In this, his second biography on Manfred von Richthofen, author Peter Kilduff sets his sights squarely on the ace and doesn’t take them off. This is a tightly focused work with only brief commentary on the various personages as they appear in the text. A particular strength of the book is that Manfred himself through extensive quotes tells much of the story. Readers, through the use of quotes from Manfred and others, can enjoy a first person account of events of interest. This is particularly important since much of the original material is from rare German sources. For the seasoned reader, there is enough new material in the details to be satisfying. Perhaps saving the best for the last, an alternative, little known account of Manfred’s death is considered. The book includes a Forward written by Manfred’s nephew, color maps and a generous supply of photos—many of them rare or previously unpublished. In the combat reports, I appreciated the metres/feet equivalents given. At the back of the book is an Appendix with a combined victory listing of Manfred von Richthofen and Jagdstaffel 11. This is a very nice touch and it’s good to see them in this context. Detailed endnotes and an index complete the book and names mentioned in the endnotes are also referenced in the index. This is a very solid straightforward biography on Manfred von Richthofen and I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested in his life.
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