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List of aces of aces

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Look up ace of aces in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Ace of aces is a title accorded to the top active ace within a branch of service in a nation's military in time of war. The title is most closely associated with fighter aces, though there are other types, such as tank aces, and submarine aces.

Fighter Aces

Ace of aces is a title accorded to the top flying ace/fighter ace of a nation's air force during time of war.

Persons accorded the title Ace of aces
Person Country of service War Time
Adolphe Pégoud France Third Republic (France) World War I 28 April 1915 – 31 August 1915 The first flying ace in aerial warfare history.[1]
Georges Flachaire France Third Republic (France) World War I
Jean Navarre France Third Republic (France) World War I – 17 June 1916 On 17 June 1916, Navarre is shot down and then grounded for the rest of the war due to injury.[2]
Georges Guynemer France Third Republic (France) World War I – 11 September 1917 [2][3]
Charles Nungesser France Third Republic (France) World War I 11 September 1917 – Succeeded Guynemer on his death.[3]
René Fonck France Third Republic (France) World War I – end of World War I All-time Allied Ace of Aces, with 75 confirmed aerial victories.[4][page needed][5][6][page needed]
Max Immelmann German Empire Imperial Germany World War I – 18 June 1916 Before his death, Boelcke and Immelmann swapped the title several times.[7]
Oswald Boelcke German Empire Imperial Germany World War I 18 June 1916 – 28 October 1916 Before the death of Immelmann, Boelcke and Immelmann swapped the title several times. Succeeded Immelmann on his death.[8]
Manfred von Richthofen German Empire Imperial Germany World War I – 21 April 1918 Known as the Red Baron, his 80 victories made him the highest scoring ace of the First World War.
Erich Loewenhardt German Empire Imperial Germany World War I – 10 August 1918 [9][page needed]
Ernst Udet German Empire Imperial Germany World War I – end of World War I [10][page needed]
Albert Ball United Kingdom United Kingdom World War I – 7 May 1917 Was also the ace of aces and highest scoring ace for the Western allies.
Keith Park New Zealand New Zealand
(United Kingdom No. 48 Squadron RAF) 		World War I 1917 Keith Park's ability as a fighter ace was overshadowed by his later successes as the commander of No. 11 Group RAF during the Battle of Britain and commander of the air defence of Malta. The Luftwaffe nicknamed him the "Defender of London".
Billy Bishop Canada Canada
(United Kingdom No. 85 Squadron RAF) 		World War I 8 April 1917 – 19 June 1918 Billy Bishop was officially credited with 72 victories, making him Canada's all time top ace, and according to some sources, the top ace of the British Empire.
Raymond Collishaw Canada Canada
(United Kingdom No. 203 Squadron RAF) 		World War I 1916–1918 Raymond Collishaw was the highest scoring Royal Naval Air Service flying ace and the second highest scoring Canadian pilot of the First World War. First pilot of the British Empire to claim six victories in one day (6 July 1917).
Edward Mannock United Kingdom United Kingdom World War I 12 August 1917 – 26 July 1918 Edward Mannock may have been the highest-scoring ace within the British Empire of all time and is regarded as one of the greatest fighter pilots of the war.
Raoul Lufbery United States
(France Escadrille Lafayette) 		World War I October 1916 – 15 May 1918 [11][page needed][12][13][page needed][14]
Paul Frank Baer United States
(France Escadrille Lafayette) 		World War I 15 May 1918 – 18 May 1918 Succeeded Lufbery on his death.[12]
Frank Bayliss United States
(France L'armee de l'air de France) 		World War I 18 May 1918 – 12 June 1918 Succeeded Baer on his death.[12]
David E. Putnam United States
(France Escadrille Lafayette) 		World War I 12 June 1918 – 12 September 1918 Succeeded Bayliss on his capture.[12][15]
Frank Luke United States World War I – 29 September 1918
Eddie Rickenbacker United States World War I 29 September 1918 – end of World War I Succeeded Luke on his death. Was the US ace of aces for overall aerial victories[12]
Ivan Kozhedub  Soviet Union World War II 26 March 1943 – 16 April 1945 Credited with 64 victories, Kozhedub is the top scoring Allied ace of World War II. One of the few pilots to shoot down Messerschmitt Me 262.[16][17]
Alexander Pokryshkin  Soviet Union World War II 21 June 1941 – 14 January 1945 Second top scoring Allied ace of World War II.
Grigoriy Rechkalov  Soviet Union World War II 21 June 1941 – April 1945 Allied ace of World War II.
Edgar James "Cobber" Kain New Zealand New Zealand
(United Kingdom No. 53 Squadron RAF) 		World War II October 1939 – May 1940 First RAF air ace of World War II during the Battle of France.
Josef Frantisek Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
(Poland 303 Squadron) 		World War II September 1940; Credited as the top scoring RAF ace during the Battle of Britain. He refused to fly in formation but was allowed to fly as a "guest" of RAF 303 (Polish) squadron. In the air he would break off and patrol areas by himself where he knew enemy aircraft would be.
Eric Lock
