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{{Short description|List of leading military aces}}
{{Original research|date=February 2021}}
{{Wiktionary|ace of aces}} {{Wiktionary|ace of aces}}
'''Ace of aces''' is a title accorded to the top active ] within a branch of service in a nation's military in time of war. The title is most closely associated with ], though there are other types, such as tank aces, and ].


'''Ace of aces''' is a title accorded to the top active ] within a branch of service in a nation's military in time of war.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} The title is most closely associated with ], though there are other types, such as tank aces and submarine aces.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
==Fighter Aces==

'''Ace of aces''' is a title accorded to the top ]/] of a nation's ] during time of war.
==Flying aces==
{|class=wikitable
{{Incomplete list|date=April 2009}}
|+Persons accorded the title ''Ace of aces''

'''Ace of aces''' is a title accorded to the top ] of a nation's ] during time of war.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

===World War I===
{{See also|Lists of World War I flying aces}}
The concept of aces emerged in 1915 during ].
{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! Person ! Person
! Country of service ! Country
! WWI years active
! War
! Overall years active
! Time
! Aerial victories
!
!Plane flown
!Notes
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|France}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|France}} ]
| 5 February 1915 – 31 August 1915
| ]
| 1907–1915
| 28 April 1915 – 31 August 1915
|6
| The first flying ace in aerial warfare history.<ref>Aviation History, "World's First Ace", '''Jon Guttman''', ''Volume 20, Number 3, January 2010'', pp.19</ref>
|] and ]
|-
| The first ] in history.{{sfnp|Franks|Bailey|2008|pp=201-202}}
| ]
| {{Flag icon|France}} ] (])
| ]
|
|
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|France}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|France}} ]
| September 1914 – 17 June 1916
| ]
| 1914–1919
| &ndash; 17&nbsp;June&nbsp;1916
|12
| On 17 June 1916, Navarre is shot down and then grounded for the rest of the war due to injury.<ref name=NYT-1917-09-27/>
|], ] and ]
| Wounded in action on 17 June 1916.<ref name=NYT-1917-09-27/>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|France}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|France}} ]
| 8 June 1915 – 11 September 1917
| ]
|1914–1917
| &ndash; 11&nbsp;September&nbsp;1917
|54
| <ref name=NYT-1917-09-27>New York Times, "Saw 40 Air Foes After Guynemer", ''Thursday 27 September 1917''</ref><ref name=WMAC-HSAE />
|], ], ] and ]
|<ref name=NYT-1917-09-27>''New York Times'', "Saw 40 Air Foes After Guynemer", Thursday 27 September 1917</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}<ref name=WMAC-HSAE>Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation, "Hispano-Suiza Aeronautical Engines", Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation, 1918</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|France}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|France}} ]
| July 1915 – 14 August 1918
| ]
| 1914–1918
| 11&nbsp;September&nbsp;1917 &ndash;
|43
| Succeeded Guynemer on his death.<ref name=WMAC-HSAE>Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation, "Hispano-Suiza Aeronautical Engines", '''Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation''', ''1918''</ref>
|], ], ] and ]
|
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|France}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|France}} ]
| May 1915 – 1 november 1918
| ]
|1914–1918
| &ndash; end of World War I
1937–1940
| All-time Allied Ace of Aces, with 75 confirmed aerial victories.<ref>Taylor & Francis, "The European Powers in the First World War", '''Spencer Tucker, Laura Matysek Wood, Justin D. Murphy''', ISBN 0815303998</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}} <ref>The Lowell Sun, "Record by French "Ace Of Aces" Never Equalled", '''Associated Press''', ''Friday 21 June 1918''</ref><ref name=Fonck>Doubleday, "Ace of Aces", ''']''', ''1967''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|75
|], ], ] and ]
| All-time Allied ace of aces, with 75 confirmed aerial victories.<ref>Taylor & Francis, "The European Powers in the First World War", '''Spencer Tucker, Laura Matysek Wood, Justin D. Murphy''', {{ISBN|0-8153-0399-8}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}<ref>The Lowell Sun, "Record by French "Ace Of Aces" Never Equalled", '''Associated Press''', ''Friday 21 June 1918''</ref><ref name=Fonck>Doubleday, "Ace of Aces", ''']''', ''1967''</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
| 15 August 1914 – 28 October 1916
| 1911–1916
|
|], ], ], ], ] and ]
|
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ] | {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
| February 1915 – 18 June 1916
| ]
| 1911–1916
| &ndash; 18&nbsp;June&nbsp;1916
|
| Before his death, Boelcke and Immelmann swapped the title several times.<ref>New York Times, "Immelmann Fell 6,000 Feet To Death", ''25 June 1916''</ref>
|] and ]
|
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ] | {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
|27 January 1915 – 23 September 1917
| ]
|1914–1917
| 18&nbsp;June&nbsp;1916 &ndash; 28&nbsp;October&nbsp;1916
|48
| Before the death of Immelmann, Boelcke and Immelmann swapped the title several times. Succeeded Immelmann on his death.<ref>New York Times, "A Talk With Boelcke On The Day Of His Death", ''Sunday 28 January 1917''</ref>
|], ], ], ], ]
|48 confirmed victories, tied with ].
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
| March 1917 – 10 August 1918
|1914–1918
|
|
|54 confirmed victories, third after Manfred von Richthofen and Ernst Udet.<ref>Osprey Publishing, "Richthofen's Circus", Greg VanWyngarden, 2005</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ] | {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
| 17 September 1916 – 21 April 1918
| ]
| &ndash; 21&nbsp;April&nbsp;1918 | 1911 - 1918
| 80
|Known as the Red Baron, his 80 victories made him the highest scoring ace of the First World War.
|- |
| The ace of aces Richthofen, also called "The Red Baron", achieved 80 air combat victories, the highest score in World War I.
| ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
| ]
| &ndash; 10&nbsp;August&nbsp;1918
| <ref>Osprey Publishing, "Richthofen's Circus", '''Greg VanWyngarden''', ''2005''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ] | {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
| ] | – end of World War I
|
| &ndash; end of World War I
|
| <ref>University of Nebraska Press, "Impossible missions?: German economic, military, and humanitarian efforts in Africa", '''Nina Berman''', ''2004''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|
|62 confirmed victories, second after Manfred von Richthofen<ref>University of Nebraska Press, "Impossible missions?: German economic, military, and humanitarian efforts in Africa", Nina Berman, 2004</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|UK}} ] | {{Flag icon|Canada|1921}} ]
| ] | August 1916 – end of World War I
|
| &ndash; 7&nbsp;May&nbsp;1917
|
| Was also the ace of aces and highest scoring ace for the Western allies.
|
| Credited with 60 victories, making him the second highest scoring Canadian ace of the war, behind ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.constable.ca/caah/colishaw.htm|title=Raymond Collishaw World War I Fighter Ace |last=|website=www.constable.ca|access-date=2021-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406101443/http://www.constable.ca/caah/colishaw.htm|archive-date=2016-04-06}}</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|New Zealand}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ]) | {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK|air force}} ])
| 2 December 1916 – 2 December 1917
| {{nowrap|]}}
|
| 1917
|
| Keith Park's ability as a fighter ace was overshadowed by his later successes as the commander of ] during the ] and commander of the air defence of ]. The Luftwaffe nicknamed him the "Defender of London".
|
| The first American ace. Fourteen victories.{{sfn|Franks|Bailey|2008|p=55}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|Canada|1868}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ]) | {{Flag icon|Canada|1921}} ]
| ] | April 1917 – end of World War I
|
| 8&nbsp;April&nbsp;1917 &ndash; 19&nbsp;June&nbsp;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.
|- |
| Credited with 72 victories, making him the top Canadian and British Empire ace of the war.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/billy-bishop|title=Billy Bishop Canada's finest Ace|last=veterans.gc.ca|website=veterans|date=23 January 2020|access-date=2021-05-25}}</ref> In 1917 he became the highest scoring ace in the RFC and the third top ace of the war, behind only the Red Baron and René Fonck.<ref>McCaffery 1960, p. 143.</ref>
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Canada|1868}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ])
| ]
| 1916 &ndash; 1918
| Raymond Collishaw was the highest scoring ] 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).
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|UK}} ]
| ]
| 12&nbsp;August&nbsp;1917 &ndash; 26&nbsp;July&nbsp;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.
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ]) | {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ])
| 2 December 1917 – 15 May 1918
| ]
|
| October&nbsp;1916 &ndash; 15&nbsp;May&nbsp;1918
|
| <ref name=NatGeo33>National Geographic Society, "Volume XXXIII", '''National Geographic Magazine''', 1918</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}<ref name=Rickenbacker>Stokes, , ''']''', ''1919'', (accessed 18 April 2009)</ref><ref>Osprey Publishing, "American Aces of World War I", '''Norman Franks''', ''2001'', ISBN 1841763756</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}} <ref>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''</ref>
|
| Succeeded Libby by scoring his 15th and 16th victories.{{sfn|Franks|Bailey|2008|pp=56-57}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ]) | {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ])
| 15&nbsp;May&nbsp;1918 – 18&nbsp;May&nbsp;1918
| {{nowrap|]}}
|
| 15&nbsp;May&nbsp;1918 &ndash; 18&nbsp;May&nbsp;1918
|
| Succeeded Lufbery on his death.<ref name=Rickenbacker/>
|
| Succeeded Lufbery on his death. Nine victories.<ref name=Rickenbacker>Stokes, , ], ''1919'', (accessed 18 April 2009)</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
|- |-
| ] |]
| {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ]) | {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ])
| 18 May 1918 – 12&nbsp;June&nbsp;1918
| ]
|
| 18 May 1918 &ndash; 12&nbsp;June&nbsp;1918
|
| Succeeded Baer on his death.<ref name=Rickenbacker/>
|
| Succeeded Baer on his death.<ref name=Rickenbacker/>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ]) | {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|France}} ])
| 12&nbsp;June&nbsp;1918 – 12&nbsp;September&nbsp;1918
| ]
|
| 12&nbsp;June&nbsp;1918 &ndash; 12&nbsp;September&nbsp;1918
|
| Succeeded Bayliss on his capture.<ref name=Rickenbacker/><ref>New York Times, "Putnam, American Ace, Killed Near St. Mihiel", '''Associated Press''', ''20 September 1918''</ref>
|
| Succeeded Bayliss on his capture.<ref name=Rickenbacker/>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}{{clarify|reason=?|date=July 2022}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
| 12&nbsp;September&nbsp;1918 – 29&nbsp;September&nbsp;1918
| ]
| &ndash; 29&nbsp;September&nbsp;1918
| |
|
|
| Succeeded Bayliss on his death.<ref name=Rickenbacker/>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}{{clarify|reason=?|date=July 2022}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
| ] | 29&nbsp;September&nbsp;1918 – end of World War I
|
| 29&nbsp;September&nbsp;1918 &ndash; end of World War I
|
| Succeeded Luke on his death. Was the US ace of aces for overall aerial victories<ref name=Rickenbacker/>
|
| Succeeded Luke on his death. Was the American ace of aces for overall aerial victories (26).<ref name=Rickenbacker/>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|New Zealand}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ]) | {{Flag icon|British India}} ]
| 1917–1918
| {{nowrap|]}}
|
| October&nbsp;1939 &ndash; May&nbsp;1940
|
| First RAF air ace of WWII during the ].
|
| India's most successful fighter pilot, with 12 kills (two shared). He remains the only Indian fighter ace to this day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/india/roy.php|title=Indra Lal Roy|website=www.theaerodrome.com}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2021|reason=theaerodrome.com is considered generally unreliable}}
|- |-
|}
| ]

