The Red Baron's last flight : a mystery investigated

[Kilian]

I just checked ebay on what books i would find about MvR taking into consideration that the movie is running now the demand for such books will probably rise in Germany.
I found that The Red Baron's last flight by Bennett, Franks was translated into German last year as Der rote Baron: sein letzter Flug by Heel Verlag. Has anyone of the German speakers here read it? and if not any comments on the english version?

BR
Kilian

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour Kilian!

I consider the The Red Baron's Last Flight by Franks and Bennett to be one of the best books ever written about Manfred von Richthofen. Some, of course, may disagree, but, I believe the book to be authoratative. The level of analysis is high and the amount of detail is great and the volume is very well written!

Providing that the translation is resonable and resposible you will not be disappointed by The Red Baron's Last Flight Kilian.

Salut!
Kirk

[stephen]

I've owned this book since its release and FWIW I agree with everything Kirk said.

[Lyle]

Well, it wasn't a crime when MvR was shot down (although some will disagree) but one of the unfortunate outcomes of war when the enemy has a bead on you. Still, this book has analyzed the data coming from the doctors who performed the postmortem on the Baron, and it's satisfying (it's morbid, I know) to see how the authors have concluded (correctly) that the fatal shot came from the ground, either by a .303 Vickers or an Aussie rifleman standing on the ridge, just by using modern forensic techniques.

I also think this is the best book on the subject and I doubt there will be a better one written this is as exhaustive.

Interesting story about the soldier who heard von Richthofen's last gasps...I wonder if it was indeed the Baron or if it was another German pilot he encountered sometime later--sometimes memory plays tricks!

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Originally Posted by Lyle

Interesting story about the soldier who heard von Richthofen's last gasps ...

Yes Lyle, when reading of that it was as though the page turned to pulp ... there was the sense of a passage from G-8 And His Battle Aces. Perhaps true, perhaps not true. To the credit of the authors the information is, essentially, presented as found without the passing of a judgement.

At the risk of expanding a topic oft covered, it does seem appropriate to mention The Many Deaths Of The Red Baron by Frank McGuire which must be regarded as one of the most original, best researched and tremendously interesting books published about about a facet of Great War aviation. Rather doubt that the volume will be translated into German though. Too bad Kilian.

Salut!
Kirk

[Rick]

For anyone interested,
Frank McGuire's book, "The Many Deaths of the Red Baron" can be obtained directly from the publisher:

Geoffrey Todd
Bunker to Bunker Books
P.O. Box 914
Station T
Calgary, Alberta
Canada, T2H 2H4

If this doesn't work, PM me and I can provide Frank McGuire's postal address.

R.

[Kilian]

Thanks all for your inputs! Its good that this book was translated. 9,95 € and free shipping is a fair price i think. I sold my Comic collection yesterday, 210 Volumes, so i have a little extra money and more storage space for WWI literature now The McGuire book you mentioned should be best available here:
http://www.bunkertobunkerbooks.com/Titles.htm . Elsewhere i found it only for US $50.

Kilian

[tcrean7828]

Mates,
I have had the book on my shelf for quite some time, and was/is a very fine addition to the Richthofen Legend.

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom