German aviation aces. The best aces. Reprimand complete with reward
Luftwaffe aces are considered the best aces of the Second World War. Luftwaffe pilots break all records for downing enemy aircraft.
However, this is another 1001 myth about the Wehrmacht and the power of German weapons....
At the end of the war, Joseph Goebbels summed up the results and called military aviation a disgrace to Germany.
ACCOUNTING
The Luftwaffe's record of downed enemy aircraft had no analogues anywhere in the world.
Firstly, all enemy aircraft were taken into account as shot down, even those that flew to their airfields with damage
Secondly, the number of downed planes was reported by pilots who allegedly shot down someone and this was considered a victory.
Thirdly, the Nazis’ method of counting those shot down was such that those shot down in the group were also recorded as shot down on a personal account, i.e. The larger the group, the more “killed” there are. And as noted above, those shot down were counted according to the “advertisement”...
However, often no one could confirm whether the pilot shot down someone or not.... no documentation was required at all
Because of all this, the number of “victories” of German aces grew by leaps and bounds
GÖHRING
The Luftwaffe was led by Hermann Goering.
The brave ace of the German Air Force, and after the Nazis came to power, the President of Germany, a money-grubber, a drug addict, a looter and just a thief
Goering specially made statistics with such an account in order to report to Hitler about the dizzying victories.
FIRST PERFORMANCES
The Luftwaffe had its first combat experience in Poland.
On the very first day, September 1, the air war ended...400 Polish Air Force planes were destroyed "at peacefully sleeping airfields"....
In France, the Luftwaffe faced a strong enemy - allied aviation
The Luftwaffe lost 2380 aircraft, of which 1200 were irretrievable.....
Allied aviation, unlike the ground army, performed well, and if not for the surrender, who knows how the air war would have ended
Hitler was concerned about the heavy losses, but Goering convinced him that he would fix everything....
FIRST BATTLES
You can get some idea of the inflated number of victories in the accounts of German aces in the first weeks of the war from the battles on the southern sector of the front, where, according to pilot reports, 10 SB-2s and five DB-3s were shot down, .of which 8 SBs were immediately assigned to the commander of one of the detachments of II/JG 77, Oberleutnant Walter Höckner.
At the same time, the rest of the pilots who shot down these planes were simply ignored
It is not mentioned that in this battle, two German fighters were also shot down by defensive fire from the airborne gunners, their pilots went missing, that is, they actually died.
According to Soviet documents, 6 bombers were lost during the day.
LIES FROM LUFTWAFFE ACES
JG 77 fighters, in the absence of “loud” successes, on June 26 announced 47 “downed” Soviet aircraft, of which only no more than 10 actually shot down and damaged aircraft are confirmed by Soviet documents.
Apparently, unlike other units, where attributions at the initial stage of the war were a consequence of the peculiarities of air combat, the command and the pilots of the 77th squadron deliberately overstated their victories in order to keep up with their more successful colleagues in other sectors of the front, and not to cause anger high authorities
Some “victories” defy explanation, for example, the most famous future ace, non-commissioned officer Kittel, who at that time had two “downed” aircraft, said that he shot down a pair of Il-2s and attacked the Yak-1s, which did not take part in the raids at all .
And if with some stretch we can assume that Kittel confused the single-engine Il-2 with the twin-engine SB-2, then what type of aircraft did he confuse the Yak-1 and LaGG-3?
The large losses of DB-3 and SB-2 were caused precisely by the lack of fighter cover. By the time of his death on the Eastern Front in 1945,
Kittel will “shoot down” 267 Soviet aircraft... but in reality he shot down no more than 100 enemy aircraft
THEODOR WEISINBERG
Theodor Weissenberg in March 1943 announced the destruction of 33 Soviet vehicles, in September there were already 100(!)
knocked down (oak leaves), in March 44 another 150 (!) and by May another 25!!!
He had many “serial victories”, so 03/10/43 -6 shot down, 03/12/43 - 5, and so on.
MULTIPLY BY TWO
In the documents about the losses of the parties, the difference is incredible...
In the middle of the war, in the battles in the Kuban, the Red Army aviation lost 750 aircraft (of which 296 fighters) in air battles from enemy ground fire and for other reasons.
And at that time the German aces filled out forms for the 2280 (!) Soviet aircraft they shot down in Kuban.
THE GREAT HARTMANN
Hartmann was loved very much... and the calculations were kept according to him....
I can’t help but quote an excerpt from the book by American researchers R. Toliver and T. Constable about Hartmann:
« The rest of the squadron pilots dragged the happy Blonde Knight into the dining room. The party was in full swing when Hartmann's technician burst in. The expression on his face instantly extinguished the jubilation of those gathered.
– What happened, Bimmel? – asked Erich.
– Armourer, Herr Lieutenant.
– Is there something wrong?
– No, everything is okay. It's just that you only fired 120 shots at 3 downed planes. I think you need to know this.
Whispers of admiration ran through the pilots, and schnapps flowed like a river again. ».
Worthy grandchildren of Baron Munchausen
You don't have to be an aviation expert to suspect something is wrong. On average, for every shot down « IL-2», Namely, Hartmann declared victory over such aircraft that time; it took him about 40 shells....
Somewhere in the conditions of a training air battle, when the enemy himself is exposed, is very doubtful. And here everything happened in combat conditions, at prohibitive speeds, and even taking into account the fact that the same fascists called ours"Ilyushin" - "flying tank".
And there were reasons for this -The mass of the armored hull during development and modifications reached 990 kg. Elements of the armored hull were tested by shooting. That is, the armor was not placed out of the blue, but strictly in vulnerable places...
And what does a proud statement look like after that, that in one battle three were shot down at once? « Ilyushina» and even 120 bullets
OUTSTANDING LIES FROM HARTMAN
24.08.1944 year (you understand the state of the situation in the air at that time and who dictated the terms to whom) - Hartman flew out hunting in the morning and upon his return reported that he no longer had 290, but 296 downed aircraft.
Which his wingman apparently confirmed under oath, or rather signed in a special form.
After which I had lunch and flew again. This flight was followed by radio communications and our “superhero” did not disappoint and announced 5 more victories on the radio in the second flight, i.e. 11 shot down in 2 missions in 1944!.
He came back - he got flowers, etc. and so on.,
However, there is such a fact - in the combat log of JG-52 it is written that on August 24, 1944, Hartman shot down one P-39. One!
All!
13 PLANES IN...17 MINUTES
Something similar with another German ace Erich Rudoferr.
Here is an excerpt from another book - « Encyclopedia of military art. Military pilots. Aces of World War II » :
"6On November 1943, during a 17-minute battle over Lake Ladoga, Rudorffer announced that he had shot down 13 Soviet vehicles.
This was, naturally, one of the greatest successes in fighter aviation and at the same time one of the most controversial battles... »
Why exactly 13 planes in 17 minutes? You need to ask Erich himself about this....
True, there was an unbelieving Thomas who asked, who can confirm this fact?
To which Rudoffer, without blinking an eye, said:
« How do I know? All thirteen Russian planes fell to the bottom of Ladoga ».
Do you think this fact confused the compilers of the Guinness Book of Records? No matter how it is! Rudoffer's name is included in this book as an example of the highest combat effectiveness.
IN AFRICA
In August 1942, in North Africa, the flight of Oberleutnant Vogel, commander of the fourth group of the 27th fighter squadron, shot down 65 enemy aircraft in a month.
When flying out on a mission, the German pilots amused themselves in the following way: shooting ammunition into the sand, they returned to the airfield and reported on the “victories” they had won.
When they were finally discovered, they simply disbanded the unit, leaving all victories intact.
Apparently, this practice was not new, and therefore did not make a serious impression on the Germans.
HOW WERE THE VICTORIES OF THE SOVIET ACES COUNTERED
In the Soviet Air Force, downed aircraft were counted in two categories: those shot down personally and those shot down in a group.
An enemy plane was considered shot down if the pilot's report of victory was confirmed by evidence from other participants in the air battle and supported by information from ground observers.
In the further course of the war, this information was further monitored by photographic equipment installed on aircraft, which recorded shells hitting enemy aircraft.
THE BEST ACES OF THE ALLIES
Best English Ace –Colonel D. Johnson -flew 515 combat missions during the war, but shot down only 38 German aircraft.
Best French ace –lieutenant (lieutenant colonel in the British Air Force) P. Klosterman -flew 432 combat missions during the war and shot down only 33 German aircraft.
CONCLUSION
The German aces were truly special in every way....
First of all, in unprecedented amounts of lies, cowardice and meanness...
They lost the battle between Allied aviation and USSR aviation.
The best thing the Luftwaffe aces did was bombing peaceful cities and killing civilians
I offer my colleagues to read the introductory part from my book “The Devil's Dozen Luftwaffe Aces.” Sergei Sidorenko Jr. wrote this material in the book at my request.
By 1939, Germany was fully prepared for revenge for the shame of the First World War. Aviation was especially proud, as it demonstrated convincing superiority over any enemy. The pilots - heirs to the traditions of the best aces of the last war - after the "Spanish triumph" and the victorious European "blitzkriegs" were surrounded by an aura of universal admiration and glory.
The definition of “ace” first appeared during the First World War - then an ace was called a pilot with five confirmed victories. This standard has been adopted by most states, except Germany. German pilots were considered aces only in overcoming the threshold of 10 enemy aircraft shot down. During World War II, Germany replaced the term "ace" with "expert". To gain the right to be called an “expert,” the pilot, first of all, had to demonstrate his professionalism in battle, and not shoot down as many enemy aircraft as possible. In terms of Allied standards, the Luftwaffe gave the world about 2,500 aces. The number of “experts” was much smaller - about 500.
What distinguished German pilots from pilots of other countries? Why is the number of their air victories disproportionately greater?
In past years, many materials have been published in foreign literature about the victories of the best Luftwaffe fighter pilots in the period 1939-1945. The much larger number of planes shot down by German pilots compared to Allied aviation pilots gave rise to persistent distrust of this fact not only on the part of aviation historians, but also by the participants in air battles themselves. A large number of Luftwaffe “experts” at the end of the Second World War were taken to England, where specialists carefully compared their testimony about personal victories with the data and circumstances of their own losses. Until now, these protocols are classified.
As a result of research, especially recently, a significant part of aviation historians, even among former opponents of Nazi Germany, are increasingly convinced of the reality and plausibility of the victories of German fighter pilots. The British are known for their pedantic attitude towards recording victories and dividing them into half, quarter and even eighth. However, there is no reason to believe that if the allied aviation aces do not have such a number of downed aircraft to their credit, then the Germans cannot have this either.
The technical equipment, training and fighting spirit attributed to the Luftwaffe "experts" cannot sufficiently explain the huge number of their victories. One of the main factors that helps clarify this confusing problem can be the significant number of combat missions that German pilots made during the war, compared to Allied pilots. The number of combat sorties, for example, that of Erich Hartmann, among allied aviation pilots has no analogues at all. He flew 1,400 combat missions and fought 800 air battles. Gerhard Barkhorn fought 1,100 fights. Günter Rall scored his 200th victory in his 555th combat mission. The result of Wilhelm Butz, who achieved 237 victories in his 455th combat mission, was surprising.
On the Allied side, the most active fighter pilots flew between 250 and 400 combat missions. Based on this fact alone, German pilots had a much better chance of winning (and being defeated!) in battle.
These data alone show that German “experts” spent tens of times more time in the air than their rivals on the other side of the front. They could not be recalled from the front after achieving a certain number of sorties, as was the case in American aviation. German ace pilots moved up the hierarchy very slowly, which meant that the war was long and difficult for them, so the more and more they flew, the better and better they became and, as a result, achieved a high level of professionalism inaccessible to others. In the Luftwaffe, the division of pilots into two categories was clearly visible: aces, making up 15-20% of the total number, and middle-class pilots, who were also very strong and practically not inferior in skill to the pilots of the allied aviation. There was also the “old guard of the Luftwaffe,” which had been forged for a long time in the crucible of the European sky, bombarded pilots, each of whom had 3-4 thousand flight hours. Most of them went through the school of war in Spain and consistently participated in all European conflicts. They knew the war down to the last detail and were in absolute command of their machines, so meeting them in the air was extremely dangerous for any enemy.
Due to their national mentality, the Germans strictly and unquestioningly carried out the orders of the command - zeal, multiplied by skill, made them the most dangerous rivals. Their motto is "victory or death." However, not everyone could obtain the right to be called an “expert”. Experienced fighter pilots, “experts,” generally have a special combination of personal qualities. He must have extraordinary endurance and excellent vision. The ability to accurately fire at an enemy indicates his training and sniper qualities. Only quick reaction and a sense of danger developed at the level of instinct can guarantee life in an air battle. Fluency in an aircraft helps you gain self-confidence in a combat situation and focus on the enemy's actions. The courage characteristic of infantry soldiers and officers is replaced in aviation by a more important quality - self-control. And although aggressiveness is an important character trait for a fighter pilot, it should not be allowed to prevail over vigilance. However, it cannot be said that these qualities were characteristic only of German pilots. The main differences were in tactics, techniques and methods of conducting air combat, the system for counting air victories, the number of sorties and the theater of operations. “It was easier to fight in the East. When the war began, the Russians were not ready for it either technically or psychologically. They did not have such effective fighters as ours, our advantage was especially great in 1941-42. Closer to the middle of the Second World War war, in 1943-44, the Russians accumulated extensive experience in combat operations and they had vehicles that met the requirements of those days" (Günter Rall).
A very strong point of the German Air Force was tactics. Such recognized “experts” as Galland and Mölders have been working on its improvement since the Spanish War. They resolutely fought against the outdated tactical principles of the First World War and developed new techniques for conducting group and individual air combat that corresponded to the technical capabilities of the aircraft of their time. Unsurpassed individual combat tactician, Erich Hartmann. said: “In an air battle, you should remain unnoticed by the enemy for as long as possible. It is advisable to start an attack from the direction of the sun. After a rapid dive, you need to be behind and slightly below the enemy, so that he cannot see your plane from the cockpit. When approaching the enemy, you need to be extremely be attentive, especially when attacking a bomber, fearing the tail gunner. It is important to open fire first - this will give a huge psychological advantage over the enemy. It is better to shoot in short bursts and preferably for sure.” And one more thing: “...the attack should be carried out in four stages: be the first to detect the enemy, assess the situation and take an advantageous position for a surprise attack, carry out the attack itself and try to quickly leave “... for a cup of coffee.” If the enemy is the first to find you, it is necessary to break away from him and (or) take a wait-and-see position, or even leave the battle."
After the war, the German aces themselves were looking for an answer to such a complex question: why did the Allied aviation pilots have a significant lag in the number of victories won? “The Americans, for example, considered an ace to be a pilot who had five downed planes in his combat account. Just think - five! For us, such a number, to put it mildly, was not a source of pride. How did German pilots manage to shoot down a hundred or more planes? the fact that we were looking for the enemy, and not he for us. It was a risky endeavor, but the end often justified the means. Many Americans flew fifty or more combat missions over German territory, but never shot down a single one of our planes. they couldn't even detect us. So the first thing we need to do is find the enemy. Constant combat missions allowed us not to lose our qualifications, and this was also the key to the success of the Luftwaffe. We often lacked experienced pilots, and therefore the number of sorties was much more than planned. The same Americans, having completed fifty flights, were sent back to the states as heroes. The British, after several combat missions, returned home either for retraining or for examination in a hospital. But we were placed in more stringent conditions, and we had to take risks" (Günther Rall).
Walter Krupinski also recalled on this occasion: “American and British pilots, after completing their missions, returned to their homeland. Their lives were not exposed to the same danger that we or the Russians had to experience. Having completed a hundred flights, I only had to my credit two downed enemy planes. This suggests that I learned the basics of air combat rather slowly, but at the same time, I accumulated the necessary experience. After all, one does not become an ace right away, but gradually acquires combat skills in war... Later I trained myself. training for fighter pilots, which consisted of simply taking one of the newcomers with me on a mission. One of my students was Hartman, who later became a famous ace... Experience is of paramount importance for a fighter pilot...”