| {{Flag icon|Czechoslovakia}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ])
| {{nowrap|]}} ===World War II===
{{See also|List of World War II flying aces}}
| September&nbsp;1940;
] had more aces than any other war.
| 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.
{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! Person
| ]
! Country
| <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ])
! WWII years active
| {{nowrap|]}}
! Overall years active
| September&nbsp;1940;
! Aerial victories
| The top British ace during the ] and along with ] credited with the highest number of Bf 109 kills during this period.
!Plane flown
!Notes
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|New Zealand}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ]) | {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| 19 September 1942-8 May 1945
| {{nowrap|]}}
|1940–1945
| September&nbsp;1940;
1956–1970
| 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.
|352
|]
| Hartmann is the highest scoring ace of all time, with 352 aerial victories, the first pilot to achieve 300 aerial victories (on 24 August 1944) and 350 aerial victories (on 17 April 1945)<ref name="Toliver & Constable p385,386">Toliver & Constable 1998, pp. 385, 386.</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{FIN}}
| {{Flag icon|Poland}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ])
| 1939–1944
| {{nowrap|]}}
|1932–1947
| September&nbsp;1940;
|94
| 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.
|], ] and ]
| The top scoring Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time. The top flying ace of the Finnish Air Force with 94 confirmed aerial combat victories<ref>"Keskinen, Kalevi; Stenman, Kari and Niska, Klaus. ''Hävittäjä-ässät (Finnish Fighter Aces)''. Espoo, Finland: Tietoteas, 1978. {{ISBN|951-9035-37-0}}.</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{UK}}
| {{Flag icon|Poland}} ] <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ])
| 4 August 1940– 20 April 1941
| {{nowrap|]}}
| 1936–1941
| September&nbsp;1940;
|50
| 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.
|] and ]
| Credited with 51 victories, making him the most successful South African Ace of the Second World War.
|- |-
| ]
| ]
| {{Flagcountry|South Africa|variant=1928}}
| {{Flag icon|UK}} ]
| 1939–1944
| {{nowrap|]}}
|1932–1946
| September&nbsp;1941-1945 &ndash;
| 30
| Top RAF ace of WWII.
|]
| Commanded Biggin Hill at the height of the Battle of Britain, shooting down Werner Molders. Credited with over 30 confirmed victories.
|- |-
| ]
| ]
| {{CAN}}
| 1940–1944
|1940–1944, 1948
|31
|] and ]
| Credited with 31 confirmed victories, making him the most successful Canadian ace of the Second World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://education.historicacanada.ca/en/tools/163|title=George "Buzz" Beurling|last=historicacanada.ca|website=historicacanada|access-date=2021-09-28}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{UK}}
|1941–1945
|1939–1966
|34
|]
| Highest scoring British ace of the war, with 34 confirmed kills.
|-
| ]
|{{USA}}
|19 January 1942–6 August 1945
|1941–1945
|40
|] and ]
|Top US flying ace of the war, credited with 40 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded the Medal of Honor.<ref>"Dick Bong: Ace Of Aces", '''General George C. Kenney''', 1960</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{USSR}}
| 6 July 1943 – 17 April 1945
|1940–1985
|64
| ] and ]
| Credited with 64 victories, Kozhedub is the ] of World War II. One of the few pilots to shoot down a ].<ref name="Polak p. 179.">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</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.erlib.com/Николай_Бодрихин/Советские_асы._Очерки_о_советских_летчиках/12/|title=Николай Бодрихин. Советские асы. Очерки о советских летчиках|website=www.erlib.com|language=RU}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ]) | {{USA}} <br/> ({{Flag icon|UK}} ])
| 16 April 1941 – June 1944
| {{nowrap|]}}
| 1934–1935
| August&nbsp;1941 &ndash;
1939–1973
| First American ace, First American to have a shot down another plane.<ref>"Fighter Pilot: The First American Ace of World War II", ''']'''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
| 12.5
|], ] and ]
| First US ace of the war, while flying with the RAF.<ref>"Fighter Pilot: The First American Ace of World War II", ]</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
|October 1942–1944
| ]
|1939–1955
|1942-1944
|26
| The U.S. Marine Corps' top ace, credited with 26 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor. <ref>The Telegraph (London), , ''2 January 2003'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>
|] and ]
|-
| Credited with 26 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded the Medal of Honor.<ref>The Telegraph (London), , 2 January 2003, (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
| ]
| {{USA}}
| ]
| 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
| {{USA}}
| ]
| 1944
| U.S. fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen credited with four confirmed downed aircraft and a share of a fifth. Recognized as the war's only African American ace pilot.
|
|-
| ]
| {{flag icon|Empire of Japan}} ]
| ]
| 1942-1944
| Japan's top navy fighter pilot ace, credited with at least 80 confirmed downed aircraft in the Pacific war.
|
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| 1 September 1939 – 22 November 1941
| ]
|1931–1941
| &ndash; 22&nbsp;November&nbsp;1941
| First pilot to achieve 100 aerial victories on 15 July 1941<ref>TIME, , ''21 December 1942'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref><ref name="Toliver & Constable p385">Toliver & Constable 1998, p. 385.</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (])
| ]
| |
|]
| First pilot to achieve 150 aerial victories<ref name="Toliver & Constable p385"/>
| <ref name="Toliver & Constable p385">Toliver & Constable 1998, p. 385.</ref>
|- |-
| ]
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| -26 November 1944
| ]
|1933-1944
|
|5
| First pilot to achieve 200 aerial victories<ref name="Toliver & Constable p385"/>
|]
| First aerial victory by a jet fighter and first jet ace in aviation history.<ref>Foreman & Harvey 1995, p. 81.</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (])
| ]
|
| First pilot to achieve 250 aerial victories<ref name="Toliver & Constable p385"/> Commanded one of the first Me 262 jet fighter squadrons.
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (])
| ]
| &ndash; 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<ref name="Toliver & Constable p385">Toliver & Constable 1998, pp. 385, 386. He later served in Federal Germany's air force, but resigned in protest of the adoption of a "]."</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (])
| ]
| 28&nbsp;October&nbsp;1944
| First jet ace in aviation history<ref>Foreman & Harvey 1995, p. 81.</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (])
| ]
| &ndash; end of World War II
| Highest scoring jet ace in aviation history<ref>Samuel 2004, p. 46.</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{USSR}}
| ]
|
| Highest scoring female ace in aviation history
|-
| ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
| August 1943–1945
| ]
|1943-1973
| 20&nbsp;May&nbsp;1951 &ndash;
|13
| First Jet ace for Jet-vs-Jet combat.<ref>National Museum of the USAF, , (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>
|] and ]
| Triple ace - Olds was the only pilot to "make ace" in both the P-38 (five victories) and the P-51 (eight victories) in the war.
|}

