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The Red Baron finally returns home - modern Germany reclaims its war hero!

Germany is about to break, what has been described as a 41 year taboo, by celebrating the life of one of its greatest war heroes - Manfred Von Richthofen aka "The Red Baron".

A film depicting the daring exploits of Von Richthofen who shot down 80 allied pilots during the First World War,will be released in German cinemas next year.

It should create a furore; since 1945 German soldiers, airmen and sailors have been portrayed as heel-clicking fanatics, underground freedom fighters or reluctant victims of the Nazi regime.

There have been a number of films made that did not show the German military in good light.

The Red Baron has been a cult figure overseas for decades, including a Peanuts comic- strip which portrays imaginery battles between Snoopy and the Red Baron - there are also Red Baron computer games, and even pizzas.

But now German society has evolved from its era of shame and has decided to embrace its heroes from the past - and reclaim their First World War flying ace and turn him into a truly modern hero - and the world will share and celebrate him with this new Germany.

As German troops have been drawn into potential combat missions - senior officers are looking for new regimental role models, untarnished by Nazi history.

In the film, the Red Baron will be played by a young German actor, Matthias Schweighofer, who presents him as a 21st Century icon: first as a young happy go-lucky pilot eager to get into the air - then as a swaggering figure bloated by success - and finally as a person manipulated by the Imperial German propaganda machine.

A brief background of Manfred Von Richthofen:

He was the son of a Prussian nobleman, who trained first as a cavalry officer at a time when mounted troops were becoming obsolete.He made the move to flying aircraft and actually crashed in his first solo flight after 25 training hours.He flew a Fokker triplane and after twenty five air victories ensured legendary status by being awarded the Pour Le Merite (The Blue Max) and became The Ace of Aces with his 80 victories over allied pilots.

The demise of the Red Baron:

The first person to claim victory for downing and killing him was a Canadian pilot,Roy Brown,after a dogfight. But historians believe he was actually killed by ground fire from an Australian soldier.

On April 21, 1918,Manfred Von Richthofen followed a British Sopwith Camel, flown by Wilfred May into British territory further than he had done previously.Perhaps he sensed that this might be one of his last hunts - the once invincible German squadrons were now inferior to the new faster and more agile British aircraft.

He was killed by a single bullet from behind, passing diagonally through his chest.He was killed instantly, and his aircraft ploughed into a field alongside the Corbie to Bray road. His body was recovered by British soldiers and buried with full military honours.

Manfred Von Richthofen was just 25 years old.He wasn't necessarily the greatest of pilots,but was an extremely accurate shot.

In acknowledging the British role of cherishing him as a hero, his great-nephew was appointed as German Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1989-93.

Now Germany can acknowledge and celebrate him as their own hero and icon. The Red Baron has flown home for the final time. Rest in peace!