Since German pilots were not recalled from the front to train young recruits or after completing a certain number of combat missions, as was the case with many ace pilots of the Allied aviation (we can also mention here the promotion of distinguished pilots, which took them out of active combat operations), it is obvious that the formation of an elite corps of German pilots with huge personal victories was inevitable. The air combat experience gained by these pilots is unmatched by pilots of any other country.
This article will not talk about the best fighter pilots, but about the most effective pilots who achieved the largest number of enemy aircraft shot down. Who are they aces, and where did they come from? Fighter aces were those who were primarily aimed at destroying aircraft, which did not always coincide with the main task of combat missions, but was often a secondary goal, or just a way to complete the task. In any case, the main task of the Air Force, depending on the situation, was either to destroy the enemy or to prevent the destruction of its military potential. Fighter aircraft always performed an auxiliary function: either prevented enemy bombers from reaching the target, or covered their own. Naturally, the share of fighters in the Air Force, on average in all warring countries, occupied about 30% of the total number of military air fleets. Thus, the best pilots should be considered not those who shot down a record number of aircraft, but those who completed the combat mission. And since there was an overwhelming majority of them at the front, it is very problematic to determine the best among them, even taking into account the award system.
However, the human essence has always required a leader, and the military propaganda of a hero, a role model, hence the qualitative indicator “best” turned into a quantitative indicator “ace”. Our story will be about such fighter aces. By the way, according to the unwritten rules of the Allies, a pilot who has won at least 5 victories is considered an ace, i.e. destroyed 5 enemy aircraft.
Due to the fact that the quantitative indicators of downed aircraft in opposing countries are very different, at the beginning of the story, we will abstract from subjective and objective explanations and focus only on dry numbers. At the same time, we will keep in mind that “additions” occurred in all armies, and as practice shows, in units, and not in tens, which could not significantly affect the order of the numbers under consideration. We will begin the presentation by country, from the best results to the least.
Germany
Hartmann Erich (Erich Alfred Hartmann) (04/19/1922 - 09/20/1993). 352 victories
Fighter pilot, major. From 1936 he flew gliders in a flying club, and from 1938 he began to learn to fly airplanes. After graduating from aviation school in 1942, he was sent to a fighter squadron operating in the Caucasus. He took part in the Battle of Kursk, during which he shot down 7 aircraft in one day. The maximum result of a pilot is 11 aircraft shot down in one day. Was shot down 14 times. In 1944 he was captured, but managed to escape. Commanded the squadron. He shot down his last plane on May 8, 1945. His favorite tactics were ambush and short-range fire. 80% of the pilots he shot down did not have time to understand what happened. I never got involved in a “dog fight”, considering the fight with fighters a waste of time. He himself described his tactics in the following words: “saw - decided - attacked - broke away.” He made 1,425 combat missions, participated in 802 air battles and shot down 352 enemy aircraft (347 Soviet aircraft), achieving the best result in the entire history of aviation. Awarded the German Cross in Gold and the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.
The second German pilot to shoot down more than 300 aircraft is Gerhard Barkhorn, who destroyed 301 enemy aircraft in 1,100 missions. 15 German pilots shot down from 200 to 300 enemy aircraft, 19 pilots shot down from 150 to 200 aircraft, 104 pilots recorded from 100 to 150 victories.
During World War II, according to German data, Luftwaffe pilots scored about 70,000 victories. More than 5,000 German pilots became aces, scoring five or more victories. Of the 43,100 (90% of all losses) Soviet aircraft destroyed by Luftwaffe pilots during World War II, 24 thousand were accounted for by three hundred aces. More than 8,500 German fighter pilots were killed and 2,700 were missing or captured. 9,100 pilots were injured during combat missions.
Finland
Fighter pilot, warrant officer. In 1933 he received a private plane pilot's license, then graduated from the Finnish Aviation School and in 1937 began military service with the rank of sergeant. Initially he flew on a reconnaissance plane, and from 1938 - as a fighter pilot. Sergeant Juutilainen scored his first aerial victory on December 19, 1939, when he shot down a Soviet DB-3 bomber over the Karelian Isthmus with an FR-106 fighter. A few days later, in a battle over the northern shore of Lake Ladoga, an I-16 fighter was shot down. He is the most successful pilot to fly the Brewster fighter, with 35 victories. He also fought on the Bf.109 G-2 and Bf.109 G-6 fighters. In 1939-1944 he made 437 combat missions, shooting down 94 Soviet aircraft, two of which during the Soviet-Finnish war. He is one of four Finns twice awarded the Mannerheim Cross II class (and the only one among them who does not have an officer rank).
The second most successful Finnish pilot is Hans Henrik Wind, who flew 302 combat missions and scored 75 victories. 9 Finnish pilots, having completed from 200 to 440 sorties, shot down from 31 to 56 enemy aircraft. 39 pilots shot down from 10 to 30 aircraft. According to expert estimates, the Red Army Air Force lost 1,855 aircraft in air battles with Finnish fighters, 77% of which were Finnish aces.
Japan
Fighter Pilot, Jr. Lieutenant posthumously. In 1936 he entered the school of reservist pilots. He started the war on the Mitsubishi A5M fighter, then flew on the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. According to the recollections of contemporaries, both Japanese and American pilots, Nishizawa was distinguished by his incredible skill in piloting a fighter. He won his first victory on April 11, 1942 - he shot down an American P-39 Airacobra fighter. Over the next 72 hours he shot down 6 more enemy aircraft. On August 7, 1942, he shot down six Grumman F4F fighters on Guadalcanal. In 1943, Nishizawa chalked up 6 more downed planes. For his services, the command of the 11th Air Fleet awarded Nishizawa a combat sword with the inscription “For Military Valor.” In October 1944, covering kamikaze planes, he shot down his last 87th plane. Nishizawa died as a passenger on a transport plane while on a flight to pick up new aircraft. The pilot was posthumously given the posthumous name Bukai-in Kohan Giko Kyoshi, which translates as “In the ocean of war, one of the revered pilots, a revered person in Buddhism.”
The second most successful Japanese pilot is Iwamoto Tetsuzo (岩本徹三), who has 80 victories. 9 Japanese pilots shot down from 50 to 70 enemy aircraft, another 19 - from 30 to 50.
USSR
Fighter pilot, major on the day the war ended. He took his first steps in aviation in 1934 at a flying club, then graduated from the Chuguev Aviation Pilot School, where he served as an instructor. At the end of 1942 he was seconded to a fighter aviation regiment. From the spring of 1943 - on the Voronezh Front. In the first battle he was shot down, but managed to return to his airfield. Since the summer of 1943, with the rank of ml. The lieutenant was appointed deputy squadron commander. On the Kursk Bulge, during his 40th combat mission, he shot down his first plane, a Yu-87. The next day he shot down a second one, a few days later - 2 Bf-109 fighters. The first title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to Kozhedub (already a senior lieutenant) on February 4, 1944 for 146 combat missions and 20 downed enemy aircraft. From the spring of 1944 he fought on the La-5FN fighter, then on the La-7. Kozhedub was awarded the second Gold Star medal on August 19, 1944 for 256 combat missions and 48 downed enemy aircraft. By the end of the war, Ivan Kozhedub, by that time a guard major, made 330 sorties, in 120 air battles he shot down 64 enemy aircraft, including 17 Ju-87 dive bombers, 2 each Ju-88 and He-88 bombers. 111", 16 Bf-109 and 21 Fw-190 fighters, 3 Hs-129 attack aircraft and 1 Me-262 jet fighter. Kozhedub received the third Gold Star medal on August 18, 1945 for high military skill, personal courage and bravery shown on the war fronts. In addition, Kozhedub was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 7 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of the Red Star.
