First Flight

Every time aircraft flew over the trenches Manfred became more interested in flying. The Germans used planes for observation of the enemy, bombing airfields, and downing observation balloons, but not as fighting weapons at this time. The pilots were just flying and not considered an important part of the war effort. These men were not high ranking officers and were considered just chauffeurs for the observer officers. Manfred wanted to fly, because he was bored in the trenches, wanted action, and felt aircraft would help the war effort. He wrote a letter and asked to be placed in the Air Section. At the end of May 1915 he was accepted with No. 7 Air Replacement Section at Cologne. Training for being an observer began. He was to go up in a plane and see how he felt. He was to spend 15 hours in the air reading maps and doing navigation exercises. He was also to learn a little bit about the plane.

On Manfred's first flight he was quite frustrated. First, he was startled by the burst of air from the engine. Then he lost his scarf and a note he was giving to the pilot. When they were in the air he didn't know which way they were going and didn't know were he was. They landed, and he was so excited he wanted to go up again right away. After he finished his training he was a qualified observer. His job was to observe the enemy and report back. Later in the war he became a pilot.