Leutnant Wolfram von Richthofen by Ivan Berryman. [Postcard]

The aerial battle of 21st April 1918 was notable for involving two young novice pilots, each from opposing sides, and their part in the events that followed was as significant as it was tragic. Both William Wop May and Wolfram Ulf von Richthofen had been instructed to stay out of trouble, to remain on the very outskirts should a battle occur and simply get used to being in the sky with so many other aircraft. Delighted to have been assigned to Jasta 11 under the custodianship of his older, eminent cousin, Manfred, Wolfram was eager to cut his teeth and show that he, too, could get the job done. Both he and May kept a watchful vigil over proceedings from a safe distance as battle was joined between the red-nosed Fokker DR.1s of Jasta 11, the green-tailed Albatrosses of Jasta 5 and the RFC Sopwith Camels of 209 Squadron. Somehow, whether through carelessness or the adrenalin rush of the moment, Wolfram flew his Fokker tantalisingly close to Mays Camel who immediately gave chase, sensing that an easy first kill might just be a possibility. May quickly realised that all was not well, however, finding his guns jammed and unable to fire. He quickly broke off the attack and swooped away, but his actions had caught the attention of Manfred von Richthofen who, although engaged in a battle of his own, had been keeping a watchful eye over his young charge. The red Triplane now latched onto the tail of Mays helpless Camel and a lurid chase began along the Somme River, a chase from which the Red Baron would not return. The young Wolfram went on to become an ace, scoring all of his eight victories in the closing months of the war, was awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd and survived to be a major force in Hitlers Luftwaffe in World War Two. He was eventually taken prisoner and spent his last months in an American PoW camp where he died of a brain tumour in 1945.

Collector's Postcard - Restricted Initial Print Run of 100 cards.

Postcard size 6 inches x 4 inches (15cm x 10cm)