More about Manfred von Richthofen and Käte

[Regulus]

Hi,

New information has been added to the page about Käte Oltersdorf and Manfred von Richthofen. Also new names added to the nurses list.

https://germannursesofthegreatwar.wo...nd-nurse-kate/

Any members living near Füßen or Schwangau ? We could use a photo from Käte her house !

Also another question !

Who knows what happened with the plane in which Manfred crashed on 6 July 1917 near Wervik ? Was it restored ? Did he fly it again ? And if so, from what moment on ?

Thanks

Johan

[frontflieger]

Hello Johan,

thank you so much for your outstanding work !!

Thorsten

[Regulus]

Thanks Thorsten !!! It's appreciated.

I will drop a bomb on the matter within the next hours on my website !

[Regulus]

Exclusive !!!! Well, did Manfred von Richthofen and his nurse Käte Oltersdorf get romanticly involved after he got wounded in 1917 ? The answer can be found here at the lower part of the page :
https://germannursesofthegreatwar.wo...nd-nurse-kate/

[tcrean7828]

Mate,
Outstanding info - thanks for sharing.

tcrean7828

tom

[Epee]

Well I'll be...

[Gregvan]

I have nothing to add to Johan’s revelations concerning nurse Käte, but Johan also asked if anyone knows what happened to Richthofen’s Albatros D.V after 6 July. This photo may shed a little light.



Here is what my very astute and observant friend James F. Miller said about this photo in his book “Inside the Victories of Manfred von Richthofen,” Volume 1.

"This undated photograph shows Richthofen’s Albatros sometime after 6 July. The elevator, horizontal stabilizers, and wings have been removed, as was common with and likely in preparation for towed transport. The aeroplane’s attitude reveals the tailskid has been repaired and temporary braces have been fitted to the starboard landing gear struts and wing stub to which the struts appear lashed via straps and perhaps rope. Poor photo quality prevents discerning such details absolutely, and it is unknown if there was a similar arrangement to port. Final disposition of this airplane is unknown to the author."

End quote. As Jim says, the final disposition of this plane is unknown, but I doubt it very, very much that MvR ever flew it again after his recovery, or that anyone did - but who knows?

MvR's victories #58 and 59 (after his return to the front) were possibly scored in D.V 2059/17, which was painted very differently with a completely red fuselage etc.

Victory No. 63 was scored in Albatros D.V 4693/17, which had a "red body, red tail." Most likely it had a completely red fuselage struts and tail assembly.

The rest of his final victories were scored in Fokker Triplanes.

[Regulus]

That is a very interesting piece of information Gregory ! Thanks !

I have two photos of Manfred visiting the Jabbeke-Snellegem-Varsenare aerodrome. Flying two different Albatros planes. They were said to be both from August 1917 but I found that not possible after what you told me.

The first plane is the one in which he was shot down on 6 July, the second plane is said to have been taken on 12 or 15 August 1917 and has a red nose ending before the cockpit (tail can not be seen).

I was always convinced that the 2nd visit was a thank you to the personnel of the II MFFA as this aerodrome was an alternate airfield for the Richthofen Geschwader in preparation of and during Operation Strandfest on 10 July 1917 in which they participated. So the other picture must have been taken before 6 July, and probably shows Manfred coming for an inspection of the aerodrome to see if it was ok for alternate use.

[Askania]

Manfreds siblings all married people from the autocracy. Either a Freiherr or Freein, or as in Lothars case a Gräfin (duchess). Manfred was very much aware of his social status, and he would never have had a lasting romantic relation with Käte Oltersdorf. His sweetheart belonged to another class.

Within families there are always myths and legends that lives their own lives. This seem to be one of those. Especially since they almost always cannot produce any substantial evidence, just hearsay.

Askania

[Gregvan]

Hi Johan,

I presume this is one of the photos you're talking about.


This is a well-known image of Richthofen visiting Jabbeke in an Albatros D.V. This was probably the aircraft in which he scored his 57th victory, and the one in which he was wounded on 6 July. It was definitely taken before 6 July. The tail section,struts, wheels, upper surface of the wings and just the prop spinner and metal cowling ring behind the spinner were red.


But this is, I think, the other photo that you describe.


This is an entirely different aircraft and occasion. This is an OAW-built Albatros D.III. It displayed the Jasta 11 unit markings which only came into use (in my opinion) in the later summer/autumn of 1917. The entire nose from the spinner back to the leading edge of the cockpit was painted red, along with struts and wheels. The OAW factory continued to deliver these OAW-built D.III's even after the D.V's had been at the front some time. For instance, the Seefrosta used a batch of D.III (OAW) that were delivered in October 1917, and others that arrived in December 1917.

It's my opinion (and that's all it is) that this photo was taken after MvR's wounding and recovery, sometime in Sept-Oct 1917. I think he was just using this Jasta 11 Albatros D.III as a "traveling machine" of convenience.

So, make of that whatever you want to!!