(United Kingdom No. 41 Squadron RAF) 		World War II September 1940; The top British ace during the Battle of Britain and along with Brian Carbury credited with the highest number of Bf 109 kills during this period.
Brian Carbury New Zealand New Zealand
(United Kingdom No. 603 Squadron RAF) 		World War II September 1940; One of the Ace Of Aces during the Battle of Britain, scored the most kills (along with Eric Lock) against Bf 109s and shot down 5 aircraft in one day to become an Ace in a Day.
Witold Urbanowicz Poland Poland
(Poland No. 303 Squadron RAF) 		World War II September 1940; The top Polish ace during the Battle of Britain. 303 (Polish) Sqn entered the Battle of Britain later due to language barriers but went on to become one of the top scoring squadrons due to the Polish pilots' previous experience and determination.
Antoni Glowacki Poland Poland
(United Kingdom No. 501 Squadron RAF) 		World War II September 1940; One of only two RAF pilots (along with Brain Carbury) during the Battle of Britain to become an Ace in a Day by shooting down 5 aircraft in one day.
James E. "Johnnie" Johnson United Kingdom United Kingdom World War II September 1941–1945 – Top RAF ace of World War II.
William R. Dunn United States
(United Kingdom Eagle Squadron) 		World War II August 1941 – First American ace, First American to have a shot down another plane.[18][page needed]
Joe Foss United States World War II 1942–1944 The U.S. Marine Corps' top ace, credited with 26 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor.[19]
Richard Bong United States World War II 1942–1944 aka "Ace of Aces." U.S. pilot credited with at least 40 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor.
Lee Archer United States World War II 1944 U.S. fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen credited with four confirmed victories was the highest scoring African American pilot.
Hiroyoshi Nishizawa Empire of Japan Imperial Japan World War II 1942–1944 Japan's top navy fighter pilot ace, credited with at approximately 80 downed aircraft in the Pacific war.
Helmut Wick Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II 28 November 1940 Credited with 56 aerial victories. Was the leading German fighter pilot for few hours until he was shot down and went missing in action.
Werner Mölders Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II – 22 November 1941 First pilot to achieve 100 aerial victories on 15 July 1941[20][21]
Gordon Gollob Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II First pilot to achieve 150 aerial victories[21]
Hermann Graf Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II First pilot to achieve 200 aerial victories[21]
Walter Nowotny Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II First pilot to achieve 250 aerial victories[21] Commanded one of the first Me 262 jet fighter squadrons.
Erich Hartmann Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II – end of World War II To be accurate, Hartmann is the "Ace of the Aces of Aces." with 352 aerial victories, first pilot to achieve 300 aerial victories on 24 August 1944 and first to achieve 350 aerial victories on 17 April 1945[21]
Alfred Schreiber Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II 28 October 1944 First jet ace in aviation history[22]
Kurt Welter Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II – end of World War II Highest scoring jet ace in aviation history[23]
Lydia Litvyak  Soviet Union World War II Highest scoring female ace in aviation history
Marmaduke Pattle  South Africa
(United Kingdom No. 80 Squadron RAF) 		World War II 1914–1941 Pattle was a fighter ace with a high score of >50, and is sometimes noted as being the highest-scoring British and Commonwealth pilot of the Second World War.
James Jabara United States Korean War 20 May 1951 – First American Jet ace for Jet-vs-Jet combat.[24]
George A. Davis United States Korean War – Friday 13 March 1953 Was the ace of aces for Jet-vs-Jet combat.[25][26]
Royal N. Baker United States Korean War Friday 13 March 1953 – Was the ace of aces for Jet-vs-Jet combat. Succeeded Davis on his death.[25][27]
Joseph C. McConnell United States Korean War – end of Korean War Was the ace of aces for Jet-vs-Jet combat.[28]
Sergei Kramarenko  Soviet Union
( Democratic People's Republic of Korea) 		Korean War 29 July 1951 – First Jet-vs-Jet ace of the Korean War.
Giora Epstein Israel Israel Six Day War, War of Attrition, Yom Kippur War 1956–1998 History's highest scoring supersonic jet ace, with 17 confirmed kills.
Saiful Azam Pakistan Pakistan Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Six-Day War 1958–1980 Saiful Azam remains the only fighter pilot who has flown for three Air forces (Jordan, Iraq and Pakistan) at war, along with honor of having kills against two different air forces (India and Israel). Minimum 5 claimed aerial victories in two different wars.[29]
M M Alam Pakistan Pakistan Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 1960–1982 Pakistan's most successful fighter pilot with 9 confirmed kills and 2 probables.
Randy H. Duke Cunningham United States Vietnam War 1968 – 1972 First American ace of the Vietnam War.[30]
Nguyen Van Coc Democratic Republic of Vietnam Vietnam War 1967-1969 A MiG-21 pilot of the North Vietnamese Air Force during the Vietnam War, he was shot down during Operation Bolo, and over the next year shot down 2 F-4's, 4 F-105's and an F-102.[31]