===Post-World War II era===
{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! Person
| ]
! Country
| {{USA}}
! Wars
| ]
! Years active
| &ndash; Friday 13&nbsp;March&nbsp;1953
!Aerial victories
| Was the ace of aces for Jet-vs-Jet combat.<ref name=TIME-23-Mar-1953 /><ref>TIME, , ''Monday 18 February 1952'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>
!Plane flown
!Notes
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
| ] | ]
| 1941–1975
| Friday 13&nbsp;March&nbsp;1953 &ndash;
| 13
| Was the ace of aces for Jet-vs-Jet combat. Succeeded Davis on his death.<ref name=TIME-23-Mar-1953>TIME, , ''Monday 23 March 1953'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref><ref>The Canberra Times, , ''16 March 1953'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>
|]
| Was the ace of aces for jet-vs-jet combat. Succeeded Davis on his death.<ref name=TIME-23-Mar-1953>TIME, , ''Monday 23 March 1953'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}<ref>The Canberra Times, , 16 March 1953, (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
| ] | ]
| 1940–1954
| &ndash; end of Korean War
| 15+
| Was the ace of aces for Jet-vs-Jet combat.<ref>TIME, , ''6 September 1954'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>
|]
| Was the ace of aces for jet-vs-jet combat.<ref>TIME, , ''6 September 1954'', (accessed 17 April 2009)</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|Pakistan}} ]
| {{USSR}} <br/> ({{DPRK}})
| ] | ]
| 1953–1982
| 29&nbsp;July&nbsp;1951 &ndash;
| 5
| First Jet-vs-Jet ace of the Korean War.
|]
|Muhammad Mahmood Alam is credited with having shot down five Indian aircraft in less than a minute, the last four within 30 seconds.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1663364/9-fifth-death-anniversary-war-hero-mm-alam-observed-today/|title=Fifth death anniversary of war hero MM Alam being observed today|date=18 March 2018|work=Express Tribune}}</ref>
|- |-
|]
| Randy ]
| {{Flag icon|Israel}} ]
| ]
| 1956–1997
| 17
|], ], ] and ]
| Credited with 17 victories, 16 against Egyptian jets, making Epstein the ace of aces of supersonic fighter jets and of the ].<ref>{{cite episode
|title=Desert Aces
|series=Dogfights
|series-link=Dogfights (TV series)
|url=http://www.history.com/minisites/dogfights/
|network=]
|airdate=2007-08-10
|season=2
|number=5
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010045635/http://www.history.com/minisites/dogfights/
|archive-date=2007-10-10
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_199812/ai_n8809020 |title=CBSi|website=findarticles.com|access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
| {{nowrap|]}} | {{nowrap|]}}
| 1967–1987
| |
|]
| First American ace of the Vietnam War.<ref>Texas A&M University Press, "Striving for air superiority: the Tactical Air Command in Vietnam", '''Craig C. Hannah''', ''2002'', ISBN 9781585441464</ref>
| First American ace of the Vietnam War.<ref>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}}</ref>
|- |-
| ]
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Vietnam}} ]
| {{nowrap|]}}
| 1961–2002
| 7-9
|] and ]
| From seven to nine victories on US-crewed aircraft, as well as two drones.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_245.shtml |title=Vietnamese Air-to-Air Victories, Part 1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130209163433/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_245.shtml |archive-date=2013-02-09 |url-status=dead |access-date=2019-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_246.shtml |title=Vietnamese Air-to-Air Victories, Part 2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304225827/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_246.shtml |archive-date=2013-03-04 |url-status=dead |access-date=2019-08-21}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Ethiopia}} ]
| {{nowrap|]}}
|
| 7
|]
| Ethiopia's most successful pilot, and the most successful ] pilot, with six or seven kills.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/which-is-better-the-f-5e-tiger-ii-or-the-mig-21-e92e5c5a1ef3|title=Which is Better, the F-5E Tiger II or the MiG-21?|first=War Is|last=Boring|date=August 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://borkena.com/2016/10/05/ethiopia-hero-air-force-general-passes-away/|title=Ethiopia : Hero Air Force General Passes Away|date=October 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geeskaafrika.com/air-force-hero-general-tefera-legese-dies-in-washington-dc/|title=Air Force hero General Tefera Legese dies in Washington, DC|website=www.geeskaafrika.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://aces.safarikovi.org/victories/ethiopia-1977-1978.html|title=Jan J. Safarik: Air Aces Home Page|website=aces.safarikovi.org}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Iran}} ] | {{Flag icon|Iran}} ]
| {{nowrap|]}} | {{nowrap|]}}
| 1967–2007
| 1980–1988
| 6-7
| Iran's most successful fighter pilot ever, with 12 claimed and 9 confirmed aerial victories. The most successful ] pilot.<ref></ref><ref>'''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat''' by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Osprey Publishing, pp. 23-24</ref>
|]
| <ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://1map.com/de/acigorg|title=Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group|website=1map.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cieldegloire.com/as_45_00_victoires.php |title=Conflits Israelo-Arabes : 1948 / 1982 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017182246/http://www.cieldegloire.com/as_45_00_victoires.php |archive-date=2013-10-17 |url-status=dead |access-date=2019-08-21}}</ref>
|- |-
| ]
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Pakistan}} ] | {{Flag icon|Iran}} ]
| {{nowrap|]}} | {{nowrap|]}}
| 1970–2001
| 1960–1982
| 11
| Pakistan's most successful fighter pilot with 9 confirmed kills and 2 probables.
|]
| Iran's most successful fighter pilot ever, with eight confirmed aerial victories. The most successful ] pilot.<ref>''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat'' by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Osprey Publishing, pp. 23–24</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iiaf.net/iiafmisc/announcements/announcements.html|title=IIAF - ANNOUNCEMENTS|website=www.iiaf.net}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}<ref name="Fire">{{Cite web |url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_214.shtml |title=Fire in the Hills: Iranian and Iraqi Battles of Autumn 1982, by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, Sept. 9, 2003 |access-date=2013-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822073723/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_214.shtml |archive-date=2014-08-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flagicon image|Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg}} ] | {{Flagicon image|Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg}} ]
| {{nowrap|]}} | {{nowrap|]}}
| 1977–1986
| 1980–1986
| 5
| Iraq's most successful fighter pilot ever, with 10 claimed and 4 confirmed aerial victories. The most successful ] pilot.<ref>'''Arab MiG-19 and MiG-21 Units in Combat''', by David Nicolle and Tom Cooper, (2004) Osprey Publishing, p.82</ref>
|] and ]
| Iraq's most successful fighter pilot ever, with five confirmed aerial victories. The most successful ] pilot.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_404.shtml |title=Iraqi Air-to-Air Victories since 1967 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805052018/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_404.shtml |archive-date=2013-08-05 |url-status=dead |access-date=2019-08-21}}</ref><ref>''Arab MiG-19 and MiG-21 Units in Combat'', by David Nicolle and Tom Cooper, (2004) Osprey Publishing, p.82</ref>

