Being a non traditional student and a History Major is an interesting combination.   I’ve been around while history has been made, unlike some of my fellow classmates who were not even born when the Berlin Wall came down, or the Challenger Space Shuttle was lost.  Older students have a different perspective in a History class.  I find it very interesting how some of the younger students I come into contact with view history.   They do not look at events such as the JFK assassination as a person who was personally effected by it.  (Granted, I was only in the 2nd grade, but I still remember my parents being glued to the black and white TV and being very upset…)    Now, more often than not, my fellow classmates learned all “they needed to know” from the Oliver Stone film.   (These same kids are getting their current event news from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart…)

However, I digress,  my main topic here is a short history lesson about Red Fokkers.   My screen name on the Internet for a number of years now has been REDFOKKER.   This comes from my main interest in history, World War One Aviation.   I have chosen to specialize in one of the German Air Force pilots that just happened to fly Fokker airplanes painted RED.   Everyone has some knowledge about the “Red Baron” Manfred Von Richthofen who scored 80 victories before his death in 1918 (not by Snoopy…)    My focus of study in my History career will be on Germany’s second highest scoring ace ERNST UDET.

Ernst Udet (1896-1941) was a German fighter ace who achieved 62 victories during World War One.  Udet entered the German Army 1914 before becoming a fighter pilot.   He fought in Jastas 15, 37, 11 and 4 finally becoming the commander of JG 11 fighter squadron.   Ultimately being forced out of active combat in late September 1918 from injuries sustained in action, he survived the war and became quite character in the years before WWII.   He joined the Luftwaffe in 1935 and eventually became a General Officer in charge of aircraft development.   His life ended tragically as he “committed” suicide in 1941 over controversy surrounding Germany’s losses during the “Battle of Britain”.

Ernst Udet’s aircraft were painted red later in the war and all carried the marking “LO!” in honor of his girlfriend, Eleonore Zink.  The Fokker DVII was a very advanced fighter for it’s day.  It was the only single weapon that was spelled out to be destroyed in the Versaille Treaty ending the war.

There have been over 200 books written about the “Red Baron” Richthofen, but there have been very few about Ernst Udet.   His colorful career during and after WWI will make an interesting study for me in my History career.    My goal is to write the definitive text about Ernst Udet, his aircraft and his life.

My lifetime love of history has been a driving force in my Non Traditional Student journey.   Reaching lifelong goals is more than just a spiffy blog title.   I hope to post more blog entries that will chronicle my ongoing research over the next few years toward the publishing of my book.  History is my passion, and has been most of my life.   Now as a History Major at Oregon State University, I will finally be “reaching lifelong goals”.

Posted: 08|24|09 at 12:52 pm. Filed under: History nuggets.
Tags: Fokker, Non traditional student, Udet, WW1
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