[32]

Jalil Zandi Iran Iran Iran-Iraq War 1980–1988 Iran's most successful fighter pilot ever, with 11 aerial victories (8 confirmed and 3 probable). The most successful F-14 Tomcat pilot.[33][34][35]
Shahram Rostami Iran Iran Iran-Iraq War 1980–1988 Iranian F-14 ace with 6 confirmed aerial victories and the first MiG-25-killer.[36][37]
Mohommed "Sky Falcon" Rayyan Iraq Iran-Iraq War 1980–1986 Iraq's most successful fighter pilot ever, with 10 (5 confirmed kills and 5 claimed kills) aerial victories. The most successful MiG-25 pilot.[38][39]

Submarine aces

Ace of the Deep is a title accorded to the top subsea ace/undersea ace/submarine ace of a nation's submarine force during time of war.

Persons accorded the title ace of aces
Person Country of service War Time
Lothar von Arnauld de la Periere German Empire Imperial Germany World War I 1915–18 The commander of U-35, de la Periere sank a total of 194 merchant vessels and gunboats totaling 453,716 gross metric tons. [40][page needed]
Dudley W. Morton United States World War II – September 1943 Died
Dick O'Kane United States World War II – 25 October 1944 Was captured and made Prisoner of war.[41][page needed]
Eugene Fluckey United States World War II [42]
Malcolm David Wanklyn  United Kingdom World War II – 14 April 1942 [42][43][page needed]
Benjamin Bryant  United Kingdom World War II – end of World War II [44][page needed]
Takakazu Kinashi Japan Imperial Japan World War II
Otto Kretschmer Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II – March 1941 Kretschmer was responsible for the sinking of 47 merchant ships totaling 272,043 tons as commander of U-35, U-23 and U-99. He was captured in March 1941 and spent the rest of the war in the Bowmanville POW camp, Canada.
Reinhard Suhren Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II A U-boat ace.[45][page needed]