The second most successful Soviet pilot is Pokryshkin Alexander Ivanovich, who flew 650 combat missions, fought 156 battles and won 59 victories, for which he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union three times. In addition, 5 Soviet fighter pilots shot down over 50 enemy aircraft. 7 pilots shot down from 40 to 50 aircraft, 34 - from 30 to 40 aircraft. 800 pilots have between 16 and 30 victories. More than 5 thousand pilots destroyed 5 or more aircraft. Separately, it is worth noting the most successful female fighter - Lydia Litvyak, who scored 12 victories.
Romania
Fighter pilot, captain. In 1933, he became interested in aviation, created his own aviation school, was involved in aviation sports, and was the champion of Romania in aerobatics in 1939. By the beginning of the war, Cantacuzino had flown over two thousand hours, becoming an experienced pilot. In 1941, he served as a transport airline pilot, but soon voluntarily transferred to military aviation. As part of the 53rd Squadron of the 7th Fighter Group, equipped with British Hurricane fighters, Cantacuzino took part in battles on the Eastern Front. In December 1941 he was recalled from the front and demobilized. In April 1943, he was again mobilized into the same 7th Fighter Group, equipped with Bf.109 fighters, and fought on the Eastern Front, where in May he was appointed commander of the 58th Squadron with the rank of captain. He fought in Moldova and Southern Transylvania. He made 608 sorties, shot down 54 enemy aircraft, among which were Soviet, American, and German aircraft. Among Constantin Cantacuzino's awards were the Romanian Order of Michael the Brave and the German Iron Cross 1st class.
The second most successful Romanian pilot is Alexandru Şerbănescu, who flew 590 combat missions and shot down 44 enemy aircraft. Romanian Ion Milu flew 500 missions and scored 40 victories. 13 pilots shot down from 10 to 20 aircraft, and 4 - from 6 to 9. Almost all of them flew German fighters and shot down Allied aircraft.
Great Britain
In 1936, he joined a special South African battalion, and then entered a civilian flight school, after which he was sent to the Primary Flight School. In the spring of 1937, he mastered the Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter and a year later was sent to Egypt to defend the Suez Canal. In August 1940, he took part in the first air battle, in which he shot down his first plane, but was also shot down. A week later he shot down two more enemy aircraft. Taking part in the battles for Greece, where he fought on the Hawker Hurricane Mk I fighter, he shot down several Italian planes every day. Before the German invasion of Greece, Marmaduke had 28 aircraft shot down and commanded a squadron. Over the course of a month of fighting, the pilot brought the number of aircraft shot down to 51 and was shot down in an unequal battle. Awarded the Cross "For Distinguished Flying Merit".
The second most successful British pilot is James Edgar Johnson, who flew 515 combat missions and scored 34 victories. 25 British pilots shot down between 20 and 32 aircraft, 51 between 10 and 20.
Croatia
Fighter pilot, captain. After graduating from aviation school with the rank of junior lieutenant, he entered service in the Air Force of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After the creation of the Independent State of Croatia, he joined the Air Force of the newly formed state. In the summer of 1941, he underwent training in Germany and became part of the Croatian Air Legion. The first combat flight took place on October 29, 1942 in Kuban. In February 1944, Dukovac made his 250th mission, scoring 37 victories, for which he was awarded the German Cross in gold. That same year, during the fighting in Crimea, Dukovac won his 44th victory. On September 29, 1944, his Me.109 plane was shot down, and the Croatian ace was captured by the Soviets. For some time he worked as a flight instructor in the USSR Air Force, after which he was sent to the Yugoslav partisan army as the same instructor. In February 1945, the Yugoslavs learned that Dukovac had previously served in the Ustasha aviation and ordered his immediate arrest, but on August 8, 1945, he escaped to Italy and surrendered to the Americans, where he was registered as a Luftwaffe prisoner of war. In January 1946, he was released and went to Syria, where he participated in the Arab-Israeli War as part of the Syrian Air Force.
The second most successful Croatian pilot was Franjo Jal, who scored 16 aerial victories. 6 Croatian pilots shot down 10 to 14 aircraft.
USA
Fighter pilot, major. In 1941, Bong entered the military flight school, and upon graduation became an instructor pilot. Once at the front, he was in a training squadron until the end of 1942. In the first battle he shot down two Japanese planes at once. Within two weeks, Bong shot down three more planes. During the battles, he used a method of air attacks known as “air superiority tactics.” The method involved attacking from high altitude, heavy fire at close range, and a quick escape at high speed. Another tactical principle of the time was: "Never engage in close combat with a Zero." By the beginning of 1944, Bong had 20 downed aircraft and a Distinguished Service Cross to his personal account. In December 1944, with 40 victories earned in 200 combat missions, Bong received the Medal of Honor and returned from the front to serve as a test pilot. Killed while testing a jet fighter.
The second most successful American pilot is Thomas Buchanan McGuire, who shot down 38 enemy aircraft in the P-38 fighter. 25 American pilots had up to 20 downed aircraft. 205 had between 10 and 20 victories. It is noteworthy that all American aces achieved success in the Pacific Theater of Operations.
Hungary
Fighter pilot, lieutenant. After leaving school, at the age of 18 he volunteered to join the Royal Hungarian Air Force. Initially he served as a mechanic, and later underwent pilot training. As a fighter pilot, he took part in World War II operations in Hungary, flying an Italian Fiat CR.32 aircraft. From the summer of 1942 he fought on the Eastern Front. By the end of the war, he made 220 combat missions, never losing his aircraft, and shot down 34 enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class and many Hungarian medals. Died in a plane crash.
The second most successful Hungarian pilot is Debrody Gyorgy, who shot down 26 enemy aircraft in 204 combat missions. 10 pilots shot down from 10 to 25 aircraft, and 20 pilots from 5 to 10. Most of them flew German fighters and fought against the Allies.
Fighter pilot, lieutenant colonel. In 1937 he received a private pilot's license. After the surrender of France, in March 1942 he joined the Free French Air Force in Great Britain. After graduating from the English Air Force School RAF Cranwell with the rank of Air Sergeant, he was sent to the 341st Squadron RAF, where he began flying Supermarine Spitfire aircraft. Klostermann scored his first two victories in July 1943, destroying two Focke-Wulf 190s over France. From July to November 1944 he worked at the headquarters of the French Air Force. In December he returned to the front again, began flying in the 274th Squadron, received the rank of lieutenant and transferred to the Hawker Tempest aircraft. From April 1, 1945, Klosterman was commander of the 3rd Squadron, and from April 27 he commanded the entire 122nd Air Wing. During the war he made 432 combat missions, achieving 33 victories. He was awarded the Legion of Honor, the Order of Liberation and many medals.
The second most successful French pilot, Marcel Albert, who fought as part of the Normandy-Niemen fighter regiment on the Eastern Front, shot down 23 enemy aircraft. During the fighting, 96 pilots of this regiment flew 5,240 combat missions, conducted about 900 air battles, and won 273 victories.
Slovakia
After graduating from school, he studied at the flying club, then served in a fighter regiment. After the collapse of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, the regiment passed to the army of the Slovak state. From July 1941 he served on the Eastern Front as a reconnaissance aircraft on the Avia B-534 biplane. In 1942, Rezhnyak retrained to fly the Bf.109 fighter and fought in the Maykop area, where he shot down his first plane. Since the summer of 1943 he guarded the skies of Bratislava. During the war he shot down 32 enemy aircraft. He was awarded a number of orders and medals: German, Slovak and Croatian.
The second most successful Slovak pilot was Izidor Kovarik, who scored 29 victories in the Bf.109G fighter. Slovakian Jan Herthofer, using the same fighter, shot down 27 enemy aircraft. 5 pilots shot down from 10 to 19 aircraft, and another 9 - from 5 to 10 aircraft.