|}

=== 21st Century era ===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Person
! Country
! Wars
! Years active
!Aerial victories
!Plane flown
!Notes
|-
|]
|{{flag|Soviet Union}} {{flag|Ukraine}}
|]
|{{flag|Soviet Union}} 1989–1991
{{flag|Ukraine}} 1991–2018, 2022
|10
| ]
|One of the first fighter aces of the 21st century with more than 10 confirmed aerial victories.
|-
|]
|{{flag|Ukraine}}
|]
|
|10+
| ]
|On October 10, during a massive missile attack, he shot down two Russian cruise missiles. On October 12, he destroyed five Shahed 136 drones three in southern Ukraine and two over Vinnytsia, making him the first ace in a day in the 21st century and since 1st Lieutenant Oscar Perdomo, USAAF 475th FG, On 13 August 1945 who was the last individual to active the title. he was forced to eject from his MiG-29 aircraft after it was hit by debris from the last Shahed-136 that had shot down. Vadym ejected in Vinnytsia region, having previously diverted the fighter jet from the settlement. He was awarded the Hero of Ukraine award for his actions.
|-
| ]
| {{flag|Russia}}
| ]
* ]
| {{flag|Soviet Union}} 1981–1991<br>{{flag|Russia}} 2022
| 5
|]
| One of the first fighter aces of the 21st century with at least 5 confirmed aerial victories. He was shot down by an ] and died in the crash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/06/2/7350135/|title=Russia confirms flying ace killed in Ukraine|website=Ukrainska Pravda}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/russian-media-retired-russian-major-131900289.html|title=Russian media: retired Russian major general killed in skies over Ukraine|date=May 24, 2022|website=Yahoo News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aeroflap.com.br/en/russia-loses-its-captain-maverick-shot-down-while-attacking-targets-in-ukraine/|title=Russia loses its "Captain Maverick", shot down while attacking targets in Ukraine|first=Pedro|last=Viana|date=May 26, 2022|website=Aeroflap}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/05/24/russian-major-general-shot-down-over-ukraine-bbc-russian-a77788|title=Russian Major General Shot Down Over Ukraine – BBC Russian|first=The Moscow|last=Times|date=May 24, 2022|website=The Moscow Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mil.in.ua/en/news/ukrainian-paratroopers-have-probably-neutralized-the-infamous-russian-aviation-general/|title=Ukrainian paratroopers have probably neutralized the infamous Russian aviation general}}</ref> Some observers speculated that Botashev had been flying as a mercenary pilot for the ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.twz.com/63-year-old-retired-russian-fighter-pilot-shot-down-in-su-25-over-ukraine|title=63-Year-Old Retired Russian Fighter Pilot Shot Down In Su-25 Over Ukraine|first=Howard|last=Altman|date=May 24, 2022|website=The War Zone}}</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flag icon|Russia}} ]
|{{nowrap|]}}
]
|2016 to Present
|14+
|] and ] (since 2023)
|Shot down 12 Ukrainian aircraft (3 Su-24s, 3 Su-27s, 2 MiG-29s, 2 Mi-24s, and 2 Mi-14) and destroyed two Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, he is currently the highest scoring ace of the 21st century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Сизов Илья Андреевич |url=https://warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=32707 |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=warheroes.ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Подполковник Илья Сизов был удостоен высшей награды страны — звания Героя Российской Федерации — за совершённый подвиг в небе над островом Змеиный. |url=http://redstar.ru/potomstvennyj-lyotchik/ |website=Redstar.ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://russian-torturers.com/en/profile/1855|title=Sizov Ilya Andreevich|website=russian-torturers.com}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=July 2024}}
|-
|Lacie Hester
|{{USA}}
|]
|? to Present
|70
|]
|During the 2024 Iran-Israel conflict, particularly during the 1st phase in April, Captain Lacie Hester and Major Benjamin Coffey were both awarded the Silver star for their role in downing over 70 drones during this attack, making Hester the first United States Air Force woman to receive the Silver Star.{{Citation needed|reason=No source provided|date=December 2024}}
|- |-
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Israel}} ]
| {{nowrap|], ], ]}}
| 1956–1998
| Israel's most successful fighter pilot with 17 kills to his name as well as history's highest scoring supersonic jet ace.
|} |}
{{Expand list|date=April 2009}}


==Submarine aces== ==Submarine aces==
{{Incomplete list|date=April 2009}}
'''Ace of aces''' is a title accorded to the top ]/]/] of a nation's submarine force during time of war.

'''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.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
{|class=wikitable {|class=wikitable
|+Persons accorded the title ''ace of aces'' |+Persons accorded the title ''ace of aces''
|- |-
! Person ! Person
! Country of service ! Country
! War ! War
! Time ! Period
!Notes
!
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ] | {{Flag icon|German Empire}} ]
| ] | ]
| 1915–18
|
| <ref>Challenge Publications, "The U-Boat ACE of ACES", '''William H Langenberg''', ''2004''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}} |The commander of ''U-35'', Arnauld de la Perière sank a total of 194 merchant vessels and gunboats totaling 453,716 gross metric tons.<ref>Challenge Publications, "The U-Boat ACE of ACES", William H Langenberg, 2004</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.histomar.net/arnauld/htm/palmares.htm|title=Kapitänleutnant Lothar von Arnauld1 Coulés ou endommagés par U 35 - Sunk or damaged by U 35 |language=French|work=History Maritime}}</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| {{USA}}
| ] | ]
| 1933-1941
| &ndash; September&nbsp;1943
| "Der Stier von Scapa Flow" (''The Bull of Scapa Flow''), was the commander, of the U-boat, U-47. Prien was credited with sinking over 30 Allied ships totalling about 200,000 gross register tons (GRT), along with the British battleship HMS Royal Oak at anchor in the Home Fleet's anchorage, in Scapa Flow. He was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the first member of the Kriegsmarine to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.
| Died
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{USA}} | {{USA}}
| ] | ]
| &ndash; 25&nbsp;October&nbsp;1944 | 25&nbsp;October&nbsp;1944
| Was captured and made Prisoner of war.<ref>Sutton Publishing, "The Bravest Man", '''William Tuohy''', ''2001''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}} | Was captured and made Prisoner of war.<ref>Sutton Publishing, "The Bravest Man", William Tuohy, 2001</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
Line 364: Line 513:
| ] | ]
| |
| <ref name=Times-2009-4-20>The Times (London), , ''20 July 2007'' (accessed 2009 April 20)</ref> |<ref name=Times-2009-4-20>The Times (London), , 20 July 2007 (accessed 2009 April 20)</ref>
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{UK}} | {{UK}}
| ] | ]
| &ndash; 14&nbsp;April&nbsp;1942 | 14&nbsp;April&nbsp;1942
| Wanklyn was the British Ace of Aces in terms of tonnage.<ref name=Times-2009-4-20/><ref name=Uboat.net>{{cite web
| <ref name=Times-2009-4-20/><ref>Naval Institute Press, "Soldiers Lost at Sea", '''James E. Wise''', '''Scott Baron''', ''2003'', ISBN 9781591149668</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/commanders/2578.html
|title=Malcolm David Wanklyn VC, DSO, RN
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}<ref>Naval Institute Press, "Soldiers Lost at Sea", James E. Wise, Scott Baron, 2003, {{ISBN|978-1-59114-966-8}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|- |-
| ] |]
| {{UK}} | {{UK}}
| ] | ]
| &ndash; end of World War II | end of World War II
| Bryant was the British Ace of Aces.<ref name=Uboatnet2>{{cite web
| <ref>Bantam, "Submarine Commander", '''Rear Admiral Ben Bryant''', ''1960''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/commanders/387.html
|title=Benjamin Bryant DSO, DSC, RN
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
}}</ref><ref>Bantam, "Submarine Commander", Rear Admiral Ben Bryant, 1960</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|Japan|naval}} ] | {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| ] | ]
| |
| A ] ace.<ref>US Naval Institute Press, "Teddy Suhren: Ace of Aces: Memoirs of a U-boat Rebel", ''']''', {{ISBN|978-1-59114-851-7}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|
|- |-
| ]
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|Kingdom of Italy}} ]
| ] | ]
|
| &ndash; March&nbsp;1941
| The highest scoring Italian submarine commander, with 11 ships sunk for a total of 90,601 tons.<ref name="Giorgerini 2002 691">{{cite book|last=Giorgerini|first=Giorgio|title=Uomini sul fondo : storia del sommergibilismo italiano dalle origini a oggi|date=2002|publisher=Mondadori|location=Milano|isbn=8804505370|page=691}}</ref>
| Was captured and made a Prisoner of war by the Royal Navy.
|- |-
| ] | ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|Kingdom of Italy}} ]
| ] | ]
| |
| With 16 sinkings, he is credited with the most kills in the ], as well as the second most successful Italian submarine commander with 86,545 tons.<ref name="Giorgerini 2002 691"/>
| A ] ace.<ref>US Naval Institute Press, "Teddy Suhren: Ace of Aces: Memoirs of a U-boat Rebel", ''']''', ISBN 978-1591148517</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|-
|} |}

