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Rockets (and some say with bombs manufactured by the Local Scientists). He recruited a number of "friends" to fly the planes (a motley crew of Mercenaries, Idealists and a Biafran Pilot- Chude Sokei) who concentrated on destroying half of the Nigerian Airforce Fleet of MiG-17's and Ilyushin-II-28's (surprise, surprise- Russian built!). This small fighting force then concentrated its efforts on destroying the Airfields from which the Nigerian Airforce launched its attacks on Humanitarian transport planes, partially destroying them.

Von Rosen was famed for his meticulous planning/timing of the raids which were always carried out with maximum effect and with the minimum of loss of life (on both sides) being that the attacks were focused on ground based targets. Escaping from attack was however an effort involving great skill and ability in that they were almost always under constant attack both in the air and from Ground fire.

This adventure ended with the defeat of Biafra and Von Rosen moved on to other adventures with his last being the Ethiopian Somali War, where he died flying relief supplies in the Ogaden
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The question is why he did this, he could have been an extremely wealthy and unremarkable Pilot or freeloading Noble- given his antecedents, but he chose to face constant danger for causes that had no bearing on his personal circumstances. Some might even point to his Nazi connections- well he wasn't a Nazi his aunt was married to one and thats not a crime, Thrill-seeker, Egomaniac? Maybe, but there is no doubt that he saved thousands of lives whilst putting his own at risk and there are certain parts of Africa and especially in Ethiopia and Biafra where his name lives forever in Legend as a hero. The photos above are of Von Rosen and others of the scenes that moved him to risk his life and for a lot of the time, expend his own resources.

The Biafran war also captured the imagination of the following who actively contributed to the Relief effort-Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, John Lennon and many others, by cash donations, free concerts or gestures, apparently Lennon returned his MBE on account of British support for the Nigerians in the Biafran War -amongst other things. Noteworthy also is the principled stance taken by the most unlikely character- Auberon Waugh, (yes the same one) who stringently and consistently criticised Harold Wilson for colluding in the use of starvation as a political weapon.

Memorable quote From A famous Nigerian Military Commander (Sandhurst trained General Adekunle):
"I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. .I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move...

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