Canada
Fighter pilot, captain. After dropping out of school, Burling got a job transporting air cargo for mining companies, where he gained piloting experience as a co-pilot. In 1940 he enlisted in the RAF, where he was trained to fly the Spitfire fighter. Upon graduation, he was assigned as a sergeant to the 403rd Squadron. His lack of discipline and individuality, as well as his desire to fight, caused his fellow soldiers to dislike him. After some time, Beurling was transferred to No. 41 Squadron RAF, whose main tasks included convoy protection and operations over French territory. Beurling scored his first victory in May 1942, shooting down an Fw 190. A few days later, George shot down a second plane, for which he left the formation and left his leader without cover. This act aroused hostility from his comrades and dissatisfaction from his superiors. Therefore, at the first opportunity, Beurling transferred to the 249th squadron in Malta, to repel attacks on the island from the Air Force of the Third Reich and Italy. It was in Malta that Baz Beurling received the nickname "Madcap". On his first combat mission over Malta, Beurling shot down three enemy aircraft. Six months later, the pilot had 20 victories, a medal and a cross “For Distinguished Flying Achievement”. During the evacuation from Malta due to injury, the transport plane crashed and fell into the sea. Of the 19 passengers and crew, only three survived, incl. and the wounded Burling. The pilot did not have to fight again until the end of the war. He had 31 personal victories to his name. Died in the tenth accident of his flying career, while flying over a new Israeli aircraft.
The second most successful Canadian pilot was Vernon C. Woodward, who shot down 22 aircraft. 32 Canadian pilots shot down between 10 and 21 aircraft.
Australia
Fighter pilot, colonel. In 1938 he learned to fly at the New South Wales Aero Club. When World War II began, Clive joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). After training, he was sent to 73 Squadron RAF, where he flew the Hawker Hurricane fighter, and then retrained to fly the P-40 fighter. On his 30th combat mission, Clive achieved his first aerial victory. In the skies over Libya he fought with two of the most famous German aces in Africa. For defeating one and damaging the plane of another, he was awarded the Cross for Distinguished Flying Merit. On December 5, 1941, over Libya, Clive shot down 5 Ju-87 dive bombers within a few minutes. And three weeks later he shot down a German ace, who had 69 aerial victories. In the spring of 1942, Caldwell was recalled from North Africa. He had 22 victories in 550 flight hours in 300 combat missions. In the Pacific theater, Clive Caldwell commanded the 1st Fighter Wing, equipped with Supermarine Spitfires. While repelling raids on Darwin, he shot down a Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter and a Nakajima B5N bomber. In total, during the war years he shot down 28 enemy aircraft.
The second most successful Australian driver is Keith Truscott, who has 17 victories. 13 pilots shot down from 10 to 17 enemy aircraft.
In 1938 he joined the Royal Air Force of Great Britain, after which he was sent to the 54th Squadron RAF. He won his first aerial victory on May 25, 1940 - he shot down a German Bf.109. He was awarded the Cross for Distinguished Flying Achievement. At the end of the Battle of Britain, Colin had 14 personal victories. At the beginning of 1943 he was appointed squadron commander, then became wing commander. In 1944, Colin Gray was appointed commander of the 61st Army of the United Oceanic Union (OCU). Colin had 27 victories in more than 500 combat missions.
The second most successful New Zealand pilot was Alan Christopher Deere, who shot down 22 enemy aircraft. Three more pilots shot down 21 aircraft each. 16 pilots scored from 10 to 17 victories, 65 pilots shot down from 5 to 9 aircraft.
Italy
In 1937 he received a glider pilot's license, and in 1938 an airplane pilot's license. After completing a fighter pilot training course at an aviation school, he received the rank of sergeant and was assigned to the 366th Fighter Squadron. Teresio Martinoli scored his first aerial victory on June 13, 1940, flying Fiat CR.42 fighters, shooting down an English bomber over Tunisia. Until September 8, 1943, when Italy signed the unconditional surrender documents, the Italian ace had 276 combat missions and 22 victories, most of which were achieved in the C.202 Folgore. He died during a training flight while retraining for the American P-39 fighter. He was awarded the Gold Medal "For Military Valor" (posthumously) and twice the Silver Medal "For Military Valor". Also awarded the German Iron Cross 2nd class.
Three Italian pilots (Adriano Visconti, Leonardo Ferrulli and Franco Lucchini) shot down 21 aircraft each, 25 from 10 to 19, 97 from 5 to 9.
Poland
Fighter pilot, lieutenant colonel at the end of the war. He made his first acquaintance with aviation at a flying club. In 1935 he joined the Polish Army. In 1936-1938. Studied at the school of aviation custodians. Since the beginning of World War II, he participated in battles on the PZL P.11c fighter. In September 1939 he won four personal victories. In January 1940 he was sent to Great Britain for retraining. From August 1940, he took part in the Battle of Britain, flew a Hawker Hurricane fighter, was shot down, and promoted to captain. After mastering the Supermarine Spitfire fighter, he was appointed squadron commander. Since 1943 - wing commander. During the war, he made 321 combat missions and shot down 21 enemy aircraft. Awarded the Silver Cross and the Gold Cross of the Military Order "Virtuti Militari", the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Renaissance of Poland, the Grunwald Cross of the 3rd degree, the Cross of the Brave (four times), the Air Medal (four times), the Order of Distinguished Service (Great Britain), the Cross of Distinguished Service flying merits" (Great Britain, three times), etc.
The second most successful Polish driver is Witold Urbanowicz, who scored 18 victories. 5 Polish pilots scored between 11 and 17 aerial victories. 37 pilots shot down between 5 and 10 aircraft.
China
In 1931 he entered the Central Officers Academy. In 1934, he transferred to the Central Aviation School, graduating in 1936. He became a participant in the Sino-Japanese War, flying the Curtiss F11C Goshawk fighter, then the Soviet I-15 and I-16. He won 11 personal victories.
11 Chinese pilots scored between 5 and 8 victories during the war.
Bulgaria
In 1934 he entered the Higher Army School, becoming a cavalry officer. He continued his studies at the Military Aviation Academy in Sofia, from which he graduated in 1938, receiving the rank of second lieutenant. Then Stoyanov was sent for training to Germany, where he completed three courses - fighter pilot, instructor and fighter unit commander. He flew on the Bücker Bü 181, Arado, Focke-Wulf, Heinkel He51, Bf.109 and others. In 1939 he returned to Bulgaria and became an instructor at a fighter pilot school. In mid-1943, he was appointed squadron commander and scored his first aerial victory, shooting down an American B-24D bomber. In September 1944, Bulgaria went over to the side of the Anti-Hitler coalition and declared war on the Third Reich. Stoyanov was awarded the rank of captain of the Bulgarian Army and a little later, for successful actions against German troops in Macedonia and Kosovo, he was promoted to the rank of major. During the war he made 35 combat missions and won 5 air victories.
After reading the performance ratings of fighter pilots of the Second World War, the question arises about too large a spread in the numbers of victories won. If the low performance of pilots from small countries is quite explainable by the size of their air force and limited participation in combat operations, then the difference in downed aircraft among the main countries participating in the war (Britain, Germany, USSR, USA, Japan) requires careful analysis. This is what we will do now, paying attention only to the most important influencing factors.
So, Germany, in the ranking figures, has incredibly high performance. We will immediately discard the explanation for this by the unreliability of recording victories, which many researchers are guilty of, since only in Germany there was a coherent accounting system. At the same time, no system provided absolutely accurate accounting, because war is not exactly an accounting exercise. However, the statements that the “postscripts” reached 5-6 times the actual results are not true, since the data on enemy losses declared by Germany approximately corresponds to the data shown by this enemy. And the data on aircraft production by country does not allow one to freely fantasize. Some researchers cite various reports of military leaders as evidence of attributions, but bashfully keep silent about the fact that the records of victories and losses were kept in completely different documents. And in the reports, the enemy’s losses are always more than the real ones, and our own are always less.