{{Expand list|date=April 2009}}


==Submarine hunters== ==Submarine hunters==
{{Incomplete list|date=June 2018}}
{|class=wikitable {|class=wikitable
|+Persons accorded the title ''ace of aces'' |+Persons accorded the title ''ace of aces'''''{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}'''
|- |-
! Person ! Person
! Country of service ! Country
! War ! War
! Time ! Period
! Notes
!
|- |-
| ]
| ]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) | {{Flag icon|UK}} ]
| ] | ]
| |
| Walker sank more U-boats (12 confirmed) during the Battle of the Atlantic than any other British or Allied commander.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersW.html#Walker_FJ|title = Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - W}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2018}}
| Credited with the sinking of 14 submarines<ref>Schaulen 2004, p. 148.</ref>
|} |}


== Tank aces ==
{{Expand list|date=December 2009}}
{{Incomplete list|date=April 2021}}


A "tank ace" or ] has been described by Historian Robert Kershaw as being the minority of tank commanders that accounted for the most destroyed enemy armor, saying it is roughly analogous with a flying ace.<ref>Kershaw, Robert. ''Tank Men: the Human Story of Tanks at War'', Hodder, p. 332.</ref>
==Tank aces==
{{Original research|date=April 2009}}
{| class="wikitable"
{{Expand Russian|Список танкистов-асов Второй мировой войны|List of tank aces of WWII|date=August 2010}}
{{Expand Russian|Танкист-ас|Tank ace|date=August 2010}}

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

{|class=wikitable
|+Persons accorded the title ''ace of aces''
|- |-
! Person ! Person
! Country of service ! Country
! War ! War
! Time ! Period
!Tanks destroyed
! Kill statistics
!Tank type crewed
!
!Notes
|- |-
| ] |]
|{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| {{USA}}
| ] |]
|1940 – 28 April 1945
| &ndash; 19&nbsp;September&nbsp;1944
|168
| 12 Tanks, 246 AFVs/trucks
|] and ]
| <ref> (accessed 22 April 2009)</ref>
|168 confirmed and 195 unconfirmed tank kills. He fought in nearly every type of German tank, working as a loader, gunner, or commander. He is credited with destroying a T-34 tank from 3,000 meters.
|- |-
| ] |]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) |{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| ] |]
|1940 – 7 May 1945
| &ndash; 8&nbsp;August&nbsp;1944
|150
| 138 Tanks, 132 Anti tank guns, unknown other.
|], various others
| A ] ace.<ref>], "Tank Tactics: From Normandy to Lorraine", '''Roman Johann Jarymowycz''', ''2001''</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}
|Credited with over 150 tank kills and 1 aircraft shot down, mostly in various Tiger tanks.<ref>George Forty "Tiger Tank Battalions in World War II" p. 103.</ref>
|- |-
| ] |]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) |{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| ] |]
| &ndash; 28&nbsp;April&nbsp;1945 |1940 28 April 1945
|139
| 168 tanks<ref name="Pg 125">Kurowski, Franz. Feldwebel Kurt Knispel. Flechsig, July 2007. ISBN 3-88189-734-8.
|]
Kurowski Pg 125</ref>
|Destroyed 139 enemy tanks, including 16 tanks in one action. Referenced in Wolfgang Schneider's "Tigers in Combat, Volume 1"<ref>Wolfgang Schneider "Tigers in Combat, Volume 1" 2004 page 81</ref>
| The top Panzer ace of the war.
|- |-
| ] |]
| {{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ] (]) |{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| ] |]
|1941 – 8 August 1944
| 28&nbsp;April&nbsp;1945 &ndash; end of World War II
|138
| 139 tanks
|] and ]
| The top surviving Panzer ace of the war who wasn't captured.
|Credited with over 138 tank kills<ref>Forty, George ''Tank Aces'' Sutton Publishing, 1977 p 108</ref>
|- |-
|]
| ]
|{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| {{CAN}}
| ] |]
| 5 July 1943 to 17 January 1944
| &ndash; end of World War II
| |129
|]
| Top aces of the western allies
|Awarded the Iron cross, commander of the assault gun battalion of SS-Das Reich<ref>Tucker-Jones,Anthony "Hitler's Panzers: The Complete History 1933â 1945", 2020 p 144</ref>
|- |-
| ] |]
|{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
| {{USSR}}
|]
|1941 – 3 May 1945
|113
|]
|SS obershafuehrer Credited with 113 tank kills<ref>Schneider, Wolfgang, "Tigers in Combat, Volume II,", 2020 p 275</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
|]
|1941 – ????
|111
|]
|Germany's WW2 top assault gun ace.<ref>Raymond Bagdonas, ''The Devil's General: The Life of Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz, ...,'', Casemate Publishers 2014</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flag icon|Nazi Germany}} ]
|]
|???? – 19 April 1945
|100
|]
|Feldwebel Albert Kerscher, a member of ''Schwere Panzer Abeteilung 502''. Credited with 100 tanks destroyed<ref>Wolfgang Schneider ''Tigers in Combat, Volume 1'' 2004 page 91</ref><ref>Traces of War Military Bio Resource https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/39707/Kerscher-Albert.htm</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flagicon|Israel}} ]
|]
|6 October 1973 – 25 October 1973
|60
|] (more specifically ])
|In total 60 tanks were accredited to him.<ref name="zstory">{{Cite web|url=http://www.jafi.org.il/education/actual/ykippur/4-6.html |title=Zvika's Story |access-date=20 August 2006 |publisher=The Department for Jewish Zionist Education |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040603162627/http://www.jafi.org.il/education/actual/ykippur/4-6.html |archive-date=June 3, 2004 }}</ref> Greengold himself claims 20 Syrian tanks over the space of holding his position for 20 hours. He changed tanks six times.<ref>Simon Dunstan, "British Battle Tanks: Post-war Tanks 1946–2016" - Page 108, 2020</ref><ref>{{Cite book| last = Rabinovich | first = Abraham | title = The Yom Kippur War | publisher = McGraw-Hill | location = New York | year = 2005 | isbn = 0-8052-1124-1 |page=164}}</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flagicon|USSR}} ]
|]
|1941
|52
|]
|Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko was a ] tank commander and ]. He was the highest scoring tank ace of the Allies during ]. Lavrinenko destroyed 52 tanks in just 2.5 months of fierce fighting in 1941.
|-
|]
|{{Flag icon|UK}} ]
|]
|1940 – 1943
|30
|]
|According to the 22nd November 1942 citation,<ref name="Bright 1945. page 308">Bright, Joan "The Ninth Queens Royal Lancer, 1939 - 1945." The Naval and Military Press page 308</ref> Corporal Nickolls, in a Sherman tank at El Alemain destroyed 14 tanks, including destroying 9 German tanks in one single engagement.<ref name="Bright 1945. page 308"/> He destroyed 30 tank during the entire North Africa campaign, making him the top tank ace of the United Kingdom and the top tank ace of the western Allies during World War II<ref>Bright, Joan "The Ninth Queens Royal Lancer, 1939 - 1945." The Naval and Military Press page 117</ref> Awarded the ] by ]<ref>The National archives catalogue "Recommendation for Award for Nicholls, Alfred Rank: Lance Corporal Service" https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7360171</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flagicon|USSR}} ]
|]
|1941
|25
|]
|Destroyed 22 tanks and 2 artillery pieces before running out of ammunition, while leading a unit of 5 KV-1Es in an ambush near Leningrad on 20 August 1941. His unit destroyed a total of 43 German tanks that day.<ref>"Monument to veteran of Great Patriotic War Zinoviy Kolobanov to be unveiled in Minsk". Belarusian Telegraph Agency. 7 September 2006. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2009.</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flagicon|Canada}} ]
|]
|October 1942 - end of World War II
|18
|]
|Credited with 18 tank kills and many other armoured vehicles, whilst in command of three Sherman tanks, named 'Caribou'.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rose|first=Larry|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/tank-ace-captain-radley-walters-began-stellar-career-at-normandy/article24093726/|title=Tank Ace began stellar career at Normandy|date=April 23, 2015|newspaper=]}}</ref> The tank squadron under his command may have been responsible for the death of German tank ace ].
|-
|]
|{{USA}}
|]
|27 June 1944 – 15 September 1944
|12
| ]
|Widely recognised as the American tank ace of aces, with 12 confirmed tank kills and 258 armoured vehicle kills, whilst in command of a Sherman tank.<ref>{{cite book|title=Tank Aces: From Blitzkrieg to the Gulf War|last1=Forty|first1=George|date=1997|publisher=Motorbooks Intl|isbn=0750914475}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Woolner|first1=Frank|date=September 22, 1944|title=THE TEXAS TANKER|url=http://www.3ad.org/wwii_heroes/pool_lafayette/pool_texas_tanker.htm|journal=YANK Magazine|access-date=10 March 2017}}</ref>
|-
|]
|{{Flagicon|Finland}} ]
| ] | ]
|1943 – 1944
| &ndash; 1941
| |11
| ]
| The top Allied tank ace of the war
|Recognised as the Finnish tank ace of aces, with 11 confirmed and 4 unconfirmed tank kills during ]. Brotell’s role during ] was decisive and his ] destroyed multiple enemy tanks which had achieved a breakthrough.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brantberg |first=Robert |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58273901 |title=Sotasankarit. 21 suomalaisen sotasankarin elämäntarina |publisher=Revontuli |others=Gummerus |year=2000 |isbn=952-5170-11-X |edition=1st |location= |pages=9–19 |language=fi |oclc=58273901}}</ref>
|- |-
|]
|{{Flagicon|India}} ]
|] ]
|9 December 1971 - 16 December 1971
|10
|]
|Indian tank ace. Personally responsible for destroying 10 tanks before he was killed in action in ]<ref name=PVC>{{citation|url=http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmPhotoGalleryWithMenuWithTitle.aspx?MnId=NCvnix4zLfQhf90l3OuEBw%3d%3d&ParentID=1tHir3NYQjroCJ9AgypEwg%3d%3d|access-date=28 August 2014|title=The Param Vir Chakra Winners (PVC) |publisher=Official Website of the Indian Army}} "Profile" and "Citation" tabs.</ref>
|-
|]
|{{flag icon|Poland}}]
|]
|1 September 1939 - 28 September 1939
|10 (official)
|]
|Polish "tank ace of aces". During the ] by ] in September 1939 he claimed to have destroyed ten German tanks, including one ], the largest tank then fielded by Germany, with a 2.6 tonne ] ] armed with a ]. The unofficial claim is that he destroyed 13 tanks, although this has not been confirmed by any trustworthy sources to date.
|-
|{{interlanguage link|Ervin Tarczay|hu|Tarczay Ervin}}
|{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Hungary (1920-46)}}
| ]
|January 1943 – 18 March 1945
|10
| ], ], ] and ]
|10 confirmed and 15 unconfirmed tank kills during ].<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=2309 |date= 9 December 2010|access-date=22 October 2024|title=Föhadnagy Ervin Tarczay |publisher=Battlefront Miniatures NZ Ltd}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://indierockclimber.blogspot.com/2014/08/ervin-tarczay-hungarian-tank-ace.html |date=27 August 2014 |access-date=22 October 2024|title=Bolt Action - Ervin Tarczay, Hungarian Tank Ace |first = Steven |last= Labels|publisher= WWPD.}}</ref>
On March 15, 1945 he was knighted and took medical leave. He returned to service quickly and was offically declared missing in action on March 18 1945, after having been left behind while wounded in ].<ref>{{citation|url= http://szentkoronaradio.com/kultura/2010_03_31_az-orosz-pancelosok-magyar-vadasza|access-date=22 October 2024|title=Az orosz páncélosok magyar vadásza|publisher=Szent Korona Radio |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111020060332/http://szentkoronaradio.com/kultura/2010_03_31_az-orosz-pancelosok-magyar-vadasza |archive-date=20 October 2011}}</ref>
|} |}


