German ww2 aces Special thanks to Frederick at www. Bartels was credited with 99 victories, making him a fighter ace. At night 23 German aces scored 50 or more with the top night fighter ace being Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer at 121. Sep 1, 2016 · During WWII, Allied fighter pilots felt a grudging respect and admiration for their German counterparts because of the latter’s high kill rates. The Second World War produced many hundreds of air aces as thousands of fighter pilots took to the skies. Strapped into his jet fighter, the Me 262’s engines refused to start. The particular aircrafts that were flown in during the kills Emil "Bully" Lang (14 January 1909 – 3 September 1944) was a Luftwaffe Flying ace during World War II. This is a list of World War II flying aces. 02. 08. He flew 705 combat missions and fought on the Western Front and in the Defence of the Reich. 103 German fighter pilots shot down more than 100 enemy aircraft for a total of roughly 15,400 Sep 26, 2021 · Ritterkreuztrager, Ace Pilot, Walter Oesau: Walter “Gulle” Oesau (28 June 1913 to 11 May 1944) was a German WWII Fighter Ace who served with the Luftwaffe from 1934 till his death in 1944. This is the full story of Egon Mayer, quite possibly Germany's greatest fighter ace. 00. Authors of the SOURCES column are given; report to the bibliography page to find the books, articles, web pages in alphabetical order. The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. He was one of the most successful fighter pilots in the history of air warfare, with 222 victories claimed. World War II: 1933–1945 46 enemy merchant ships sunk and plus French Submarine. [1] German day and night fighter pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories during World War II, 25,000 over British or American and 45,000 over Soviet flown aircraft. This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany. [1] Josef "Pips" Priller (German:; 27 July 1915 – 20 May 1961) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. After the war, Erich Hartmann was held as a war criminal by the Soviets before being freed and joining the West German Luftwaffe. This is a complete list of World War I flying aces from the German Empire. Through exclusive interviews with the surviving few, this film portrays the explo Sep 10, 2017 · With the ongoing popularity of games (most notably World of Tanks), movies and books about tank warfare in WWII, it comes as no surprise that much attention is drawn to the feats of individual tankers. Published Jul 16, 2024. Diane Tedeschi. Major enhancements and additions are being made to the Archive by Christian König and Dave Drury. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more aircraft during aerial combat. Click here: http://pixelfy. He was credited with 102 enemy aircraft shot down in over 353 combat missions. Lent shot down 110 aircraft, 102 of them at night. Total GRT sunk of 225,204. Otto Carius (27 May 1922 – 24 January 2015) was a German tank commander in the Wehrmacht during World War II. [Note 1] He served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Knispel was severely wounded on 28 April 1945 by shrapnel to his head when his Tiger II was hit in battle by Soviet tanks. Over 40. What makes his case extraordinary is that, 24 years later, Bartels and his plane were discovered in a remote The Messerschmitt as depicted in Figure 1 above is together with its famous pilot, and focus of this article is responsible for the most air kills during World War II. Of course, the aircraft were also important. Oskar-Heinz (Heinrich) Invest in Yarnhub and become a share holder https://www. With 40 aerial victories, Richard Bong was America’s “Ace of Aces” more than any other US pilot during WWII. He also survived the whole war and only met his death when he was killed in his car by a drunk truck driver while on his way to purchase wine in Bordeaux. Walter Schuck (30 July 1920 – 27 March 2015) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937 until the end of World War II. This article delves into the dramatic story of Ludwig Bauer, highlighting his remarkable achievements and the challenges he faced as a panzer tank ace during World War II. German aces of WW2 The lists: All the lists present the following data: Name and (when known) first name are presented with arbitrary choice for the spelling (russian Apr 2, 2020 · The German ace was the first to acknowledge that while some of his opponents were highly skilled and ruthlessly effective, many lacked his preparedness. Kurt Knispel (20 September 1921 – 28 April 1945 [1]) was a German tank commander during World War II. Nov 14, 2011 · Amazon. The unit originally formed near Munich in November 1938, then moved to a base near Stuttgart. filmhauer. com: The German Aces Speak: World War II Through the Eyes of Four of the Luftwaffe's Most Important Commanders: 8601404359712: Heaton, Colin, Lewis, Anne-Marie Luckily the third most successful German ace of World War Günther Rall, actually spoke out on this in a polite and indirect manner. Artist unknown (game?) Experten - Luftwaffe Aces of WW2 Oskar-Heinrich "Pritzl" Bär (pronounced [ˈhaɪnʁɪç ˈbɛːɐ̯]; 25 May 1913 – 28 April 1957) was a German Luftwaffe flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Hermann Graf 8. This list of World War II aces credited with 100 or more victories is a subset list of all fighter aces in World War II. The official score is indicated when different from the total (American and British scores of ww2 for example). Panzer ace (tank ace) is a contemporary term used in English-speaking popular culture to describe highly decorated German tank ("panzer") commanders and crews during World War II. He was a wing commander in the Luftwaffe (air force) of Nazi Germany, and the fourth recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, the nation's highest military decoration at the time. picmiicrowdfunding. He lost his life in combat on August 8, 1944. Walter Nowotny (7 December 1920 – 8 November 1944) was an Austrian-born fighter ace of the Luftwaffe in World War II. Panzer Ace was not a term used by the German Army. [1] It is relatively certain that 2,500 German fighter pilots attained ace status, having achieved at least five aerial victories. A fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. I'd like to get information about them in the form of something like short biographies of their careers which include reasonably detailed descriptions of the relevant highlights of their careers, particular actions where they distinguished themselves etc. With over 50 Spitfire Kills and 25 Heavy Bomber kills, he was easily one Nov 1, 2015 · The Ace Fighter cult came to prominence during the First World War, which was the first conflict that utilized the use of aircraft in a larger scale. Erich Rudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the Luftwaffe through the whole of World War II. Hartmann’s Messerschmitt Bf 109 , Germany’s legendary day fighter, was receptive to upgrades and remained sneakily effective until the end of Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn (20 March 1919 – 11 January 1983) was a German military aviator who was a renowned wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. [2] Tanks Aces Tank Aces of all nations and eras The Tank Encyclopedia Biopics section That's a very long time such section should have been made. [6] Michael Wittmann (22 April 1914 – 8 August 1944) was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 208 enemy aircraft shot down in over 400 combat missions. TOP 10 BEST PILOTS:10. [1] He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in aerial combat on 825 separate occasions. Kurt Knispel was identified thanks to his name tag around his neck. Historians at the Moravian Museum in Vrbovec, Czech Republic, found his remains in an unmarked grave in a cemetery for German soldiers in Znojemsko. Table 1 below provides a complete list of the top-ranking aces of World War II according to their number of kills. He rose to Command Jagdgeschwader !, which was named in his honor apron his death. I was astonished at the amount of German aces and their kill count in the 200/300’s whereas the US top was 40 and quickly decreased from there. The story of the last German WW2 'super ace', Knight's Cross holder Hugo Broch, who is 100 years old. This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II. On November 12, 2014, the Ace of Aces found his final resting place in the German Military Cemetery of Brno. German Graves in UK; German WW2 Aces; Luftwaffe Graves Managed by CWGC; Luftwaffe Victories by Name/Date; Archives Archiwum: Polish Air Force Archive: Data on 17,000; Kracker Luftwaffe Archive; LOST Rob Philips Memorial Archive: Holland; Paradie Canadian Archive; Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive WW1 & WW2; Profiles in Courage Oct 20, 2023 · He was captured in 1941 after bailing out over German-occupied France. what might have been numbing recitations of dogfights are instead vivid Jul 25, 2015 · The German war hero had 168 confirmed and 195 unconfirmed kills in World War II. On April 17, 1945, he was shot down by American fighter pilots and killed while flying near the German town of Kamenz. Among these stories is that of Hans Bartels, a German fighter pilot, who disappeared in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 during the war. [47] Otto Kretschmer: Nazi Germany: World War II: 1939–1941 46 [48] or 47 [49] enemy ships sunk with 274,418 GRT. Sale Price: $15. They were both in the heavy panzer company (armed with Tiger Is) of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Panzer Grenadier Division (LSSAH or LSSAH PzGrD). From the German side, it is chiefly commanders of the vaunted Tiger tanks that draw the most attention. He was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole of the war period 1939–45 until he was severely burned during a failed take-off. This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany with their surname starting from M to P. Fedorowicz Publishing in the 1990s and by Stackpole Books in the 2010s, his popular series Panzer Aces describes