It should also be noted that most (but not all) German pilots achieved their greatest results on the Eastern Front. In the Western Theater of Operations, the achievements were much more modest, and there were very few pilots who achieved record results there. Hence, there is an opinion that German aces shot down Soviet Ivans in batches due to their poor training and outdated aircraft. But on the Western Front, the pilots were better and the planes were newer, which is why they shot down few. This is only partly true, although it does not explain all the statistics. This pattern looks very simple. In 1941-1942. both the combat experience of German pilots, and the quality of the aircraft, and most importantly their quantity, were significantly superior to the Soviet Air Force. Already starting in 1943, the picture began to change dramatically. And by the end of the war, the Ivans were already shooting down the Krauts in batches. That is, in the Red Army the number of trained pilots and the number of aircraft clearly exceeded the German Air Force. Although the technology was still inferior to German. As a result, 5-7 moderately trained pilots in an average fighter could easily shoot down a German beginner in a “cool” plane. By the way, the same Stalinist tactics were also used in tank forces. As for the Western Front, the air war began only in the middle of 1944, when Germany no longer had a sufficient number of aircraft and good pilots. There was no one and nothing to shoot down the allies with. In addition, the tactics of mass raids (500-1000) aircraft (bombers with fighter cover) used by the Allies did not particularly allow German fighter pilots to “walk” in the sky. At first, the Allies lost 50-70 aircraft per raid, but as the Luftwaffe became thinner, the losses dropped to 20-30. At the end of the war, the German aces were content with only single aircraft that had been shot down and strayed from the “flock.” Only a few dared to approach the air “armada” within striking distance. Hence the low performance of German aces on the Western Front.
The next factor in the high performance of the Germans was the high intensity of combat sorties. The air force of no country even came close to the number of combat sorties carried out by the Germans. Both fighters, attack aircraft and bombers carried out 5-6 combat missions per day. In the Red Army - 1-2, and 3 is a heroic feat. The Allies made one sortie over several days, and in critical situations - 2 per day. Japanese pilots flew a little more intensively - 2-3 combat sorties per day. We could have done more, but the huge distances from the airfields to the battlefield took up time and energy. The explanation for such intensity of German flights lies not only in the selection of exclusively physically healthy pilots, but also in the organization of the flights themselves and air combat. The Germans placed their field airfields as close to the front as possible - at the distance of the range limit of long-range artillery. This means that a minimum of resources were spent on approaching the battlefield: fuel, time and physical strength. The Germans, unlike Soviet fighters, did not hang in the air for hours on patrol, but took off at the command of aircraft detection services. The radar guidance system of aircraft to the target, and their total radio coverage, allowed German pilots not only to quickly find the target, but also to take an advantageous position for battle. We should not forget that the control of almost any German aircraft was incredibly easier and incomparable with the Soviet one, where remarkable physical strength was required, and automation was not even a dream. There is nothing to compare German sights on cannons and machine guns with, hence the high accuracy in shooting. It should also be remembered that German pilots, under high loads, could freely use amphetamines (pervitin, isophane, benzedrine). As a result, pilots spent significantly less resources and effort on one combat mission, which made it possible to fly more often and with greater efficiency.
An important factor in effectiveness was the tactics used by the German command of fighter formations. Their high maneuverability in relocating them to the “hottest” spots of the entire Eastern Front allowed the Germans not only to situationally gain “superiority” in the air in a specific sector of the front, but also the opportunity for pilots to constantly participate in battles. The Soviet command tied fighter units to a specific section of the front, or at best to the entire length of the front line. And not a step from there. And the Soviet fighter pilot fought only when something happened in his sector of the front. Hence the number of combat sorties is 3-5 times less than German aces.
The Soviet tactics of using attack aircraft in small groups at the front line or near the enemy’s rear with little fighter cover was a welcome “food” for German fighters almost until the end of the war. Receiving information about such groups through warning systems, the Germans attacked such groups with entire squadrons, carried out one or two attacks, and left unharmed, without getting involved in a “dog dump”. And at this time, 3-5 Soviet aircraft were shot down.
It is also interesting that the Germans replenished their fighter squadrons directly at the front, i.e. without distracting the remaining pilots from combat operations. Until 1944, Soviet air regiments were withdrawn from the front almost every three months (up to 60% of the aircraft, and often the pilots, too) for reorganization and replenishment with the entire composition. And the combat pilots sat in the rear for 3-6 months along with the newcomers, testing out new cars and courting local young ladies instead of combat missions.
And a few words about free “hunters”. Free hunting is understood as a combat flight, usually of a pair of fighters, less often of two pairs, with the goal of detecting and shooting down an enemy aircraft, without “fettering” the pilots by any combat conditions (flight area, target, method of combat, etc.). Naturally, free hunting was allowed to experienced pilots who already had dozens of victories to their credit. In many cases, the aircraft of such pilots differed favorably from serial ones: they had reinforced engines and weapons, special retrofitting, high-quality service and fuel. Typically, the prey of free “hunters” were single targets (communication aircraft, stragglers, damaged or lost aircraft, transport aircraft, etc.). Hunters also “herded” enemy airfields, where they shot at planes on takeoff or landing, when they were practically helpless. As a rule, the “hunter” made one sudden attack and quickly left. If the “hunter” was not in danger, there were more attacks, including the shooting of the pilot or crew escaping by parachute. “Hunters” always attacked the weaker, whether in terms of the type of aircraft or the technical parameters of the vehicle, and never got involved in air battles with equals. As an example, we can cite the memories of German pilots who received a warning from ground services about the presence of danger. So, with the message “Pokryshkin in the air,” enemy planes, especially “hunters,” left the dangerous area in advance. Air duels between fighter pilots, such as those shown in the film “Only Old Men Go to Fight,” are nothing more than a fiction of the screenwriters. The pilots of no army would commit such extravagance, because suicides were quickly identified by doctors.
The Air Forces of all countries had free “hunters,” however, their effectiveness depended on the conditions prevailing at the front. Free hunting tactics are effective under three conditions: when the hunter’s vehicle is qualitatively superior to the enemy’s; when the pilot’s skill is above the average level of enemy pilots; when the density of enemy aircraft in a given sector of the front is sufficient for the random detection of single aircraft or the radar guidance system is operating on an enemy aircraft. Of all the armies that fought, only the Luftwaffe had such conditions, almost until the end of the war. The German “record holders,” especially those promoted by propaganda, did not hide the fact that they obtained a significant part of their “booty” from a free “hunt” when their safety was not threatened.
On the Soviet side, Kozhedub, Pokryshkin, and many other fighter pilots participated in the free “hunt.” And no one forbade them from doing this, as many researchers write, but the results of this hunt were often without trophies. They didn’t find any prey, they didn’t have the conditions of the Luftwaffe, and they burned the fuel and life of their vehicles. Therefore, most of the victories of Soviet pilots were achieved in group battles, and not in “hunting”.
Thus, the combination of a number of conditions provided the German aces with high performance in personal victories. On the opposing side, i.e. Soviet pilots did not have such conditions.
The pilots of Great Britain and the USA did not have such conditions. But for Japanese pilots, certain factors (not all like the Germans) contributed to achieving high results. And the first among them is the high concentration of enemy aircraft in specific sectors of the front, the excellent training of Japanese pilots, and the dominance at first of the technical capabilities of Japanese fighters over American ones. The incredible concentration of aircraft during the Soviet-Finnish war also contributed to the Finnish fighter pilots, who “crushed” a huge number of enemy aircraft on a small section of the front in a short period of time.
This conclusion is indirectly confirmed by data on the number of combat sorties per shot down enemy aircraft. For almost aces of all countries it is approximately the same (4-5), at least it does not differ significantly.
A few words about the importance of aces at the front. Approximately 80% of aircraft shot down during the war were accounted for by ace pilots, regardless of which theater of operations they fought in. Thousands of pilots have flown hundreds of combat missions without shooting down a single aircraft. Even more pilots died without their own personal account. And such survivability and effectiveness of aces was not always proportional to the number of hours spent in the air, although experience was not the least important in combat skill. The main role was played by the personality of the pilot, his physical and psychological qualities, talent and even such inexplicable concepts as luck, intuition and luck. They all thought and acted outside the box, avoiding templates and generally accepted norms. Often their discipline suffered and there were problems in relations with the command. In other words, these were special, unusual people, connected by invisible threads to the sky and the fighting machine. This explains their effectiveness in battles.
