Manfred von Richthofen was born on 2 May 1892 in Kleinberg (now Borek – one of the districts of Wroclaw, Poland). His father, Major Albrecht von Richthofen, served in an exclusive cavalry unit of the Prussian Army. Manfred grew up with two of his younger brothers - Lothar (born on 27 September 1894) and Bolko (born on 16 April 1903) and his sister Ilse (born on 2 May 1890). When he was 11 years old, he joined the military academy at Walhstatt, where he was distinguished by his sport achievements. In 1911 he graduated from GrossLichterfelde Military Academy in Berlin. Following his fathers’ footsteps, Manfred joined cavalry in Lieutenant rank. During the outbreak of the First World War, he was at the Eastern frontline, where he served in the cavalry reconnaissance unit. However once the front was settled and the positional warfare started, Manfred petitioned for a transfer to air forces. Since June 1915, von Richthofen was an observer flying two-seaters, but after his meeting with Oswald Boelcke, when during their travel they became friends, he decided to become a pilot. In December 1915, his dream came true as he completed his pilotage training and became a professional pilot. After their second meeting, Manfred was offered to join the newly established flying squadron. At first, he was selected to serve in Jasta 2, a squadron commanded by Boelcke himself. Manfred turned out to be a very good observer and a fast learner of all basic fighting maneuvers. On 17 September 1916, Richthofen shoot down his first enemy plane before Boelcke’s very eyes. By October 25, von Richthofen won six aerial combats. Unfortunately, two days later Oswald Boelcke, Manfred’s commander and a dear friend, dies in an accident. By the beginning of 1917 Richthofen could boast of 16 successful aerial battles. As a result of that, he was promoted to a Commander of Squadron 11 (Jasta 11) stationing at the airport in Dubai. On 12 November 1917, Richthofen was decorated with the Pour le Mérite (The Blue Max). As all the planes he flew were painted red (mainly Albatrosses, later the famous Fokker Dr. 1 triplane), he was also known as the Red Baron. Red was the colour of the exclusive Prussian cavalry unit of the Imperial Lancer Regiment of the Emperor Alexander III in which Richthofen served at the beginning of the war. He won 80 air battles, which remains a world record until present day. He died on 21 April 1918 during a combat flight. Red Baron was a unique figure. This uniqueness grew into a mythology of its own, as he became a living legend, even though his life was so short. He was the best pilot of the First World War and the only one, who could boast of so many successful enemy aircraft shot