"Hawker Meets His Match"

In November 1916 Major Lanoe Hawker was in command of No. 24 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. On December 30th he engaged an Albatros D.II of Jasta 2 flown by the young Manfred von Richthofen. Manfred was not yet known as "The Red Baron"but was a rising star under the tutelage of Oswald Boelcke. Hawker and von Richthofen engaged in what has become a famous illustration of the turning fight, each tryng to turn tighter than the other to get on their opponent's tail. Whether due to a superior airplane or by seizing and and maintaining the attack, von Richthofen won this battle, killing Hawker and increasing his own notoriety.