Arnold Busch draws MvR

Im Feld Juli 1917 Arnold Busch.

Im Feld Juli 1917 Arnold Busch. (picture source: PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine)

Richthofens Staffel.

Richthofens Staffel. (picture source: Der rote Kampfflieger von Rittmeister Manfred Freiherrn von Richthofen, 1933, Eingeleitet und ergänzt von Bolko Freiherr v...

Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen getekend door Prof. Arnold Busch.

Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen getekend door Prof. Arnold Busch. (picture source: Marke 2 Wereldoorlog 1)

Richthofen in the cockpit of an Albatros D.V. The Jasta 11 red nose marking extends further aft than usual, to intersect the cockpit combing. The object hanging on the chain is the magneto key. If the key were visible that way it ensured the mags were off and the engine could not be started inadvertently via movement of the propeller.

Richthofen in the cockpit of an Albatros D.V. The Jasta 11 red nose marking extends further aft than usual, to intersect the cockpit combing. The object hanging...

This lesser-known image of Prof. Busch's drawings of Jasta 11 airmen is probably the one he referred to in his account of 28 July 1917. It is different than the much more popular version that served as the frontispiece for the 1933 edition of Der Rote Kampfflieger in that this one depicts Kurt Wolff's left arm in a sling and Lothar von Richthofen's portrait is absent. In Busch's 28 July entry, he also mentioned that he hoped to draw Lothar, who was recuperating in Germany from the wounds he had suffered on 13 May 1917, at Breslau in August. So what we see here clearly predated Der Rote Kampfflieger's 1933 frontispiece. We do not know the origin of this print however.