Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, is widely considered one of the greatest air warriors of all time. He conquered the skies and the imagination at a time when war degraded from a noble endeavor to an industrial and impersonal slaughter. It is for that reason that historians still study his life and death. Mostly, historians are searching for an answer as to why such a skilled and seemingly invincible maverick of the sky put himself in the nearly suicidal position of chasing a low-flying adversary and being exposed to enemy ground fire. This article will argue that Baron von Richthofen, although injured, was not incapable or even gravely threatened on his fatal flight and that personality traits, including his determination for individual recognition, reveal a character that felt the need to sacrifice everything, including safety, to be the best ace of all time. Duties Not Including Flying (DNIF)