And lastly. The first three places in the ranking of aces were taken by pilots from countries that were defeated in the war. The winners occupy more modest places. Paradox? Not at all. After all, in the First World War, the German was the leader in the performance rating among fighters. And Germany lost the war. There are also explanations for this pattern, but they require detailed, thoughtful analysis, and not a cavalry charge. Try to solve the riddle yourself.
From all of the above it follows that simple explanations, such as those attributed to, or engaged in only free “hunting” and so on, etc., do not exist in such a complex mechanism as war. Everything is subject to analysis and sober reflection, without dividing into our good and your bad.
Based on materials from the sites: http://allaces.ru; https://ru.wikipedia.org; http://army-news.ru; https://topwar.ru.
Luftwaffe aces in World War II
Germany undoubtedly had the best fighter pilots of World War II. In both the East and West, Luftwaffe experts shot down Allied aircraft by the thousands.
During the First World War, both warring sides had fighter pilots and aces. Their personal exploits, like those of knights, provided a welcome contrast to the nameless bloodshed in the trenches.
Five enemy aircraft shot down was the threshold for being awarded ace status, although the scores of outstanding pilots were much higher.
In Germany, the pilot's personal account was requested each time before receiving the coveted "Pour le Merite" - the Empire's highest award for bravery, also known as the "Blue Max".
Pour le Merite - Blue Max the Empire's highest award for bravery
This award did not grace Hermann Goering's neck until 1918, when he had shot down more than 20 enemy aircraft. In total, 63 pilots were awarded the Blue Max during the First World War.
Hermann Goering on Blue Max's neck
Since 1939, Goering introduced the same system, when Hitler's best pilots competed for the Knight's Cross. Compared to the First World War, the threshold was increased several times, and the issue of awarding the highest categories of the Knight's Cross was submitted to Luftwaffe aces for outstanding victorious achievements. Thirty-five German aces shot down 150 or more Allied aircraft, the total score of the top ten experts is 2552 aircraft.
Knight's Crosses of the Third Reich 1939
Tactical advantage of Luftwaffe aces
The Luftwaffe had a head start over its opponents thanks to the Spanish Civil War. The Condor Legion included a significant number of future aces from the top ranks, including Werner Mölders, who shot down 14 Republic aircraft.
Combat practice in Spain forced the Luftwaffe to reject some tactics from the First World War and develop new ones. This constituted a huge advantage for Germany at the start of World War II.
Germany had the first-class Messerschmitt Me-109 fighter, but the Allied aircraft were at least as good, but remained faithful to the pre-war tactics of 1940. The squadrons stubbornly continued to fly in close formation of three aircraft, which required the pilots to concentrate their attention and strength to maintain building. They observed the sky mainly against the sun. German aircraft flew in loose pairs and groups of four known as swarms (schwam).
Werner Mölders with officers 1939
The British eventually copied this formation, calling it "four fingers" because the swarm consisted of two pairs arranged like the fingers of an outstretched hand.
A significant number of German pilots achieved impressive results in battles against Britain. Werner Mölders' personal tally was 13 aircraft shot down during the Battle of Britain and a further 22 aircraft shot down in the West before he was sent to Russia.
Werner Mölders was the most successful Luftwaffe ace of the Spanish Civil War. The first to receive the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, he had 115 victories and died in 1941.
Funeral of the German ace Werner Mölders 1941, Reichsmarshal Goering follows the coffin
After the Battle of Britain, victories by Luftwaffe pilots became rare. An opportunity arose in North Africa, and, starting in June 1941, in the “anti-Bolshevik crusade” launched in the East.
Major Helmud Wikk became the most successful ace when on the morning of November 28, 1940, he added another Spitfire downed to his total of 56 victories. But Wicca's record was soon surpassed. Hauptmann Hans Joachim Marseille ultimately shot down 158 aircraft, 151 of them over North Africa; he once shot down 17 RAF planes in one day!!! I just can't believe it.
Helmud Wikk the number of victories of the German ace is growing August 1940 Bf-109E4
Hans Jochim Marseille was the most successful pilot in the Western Theater and was given the title "Star of Africa" by the Nazi press.
Air war over the Reich.
Two years later, the main task of the Luftwaffe became the defense of its home. British heavy bombers attacked the Reich at night, while US bombers operated during the day. The night air war produced its own aces, and two of them could boast more than a hundred victories.
Daylight interceptions initially involved fighters attacking unescorted American bombers. But the bombers flew in close formation, so the fighters could be shot down by a daunting number of heavy machine guns. However, if it was possible to separate the bomber from the formation, then it could be destroyed with less risk.
The results of the attacks were formally scored according to the German "result system", showing the pilot's progress towards the highest awards for bravery. Destroying a four-engine bomber was worth 3 points, and separating one from the formation was worth 2 points. A shot down enemy fighter was worth 1 point.
Those who scored twelve points earned the German Cross in gold; for 40 points the Knight's Cross was given.
Oberleutnant Egon Mayer was the first to shoot down one hundred aircraft in the skies of Western Europe. He discovered that the best way to attack a formation of US bombers was to enter them head-on with little elevation gain. Only certain bomber machine guns could fire in that direction, and hitting a bomber's cockpit was a sure way to send the plane crashing to the ground.
But the speed of approach increased terribly; the fighter pilot had, at best, one second to move to the side, otherwise he could collide with his target. Eventually, the USAF added a machine gun turret forward under the fuselage of its B-17s, but Mayer's tactics remained in use until the end of the war.
The armament of some Focke-Wulf Fw-190s was increased to six 20 mm cannons, which gave them a chance to destroy the bomber on the first run. But as a result, the planes became slower and less maneuverable, requiring cover from American single-seat fighters.
The use of unguided R4M air-to-air missiles created a new tension between firepower and flight performance.
Note that a small part of the pilots accounted for a huge share of downed aircraft. At least 15 experts shot down 20 US four-engine bombers each, and three aces destroyed more than 30 aircraft each.
The appearance of American P-51 Mustangs over Berlin signaled the end of the war, although Goering did not acknowledge their existence, believing that he could drive them away.
Luftwaffe aces in World War II
In 1944, luck ran out for many experts. The Allied fighters were equal to, if not superior to, their German opponents, and there were many more of them.
Allied pilots were sent into battle after intensive training, while new Luftwaffe pilots entered combat with less and less training. Allied pilots reported a constant drop in the average skill level of their opponents, although engaging one of the experts was always considered an unexpected surprise. Such as the appearance of the Me-2b2 jet.
Continuation of watching Goering's Aces on different fronts
Our magazine in Nos. 7/96 and 4/97 talked about Soviet tank aces during the Great Patriotic War. What was the situation with the aces in the enemy camp?
Heavy tank Pz Kpfw VIH "Tiger", Normandy, 1944.
If you believe Western literature (the facts I presented below must, of course, be treated critically), the Wehrmacht's No. 1 tank ace is Michael Wittmann.
He began fighting on the Soviet-German front at the end of January 1943. But he managed to distinguish himself only during the Battle of Kursk. On the morning of July 5, 1943, in the Olkhovatka area, Pz Kpfw VIH "Tiger" tanks from the 13th company of the 1st tank regiment of the Adolf Hitler division, where Lieutenant Wittmann served, attacked the positions of the 15th and 81st Soviet rifle divisions. Wittmann's crew, together with another crew, destroys 2 anti-tank guns and 3 T-34 tanks. By noon of the same day, he knocks out 3 more "thirty-fours". By evening, he had 8 Soviet tanks and 6 anti-tank guns. On July 7 and 8, Wittmann will destroy 2 T-34s, 2 SU-122 self-propelled guns and 3 light tanks. He wins 2 victories over the “thirty-four” during the famous Battle of Prokhorov. Wittmann increased his combat score during the autumn battles for Kyiv in November 1943. On November 13, he burned 20 T-34 tanks. In the battles near Zhitomir - the SU-85 self-propelled gun and several other tanks, including those that were supplied to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease. On January 9, 1944, Wittmann disabled 6 T-34 tanks. On January 13, he chalked up another 19 tanks and 3 SU-76 self-propelled guns. On February 6, 1944, in a battle with tanks of the 5th Guards Tank Army, he destroyed 9 KB and T-34 tanks.
