Best fighter pilot of the War?
http://www.roman.biskupin.wroc.pl/portrety.html all these men are the best
I'd say any of the top Luftwaffe aces who fought on the Western front against the Americans and British easliy qualify as either the 'best' or among the best of any side in any theatre of the war. From '43-45 I dont think there was a more dangerous theatre for a Luftwaffe fighter pilot to find himself in. The enemies far superior numbers, as well as excellent equipment and pilot training made any german ace capable of surviving long enough to achieve high scores something special. I'd put guys like Bar, Muchenberg, Galland, Mayor, and Priller against any of the higher scoring Eastern Front aces like Hartmann, and Barkhorn.
Has Dick Bong been mentioned for the Yanks. He flew the P-38 Lightening in the Pacific theatre and ended up with the highest kills for the Yanks, "I think in US history". His MO was he'd dive that monster and hold his fire on the enemy until he was right on top of him and couldnt miss.
Such a fascinating topic. Every nation produced a few truly elite fighter pilots.
Such a fascinating topic. Every nation produced a few truly elite fighter pilots.
I would also nominate Günther Scheel as the best fighter pilot of WW2, probably even of human history, due to his 71 aerial victories during 70 missions. AFAIK his was the best sortie/kill ratio of all fighter pilots, and that's what ultimately matters IMO. Unfortunately he went missing in action in July 1943 and basically nothing is known of his fate, so it's not possible to ask him about his kill claims etc.Aufklarung wrote:IMHO, among the best are:
-Guenther Scheel (70 Missions= 71 Victories)
A
I don't think this is the case. On both fronts Luftwaffe fought in terrible numerical inferiority. The difference was that in West fighter pilots had to attack heavy bomber formations whereas in East they had to patrol confined areas and clear them of enemy attack planes and fighters. Most likely fighting in West required more cold blood, while fighting in East required more skill. In the last year and a half of the war Luftwaffe's loss rate was higher in the West but survivability was about the same, because in the East pilots they had to fly much more. If we are to believe Bär, the German pilot in the best position to compare between Western and Eastern Fronts, American pilots he met were of rather poor quality (he made this remark during the invasion of Normandy days). He said something along these lines: that he never understood why American pilots' service ended when they barely got enough experience not to call themselves novices anymore.weiss wrote:I'd say any of the top Luftwaffe aces who fought on the Western front against the Americans and British easliy qualify as either the 'best' or among the best of any side in any theatre of the war. From '43-45 I dont think there was a more dangerous theatre for a Luftwaffe fighter pilot to find himself in. The enemies far superior numbers, as well as excellent equipment and pilot training made any german ace capable of surviving long enough to achieve high scores something special. I'd put guys like Bar, Muchenberg, Galland, Mayor, and Priller against any of the higher scoring Eastern Front aces like Hartmann, and Barkhorn.