The World War I Flying Ace vs. his greatest nemesis…. Enemy Ace???

The Ultimate Dogfight

Mashup image from here, this is the original cover (click to enlarge) –

Star-Spangled War Stories #139, July 1968

Enemy Ace was German World War I fighter pilot Rittmeister Hans Von Hammer, created by writer Robert Kanigher and legendary artist Joe Kubert.   Known as “The Hammer Of Hell,” Enemy Ace appeared flying his signature Fokker Dr.I triplane in various DC Comics,  primarily Star-Spangled War Stories. 

Flying the Killer Skies

Enemy Ace was largely based on Manfred von Richthofen, better known as…. the Red Baron.

Credited with 80 kills, Richthofen was respected even by his enemies and given a full military funeral by the personnel of No. 3 Squadron Australian Flying Corps

The legend of the Red Baron was carried on by cartoonist Charles Schulz in his strip Peanuts, where Snoopy frequently hunted his opponent, and popularized to a level that if you’ve never seen Snoopy in a dogfight, you’ve been under a rock for decades.

I have to wonder if this was a left-handed shout out to Snoopy…

Sadness is losing a warm puppy

The Baron is still well known and loved today –

I live on this stuff