Cappy

49°55'24"N 002°45'30"E

Cappy airfield was a Geman forward airfield in the Somme valley in France during World War I.
It was in use by Jagdgeschwader 1 flying Fokker D1 'Dreideckers' and some Albatross in the spring of 1918. The pilots were living at nearby Chateau de Cappy.
The airfield became famous on 21 April 1918 when German fighter ace Manfred Freiherr (english: baron) von Richthoven took off from the airfield for what was to become his last mission. Von Richthofen took off around 10AM in a flight of six triplanes, one of them piloted by Herman Göring (Goering), who would later become the notorious Air Marshall of World War II. While in a dogfight with several RAF Camels the Red Baron manoeuvred his aircraft too close to the ground, where the fighter ace of 80 aerial victories was mortally shot by ground fire.
A British pilot flew over the German aerodrome at Cappy and dropped a note informing the Germans of Richthofen's death.

Cappy was only a forward airfield, with no permanent facilties. In fact, Richthovens geschwader was known as the Flying Circus because they travelled around in tents.
The airfield returned to agricultural use after the war.


The location of Cappy airfield in 2007.