fictionalised careers of highly-decorated German soldiers during World War II. Dean S. Sep 6, 2024 · During World War II, many pilots were lost in action, their fates sealed by the dangers of aerial combat. Kurt Knispel’s dog tag The Eastern Front Medal was a World War II German military decoration awarded to those who served during the winter campaign. Kurt Knispel (20 September 1921 – 28 April 1945) was a Sudeten German Heer panzer loader, gunner and later commander, and was the highest scoring tank ace of World War II with a total of 168 confirmed tank kills;[1] the actual number, although unconfirmed, may be as high as 195. After reading the book “The Hunters - James Salter” I was interested in how many Flying Aces (pilots that shot down 5 enemy airplanes) there were during WWII. He died two hours later in a German field hospital. 10. Theodor Weissenberger Heinrich Ehrler 9. [1] He is credited with 206 enemy aircraft shot down in over 500 combat missions. Hans-Joachim Marseille (German pronunciation: [hans ˈjoːaxɪm maʁˈsɛːj]; 13 December 1919 – 30 September 1942) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot and flying ace during World War II. Hermann Graf (24 October 1912 – 4 November 1988) was a German Luftwaffe World War II fighter ace. Mar 20, 2018 · When The German Aces Speak published in 2011, Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine welcomed Colin Heaton’s and Anne-Marie Lewis’s masterful command of interview-based narrative, writing, “. Anton "Toni" Hackl (25 March 1915 – 10 July 1984) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 192 enemy aircraft shot down in over 1,000 combat missions. Fighter aces in World War II had tremendously varying kill scores, affected as they were by many factors: the pilot's skill level, the performance of the airplane he flew and those he flew against, how long he served, his opportunity to meet the enemy in the air (Allied to Axis disproportion), and the standards his air service brought to the awarding We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. A new book examines the life of the WWII German ace. He became the first pilot in aviation history to claim 200 aerial victories—that is, 200 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. After witnessing a demonstration from an aviation club Galland decided he wanted to become a pilot. In his haste, he forgot the lucky trousers that had accompanied him through over 250 victories. He was a West Point graduate flying F-86 Sep 27, 2017 · The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. ). He is credited with 81 victories in 324 missions, all on the Eastern Front. All were in multi-engine planes too. [1] Jun 12, 2009 · Lieutenant General Walter Krupinski was one of those men destined to tempt fate. Germany was in the act of formally surrendering to the Soviets and the Western Allies, so occupying Red Army troops in the eastern German town of Brunn were not expecting to witness what may have been World War II’s last dogfight over Europe. Heinz Bär (Germany) became the first jet ace with 16 confirmed victories. Air Aces of the Second World War. fighter pilots to achieve ace status in two wars after combat missions in jet fighters in Korea. Emil Lang (14 January 1909 – 3 September 1944), nicknamed "Bully", was a Luftwaffe flying ace during World War II. com/deal/yarnhub/It's the 3rd of June, 1942, and nine P40B Tomahawk fighters of th Apr 15, 2016 · With 28 confirmed kills in World War II, Gabreski was the top U. US. The extraordinary story of the surrender of top ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel and his remaining pilots on VE-Day 1945. Oct 30, 2018 · Erich Hartmann took pride in his skills as a fighter pilot for the German Luftwaffe in World War II — as well he should have. It explains why only a small minority of pilots - those in whom the desire for combat overrode everything - accounted for so large a proportion of the victories. Ground crew intervent Apr 1, 2022 · Among the many soldiers who experienced the harsh reality of armoured warfare, Ludwig Bauer, a highly decorated German tanker, emerged as a prominent figure. The notorious Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen was one of the first to establish the “ace” tradition within the German Air Force. Adolf Joseph Ferdinand Galland was born on March 19, 1912 in Westerholt (now Herten), Germany. Werner Mölders (Germany) was the first ace from any country to exceed 100 kills. Dick O'Kane United States: World War II – 25 October 1944 Werner Mölders (18 March 1913 – 22 November 1941) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot, wing commander, and the leading German fighter ace in the Spanish Civil War. An unbiased account of the top German Fighter Aces of the Second World War. [1] Mar 15, 2014 · The much-anticipated sequel to The German Aces Speak gives voice to four more of WWII’s most noteworthy German pilots. Jul 22, 2022 · Lambert became a Triple Ace in a Day in 1944, when he shot down 17 Soviet aircraft. But did German aces really deserve their reputation? Absolutely… but with