Submarine hunters

Persons accorded the title ace of aces
Person Country of service War Time
Otto Pollmann Nazi Germany Third Reich (Germany) World War II Credited with the sinking of 14 submarines[46]
John Walker United Kingdom United Kingdom World War II Walker sank more U-boats (12 Confirmed) during the Battle of the Atlantic than any other British or Allied commander and was instrumental in the Allied victory of the Battle of the Atlantic.[47]

Tank aces

See also: List of World War II Panzer aces from Germany

Ace of aces is a title accorded to the top tank ace of a nation's tank corps during time of war. Not all nations recognised the term ‘tank ace’ during World War 2.

Persons accorded the title ace of aces
Person Country of service War Time Kill statistics
Kurt Knispel  Germany World War II – 28 April 1945 168 tanks[48] The top Panzer ace of the war
Michael Wittmann  Germany World War II – 8 August 1944 138 Tanks, 132 Anti tank guns, unknown other.
Johannes Bölter  Germany World War II 28 April 1945 – end of World War II 139 tanks
Otto Carius  Germany World War II – end of World War II +150 tanks
Dmitriy Lavrinenko  Soviet Union World War II – 1941 Between 52 and 57 tanks. The top Allied tank ace of the war
Lafayette G. Pool United States World War II – 19 September 1944 12 Tanks, 246 AFVs/trucks [49]
Sydney V. Radley-Walters  Canada World War II – end of World War II 18 tanks Top aces of the western allies
Zvika Greengold Israel Israel Yom Kippur War – end of Yom Kippur War Between 40 and 60 tanks. Only tank ace to score more than 40 kills in 30 hours.

