Best Luftwaffe Ace

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Anders Schmidt
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Best Luftwaffe Ace

#1

Post by Anders Schmidt » 03 Apr 2002, 16:27

[Moved from the Polls section]


Who was the best Luftwaffe ace (not neccessarily in numbers, but also in tactics and strategy)?
"Only the spirit of attack, born in a brave heart, will bring success to any fighter aircraft, no matter how highly developed it may be."

-General der Flieger Adolf Galland, 1912-1996
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ziggy wiseman
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best ace

#2

Post by ziggy wiseman » 03 Apr 2002, 20:16

For me,Hans Marseille was the best
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Victor
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Marseille?!

#3

Post by Victor » 03 Apr 2002, 21:42

Why didn't you include Hans-Joachim Marseille in your list? Oh, well, in his absence I had to vote with Hartmann... :cry:
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Erich
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#4

Post by Erich » 03 Apr 2002, 22:11

:D You haven't mentioned night fighter aces..... ? Are these brave men included as well... ?

Marseille was hot no doubt about it, but I can think of several others, Klaus Neumann for one with IV.Sturm/JG 3 later transferring into the Galland Circus JV 44.

E
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MICHAELM82
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#5

Post by MICHAELM82 » 03 Apr 2002, 22:16

Hi,
Had to go with Erich Hartmann, like reading about him .
Mike
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Erik E
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#6

Post by Erik E » 03 Apr 2002, 22:39

My favourite is Hans Ulrich Rudel.......
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Johan Elisson
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#7

Post by Johan Elisson » 03 Apr 2002, 23:05

Rudel!!!

Score

2530 Combat missions
11 Air victories
530 Tanks (five complete Russian Tank Corps)
150 AA and AT positions
800 Motor vehicles
1½ Battleship (he heavily damaged one)
1 Destroyer
70 Landing craft
Numberous bridges and bunkers

30 Times shot down

Only one to be awarded with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds.

/Johan
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Fred
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#8

Post by Fred » 03 Apr 2002, 23:28

Rudel for sure!?
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Logan Hartke
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#9

Post by Logan Hartke » 04 Apr 2002, 04:20

As for the answer to "Who was the greatest "ace" of the Luftwaffe?", my vote would go to Rudel, no doubt, but I got the feeling that the implied question was "Who was the greatest fighter ace of the Luftwaffe?" (two different things. In that case, my vote would go to Marseille. Funny, neither were included in the poll.

Respectfully,
Logan Hartke
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mike262752
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#10

Post by mike262752 » 04 Apr 2002, 07:06

Its hard to say who the best is. Its a matter of opinion really. There are so many that tons will always be left out (Marseille, Rudel, Rall, Nowotny, etc..).

I voted for Mölders though. He came up with the tactics used after all. The British even used his ideas.

First to get diamonds, first to 100, died pretty early in the war (plane crash, non combat accident) yet still had over 100 victories. It would be interesting to know what he would have done with the Me 262. Maybe he could have convinced Hitler/Göring to use the Me 262 better. The Allies gained a big advantage when he died.

mike
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Victor
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#11

Post by Victor » 04 Apr 2002, 21:15

Rudel was without a doubt the best Schlacht pilot of the war, but generally the term of ace defines the fighter pilots.
Last edited by Victor on 05 Apr 2002, 23:52, edited 1 time in total.
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subskipper
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#12

Post by subskipper » 04 Apr 2002, 22:12

Isn't ace a term used about all pilots with 5 or more A-to-A kills??





~Henric Edwards
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Erik E
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#13

Post by Erik E » 04 Apr 2002, 22:51

It is difficult to compare men like Rudel and Galland, as they did 2 compleately different jobs... Anyway it was probably easier to shoot down another plane using a Me109, rather than a Ju87

Erik E
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Logan Hartke
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#14

Post by Logan Hartke » 04 Apr 2002, 23:50

Erik E wrote:It is difficult to compare men like Rudel and Galland, as they did 2 compleately different jobs... Anyway it was probably easier to shoot down another plane using a Me109, rather than a Ju87

Erik E
I agree, that's why I specified between ace (what the writer of the poll said) and fighter pilot (what I believe the writer of the poll implied). Technically, Rudel is an ace since he scored over 5 air-to-air kills, but he is certainly not a fighter pilot. That's why I made mine specific.

Respectfully,
Logan Hartke
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Johan Elisson
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#15

Post by Johan Elisson » 05 Apr 2002, 01:25

Rudel must have been a really hard guy to come out alive 30 times after crashes... Anyone that has more info about his crashes?

/Johan
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