Soldaten der Lüfte / La Guerre des As

[Der Ostwind]

Already available in the arte Mediathek:

Soldaten der Lüfte (1/2) 1914 - 1916
Nächste Ausstrahlung am Samstag, 10. November um 20:15
https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/067795...er-luefte-1-2/

At the beginning of the 20th century, the future of aviation lies in the hands of some daredevil daredevils and visionaries. The two-part documentary portrays five young pilots joining the First World War for the German, French and British Air Forces: Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Georges Guynemer, René Fonck and Edward Mannock. Part 1/2: 1914-1916.
Winter 1914: The First World War has just begun, but the Allied ground forces are already getting lost in the trenches. In France, Marshal Joffre explains: "The Luftwaffe is no longer just for the purpose of reconnaissance. Your task will now be to destroy the enemy air force. "From that time on, the war was not only conducted on the ground, but also in the air. Young pilots and student pilots were recruited to defend the homeland. The German Manfred von Richthofen and the Frenchman Georges Guynemer are regarded as slender, Edward Mannock from the United Kingdom is blind in one eye and cheating in the eye tests, the German Ernst Udet is so anxious and awkward that he lies down regularly crash landings. Only René Fonck from France seems born to be a hero. In 1916, the devastating battle of Verdun brought about a turnaround in the course of the war. At the same time, a new chapter in the history of military aviation begins: sky becomes the most important combat zone, the aircraft industry enters a new era, and new prototypes are tested. The fighter pilots Guynemer and Richthofen destroy one enemy machine after the other. René Fonck, however, missed again and again the opponent. In the tragedy of the battles that have claimed nearly one million lives within two years, the pilots are celebrated heroes. Their victories are recorded and published in the form of launch numbers. Because heroes need the people almost as much as bread. Guynemer, who was initially regarded as an inexperienced greenhorn, is now due to his aerial victories a "flying ace" and wins henceforth not only the favor of high-ranking military, but also the countless women; von Richthofen becomes a darling of the Empress and as a "Red Baron" to the dreaded nightmare of his opponents.

Soldaten der Lüfte (2/2) 1917 - 1918
Nächste Ausstrahlung am Samstag, 10. November um 21:05
https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/067795...er-luefte-2-2/

They can fly several hundred kilometers with their 500-kilogram bomb load. Despite their youthful age, 24-year-old Manfred von Richthofen and 23-year-old Georges Guynemer are already considered veterans ...
The year 1917 marked a turning point in the history of the aviation industry. New aircraft were developed: the bombers. They can fly several hundred kilometers with their 500-kilogram bomb load. The German Air Force is changing its tactics and now relies on squadrons instead of solo flights. Gone are the days of cold-blooded duels that had made French fighter Georges Guynemer famous - hundreds of planes sometimes hit each other in big battles. Ernst Udet acquires the favor of the "Red Baron" and a place in Richthofen's famous season "Flying Circus". Despite their youthful age, the 24-year-old Richthofen and the 23-year-old Guynemer are already considered veterans. It is thanks to them that the public and the press are enthusiastic about every plane that starts to make a name for itself "We were like pop stars," recalls Alfred Heurteaux, a flying ace with 21 kills. But this idolatry also has its other side: The soldiers in the trenches are gradually tired of the fame of the pilots. They feel abandoned in this endless, bloody war. On September 11, 1917, Georges Guynemer does not return from a solo flight. His body is never found. On April 21, 1918, Manfred von Richthofen experiences the same fate as Georges Guynemer. The revenge for Guynemer's death encourages René Fonck to set new records; he ranks victory in victory and is in turn celebrated as a flying ace. In May 1918, he destroyed three enemy machines over the Somme and killed their pilots - in less than 45 seconds. During the year, the German offensive is weakened considerably; Allied ground forces and aviation heroes are united in a new victory momentum. More than ten thousand pilots lost their lives in the battles of the First World War. Richthofen and Guynemer, pioneers of a new type of service, contributed significantly to the development of military aviation and the history of aviation. The first aerial war in history pushed people and machines to their Limits.

[Maxim08]

Der Ostwind, thank you for your post. Unfortunately my browsers appear to be blocked from viewing this series. Je suis désolé.

Regards
John