if you could dogfight anyone in the past or present who would it be?

[kozzm0]

Originally Posted by gbtstr

I agree. Wouldn't want to get in a 1v1 with any ace. I'd rather live to fight another day. I'd learn from every ace that I could, but I'd take shooting up a lame duck any day over going to the merge with a killer.

Funny thing, that was Richthofen's philosophy too. He "lived to fight another day" more often than he fought. That's why he survived to make 82 victories. He wouldn't engage unless he had a decisive advantage.

Best way to avoid a fight with Richthofen would be to find out how Rene Fonck or Billy Bishop painted their planes, and paint yours exactly like it and bring along about 10 wingmen. The Red Baron would generally keep his distance, unless he had 20 planes with him, in which case he'd attack and slaughter you all. Fortunately you can see 20 planes from far away.

Richthofen was killed when Germany was desperate and he had to take on riskier missions. He had also had a head injury from being shot down before, which might have affected his judgement, because he was killed flying low over enemy territory and hit by a AA gun