By Matt Kiernan

Former CCSU history professor Peter Kilduff visited the campus bookstore to discuss his books “The Red Baron: the Life and Death of an Ace” and “Black Fokker Leader.”

Manfred von Richtofen, also known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot during World War I who shot down an astounding 80 planes during his war career. He was dubbed the Red Baron because his and the planes belonging to his crew were painted red.

“If you can see me, you might as well get a good look at me,” said Kilduff describing Richtofen’s attitude towards aviation.

The book “Red Baron” took over 50 years to finish and interest in the subject was sparked when Kilduff was a teenager. While growing up, Kilduff was interested in reading books and eventually stumbled upon tales on WWI airplanes and was immediately stricken with enthusiasm for them.

After becoming interested in airplanes, Kilduff took German classes during high school and college, which proved valuable in the long-run because of his ability to translate works and memoirs. This gave him an advantage over other authors writing on the subject because they were not bilingual.

“Learning a language is so specific, you really have to get into it,” said Kilduff.

Kilduff interviewed 30 men who flew in WWI who described the horrible noises of their engines and clatters of machine guns. He also translated letters Richtofen sent to his mother and articles from friends.

“This book represents the culmination up to this point on Richtofen,” said Kilduff.

Kilduff believes that most Germans of the current generation dislike military history and the idea of “military heroes” because of their country’s past in wars.

“Black Fokker Leader” is based on the life of another German fighter pilot during WWI named Carl Degelow. Pilot Degelow took down 30 planes in his career, giving him the reputation of an “ace.”

Degelow was a university student when the war broke out and joined the infantry in the trenches where he soon realized he’d rather be in the air. While sitting in the trenches one day, he saw a plane circling above and thought it would be much safer up there than down below and thought he would succeed greater things in aviation.

“He felt that as a patriot, as a good German, he could best serve his country as a fighter pilot,” said Kilduff.

Degelow was almost thrown out of his air squadron during a target practice where men were still setting up targets and Degelow flew down and shot at them by accident, during which one man was shot in the foot. Degelow was able to transfer to another squadron, however, and eventually became leader of his own.

Kilduff had two years’ correspondence with Degelow and was able to get some of Degelow’s own words of his story.

“I like people like Carl Degelow who do things their own way,” said Kilduff.

“Red Baron” and “Black Fokker Leader” are available on amazon.com and the campus bookstore.