The Red Baron

Snoopy, wearing a cap, scarf and flying goggles, sneaks over farmers' fields and barbed wire fences in France in a Halloween Peanuts Special written by Charles Schulz.  Piloting his doghouse like a Sopwith Camel, Snoopy takes to the air, dodging the enemy under a hailstorm of bullets, in search of the Red Baron.

Manfred von Richtofen, the Red Baron, after whom my husband's uncle was named, was a World War I flying ace officially credited with 80 victories during his years with the Imperial Germany Army Air Service.  Born in Breslau, Germany, the young boy used to go hunting for elk, deer and boar with his brothers.  Von Richtofen was given the title of "Freiherr" or Free Lord which loosely translates as Baron. 

In 1911, he joined the army as a calvaryman.  Donning pilot's goggles in 1915, he painted his plane red and hence was given the nickname the "Red Baron".  The pilot first shot down an enemy plane on September 17, 1916, after which he ordered a silver cup engraved with the date and name of the aircraft.  His cup collection totalled 60 at which time Germany was running low on silver and therefore he discontinued his orders.  He shot down RAF Major Lance Hawker, his most famous adversary, in November of 1916.

Von Richtofen achieved over 20 medals for his efforts including the Prussian Iron Cross and the highest military honour, "Pour le Merite".  In April of 1918, the German pilot was shot down near the Somme River in France.  Although fatally wounded, he managed to maneouvre his plane to a controlled landing, but died shortly after.  RAF Captain Roy Brown is credited with the victory.

In the comic strip, World War I flying ace Snoopy was shot down by the Red Baron, his doghouse full of bullet holes.  He hung up his cap, scarf and goggles and returned to his doglike existence.



Cartoon courtesy http://images.macdesktops.com

The Lancaster Bomber: The Heart of the Museum

What a beautiful day for a wedding!  Rob and I were invited to his cousin Peter's daughter's wedding in Dundas at a beautiful old church with stain glass windows and ornate archways.  The wedding couple, Crystal and A.J., held their reception in a unique place:  the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.  The guest of honour was Vera.  Vera is not a person, but a plane, one of two airworthy Lancaster bombers left in the world.  Here is her story.

Victory Aircraft Ltd where the Avro Lancaster was built courtesy www.bombercommandmuseum.ca

VeRA, named after her call letters V-RA, was one of hundreds of Lancasters built in Canada. Made of 55,000 separate parts, she was designed and built by AVRO in Malton, Ontario.  The four engine Lancaster had been "the best night bomber of the Second World War" according to a Luftwaffe commander.  In 156,000 sorties. the Lancaster dropped two-thirds of the bombs on Europe during World War II.  In fact, my father in law, Albert Jonasson, remembers hiding in his basement in Germany as the Lancasters zoomed overhead on their way to bomb Hamburg.  The Lancaster was nicknamed "The Workhorse" of D-Day in 1944.  Therefore, the Royal Air Force was intending to fly Lancasters, including VeRA, in the proposed invasion of Japan, named Operation Tiger Force, in 1945.

A Lancaster bomber over Hamburg, Germany courtesy
http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=3232.

However, after the atom bomb was dropped on Japan, the country surrendered and the Lancaster was no longer needed for combat. Instead,  What happened to the other Lancasters?  Three thousand two hundred and forty nine of the bombers were lost during the Second World War.  Many of those that survived were sold to Canadian farmers for a few hundred dollars.  Still others were used to train air force crews and for search and rescue missions.  VeRA fell into the latter category.

Lancaster bombers over England circa 1944 courtesy media.winnipegfreepress.com.

For fourteen years, VeRA had no purpose.  Then, in 1977, she was purchased for $10,000 by the Canadian Warplane Museum in Hamilton, Ontario.  My husband's cousin, Peter Jonasson, who used to put together model airplanes as a kid, and whose father fought in the Second World War, found out about the purchase of the Lancaster bomber.  He introduced himself to the crew that intended to restore the airplane.  They loved his enthusiasm and appreciated his knowledge of wiring, and welcomed him aboard to help with Vera's restoration.

In 1988, the bomber was fully restored and ready to fly.  Some people expected about 200 specatators on the day of its first flight.  Instead, 20,000 spectators, including Peter Jonasson, lined the runway at Hamilton Airport the day that if first flew after 25 years of sitting on the tarmac.  VeRA took its place in the Warplane Heritage Museum, "the heart of the museum".  She was mounted as a World War II memorial outside the Canadian Legion in Goderich.

Lancaster bomber at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum courtesy upload.wikimedia.org.

Today, VeRA remains only one of two airworthy Lancaster bombers in the world.  This past summer, VeRA was reunited with the other Lancaster for a seven week airshow in Britain.  She came home, just in time for Peter's daughter's wedding to take her place behind the head table.  Congratulations, Crystal and A.J.!  May your marriage be as strong and as enduring as the Lancaster bomber!

The Red Baron

Snoopy, wearing a cap, scarf and flying goggles, sneaks over farmers' fields and barbed wire fences in France in a Halloween Peanuts Special written by Charles Schulz.  Piloting his doghouse like a Sopwith Camel, Snoopy takes to the air, dodging the enemy under a hailstorm of bullets, in search of the Red Baron.

Manfred von Richtofen, the Red Baron, after whom my husband's uncle was named, was a World War I flying ace officially credited with 80 victories during his years with the Imperial Germany Army Air Service.  Born in Breslau, Germany, the young boy used to go hunting for elk, deer and boar with his brothers.  Von Richtofen was given the title of "Freiherr" or Free Lord which loosely translates as Baron. 

In 1911, he joined the army as a calvaryman.  Donning pilot's goggles in 1915, he painted his plane red and hence was given the nickname the "Red Baron".  The pilot first shot down an enemy plane on September 17, 1916, after which he ordered a silver cup engraved with the date and name of the aircraft.  His cup collection totalled 60 at which time Germany was running low on silver and therefore he discontinued his orders.  He shot down RAF Major Lance Hawker, his most famous adversary, in November of 1916.

Von Richtofen achieved over 20 medals for his efforts including the Prussian Iron Cross and the highest military honour, "Pour le Merite".  In April of 1918, the German pilot was shot down near the Somme River in France.  Although fatally wounded, he managed to maneouvre his plane to a controlled landing, but died shortly after.  RAF Captain Roy Brown is credited with the victory. 

In the comic strip, World War I flying ace Snoopy was shot down by the Red Baron, his doghouse full of bullet holes.  He hung up his cap, scarf and goggles and returned to his doglike existence. 



Cartoon courtesy http://images.macdesktops.com