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General Ernst Udet was the second highest scoring German air ace of the First World War, with 62 victories second only to the Red Baron, who did not survive. He was also one of the youngest air aces, 22 at war's end. Born in Frankfurt and raised in Munich, he grew up fascinated with flight, hanging out at an aircraft factory and an airship detachment and making a glider with a friend, which he crashed. He was initially turned down for the armed forces because he was too short, but was admitted as a messenger because he owned a motorcycle. He injured his shoulder in a crash when he hit a shell hole, and then could not find his unit; then the bike messenger volunteer program was canceled and he was sent back to recruiting. Finally he was told that if he could learn to fly, he could not be refused, so he paid for flying lessons and in April 1915 joined the German Army Air Service. As an observer, he won the Iron Cross 2nd Class for participating in a successful landing of a messed up aircraft, then spent a week in the brig when he failed to save another one. When he then demonstrated that he could shake a stuck bomb loose with fancy aerobatics, he was promoted to fighter pilot. Then the first plane he was issued was mechanically defective and crashed into a hangar on takeoff.
Udet rapidly learned to go on the attack. At one point he met the top French air ace, Georges Guynemer, and they fought a lengthy dogfight, so close that Udet could see the writing on his opponent's fuselage. Guynemer strafed Udet's upper wing, then Udet's guns jammed. Guynemer gave him a cheery wave and flew off.
Finally Udet and his commander were the only two of the original members left in the squad. The commander made gloomy remarks about fate and died three months later as a result of an accident - a wing fell off his plane and he never awoke from his coma. Udet said it was a good death.
Udet became an excellent air tactician and was given a command; although he was a notorious drinker and womanizer, he proved to be an excellent commander, spending hours coaching newbies. When he had 20 kills, von Richthofen tapped him for his "Flying Circus." He was on leave recovering from an ear infection when the Red Baron was killed; he was altogether less impressed with Hermann Goering, who took his place in command of the squadron. (He also received word while on sick leave that he was to receive the Pour la Mérite - he had a mockup made and presented it to his girlfriend.)
Between the wars he did stunt flying--picking up hankies from the ground with the tip of a wing, and so forth--worked in film, partied, and took part in some attempts to manufacture private aircraft and start short-hop airlines. He also got tangled up with a German spy. He was not interested in politics but joined the Nazi Party in 1933 because Goering said he could get him some new US aircraft for evaluation. He wound up successfully pushing the Stuka development program past bureaucratic opposition and eventually being made head of aircraft development. But the red tape and the stress as the demands of war outran what the German air industry could manage and as Goering outright lied and blamed him sent him into alcoholism.
On November 17, 1941, he shot himself in the head while talking to his girlfriend on the phone, having scrawled a note blaming Goering on the headboard of his bed with a red pencil. The manner of his death was concealed from the public, and a World War II air ace died in a plane crash coming to the funeral. They were buried side by side.
Udet rapidly learned to go on the attack. At one point he met the top French air ace, Georges Guynemer, and they fought a lengthy dogfight, so close that Udet could see the writing on his opponent's fuselage. Guynemer strafed Udet's upper wing, then Udet's guns jammed. Guynemer gave him a cheery wave and flew off.
Finally Udet and his commander were the only two of the original members left in the squad. The commander made gloomy remarks about fate and died three months later as a result of an accident - a wing fell off his plane and he never awoke from his coma. Udet said it was a good death.
Udet became an excellent air tactician and was given a command; although he was a notorious drinker and womanizer, he proved to be an excellent commander, spending hours coaching newbies. When he had 20 kills, von Richthofen tapped him for his "Flying Circus." He was on leave recovering from an ear infection when the Red Baron was killed; he was altogether less impressed with Hermann Goering, who took his place in command of the squadron. (He also received word while on sick leave that he was to receive the Pour la Mérite - he had a mockup made and presented it to his girlfriend.)
Between the wars he did stunt flying--picking up hankies from the ground with the tip of a wing, and so forth--worked in film, partied, and took part in some attempts to manufacture private aircraft and start short-hop airlines. He also got tangled up with a German spy. He was not interested in politics but joined the Nazi Party in 1933 because Goering said he could get him some new US aircraft for evaluation. He wound up successfully pushing the Stuka development program past bureaucratic opposition and eventually being made head of aircraft development. But the red tape and the stress as the demands of war outran what the German air industry could manage and as Goering outright lied and blamed him sent him into alcoholism.
On November 17, 1941, he shot himself in the head while talking to his girlfriend on the phone, having scrawled a note blaming Goering on the headboard of his bed with a red pencil. The manner of his death was concealed from the public, and a World War II air ace died in a plane crash coming to the funeral. They were buried side by side.