|
Lothar von Richthofen
Name: Lothar Freiherr
von Richthofen
Country: Germany
Rank: Oberleutnant
Units: Jasta 1,1KG 4
Victories: 40
Date Of Birth: September 27, 1894
Place of Birth: Breslau
Date Of Death: July 4, 1922
Place of Death: Fuhlsbuettel
When the war began, Lothar von Richthofen was an officer in the
cavalry. Following his brother Manfred von Richthofen's example, he
transferred to the German Air Service in 1915 and was assigned to
Jasta 11 on March 6, 1917. Under the watchful eye of his older
brother, Lothar scored 24 victories in 47 days and was credited with
shooting down English ace Albert Ball on May 7, 1917.
On May 13, 1917, Lothar was badly wounded in a dogfight with a
B.E.2e but recovered and assumed command of Jasta 11 on September
24, 1917. Wounded again on March 13, 1918, he crash landed his
Fokker DR.I after being shot down by Australian ace Geoffrey Hughes.
The following month, he was still in a hospital bed when he learned
of his brother's death.
In the summer of 1918, Lothar returned to duty and achieved ten
more victories by the end of the war. Scoring his final victory on
August 12, 1918, he shot down a Sopwith Camel flown by English ace
John Summers. The following day, Lothar was seriously wounded for
the third time when his Fokker D.VII was shot down over the Somme by
another Sopwith Camel.
|
