ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 16270
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| Date: | Sunday 21 April 1918 |
| Time: | c. 11:00 |
| Type: |  Fokker DR.I |
| Owner/operator: | JG 1 Luftstreitkräfte |
| Registration: | 425/17 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | near Vaux-sur-Somme -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Harbonnières airfield (F) |
| Harbonnières airfield | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
German air ace Manfred von Richthofen was killed after being hit by a bullet near Vaux-sur-Somme, France.
Von Richthofen, knick name 'Red Baron', was pursuing a Sopwith Camel (flown by Canadian pilot Lieutenant Wilfrid "Wop" May) with his Fokker Dr.I triplane at a very low altitude near the Somme River.
Canadian Captain Arthur "Roy" Brown, also flying a Sopwith Camel, tried to intervene and dove at high speed towards the Fokker Dr.I and fired.
Von Richthofen turned to avoid this attack, and then resumed his pursuit of May. At some point the aircraft was hit by a single .303 bullet, which hit Von Richthofen, damaging his heart and lungs. He managed to retain sufficient control to make a rough landing in a field on a hill near the Bray-Corbie road, just north of the village of Vaux-sur-Somme. He died of his injuries.
The bullet that killed Von Richthofen was likely fired from the ground by a Royal Australian Artillery soldier.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Mar-2008 06:59 | Bleiente | Added |
| 12-Jan-2018 12:04 | harro | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative] |
| 18-Apr-2018 11:39 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 18-Apr-2018 11:46 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 18-Apr-2018 11:48 | harro | Updated [Embed code] |
| 21-Apr-2018 18:05 | harro | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 02-May-2019 06:59 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
| 01-Jan-2020 07:53 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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