Portrait of MvR with dedication: "Sister Käte - In remembrance of a restless patient, Frhr Richthofen, Rittmeister. This portrait was one of several that were taken in Nicola Perscheid's Berlin studio during the period 15 - 18 May 1917.
Richthofen vor seinem Dreidecker. (picture source: Der rote Kampfflieger von Rittmeister Manfred Freiherrn von Richthofen, 1933, Eingeleitet und ergänzt von Bolko Freiherr von Richthofen, mit einem Vorwort von Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Göring, Verlag Ullstein & Co, Berlin)
The remains of 425/17 being picked clean. Note the Maxim machine guns leaning on the tubular steel airframe. (picture source: Inside the victories of Manfred von richthofen - Volume 2, James F. Miller, Aeronaut Books, 2016)
Information
Many thanks to Detlev Mahlo who kindly supplied the following information:
The photography is a rare aerial view of the airfield of the famous Jasta 2 (later: Jasta Boelcke) at Lagnicourt,which I had never seen before in such detail and quality. The photograph should be of some historical value for researchers and historians about WW1 air war.
In the lower right angle of two roads entering the village, you can spot the tents, which the Jasta (Jagdstaffel = fighter squadron) used for maintenance and covering of their aircraft. Near the road that goes to the bottom of the photo, we see a curved row of Albatros D.I or D.II scouts - the new fighter which regained air superiority for the Another Albatros can be seen a little further down and right - maybe just starting or landing. In the tent area we also find 3 Albatros.
Jasta 2 had its airfield at Lagnicourt from 22 September - 4 December 1916. It was commanded by Germany's top scoring ace at that time: Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke. The date the photo was taken lies only 5 days before Boelcke's death - he died in a flying accident on 28 October 1916. (Source: "The Jasta Pilots" and "Above the Lines", both Norman Franks & Frank Bailey, Grub Street, London).
It is most likely, that this aerial photography was made to trace and locate the Jasta's home field, as Jasta 2 was the most notorious fighter squadron of that time. (Boelcke alone had at this time shot down 38 enemy air-craft. Manfred von Richthofen was flying under Boelcke there, before he later became commander of his own Jagdstaffel 11).
I had made a detailed description of what the photo shows, in a forum of flight simulation. I know that is not a scientific or historical environment, but it may explain the detail a bit better.
http://combatace.com/topic/73097-aerial-photo-of-jasta-2-aerodrome-at-lagnicourt-october-1916/#entry575327">combatace.com/topic/73097-aerial-photo-of-jasta-2-aerodro...
(picture source: The Red Baron, a photographic album of the first world war's greatest ace, Manfred von Richthofen, Terry C Treadwell, Pen and Sword Books, 2021)
(left to right) Sandel, Müller, MvR, Günther, Kirmaier, Imelmann, König, Höhne, Wortmann, Collin. (picture source: Manfred von Richthofen, The man and the aircraft he flew, David Baker, 1990, Outline Press)
Members of the Reichstag visit MvR in Lechelle. (picture source: The Illustrated Red Baron - The life and times of Manfred von Richthofen - Peter Kilduff -Cassel & Co - 2000)
(left to right) Hartmann, Plüschow, Krefft, Simon, Wolff, Esser, MvR, LvR, Hintsch, Brauneck, Matthof and Allmenröder. (picture source: Manfred von Richthofen, The man and the aircraft he flew, David Baker, 1990, Outline Press)
MvR visiting a flying school. The identity of the other two men is not known. (picture source: The Red Baron, a photographic album of the first world war's greatest ace, Manfred von Richthofen, Terry C Treadwell, Pen and Sword Books, 2021)
Oberleutnant Stefan Kirmaier took command of Jasta 2 following Boelcke's loss. By special decree the Jasta then became known as Jasta Boelcke. He had earlier been a Fokker pilot with KEK Jametz, whit whom he scored three victories. He had brought his score to eleven by 22 November, the day he too fell in combat, with the DH.2s of 24 Squadron RFC.
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