a caveat. As a fighter ace, he claimed 206 enemy aircraft shot down in over 500 combat missions, eight of which while flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. He is noted for his aerial battles during the North African Campaign and his Bohemian lifestyle. [1] However, only 28 pilots are credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft while flying a jet-powered aircraft. [2] Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff (15 September 1913 – 21 February 1994) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II, German general, and NATO official. This list may not reflect recent changes . Carius is considered a " panzer ace ", some sources credited him with destroying more than 150 enemy tanks, although Carius, in an interview claims he A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. ne A captured German Tiger I heavy tank in Tunisia in 1943. To see a list of German WW2 Aces consult German WW2 Aces Database Click an image to expand. Each one of the fighter aces included personally wrote their own profile and has then autographed each copy. me/JansonSubscribe to subscribe to Janson Media and get notified for more videos! Janson Media uploads on the daily to stay tuned Wilhelm Lemke (27 September 1920 – 4 December 1943) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Aces awarded honors and thus shown to be notable are linked to their biographies. Owing to the high number of missions flown and target rich environments, 107 German aces scored 100 or more. Kretschmer (1912–1998) was the most successful of the World War II Aces of the Deep. Oct 31, 2023 · Adolf Galland is often remembered as one of the most distinguished fighter aces of the Second World War. The concept of "panzer aces" has received considerable attention in recent years. His remarkable career with the Luftwaffe saw him rise to become a respected figure both within and outside of Germany, and his skills in the air allowed him to earn the title of Air Ace, with 104 aerial victories against the Allied forces over 705 combat missions. At the time of his death, Sayn-Wittgenstein was the highest-scoring night fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe and still the third highest by the end of World War II, with 83 aerial victories to his credit. Helmut Lent (13 June 1918 – 7 October 1944) was a German night-fighter ace in World War II. what might have been numbing recitations of dogfights are instead vivid descriptions of life as a warrior during World War II. Sep 2, 2020 · "This book examines the reality behind the myths of the legendary German fighter aces of World War II. The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (EK 1939) The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest military and paramilitary award for the forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. May 1, 2002 · Here are dozens of gripping, never-before-told stories of battle in World War II–from the point of view of the enemy. This list includes all pilot Aces of WW2, listed in order of number of victories, and including all countries involved in the war; Germany, UK, France, America, Japan and all the others. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 101 enemy aircraft shot down in 307 combat missions. He was considered the tank’s equivalent of the Red Baron. The list is sorted by the number of combat missions flown. Lemke was credited with 131 aerial victories—that is, 131 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. 103 German fighter pilots shot down more than 100 enemy aircraft for a total of roughly 15,400 Egon Mayer (19 August 1917 – 2 March 1944) was a Luftwaffe wing commander and fighter ace of Nazi Germany during World War II. As commander of U-35, U-23 and U-99 he sank 47 merchant ships in a remarkably short period of time, before being captured in March 1941 and spending the rest of the war in the Bowmanville POW camp, Canada. He fought on the Eastern Front in 1943 and 1944 and on the Western Front in 1945. [1] Aces are listed alphabetically by last name. He was dubbed the ace-of-aces with 80 credited aerial victories. In WWII, the number of kills varied dramatically depending on a pilot's skill, aircraft performance, mission opportunities, and whether they flew as Published over 30 years ago by the Military Gallery, this historic limited edition album contains a remarkable collection of profiles of legendary Luftwaffe Aces of WWII, some of the greatest names in the history of combat aviation. 