Manfred von Richthofen - The Red Battle Flyer (1918)

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It is a pity that my collection of trophies contains not a single Russian.

Manfred von Richthofen
In the heat of the Russian summer a sleeping car is the most horrible instrument of martyrdom imaginable.

Manfred von Richthofen
Of course, with the increasing number of aeroplanes one gains increased opportunities for shooting down one's enemies, but at the same time, the possibility of being shot down one's self increases.

Manfred von Richthofen
I started shooting when I was much too far away. That was merely a trick of mine. I did not mean so much as to hit him as to frighten him, and I succeeded in catching him. He began flying curves and this enabled me to draw near.

Manfred von Richthofen
Everything depends on whether we have for opponents those French tricksters or those daring rascals, the English. I prefer the English. Frequently their daring can only be described as stupidity. In their eyes it may be pluck and daring.

Manfred von Richthofen
When one has shot down one's first, second or third opponent, then one begins to find out how the trick is done.

Manfred von Richthofen
The aggressive spirit, the offensive, is the chief thing everywhere in war, and the air is no exception.

Manfred von Richthofen
Everything in the air that is beneath me, especially if it is a one seater... is lost, for it cannot shoot to the rear.

Manfred von Richthofen
The quality of the box matters little. Success depends upon the man who sits in it.

Manfred von Richthofen
One can become enthusiastic over anything. For a time I was delighted with bomb throwing. It gave me a tremendous pleasure to bomb those fellows from above.

Manfred von Richthofen
I never was good at learning things. I did just enough work to pass. In my opinion it would have been wrong to do more than was just sufficient, so I worked as little as possible.

Manfred von Richthofen
Sometimes, however, the Gaelic blood asserts itself. The Frenchmen will then attack. But the French attacking spirit is like bottled lemonade. It lacks tenacity. The Englishmen, on the other hand, one notices that they are of Germanic blood. Sportsmen easily take to flying, and Englishmen see in flying nothing but a sport.

Manfred von Richthofen