==See also==
{{Expand list|date=April 2009}}
*]


==References== ==References==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|2}} {{Reflist|2}}


== General and cited references ==
==Bibliography==
===World War I sources===
* {{cite book
|last1=Franks
|first1=Norman
|author-link1=Norman Franks
|last2=Bailey
|first2=Frank
|year=2008
|title=Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918
|publisher=Grub Street Publishing
|location=London, UK
|isbn=978-0-948817-54-0
}}
* {{cite book
|last1=Franks
|first1=Norman
|author-link1=Norman Franks
|last2=Bailey
|first2=Frank
|last3=Guest
|first3=Russell
|year=2008
|title=Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914–1918
|publisher=Grub Street Publishing
|location=London, UK
|isbn=978-0-948817-73-1
}}

=== Later wars ===
*
* {{citation|surname=Foreman|given=John|surname2=Harvey|given2=S.E.|title=Messerschmitt Combat Diary Me.262|publisher=Crecy Publishing Ltd|year=1995|isbn=1-871187-30-3}}. * {{citation|surname=Foreman|given=John|surname2=Harvey|given2=S.E.|title=Messerschmitt Combat Diary Me.262|publisher=Crecy Publishing Ltd|year=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. * Toliver, Raymond F. and ] (1998). ''Die deutschen Jagdflieger-Asse 1939 1945''. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. {{ISBN|3-87943-193-0}}.
* Samuel, Wolfgang W.E. (2004). ''American Raiders &mdash; The Race to Capture the Luftwaffe's Secrets''. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1578066492. * 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==
{{Lists of flying aces}} {{Lists of flying aces}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Aces Of Aces}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Aces Of Aces}}
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Latest revision as of 05:06, 3 January 2025

List of leading military aces
This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (February 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

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.

Flying aces

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2009)

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

World War I

See also: Lists of World War I flying aces

The concept of aces emerged in 1915 during World War I.

Person Country WWI years active Overall years active Aerial victories Plane flown Notes
Adolphe Pégoud France French Third Republic 5 February 1915 – 31 August 1915 1907–1915 6 Maurice Farman and Morane-Saulnier The first flying ace in history.
Jean Navarre France French Third Republic September 1914 – 17 June 1916 1914–1919 12 Nieuport 11, Nieuport 16 and Morane-Saulnier L Wounded in action on 17 June 1916.
Georges Guynemer France French Third Republic 8 June 1915 – 11 September 1917 1914–1917 54 Morane-Saulnier L, Spad VII, SPAD XII and SPAD XIII
Charles Nungesser France French Third Republic July 1915 – 14 August 1918 1914–1918 43 Voisin 3, Nieuport 17, Nieuport 25 and SPAD XIII
René Fonck France French Third Republic May 1915 – 1 november 1918 1914–1918

1937–1940

75 Caudron G III, SPAD VII, SPAD XII and SPAD XIII All-time Allied ace of aces, with 75 confirmed aerial victories.
Oswald Boelcke German Empire German Empire 15 August 1914 – 28 October 1916 1911–1916 Fokker E.I, Fokker E.III, Fokker E.IV, Fokker D.III, Albatros D.I and Albatros D.II
Max Immelmann German Empire German Empire February 1915 – 18 June 1916 1911–1916 Fokker E.I and Fokker E.IV
Werner Voss German Empire German Empire 27 January 1915 – 23 September 1917 1914–1917 48 Albatros D.III, Fokker Dr.I, Pfalz D.III, Pfalz Dr.I, Albatros D.V 48 confirmed victories, tied with Josef Jacobs.
Erich Loewenhardt German Empire German Empire March 1917 – 10 August 1918 1914–1918 54 confirmed victories, third after Manfred von Richthofen and Ernst Udet.
Manfred von Richthofen German Empire German Empire 17 September 1916 – 21 April 1918 1911 - 1918 80 The ace of aces Richthofen, also called "The Red Baron", achieved 80 air combat victories, the highest score in World War I.
Ernst Udet German Empire German Empire – end of World War I 62 confirmed victories, second after Manfred von Richthofen
Raymond Collishaw Canada Dominion of Canada August 1916 – end of World War I Credited with 60 victories, making him the second highest scoring Canadian ace of the war, behind Billy Bishop.
Frederick Libby  United States
(United Kingdom RAF)
2 December 1916 – 2 December 1917 The first American ace. Fourteen victories.
Billy Bishop Canada Dominion of Canada April 1917 – end of World War I Credited with 72 victories, making him the top Canadian and British Empire ace of the war. In 1917 he became the highest scoring ace in the RFC and the third top ace of the war, behind only the Red Baron and René Fonck.
Raoul Lufbery  United States
(France Armée de l'air)
2 December 1917 – 15 May 1918 Succeeded Libby by scoring his 15th and 16th victories.
Paul Frank Baer  United States
(France Armée de l'air)
15 May 1918 – 18 May 1918 Succeeded Lufbery on his death. Nine victories.
Frank Leaman Baylies  United States
(France Armée de l'air)
18 May 1918 – 12 June 1918 Succeeded Baer on his death.
David E. Putnam  United States
(France Armée de l'air)
12 June 1918 – 12 September 1918 Succeeded Bayliss on his capture.
Frank Luke  United States 12 September 1918 – 29 September 1918 Succeeded Bayliss on his death.
Eddie Rickenbacker  United States 29 September 1918 – end of World War I Succeeded Luke on his death. Was the American ace of aces for overall aerial victories (26).
Indra Lal Roy British Raj British India 1917–1918 India's most successful fighter pilot, with 12 kills (two shared). He remains the only Indian fighter ace to this day.