103 German fighter pilots shot down more than 100 enemy aircraft for a total of roughly 15,400 Dec 10, 2007 · Nowotny's victories came in the east along with Gunter Rall and Otto Kittel, Willi Batz and Erich Rudorffer. Follow Followed Heinrich Ehrler (14 September 1917 – 4 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer was born on 16 February 1922 in Calw, located in the Free People's State of Württemberg of the German Reich, during the Weimar Republic era. [1] He is counted with Johannes Bölter, Ernst Barkmann, Otto Carius and Michael Wittmann as being one of the, if Nov 5, 2024 · On November 8, 1944, Walter Nowotny, the Luftwaffe’s top-scoring ace, rushed to his Messerschmitt Me 262. ace in the European Theatre. [ 1 ] Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. Artist unknown (game?) Experten - Luftwaffe Aces of WW2 Kurowski, Franz (2004). A name missing from many histories of that conflict, however, is Hermann Graf — with 212 confirmed victories, one of the most decorated aces in the Luftwaffe. Omar Memon. [1] [Note 1] Born into a devoutly religious family, he showed an early passion for glider flying; against his father's wishes, he joined the Luftwaffe in 1936. I will use his answer and expand on it a bit. Germany had their own U-boat aces, and while Erich Hartmann and Adolf Galland are just some who attained immortality with their feats in the skies, others, like Otto Kretschmer and Gunther Prien, were renowned for what they did under the sea. 05: Modification of the German WW2 night fighter aces page (several new aces), of the WW2 Soviet aces page, creation of a WW2 North Irish pilots page. Bong joined the Army Air Corp in 1941 studying under Captain Barry Goldwater (future Arizona Senator and Presidential Nominee). He is credited with 258 aerial victories—that is, 258 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—in 442 combat missions. Apr 2, 2018 · The Ace Fighter cult came to prominence during the First World War, which was the first conflict that utilized the use of aircraft in a larger scale. We’re talking legends like Robin Olds, Duke Cunningham, Pappy Boyington, James Howard, Jimmy Thach, and Swede Vejtasa. By Dr. He answered the question: why did German Aces have so many air kills compared to Allied pilots. After completing his training, he was Jul 18, 2019 · Adolf Galland was a flying ace and General for the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Nov 9, 2016 · Aces of World War II. com Fighter aces in World War II had tremendously varying kill scores, affected as they were by many factors: the pilot's skill level, the performance of the airplane the pilot flew and the planes they flew against, how long they served, their opportunity to meet the enemy in the air (Allied to Axis disproportion), whether they were the formation's leader or a wingman, the standards their air The following list contains the German Stuka and other combat aircraft aces of World War II. Published in the U. WW1 & WW2 German Naval Ships. Mark Felton FRHistS is a well-known British historia May 17, 2023 · We’ve all heard of fighter aces. "Piloten Bunker 1939-1945". The most storied was Erich Hartmann, who achieved 352 aerial wins during the conflict, securing himself the title as the most successful fighter ace of all time. Panzer Aces: German Tank Commanders in World War II. This is an educational and apolitical clip. Sep 6, 2015 · Germany enjoyed more than 100 aces who gained more than 100 victories each (most from the Eastern Front)—and 35 had more than 200 each for the highest counts of aces in any war. 103 German fighter pilots shot down Hugo Broch (born 6 January 1922) is the last living German Luftwaffe flying ace of the Second World War. According to some such as German fighter ace Adolf Galland, had the deployed numbers been greater, the Allies would never have achieved air superiority over the French coast, thus the Normandy invasion would have been much delayed or even averted; while this was merely counter-factual speculation, it was without a doubt that Hitler's meddling Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52) [a] was a German World War II fighter Geschwader that exclusively used the Messerschmitt Bf 109 throughout the war. ISBN 978-0-8117-3173-7. [2 Just prior to World War II, Galland was promoted to captain and he later flew 50 ground-attack missions in a biplane against Polish forces, receiving the Iron Cross Second Class at the end of that campaign. Hans Philipp (17 March 1917 – 8 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. Wikimedia. Apr 14, 2023 · According to Obermaier, 103 Luftwaffe pilots were credited with more than 100 aerial victories. One of the most successful fighter pilots, he was To see a list of German WW2 Aces consult German WW2 Aces Database Click an image to expand. [2] See full list on warhistoryonline. Aug 12, 2004 · I'm interested in tank aces from WWII, Axis or Allied. During World War II, hundreds of German Luftwaffe fighter pilots achieved this feat Wittmann was one of the most successful German tank aces of World War II. The most decorated German pilot of the war and the only recipient of the Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, Rudel was credited with the destruction of 519 tanks, one battleship, one cruiser, 70 landing craft and 150 artillery Heinrich Bartels (13 July 1918 – 23 December 1944) was an Austrian-born German fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe and fought during World War II. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. He was one of the founders of Germany’s postwar air force, serving as Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (14 August 1916 – 21 January 1944) was a German night fighter pilot and flying ace during World War II. I now find World War II Panzer/tank aces from Germany sorted by the number of destroyed armored vehicles. The conditions stated by Günter Rall German Graves in UK; German WW2 Aces; Luftwaffe Graves Managed by CWGC; Luftwaffe Victories by Name/Date; Archives Archiwum: Polish Air Force Archive: Data on 17,000; Kracker Luftwaffe Archive; LOST Rob Philips Memorial Archive: Holland; Paradie Canadian Archive; Paul McGuiness RAAF Archive WW1 & WW2; Profiles in Courage Apr 30, 2013 · The Ace Fighter cult came to prominence during the First World War, which was the first conflict that utilized the use of aircraft in a larger scale. [1] Lang was credited with 173 aerial victories—144 on the Eastern Front, 29 on the Western Front—and one Soviet torpedo boat sunk in 403 combat missions. S. Click Luftwaffe Awards for explanations. Unearth the strategic legacy left behind by these aces and their impact on wa Mar 17, 2017 · Major Erich Hartmann was noted German flying ace during World War II. During World War II, hundreds of German Luftwaffe fighter pilots achieved this feat flying contemporary piston engine fighter aircraft. Günther Rall was a German World War II combat pilot, the third highest scoring fighter ace in history. Adolf Josef Ferdinand Galland (19 March 1912 – 9 February 1996) [2] was a German Luftwaffe general and flying ace who served throughout the Second World War in Europe. Dec 10, 2017 · Simply put, this German fighter pilot was the deadliest night fighter ace in history – with 121 confirmed kills. Ken Walsh - USMC WW2 Fighter Ace & Medal of Honor Winner. 000 pages on the officers, the boats, technology and the Allied efforts to counter the U-boat threat. By May 8, 1945, Adolf Hitler had been dead for more than a week. He flew more than 600 combat missions, scored 275 victories (mostly against Soviet aircraft), and was shot down eight times. Navy ace to have scored combat victories in both the European and the Pacific theaters of World War II. [1] The German author Franz Kurowski presents the topic of "panzer aces" in one of his many "laudatory texts", the 1992 book Panzer Aces which describes the "exploits" of the German soldiers during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat (The Germans traditionally set the threshold at 10 victories. The German author Franz Kurowski covers "Panzer aces" in several of his uncritical and hagiographic accounts. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (16 February 1922 – 15 July 1950) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter pilot and is the highest-scoring night fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. 4 hours ago · Air aces of World War II A fighter ace is a military pilot credited with downing five or more enemy aircraft in aerial combat - a concept that took root during the latter part of World War I. [3] He was the first of four children of mechanical engineer and merchant Alfred Schnaufer and his wife Martha, née Frey. Pages in category "German World War II flying aces" The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 433 total. German Aces of WW2: Hannes Gentzen, 1st Luftwaffe Ace of WW2, opens his account by downing a Polish PZL 37. J. Michael Wittmann, German, World War II Credited with destroying 138 tanks, 132 antitank guns, and uncounted other vehicles on the Russian front and at Normandy, SS-Hauptsturmführer Wittmann is best known for his rampage against the British 7th Armored Division outside Villers-Bocage in June 1944, devastating as many as 14 tanks, 2 antitank guns, and 15 other Hans-Ulrich Rudel (2 July 1916 – 18 December 1982) was a German ground-attack pilot during World War II and a post-war neo-Nazi activist. However, this claim, along with his assertions he was also a Double Ace in a Day, have been disputed by historians. [1] German day and night fighter pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories during World War II, 25,000 over British or American and 45,000 over Russian flown aircraft. Luftwaffe aces of World War II. October 2020. Cmdr. Helmut Paul Emil Wick (5 August 1915 – 28 November 1940) was a German flying ace of World War II. Jul 16, 2024 · 5 Aces Of WWII & The Planes They Flew. 00 Original Price: $25. He was so feared on the Eastern Front that Soviet planes would turn around and retreat rather than face him in his formidable Messerschmitt Bf 109. by J. This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany with their surname starting from T to Z. And yet in WWII, it's heavily skewed towards German Luftwaffe pilots topping out at 352 victories. 