References

  1. ↑ Aviation History, "World's First Ace", Jon Guttman, Volume 20, Number 3, January 2010, pp.19
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 New York Times, "Saw 40 Air Foes After Guynemer", Thursday 27 September 1917
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation, "Hispano-Suiza Aeronautical Engines", Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation, 1918
  4. ↑ Taylor & Francis, "The European Powers in the First World War", Spencer Tucker, Laura Matysek Wood, Justin D. Murphy, ISBN 0-8153-0399-8
  5. ↑ The Lowell Sun, "Record by French "Ace Of Aces" Never Equalled", Associated Press, Friday 21 June 1918
  6. ↑ Doubleday, "Ace of Aces", René Fonck, 1967
  7. ↑ New York Times, "Immelmann Fell 6,000 Feet To Death", 25 June 1916
  8. ↑ New York Times, "A Talk With Boelcke On The Day Of His Death", Sunday 28 January 1917
  9. ↑ Osprey Publishing, "Richthofen's Circus", Greg VanWyngarden, 2005
  10. ↑ University of Nebraska Press, "Impossible missions?: German economic, military, and humanitarian efforts in Africa", Nina Berman, 2004
  11. ↑ National Geographic Society, "Volume XXXIII", National Geographic Magazine, 1918
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Stokes, "Fighting the Flying Circus", Eddie Rickenbacker, 1919, (accessed 18 April 2009)
  13. ↑ Osprey Publishing, "American Aces of World War I", Norman Franks, 2001, ISBN 1-84176-375-6
  14. ↑ New York Times, "ALLIES ON SOMME TAKE 1,500 GERMANS; French Alone Captured 1,100 in Saturday's Fighting South of the River. BRITISH IMPROVE LINES Continue to Push Forward North of Thiepval and In the Region of Gucudecourt.", 15 October 1916
  15. ↑ New York Times, "Putnam, American Ace, Killed Near St. Mihiel", Associated Press, 20 September 1918
  16. ↑ Polak, Tomas with Christopher Shores. Stalin’s Falcon – The Aces of the Red Star. Brub Street, London, 1999. ISBN 1-902304-01-2, p.189
  17. ↑ Николай Бодрихин. Советские асы. Очерки о советских летчиках
  18. ↑ "Fighter Pilot: The First American Ace of World War II", William R. Dunn
  19. ↑ The Telegraph (London), "Joe Foss", 2 January 2003, (accessed 17 April 2009)
  20. ↑ TIME, No. 1 Ace, 21 December 1942, (accessed 17 April 2009)
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Toliver & Constable 1998, p. 385. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Toliver & Constable p385" defined multiple times with different content
  22. ↑ Foreman & Harvey 1995, p. 81.
  23. ↑ Samuel 2004, p. 46.
  24. ↑ National Museum of the USAF, "LT. COL. JAMES JABARA", (accessed 17 April 2009)
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 TIME, "Ace of Aces", Monday 23 March 1953, (accessed 17 April 2009)
  26. ↑ TIME, "Fallen Ace", Monday 18 February 1952, (accessed 17 April 2009)
  27. ↑ The Canberra Times, "Air Ace Ends Task", 16 March 1953, (accessed 17 April 2009)
  28. ↑ TIME, "Ace's End", 6 September 1954, (accessed 17 April 2009)
  29. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saiful_Azam
  30. ↑ Texas A&M University Press, "Striving for air superiority: the Tactical Air Command in Vietnam", Craig C. Hannah, 2002, ISBN 978-1-58544-146-4
  31. ↑ http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_245.shtml
  32. ↑ http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_246.shtml
  33. ↑ Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Osprey Publishing, pp. 23–24
  34. ↑ Imperial Iranian Air Force: Samurai in the skies
  35. ↑ Fire in the Hills: Iranian and Iraqi Battles of Autumn 1982, by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, Sept. 9, 2003
  36. ↑ http://www.cieldegloire.com/as_45_00_victoires.php#zandi
  37. ↑ Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Osprey Publishing, pp. 85–88
  38. ↑ http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_404.shtml
  39. ↑ Arab MiG-19 and MiG-21 Units in Combat, by David Nicolle and Tom Cooper, (2004) Osprey Publishing, p.82
  40. ↑ Challenge Publications, "The U-Boat ACE of ACES", William H Langenberg, 2004
  41. ↑ Sutton Publishing, "The Bravest Man", William Tuohy, 2001
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 The Times (London), "Rear-Admiral Eugene Fluckey", 20 July 2007 (accessed 2009 April 20)
  43. ↑ Naval Institute Press, "Soldiers Lost at Sea", James E. Wise, Scott Baron, 2003, ISBN 978-1-59114-966-8
  44. ↑ Bantam, "Submarine Commander", Rear Admiral Ben Bryant, 1960
  45. ↑ US Naval Institute Press, "Teddy Suhren: Ace of Aces: Memoirs of a U-boat Rebel", Teddy Suhren, ISBN 978-1-59114-851-7
  46. ↑ Schaulen 2004, p. 148.
  47. ↑ http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersW.html#Walker_FJ
  48. ↑ Kurowski, Franz. Feldwebel Kurt Knispel. Flechsig, July 2007. ISBN 3-88189-734-8. Kurowski Pg 125
  49. ↑ "S/SGT. LAFAYETTE POOL, U.S. ARMY TANKER LEGEND" (accessed 22 April 2009)

Bibliography

  • http://www.acesofww2.com/
  • "Messerschmitt Combat Diary Me.262". Crecy Publishing Ltd. 1995. ISBN 1-871187-30-3. .
  • Toliver, Raymond F. and Trevor J. Constable (1998). Die deutschen Jagdflieger-Asse 1939 – 1945. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-193-0.
  • Samuel, Wolfgang W.E. (2004). American Raiders — The Race to Capture the Luftwaffe's Secrets. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1-57806-649-2.
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2004). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld – Primozic (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-21-1.

See also

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