World War II

See also: List of World War II flying aces

World War II had more aces than any other war.

Person Country WWII years active Overall years active Aerial victories Plane flown Notes
Erich Hartmann Nazi Germany Nazi Germany 19 September 1942-8 May 1945 1940–1945

1956–1970

352 Bf 109 Hartmann is the highest scoring ace of all time, with 352 aerial victories, the first pilot to achieve 300 aerial victories (on 24 August 1944) and 350 aerial victories (on 17 April 1945)
Ilmari Juutilainen  Finland 1939–1944 1932–1947 94 Fokker D.XXI, Brewster Buffalo and Bf 109 The top scoring Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time. The top flying ace of the Finnish Air Force with 94 confirmed aerial combat victories
Pat Pattle  United Kingdom 4 August 1940– 20 April 1941 1936–1941 50 Hurricanes and Gladiators Credited with 51 victories, making him the most successful South African Ace of the Second World War.
Sailor Malan  South Africa 1939–1944 1932–1946 30 Spitfire Commanded Biggin Hill at the height of the Battle of Britain, shooting down Werner Molders. Credited with over 30 confirmed victories.
George 'Buzz' Beurling  Canada 1940–1944 1940–1944, 1948 31 Spitfire and P-51 Mustangs Credited with 31 confirmed victories, making him the most successful Canadian ace of the Second World War.
James Edgar 'Johnnie' Johnson  United Kingdom 1941–1945 1939–1966 34 Spitfire Highest scoring British ace of the war, with 34 confirmed kills.
Richard Bong  United States 19 January 1942–6 August 1945 1941–1945 40 P-38 Lightning and P-80 Shooting Star Top US flying ace of the war, credited with 40 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded the Medal of Honor.
Ivan Kozhedub  Soviet Union 6 July 1943 – 17 April 1945 1940–1985 64 La-5 and La-7 Credited with 64 victories, Kozhedub is the top scoring Allied ace of World War II. One of the few pilots to shoot down a Messerschmitt Me 262.
William R. Dunn  United States
(United Kingdom Eagle Squadron)
16 April 1941 – June 1944 1934–1935

1939–1973

12.5 Spitfire, Hurricanes and P-47 Thunderbolt First US ace of the war, while flying with the RAF.
Joe Foss  United States October 1942–1944 1939–1955 26 F4U Corsair and F4F Wildcat Credited with 26 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded the Medal of Honor.
Werner Mölders Nazi Germany Nazi Germany 1 September 1939 – 22 November 1941 1931–1941 Bf 109
Alfred Schreiber Nazi Germany Nazi Germany -26 November 1944 1933-1944 5 Messerschmitt Me 262 First aerial victory by a jet fighter and first jet ace in aviation history.
Robin Olds  United States August 1943–1945 1943-1973 13 P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang Triple ace - Olds was the only pilot to "make ace" in both the P-38 (five victories) and the P-51 (eight victories) in the war.

Post-World War II era

Person Country Wars Years active Aerial victories Plane flown Notes
Royal N. Baker  United States Korean War 1941–1975 13 F-86 Sabre Was the ace of aces for jet-vs-jet combat. Succeeded Davis on his death.
Joseph C. McConnell  United States Korean War 1940–1954 15+ F-86 Sabre Was the ace of aces for jet-vs-jet combat.
Muhammad Mahmood Alam Pakistan Pakistan Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 1953–1982 5 F-86 Sabre Muhammad Mahmood Alam is credited with having shot down five Indian aircraft in less than a minute, the last four within 30 seconds.
Giora Even Epstein Israel Israel Six-Day War 1956–1997 17 Mirage III, Mirage 5, Kfir and F-16 Credited with 17 victories, 16 against Egyptian jets, making Epstein the ace of aces of supersonic fighter jets and of the Israeli Air Force.
Randy H. Cunningham  United States Vietnam War 1967–1987 F-4 Phantom II First American ace of the Vietnam War.
Nguyen Van Coc Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Vietnam War 1961–2002 7-9 MiG-17 and MiG-21 From seven to nine victories on US-crewed aircraft, as well as two drones.
Legesse Tefera Ethiopia Ethiopia Ogaden War 7 Northrop F-5 Ethiopia's most successful pilot, and the most successful Northrop F-5 pilot, with six or seven kills.
Shahram Rostami Iran Iran Iran–Iraq War 1967–2007 6-7 F-14 Tomcat
Jalil Zandi Iran Iran Iran–Iraq War 1970–2001 11 F-14 Tomcat Iran's most successful fighter pilot ever, with eight confirmed aerial victories. The most successful F-14 Tomcat pilot.
Mohommed "Sky Falcon" Rayyan Iraq Iran–Iraq War 1977–1986 5 MiG-21 and MiG-25 Iraq's most successful fighter pilot ever, with five confirmed aerial victories. The most successful MiG-25 pilot.

21st Century era

Person Country Wars Years active Aerial victories Plane flown Notes
Oleksandr "Grey Wolf" Oksanchenko  Soviet Union  Ukraine Russian invasion of Ukraine  Soviet Union 1989–1991

 Ukraine 1991–2018, 2022

10 Sukhoi Su-27 One of the first fighter aces of the 21st century with more than 10 confirmed aerial victories.

Vadym "Karaya" & "Ghost of Vinnytsia" Voroshylov  Ukraine Russian invasion of Ukraine 10+ Mikoyan MiG-29 On October 10, during a massive missile attack, he shot down two Russian cruise missiles. On October 12, he destroyed five Shahed 136 drones three in southern Ukraine and two over Vinnytsia, making him the first ace in a day in the 21st century and since 1st Lieutenant Oscar Perdomo, USAAF 475th FG, On 13 August 1945 who was the last individual to active the title. he was forced to eject from his MiG-29 aircraft after it was hit by debris from the last Shahed-136 that had shot down. Vadym ejected in Vinnytsia region, having previously diverted the fighter jet from the settlement. He was awarded the Hero of Ukraine award for his actions.

Kanamat Botashev  Russia Russian invasion of Ukraine  Soviet Union 1981–1991
 Russia 2022
5 Sukhoi Su-25 One of the first fighter aces of the 21st century with at least 5 confirmed aerial victories. He was shot down by an FIM-92 Stinger and died in the crash. Some observers speculated that Botashev had been flying as a mercenary pilot for the Wagner Group.
Ilya Andreevich Sizov Russia Russia Russo-Ukrainian War

Russian invasion of Ukraine

2016 to Present 14+ Sukhoi Su-30SM and Sukhoi Su-57 (since 2023) Shot down 12 Ukrainian aircraft (3 Su-24s, 3 Su-27s, 2 MiG-29s, 2 Mi-24s, and 2 Mi-14) and destroyed two Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, he is currently the highest scoring ace of the 21st century.
Lacie Hester  United States 2024 Iran–Israel conflict ? to Present 70 McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle During the 2024 Iran-Israel conflict, particularly during the 1st phase in April, Captain Lacie Hester and Major Benjamin Coffey were both awarded the Silver star for their role in downing over 70 drones during this attack, making Hester the first United States Air Force woman to receive the Silver Star.

Submarine aces

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2009)

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 War Period Notes
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière German Empire Imperial Germany World War I 1915–18 The commander of U-35, Arnauld de la Perière sank a total of 194 merchant vessels and gunboats totaling 453,716 gross metric tons.
Günther Prien Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 1933-1941 "Der Stier von Scapa Flow" (The Bull of Scapa Flow), was the commander, of the U-boat, U-47. Prien was credited with sinking over 30 Allied ships totalling about 200,000 gross register tons (GRT), along with the British battleship HMS Royal Oak at anchor in the Home Fleet's anchorage, in Scapa Flow. He was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the first member of the Kriegsmarine to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.
Dick O'Kane  United States World War II – 25 October 1944 Was captured and made Prisoner of war.
Eugene Fluckey  United States World War II
Malcolm David Wanklyn  United Kingdom World War II – 14 April 1942 Wanklyn was the British Ace of Aces in terms of tonnage.
Benjamin Bryant  United Kingdom World War II – end of World War II Bryant was the British Ace of Aces.
Reinhard Suhren Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II A U-boat ace.
Gianfranco Gazzana-Priaroggia Kingdom of Italy Italy World War II The highest scoring Italian submarine commander, with 11 ships sunk for a total of 90,601 tons.
Carlo Fecia di Cossato Kingdom of Italy Italy World War II With 16 sinkings, he is credited with the most kills in the Regia Marina, as well as the second most successful Italian submarine commander with 86,545 tons.

