He was the living embodiment of the young, brash, talented WWII fighter pilot whose aerial antics gave his superiors fits. This is the story of Ralph "Kid" Hofer and how he not only braved danger but invited it. We also look at the compelling mystery of his ultimate demise.

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OT, about your Red Baron reference -- what's the latest research on the topic?

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The latest book I read on Richtofen indicates groundfire but not by the Aussies. Richtofen was flying low (one guy who was on a factory chimney looked down on hinm in a valley) and everybody with a gun was firing.

I have my own theory:

He broke three of his own rules: 1) he followed somebody down, 2) he flew low over un-recced territory and 3) he kept engaging when his guns weren't perfect (one was out completely and the other was a single-shot for all practical purposes)