Pz Kpfw VIB "Tiger-2" moves to a combat position
In less than a year, Michael Wittmann brought the number of his victories to 117. In April 1944, he was transferred to Normandy, as the commander of a company of Tiger tanks in the 501st Tank Battalion of the 1st SS Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler". The first German tank ace conducted his most famous battle on June 13 of the same year near the village of Villiers-Bocage.
You can give a description of this battle by Michael Wittmann, which was included in Max Hastings’ book “Operation Overlord”: “...However, Nemesis had already raised its hand over the British in the form of a single German “Tiger”, commanded by Captain Michael Wittmann, commander of a group of five tanks of the 501st SS heavy tank battalion. On June 7, his company left Beauvais and, having suffered greatly from air raids on June 8 near Versailles, began to move only after dark, in order to reach the place where they were now located by June 12... Wittmann stood in the turret of his tank and carefully watched as the British column of tanks in Villers-Bocage calmly went about its business. “They act as if they had already won the war,” grumbled gunner Corporal Woll. Wittmann, who had already been hailed on the Eastern Front as the greatest tank ace of the war, coolly said: “Now we will show them that they are wrong.” As his Tiger roared forward to meet the tanks of the British 7th Armored Division, Wittmann began one of the most effective fights he fought in the entire war.
Attacking stationary targets, he sent shell after shell at tanks and vehicles almost point-blank, from very close ranges, and finally rammed another Cromwell, knocking it on its side as it blocked his entry to the main street of Villers-Bocage. There he destroyed three more tanks of the headquarters group; the fourth tank remained undamaged as the driver reversed it into the garden, unable to open fire on the Tiger due to the gunner remaining outside the vehicle. The commander of the Sherman from Company B, 30-year-old Londoner Sergeant Stan Lockwood, having heard the shooting that began nearby, carefully directed the tank around the building: ahead, about 200 m, Wittmann's Tiger, with its side facing him, was firing along the street. Lockwood's tank gunner fired four 17-pound shells at the Tiger. One of them hit the side of the tank, and smoke appeared above it, and then flames. This was followed by a return shot from the Tiger, which brought down half the building on the Sherman and completely collapsed it. While the British were freeing their car from the wreckage, the Germans disappeared. Having received only minor damage, Wittmann's "Tiger" managed to destroy the last "Cromwell" before leaving the scene of the massacre... Wittmann, during a merciless duel in 5 minutes, having crushed the advance detachment of the 7th Armored Division to smithereens, refueled his "Tiger", replenished ammunition and promptly joined the rest of the four "Tigers" and the German infantry. They attacked the surviving British troops in the area of the height with mark 213...”
It should be taken into account that Wittmann was opposed by tankmen of the selected 7th Armored Division of the British, who distinguished themselves during the battles in Africa. In just one battle with Wittmann's tanks, the British lost 24 tanks and 28 other armored units - for comparison, their losses over the previous two days of fighting amounted to only 4 tanks.
And yet the British managed to seriously damage his combat vehicle that day. The crew destroyed their tank and went to the area of the positions of the training tank company.
The barrel of this assault gun bears marks of victories in tank battles.
Michael Wittmann fought his last battle on August 8, 1944 against M4 Sherman tanks of the advancing 4th Canadian Tank Division. The crew knocked out two Shermans from the 1st squadron from 1800 meters. To break the attacking formation, Wittmann's tank rushed forward and the crew knocked out the third Sherman (the last enemy combat vehicle destroyed by the German ace), but immediately burst into flames itself, receiving five hits at close range. In total, Michael Wittmann has 138 tanks, 132 self-propelled guns and many other destroyed enemy military equipment.
There were other successful tank crews in the Wehrmacht. Thus, Lieutenant Otto Carius has 150 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns (according to other sources, 200 vehicles). In one battle he was able to hit 10 Soviet T-34 tanks. The Tiger crew, commanded by non-commissioned officer Muller, destroyed 25 Soviet vehicles in one of the battles near Narva, and the crew of Lieutenant Strauss destroyed 13.
The crew of the Pz Kpfw VG "Panther" tank on vacation
On January 12, 1943, the Soviet offensive began near Leningrad. The 1st company of the 502nd heavy tank battalion also took part in repelling the attacks of the advancing units. Four Tigers were included in the defense of the 96th Infantry Division. In the battles in the Shlisselburg area, Lieutenant Bodo von Hartel, with accurate shooting from the Tiger, destroyed 12 T-34/76 tanks, and Unterfeldwebel Bolter destroyed 5 T-34/76 tanks. The Tigers were a dangerous opponent not only for Soviet tanks, but also, as we saw, for Allied tanks. Thus, on July 22, 1944, while repelling an attack by American tanks, Corporal Rühring from the 504th heavy tank battalion destroyed 12 Shermans, and the remaining 11 tanks participating in the battle were abandoned by their crews in panic. During the battle for the Italian city of Anzio on February 24, 1944, platoon commander Lieutenant Zint from the 508th Heavy Battalion (armed with Pz Kpfw VIH Tiger tanks) knocked out 11 tanks, and Unterfeldwebel Hammerschmidt knocked out 6 Allied tanks.
Well, how did the crews of the more powerful German tanks, the Pz Kpfw VIB “Royal Tiger” (“Tiger-2”), perform? I will give several examples described in the literature. The result of the tank crew, commanded by Unterscharführer Karl Brohmann, was 66 tanks. 12 T-34/85 tanks and a SU-85 self-propelled gun were destroyed in the final battles of 1945 by the crew of Lieutenant Oberbach. And on April 6, the “Royal Tiger” of Unterfeldwebel Karcher shot 10 Soviet tanks. In the battles for Hungary, the “Royal Tigers” of Oberfeldwebel Neuhaus and Unterfeldwebel Kulenans destroyed 14 and 11 Soviet tanks, respectively.
Of course, “other predators from Hitler’s menagerie” also showed their claws. Thus, the commander of the Pz Kpfw VG “Panther” tank, Lieutenant Barkman, destroyed 60 tanks by the end of the war.
German self-propelled guns were also a dangerous enemy. SU "Nashorn" ("Rhinoceros") of Lieutenant Albert Ernst destroyed 33 Soviet tanks. The commander of the Sturmgeschutz III self-propelled gun, Kircher, knocked out 30 Soviet tanks in the battles for Volkhov. On January 17, 1942, Lieutenant Danmai destroyed 16 T-26 tanks and 3 KV tanks with his self-propelled gun. On May 10, 1943, during the battles on the Kursk Bulge, the crew of the Sturmgeschutz III self-propelled gun, commanded by Lieutenant Trispel, included 12 T-34/76 tanks. By the end of the war, the commander of the self-propelled gun, Oberleutnant Schubert, had 37 tanks destroyed.
AND NOW ABOUT THE NEXT. Is it worth writing about the aces of Hitler’s Panzerwaffe and their military achievements? I think it's worth it. And that's why. Yes, the soldiers of the Wehrmacht (soldiers of Hitler's Germany) walked through our land with fire and sword, they were, are and will be hated invaders for us. But we must also remember that in civilized countries they have always treated the enemy with respect in terms of his ability to fight. We must also remember that the German army was a professional army, and our soldier crushed it. We must remember that the German soldier fought competently and was well trained, but our army, at the cost of very heavy losses and efforts, managed to defeat the German military machine. And if today we emphasize the professional aspects of the enemy, we will in no way belittle the merits and skill of the Soviet soldier. Nothing compares to his feat during the Great Patriotic War. The military says - respect the enemy and you will win. The Wehrmacht soldier was smart, cunning and treacherous. And here we can say in the words of the poet Konstantin Simonov: Yes, the enemy was brave. The greater our glory!