardly definitive but I just counted 10 victories and 1 maybe in Under the Guns of the Red Baron between 1 Feb.-25 March 1917, but this is only a quick scan.

[Volker_Nemsch]

According to my source (Richthofen, The man and the aircraft he flew, ISBN 1-871547-06-7) MvR scored only one victory while flying a Halberstadt scout/fighter.

On 01.Feb.1917 he shot down a B.E.2e (No. 6742) of No.16 RFC at 16.00. It was his 19th victory and the allied crew was killed (Pilot Lt. P.W. Murray, Observer Lt. T.D. McRae).

In those days MvR flew a Halberstadt because on 24th of January the lower wing of his Albatros D.III cracked in flight and he first wanted to be sure why this happened (structural weakness, a common problem of the D.III/D.V(a)).

I've always wondered why "The von"
didn't just go back to the Abatros D-11
till they got the D-111 right

[Dan_San_Abbott]

backlighting:
In my research for an article that was published in "OVER THE FRONT" Vol. 3,No.3, Autumn 1989, titled, "Manfred Freiheer von Richthofen, His Aeroplanes and Victories". During the period of 15 Januaryto 7 February 1917, while flying his Halb. D.II, I found that he only scored one victory, his 19th on 1 February 1917.
Baron von Tecumseh, I too, have often wondered why he did not go get an Alb. D.II to fly,which had better performance and was better armed than the Halb.D.II, I think the answer is, during this period, Jasta 11 was equipped with the Halb.D.II. MvR brought the Alb. D.III with him from Jasta B.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

[Dan_San_Abbott]

backlighting:
* While researching an article for OVER THE FRONT JOURNAL, Vol.3, No.3, Autumn 1988, I found that Manfred Frhr. von Richthofen scored only one victory while flying his Halb. D.II. It was his 19th victory scored on 1 February 1917 over a B.E.2d, 6742 from No.16 Squadron,RFC.
* During an air battle on 24 Januauary while flying his Alb. D.III "Le Petite Rouge" while in a tight descending turn the wing spar cracked, forcing him to land. He over turned on landing. MvR reported this incident to Idflieg. *There were two other simular incidents on the day before, on 23 January 1917, both in Jasta "B", both pilots were killed as a result of spar failures.
* "Le Petite Rouge" was returned to Armeeflugpark 6 (AFP6) for repairs.
* On 27 January 1917, Idflieg grounded all Alb.D.III aircraft and they were with drawn from the front until the problem could be resolved and repairs made.
* *Baron von Tecumseh, I too wondered why MvR did not go to AFP 6 and request an Alb. D.II aircraft. Apparently, he lacked the influence at that period, also I think the answer for his use of the Halb. D.II during the period of 24 January to 7 February 1917 was, that was what Jasta 11 was equipped with during this period.
* After this near disaster, MvR flew the Halb.D.II from 24 January to 7 February 1917. It is *presumed *that MvR got back "Le Petite Rouge" on 7 February 1917 or a replacement Alb. D.III machine, he resumed flying the Alb. D.III on that date.
* Around 16 February 1917, the pilots of Jasta 11 began scoring at an accelerated rate, it is thought that this accelerated scoring was because the Alb.D.III were replacing the Halb. D.II aircraft from about this date. Jasta 11 did not complete the conversion to the Alb. D.III until 28 March 1917.
* * * * * * * * * * * *Blue skies,
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *Dan-San

[baclightning]

Thanks to everyone for the informative and very helpful replies. I'm now pretty much convinced that Von Richthofen just scored the one victory with the Halberstadt. *

[Craig]

Baron von T:

I don't think they ever DID get the D.III "right". In fact, they passed its faults right along to the D.V/Va series. The Austro-Hungarians improved the structural weakness, but I think that the conclusion to a thread on the subject a few months ago was that even these modifications did not completely alleviate the problem - faulty engineering, and a single-spar lower wing.

I have to agree,after the failing of the lower wing on the D-111,I always have thought the smart thing would have been, return to the wings of the D-11,and upgrade the preformance of that plane,with the more powerful M-benz
engine

I have to agree,after the failing of the lower wing on the D-111,I always have thought the smart thing would have been, return to the wings of the D-11,and upgrade the preformance of that plane,with the more powerful M-benz
engine