10. I only briefly addressed them in my Kursk book. The Wehrmacht as well as British and American militaries did not recognise the concept of an "ace" during the war. Wittmann and several other leading German tank commanders are often referred to as Panzer Aces, a term used to compare them to pilots who were awarded the descriptive “Ace”. WW2 (but also WW1, and the cold war up to the Gulf War), saw many prestigious figures which linked their fate to tanks, from their thinking, design to their exploitation on the battlefield. [9] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and list 94 Luftwaffe pilots in this category. By Kelly Bell. The son of an estate bailiff of French descent, Galland became a skillful glider pilot before age 20 and joined the civilian airline Lufthansa in 1932. He became a licensed glider pilot in 1932. More than that, he became one of seven U. While Meyer and Waldmuller planned the counterattack, Wittmann and four of his Tigers were sitting behind a tree-lined hedgerow about 600 meters southeast. Looking through these figures most of the top Aces flew in the French Campaign or the Battle of Britain as well as Russia so I would imagine Christos that the decision to become a Easterner or Westerner came sometime from 1942 onwards. As a fighter ace, he was the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow pilot Erich Hartmann. He became the first pilot in aviation history to shoot down 100 enemy aircraft and was highly decorated for his achievements. All but six of his victories were claimed over the Soviet Air Forces in 617 combat missions. [1] Here, all the fighter pilots with more than 100 aerial victories claimed are listed, all from This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany with their surname starting from A to F. Dr. Scroll to the right to see all the data. Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann aka "Karaya One") - 352, The Ace of Aces flew "around 1,456 (missions) I think, but I am not sure of the exact number. [1] Dec 19, 2014 · The German war hero had 168 confirmed and 195 unconfirmed kills in World War II. 4 WW2 . Aces like Michael Wittmann and Karl German Aces of WW2: Hannes Gentzen, 1st Luftwaffe Ace of WW2, opens his account by downing a Polish PZL 37. Flying largely on the Eastern Front, Erich Hartmann shot down 352 enemy aircraft and is the highest scoring ace in aviation history. " He engaged in air combat approximately 850 times, was never shot down by an enemy plane and never lost a wingman (Gunther Capito was shot down but survived). The most successfull German Submarine ace in GRT sunk. ” Sep 27, 2022 · In April 2013 Czech archaeologists found the bodies of 16 German soldiers on the church grounds of Vrbovec. Verlag Stackpole Books. Jun 12, 2006 · German Luftwaffe members Erich Hartmann, Adolf Galland and Johannes Steinhoff achieved a measure of immortality for their flying and fighting prowess during World War II. [1] Mar 4, 2022 · Despite to horridness of their cause, the pilots of the German Army were among the most successful of the Second World War. While in captivity, he became good friends with the famous German ace Adolf Galland (who is credited with 102 kills). Jul 9, 2018 · Two of the top panzer aces at the Battle of Kursk were Michael Wittmann (1914-1944) and Franz Staudegger (1923-1991). [3] This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany. $35. 00 Germany / US. In WWI, ace pilots were fairly balanced between the involved countries, capped at 80 victories. . 04: Modification of the German aces in Spain, and WW2 pages ( BofB, BofF, German aces, German Jet aces, German Bomber killers, Zerstoerer aces, Italian, Greek, Bulgarian, Caucasian Wilhelm Batz (21 May 1916 – 11 September 1988) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. [1] Bär flew more than one thousand combat missions, and fought in the Western, Eastern and Mediterranean theatres. . This is an authentic account–often in their own words–of German infantry aces, common foot soldiers who were thrust into a blazing maelstrom of bloody horror such as the world had never seen. “Diz” Laird is the only U. He is known for his ambush of elements of the British 7th Armoured Division during the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944. Beginning his flight training on October 15, 1939, he flew fighters with distinction throughout World War II, serving in Germany’s most prestigious units and training and flying with some of the world’s greatest pilots, such as Adolf Galland, Otto Kittel, Dietrich Hrabak, Erich Rudorffer, Gerhard Barkhorn and Feb 10, 2012 · Led most lethal tank attack Capt. When The German Aces Speak published in 2011, Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine welcomed Colin Heaton’s and Anne-Marie Lewis’s masterful command of interview-based narrative, writing, “. Get our newsletter! Get our newsletter! Luftwaffe fighter pilot Erich Hartmann was exceedingly good at aerial combat. Official Soviet figures state that over 36,000 IL-2s alone were built. Aces were listed after verifying the date and location of combat, and the foe vanquished, for every victory accredited by an aviator's home air service. Mar 15, 2025 · Adolf Galland was a German fighter ace and officer who commanded the fighter forces of the Luftwaffe (German air force) during World War II. Explore the daring exploits of legendary German Fighter Aces from World War II. xbiqbbql mal pol apfmd xpa cjiqlq ilgnu zixcz sgqcmw vdhjbq rlcedlb gzegw zcbv nxko ntr