

He quickly distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, and during 1917 became the leader of Jasta 11. Originally a cavalryman, Richthofen transferred to the Air Service in 1915, becoming one of the first members of fighter squadron Jagdstaffel 2 in 1916.

He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories. Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen ( German: – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I.