Submarine hunters

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (June 2018)
Persons accorded the title ace of aces
Person Country War Period Notes
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.

Tank aces

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2021)

A "tank ace" or Panzer ace has been described by Historian Robert Kershaw as being the minority of tank commanders that accounted for the most destroyed enemy armor, saying it is roughly analogous with a flying ace.

Person Country War Period Tanks destroyed Tank type crewed Notes
Kurt Knispel Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 1940 – 28 April 1945 168 Tiger I and Tiger II 168 confirmed and 195 unconfirmed tank kills. He fought in nearly every type of German tank, working as a loader, gunner, or commander. He is credited with destroying a T-34 tank from 3,000 meters.
Otto Carius Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 1940 – 7 May 1945 150 Tiger I, various others Credited with over 150 tank kills and 1 aircraft shot down, mostly in various Tiger tanks.
Johannes Bölter Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 1940 – 28 April 1945 139 Tiger I Destroyed 139 enemy tanks, including 16 tanks in one action. Referenced in Wolfgang Schneider's "Tigers in Combat, Volume 1"
Michael Wittmann Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 1941 – 8 August 1944 138 Tiger I and Sturmgeschütz III Credited with over 138 tank kills
Walter KNiep Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 5 July 1943 to 17 January 1944 129 Stug Awarded the Iron cross, commander of the assault gun battalion of SS-Das Reich
Paul Egger Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 1941 – 3 May 1945 113 Tiger I SS obershafuehrer Credited with 113 tank kills
Fritz lang Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II 1941 – ???? 111 Stug III Germany's WW2 top assault gun ace.
Albert Kerscher Nazi Germany Nazi Germany World War II ???? – 19 April 1945 100 Tiger I Feldwebel Albert Kerscher, a member of Schwere Panzer Abeteilung 502. Credited with 100 tanks destroyed
Zvika Greengold Israel Israel Yom Kippur War 6 October 1973 – 25 October 1973 60 Centurion (more specifically Sho't) In total 60 tanks were accredited to him. Greengold himself claims 20 Syrian tanks over the space of holding his position for 20 hours. He changed tanks six times.
Dmitry Lavrinenko Soviet Union USSR World War II 1941 52 T-34 Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko was a Soviet tank commander and Hero of the Soviet Union. He was the highest scoring tank ace of the Allies during World War II. Lavrinenko destroyed 52 tanks in just 2.5 months of fierce fighting in 1941.
Alfred Nickolls United Kingdom United Kingdom World War II 1940 – 1943 30 M4 Sherman According to the 22nd November 1942 citation, Corporal Nickolls, in a Sherman tank at El Alemain destroyed 14 tanks, including destroying 9 German tanks in one single engagement. He destroyed 30 tank during the entire North Africa campaign, making him the top tank ace of the United Kingdom and the top tank ace of the western Allies during World War II Awarded the Military Medal by Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery
Zinovy Grigoryevich Kolobanov Soviet Union USSR World War II 1941 25 KV-1 Destroyed 22 tanks and 2 artillery pieces before running out of ammunition, while leading a unit of 5 KV-1Es in an ambush near Leningrad on 20 August 1941. His unit destroyed a total of 43 German tanks that day.
Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters Canada Canada World War II October 1942 - end of World War II 18 M4 Sherman Credited with 18 tank kills and many other armoured vehicles, whilst in command of three Sherman tanks, named 'Caribou'. The tank squadron under his command may have been responsible for the death of German tank ace Michael Wittmann.
Lafayette G. Pool  United States World War II 27 June 1944 – 15 September 1944 12 M4 Sherman Widely recognised as the American tank ace of aces, with 12 confirmed tank kills and 258 armoured vehicle kills, whilst in command of a Sherman tank.
Börje Bror Brotell Finland Finland World War II 1943 – 1944 11 Sturmgeschütz III Recognised as the Finnish tank ace of aces, with 11 confirmed and 4 unconfirmed tank kills during World War II. Brotell’s role during The Battle of Tali–Ihantala was decisive and his Sturmgeschütz III destroyed multiple enemy tanks which had achieved a breakthrough.
Arun Khetarpal India India Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Battle of Basantar 9 December 1971 - 16 December 1971 10 Centurion Indian tank ace. Personally responsible for destroying 10 tanks before he was killed in action in Battle of Basantar
Edmund Roman Orlik PolandPoland Invasion of Poland 1 September 1939 - 28 September 1939 10 (official) TKS (20mm variant) Polish "tank ace of aces". During the Invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in September 1939 he claimed to have destroyed ten German tanks, including one Panzer IV Ausf. B, the largest tank then fielded by Germany, with a 2.6 tonne TKS tankette armed with a 20mm autocannon. The unofficial claim is that he destroyed 13 tanks, although this has not been confirmed by any trustworthy sources to date.
Ervin Tarczay [hu]  Hungary World War II January 1943 – 18 March 1945 10 41M Turán II, Tiger I, Panther and Panzer IV Ausf. H 10 confirmed and 15 unconfirmed tank kills during World War II.

On March 15, 1945 he was knighted and took medical leave. He returned to service quickly and was offically declared missing in action on March 18 1945, after having been left behind while wounded in Söréd.

See also

References

Citations

  1. Franks & Bailey (2008), pp. 201–202.
  2. ^ New York Times, "Saw 40 Air Foes After Guynemer", Thursday 27 September 1917
  3. 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. Osprey Publishing, "Richthofen's Circus", Greg VanWyngarden, 2005
  8. University of Nebraska Press, "Impossible missions?: German economic, military, and humanitarian efforts in Africa", Nina Berman, 2004
  9. "Raymond Collishaw World War I Fighter Ace". www.constable.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  10. Franks & Bailey 2008, p. 55.
  11. veterans.gc.ca (23 January 2020). "Billy Bishop Canada's finest Ace". veterans. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  12. McCaffery 1960, p. 143.
  13. Franks & Bailey 2008, pp. 56–57.
  14. ^ Stokes, "Fighting the Flying Circus", Eddie Rickenbacker, 1919, (accessed 18 April 2009)
  15. "Indra Lal Roy". www.theaerodrome.com.
  16. Toliver & Constable 1998, pp. 385, 386.
  17. "Keskinen, Kalevi; Stenman, Kari and Niska, Klaus. Hävittäjä-ässät (Finnish Fighter Aces). Espoo, Finland: Tietoteas, 1978. ISBN 951-9035-37-0.
  18. historicacanada.ca. "George "Buzz" Beurling". historicacanada. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  19. "Dick Bong: Ace Of Aces", General George C. Kenney, 1960
  20. 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
  21. "Николай Бодрихин. Советские асы. Очерки о советских летчиках". www.erlib.com (in Russian).
  22. "Fighter Pilot: The First American Ace of World War II", William R. Dunn
  23. The Telegraph (London), "Joe Foss", 2 January 2003, (accessed 17 April 2009)
  24. Toliver & Constable 1998, p. 385.
  25. Foreman & Harvey 1995, p. 81.
  26. TIME, "Ace of Aces", Monday 23 March 1953, (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. "Fifth death anniversary of war hero MM Alam being observed today". Express Tribune. 18 March 2018.
  30. "Desert Aces". Dogfights. Season 2. Episode 5. 2007-08-10. The History Channel. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10.
  31. "CBSi". findarticles.com. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  32. 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
  33. "Vietnamese Air-to-Air Victories, Part 1". Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2019-08-21.
  34. "Vietnamese Air-to-Air Victories, Part 2". Archived from the original on 2013-03-04. Retrieved 2019-08-21.
  35. Boring, War Is (August 8, 2016). "Which is Better, the F-5E Tiger II or the MiG-21?".
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General and cited references

World War I sources

  • Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank (2008). Over the Front: The Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street Publishing. ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0.
  • Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank; Guest, Russell (2008). Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street Publishing. ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.

Later wars

  • Aces of WWII
  • Foreman, John; Harvey, S.E. (1995), Messerschmitt Combat Diary Me.262, Crecy Publishing Ltd, 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.
Flying aces
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World War II
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