the red baron aircraft fabric fragment

Auction of Coins, Militaria & Collectables

15th/16th October 2015

Duke’s

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von

Richthofen

(The Red Baron)

“AIRCRAFT ‘Fabric’ FRAGMENT”

FOR SALE Lot 1358

Duke’s

Duke's, Fine Art Showroom, Brewery Square, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1GA UK

Call: +44 (0) 1305 265 080 Fax: +44 (0) 8707 260 101 E-mail: enquiries@dukes-auctions.com

We are honoured to be able to

offer such a rare item

associated with possibly the

leading ‘fighter’ pilot—ever !

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen

(The Red Baron) “AIRCRAFT ‘Fabric’ FRAGMENT”

Duke’s

Lot No. 1358

Fabric from Fokker triplane DR-1 425/17 in which Germany’s leading W.W.1

‘ace’, Ritt. Manfred Frhr. von Richthofen, the famous ‘Red Baron’ was shot

down and killed near Sailly-le Sec, France, on April 21st 1918.. and was

removed from the wreck by Air Mechanic Morrie Waldman of

65 Squadron R.F.C. on 23rd April 1918.

The paperwork, various passes and original documents as well as

various back-up documentation are bound into a dedicated ‘presentation’

document.

Estimate £1,800 - £2,800

Duke’s

A Cloth Bound, A 4 Document folder, individually die stamped, together

with 11 Pages of information and some original 1918 documentation, as

well as the fabric remains from the Aircraft.

Duke’s

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von

Richthofen

(The Red Baron)

..was shot down and killed near Amiens on 21 April 1918. There has been considerable

discussion and debate regarding aspects of his career, especially the circumstances of his

death. He remains perhaps the most widely known fighter pilot of all time .

Richthofen received a fatal wound just after 11:00 am on 21 April 1918, while flying over Morlancourt Ridge, near the Somme River. 49°56′0.60″N 2°32′

43.71″E

At the time, the Baron had been pursuing (at very low altitude) a Sopwith Camel piloted by a novice Canadian pilot, Lieutenant Wilfrid "Wop" May of

No. 209 Squadron, Royal Air Force. In turn, the Baron was spotted and briefly attacked by a Camel piloted by a school friend (and flight commander) of

May's, Canadian Captain Arthur "Roy" Brown, who had to dive steeply at very high speed to intervene, and then had to climb steeply to avoid hitting the

ground. Richthofen turned to avoid this attack, and then resumed his pursuit of May.

It was almost certainly during this final stage in his pursuit of May that a single .303 bullet hit Richthofen, damaging his heart and lungs so severely

that it must have caused a quick death.

Duke’s

In the last seconds of his life, he managed retain sufficient control to make a rough "landing"( 49°55′56″N 2°32′16″E) in a field on a hill near the Bray-Corbie road, just north of the village of Vaux-sur-Somme, in a sector con-

trolled by the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).[ Several witnesses, including Gunner Ernest W. Twycross, Gunner George Ridgway and Sergeant Ted Smout of the

Australian Medical Corps, all later claimed to have been the first man to reach the triplane and reported various versions of Richthofen's

last words, generally including the word "kaputt".

His Fokker Dr.I, 425/17, was not badly damaged by the landing, but it was soon taken apart by souvenir hunters.

Duke’s

Australian airmen with Richthofen's triplane, 425/17, after it was dismembered by souvenir hunters including Waldman of the R.F.C.

Duke’s

Morris Waldman 2nd Row down - Original Photocard 1917/18—65

31009 Air Mechanic 1st Class Morris Waldman of No.65 Squadron ,

Royal F|ying Corps

Fabric taken from the wreck of the triplane Dr-1 425/17 by 31009 Air Mechanic Morris Waldman of 65 Squadron R.F.C. on 23rd April 1918, who subsequently sent to his friend Sol a note with a fragment taken from the

wreck.

Duke’s Call: +44 (0) 1305 265 080

Fax: +44 (0) 8707 260 101

Subsequently a photograph of the original additional Museum items with

description of Waldron’s find and brief description of the additional mate-

rial he brought home.. ..faded.. but able to read // .. opening permitted

the control cables for rudder or elevators to pass through the rear of the

fuselage. Obtained by 31009 Air Mechanic1st Class Morris Waldman of

No.65 Squadron , Royal F|ying Corps on April 22 1918.

Duke’s

Various ‘Original’ and unique travel passes etc. for Walman

contained within the presentation as ‘verification’

documentation.

Photograph of the Museum Display, showing a number of

fragments brought back by Waldman, and the actual fragment 2

inches by 1 1/2 inches.

Duke’s

Call: +44 (0) 1305 265 080

Fax: +44 (0) 8707 260 101

Duke's, Fine Art Showroom, Brewery Square, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1GA UK

Call: +44 (0) 1305 265 080 Fax: +44 (0) 8707 260 101 E-mail: enquiries@dukesauctions.com

We are honoured to be able to

offer such a rare item

associated with possibly the

leading ‘fighter’ pilot—ever !