In Manfred's own words. Original German version below.

“At last! The August sun was almost unbearable on the sandy airfield in Kowel. We were chatting with our comrades when one of them said: ‘Today the great Boelcke is coming to visit us, or rather his brother, in Kowel.’ In the evening the famous man appeared, greatly admired by us, and told us many interesting things about his journey to Turkey, from which he was just on his way back to report to the Grand Headquarters. He said that he was going to the Somme to continue his work there, and that he was also to raise a whole hunting squadron. For this purpose he could choose people from the air force who seemed suitable to him. I didn’t dare ask him to take me with him. Not because I was bored with our squadron – on the contrary, we made great and interesting flights and destroyed many a railway station with our bombs – but the thought of fighting on the Western Front again appealed to me. There’s nothing better for a young cavalry officer than to go hunting. Boelcke was due to leave again the next morning. Early in the morning there was a sudden knock at my door, and the tall man with the Pour le mérite was standing in front of me. I didn’t quite know what he wanted from me. I knew him, as I have already mentioned, but it never occurred to me that he had come to me to ask me to become his pupil. I almost threw my arms around his neck when he asked me if I wanted to go to the Somme with him.”

„Endlich! Die Augustsonne war fast unerträglich auf dem sandigen Flugplatz in Kowel. Wir unterhielten uns mit den Kameraden, da erzählte einer: »Heute kommt der große Boelcke und will uns, oder vielmehr seinen Bruder, in Kowel besuchen.« Abends erschien der berühmte Mann, von uns sehr angestaunt, und erzählte vieles Interessante von seiner Reise nach der Türkei, von der er gerade auf dem Rückwege war, um sich im Großen Hauptquartier zu melden. Er sprach davon, daß er an die Somme ginge, um dort seine Arbeit fortzusetzen, auch sollte er eine ganze Jagdstaffel aufstellen. Zu diesem Zwecke konnte er sich aus der Fliegertruppe ihm geeignet erscheinende Leute aussuchen. Ich wagte nicht, ihn zu bitten, daß er mich mitnähme. Nicht aus dem Grunde heraus, daß es mir bei unserem Geschwader zu langweilig gewesen wäre – im Gegenteil, wir machten große und interessante Flüge, haben den Rußkis mit unseren Bomben so manchen Bahnhof eingetöppert – aber der Gedanke, wieder an der Westfront zu kämpfen, reizte mich. Es gibt eben nichts Schöneres für einen jungen Kavallerieoffizier, als auf Jagd zu fliegen. Am nächsten Morgen sollte Boelcke wieder wegfahren. Frühmorgens klopfte es plötzlich an meiner Tür, und vor mir stand der große Mann mit dem Pour le mérite. Ich wußte nicht recht, was er von mir wollte. Ich kannte ihn zwar, wie bereits erwähnt, aber auf den Gedanken kam ich nicht, daß er mich dazu aufgesucht hatte, um mich aufzufordern, sein Schüler zu werden. Fast wäre ich ihm um den Hals gefallen, wie er mich fragte, ob ich mit ihm nach der Somme gehen wollte.“

Source: Der rote Kampfflieger von Rittmeister Manfred Freiherrn von Richthofen, 1917, 351.000 - 400.000, Verlag Ullstein & Co, Berlin-Wien p. 88

https://www.meettheredbaron.com/event/bolcke-fragt-mvr/

This was back in January and it was a 2 mile walk to get to the wreck over exposed moorland with near horizontal rain and some snow on the ground. Absolutely worth it though.

Any ideas about its history?

I recently decided my life long goal is to own and restore an f-4 phantom cockpit section. Where on earth would I acquire one??

The Navy's Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) program has been a cornerstone of the U.S. nuclear deterrent since the Cold War, ensuring that a secure line of communication exists between the National Command Authority (NCA) and strategic nuclear forces, particularly the ballistic missile submarine fleet. The program has undergone significant evolutions in platforms, capabilities, and mission since the 1980s, when I started supported the NADC in Warminster PA.

In the 1980s, the TACAMO program was still operating the EC-130Q Hercules, a highly modified version of the C-130 transport aircraft. These aircraft were equipped with powerful Very Low Frequency (VLF) transmitters and long trailing wire antennas. The VLF signal was essential because it could penetrate seawater, allowing communications with submerged submarines, which are a key part of the nuclear triad. However, the EC-130Q fleet was aging, and by the end of the decade, the Navy recognized the need for a more capable and durable platform. This led to the selection of the Boeing 707-320 commercial airframe as the successor. The aircraft, initially designated the E-6A Hermes, was a significant leap forward in terms of speed, range, and endurance. The first E-6A was delivered to the Navy in 1989 and began replacing the EC-130Qs. The company I founded, Sabre Systems Inc., first support contract for the TACAMO program was when it was it organizationally combined with the Link16/JTIDS program. I had previously supported the government program manager, Franz Bohn, in the P3 Program Office. I owe much thanks for his confidence in a start-up.

By the early 90s, Sabre Systems attained its 8(a) certification, and that led to its second TACAMO related contract. This work provided logistics planning supported NAVAIR directly in Crystal City VA giving Sabre its second location. The end of the Cold War and the reorganization of U.S. nuclear forces brought about a major shift in the TACAMO mission. The E-6A fleet was modified and upgraded to the dual-role E-6B Mercury. This was a pivotal evolution for the program, as it took on a new mission in addition to its traditional TACAMO role. The E-6B was equipped with an Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS), which allowed it to take over the Air Force's Looking Glass mission. This mission provided an airborne command post (ABNCP) capable of launching land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) if ground-based launch control centers are incapacitated. By consolidating these two critical missions, the E-6B became a central component of the U.S. strategic command and control architecture, connecting the NCA with both the Navy's submarine fleet and the Air Force's ICBMs. ABNCP was led by Mickey DiPasquo. She was one of the bright stars in the NADC engineering ecosystem.

With the first BRAC, TACAMO would remain with NAVAIR, but the Link16/JTIDS program would move to SPAWAR San Diego. As the E-6B Mercury fleet, based on the aging 707 airframe, approaches the end of its service life, the Navy is once again looking to the future. In a notable return to its roots, the Navy has selected a new C-130 variant, the E-130J Phoenix II, to replace the E-6B. This decision is a testament to the C-130's versatility and the logistical and maintenance advantages of using a platform that is still in production and widely used across the U.S. military. The Phoenix II is expected to take over the TACAMO mission in the coming years, continuing the program's vital role in national security.

In summary, the TACAMO program's evolution since the 1980s has been marked by a major platform change from the EC-130Q to the E-6 Mercury, a significant expansion of its mission to include the "Looking Glass" role, and the current plan to transition back to a new generation of the C-130 platform. The TACAMO fleet represents the Navy's only nuclear-capable aircraft asset. This history demonstrates the program's adaptability and its enduring importance in providing a survivable and reliable link for U.S. strategic forces.

Col. Joe Peterburs, one of the few Allied pilots of WWII who shot down the German Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter piloted by German Ace Walter Schuck near the end of the war, will be speaking at the American Heritage Museum's "Historic Aviation Weekend" on September 13-14, 2025 in Hudson, MA.

My friend is going to work in Ethihad Airlines as a cabin crew and she is curious is there is a big chance of sabotaging or frame another employee? What is a working culture in that place and a country in general? Anyone who worked and can share their experience?