Very early in aviation, aerial platforms began being used for air-strikes and air combat. A flying Ace, fighter Ace, or Air Ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The concept of the “Ace” emerged in 1915 during World War I, at the same time as aerial dogfighting. It was a term oftenContinue reading “Greatest Air Aces of all Time. A chat with the Author Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd)”
Tag Archives: Air Aces
Ernst Udet – the Highest Scoring Surviving German Air Ace of WW I
Ernst Udet was a German pilot during World War I and a Luftwaffe Colonel-General (Generaloberst) during World War II. Udet joined the Imperial German Air Service at the age of 19, and eventually became a flying ace of World War I, scoring 62 confirmed victories by the end of his life. The highest scoring German fighter pilot to survive that war, and theContinue reading “Ernst Udet – the Highest Scoring Surviving German Air Ace of WW I”
Japanese “Zero” Fighter Air Ace Tetsuzō Iwamoto “Tiger Tetsu”- 94 Aerial Victories – Greatest Japanese Fighter Ace of All Time
Lieutenant Junior Grade Tetsuzō Iwamoto was one of the top scoring aces among Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) fighter pilots. He joined the Imperial Navy in 1934 and completed pilot training in December 1936. His first combat occurred over China in early 1938. He emerged as one of the top aces of the Imperial Japan during WWII, credited with at least 94Continue reading “Japanese “Zero” Fighter Air Ace Tetsuzō Iwamoto “Tiger Tetsu”- 94 Aerial Victories – Greatest Japanese Fighter Ace of All Time”
Messerschmitt – The Great German Aircraft Maker of World War II – Bf 109, Bf 110 and Me 262
Messerschmitt AG was a German share-ownership limited, aircraft manufacturing corporation named after its chief designer Willy Messerschmitt from mid-July 1938 onwards, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, in particular the Bf 109 and Me 262. The company survived in the post-war era, undergoing a number of mergers and changing its name from Messerschmitt to Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm before being bought by Deutsche Aerospace (DASA, now part of Airbus) inContinue reading “Messerschmitt – The Great German Aircraft Maker of World War II – Bf 109, Bf 110 and Me 262”
Air Ace Ivan Kozhedub the Highest Scoring Allied and Soviet fighter pilot of World War II
Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub was a Soviet World War II fighter ace. Credited with over 62 victories. He was the highest scoring Soviet and Allied fighter pilot of World War II. He is one of the few pilots to have shot down a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on three occasions (4 February 1944, 19 AugustContinue reading “Air Ace Ivan Kozhedub the Highest Scoring Allied and Soviet fighter pilot of World War II”
Vietnamese Fighter Ace Nguyễn Văn Cốc – The Highest Scoring Pilot in Vietnam War
Nguyễn Văn Cốc is a former North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter ace of the Vietnamese People’s Air Force’s (VPAF) 921st Fighter Regiment. Van Coc was shot down before scoring his first kill on Jan. 2, 1967 in Operation Bolo, a U.S. aerial ambush. He ejected and survived, and then went on to destroy an F-105 in an attack out of theContinue reading “Vietnamese Fighter Ace Nguyễn Văn Cốc – The Highest Scoring Pilot in Vietnam War”
“Triple Ace” Shot 17 aircraft in a Day – Hans-Joachim Marseille – Most Amazing and Ingenious Combat Pilot
To be a Triple-ace in a day, the pilot must have destroyed 15 enemy aircraft in a single day. This has been achieved by only five pilots ever. All from the Luftwaffe. Hans-Joachim Marseille, also called “Stern von Afrika” (Star of Africa) by the Germans, shot down 17 Allied fighters in three sorties over North AfricaContinue reading ““Triple Ace” Shot 17 aircraft in a Day – Hans-Joachim Marseille – Most Amazing and Ingenious Combat Pilot”
Fighter Ace Lydia Litvyak “White Lily” – Highest Aerial Victories by a Female Fighter Pilot
Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak also known as Lilya, was a fighter pilot in the Soviet air Force during World War II. Historians’ estimates for her total solo victories from five to twelve, and two to four shared kills in her 66 combat sorties. In about two years of operations, she was the first female fighter pilot toContinue reading “Fighter Ace Lydia Litvyak “White Lily” – Highest Aerial Victories by a Female Fighter Pilot”
Fighter Aces – Erich Hartmann – 352 Aerial Victories
Erich Alfred Hartmann was a German fighter pilot, serving with Luftwaffe, during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and faced 825 air combat engagements. He was credited with shooting down 352 Allied aircraft, which included 350 Soviet and 2 American. In his flyingContinue reading “Fighter Aces – Erich Hartmann – 352 Aerial Victories”
Air Power Asia 