Which WWII Axis nation produced most dangerous pilots?

[Watanbe]

I dont think you can say the Japanese were more dangerous because they were suicidal or fanatical. Think of it this way, say your in a club or pub and a guy tries to fight you.

Would your rather fight the guy who is crazy angry and brash, or would you rather fight the calm, cool, calculated and skilled fighter who is analysing tactics and thinking about the fight.

Of course a bit of both is preferrable and I think that the Germans had that.

[Konigstiger205]

The IAR-80

Wingspan 10.52 m
Length 8.9 m
Height 3.6 m
Weight (empty) 2045 kg
Weight (loaded) 2483 kg
Maximum speed at 5000 m 485 km/h
Climbs to 5000 m 5 min. 27 sec.
Maximum operational ceiling 10500 m
Range 760 km
Engine IAR 14K IVc32 1000A 1000 HP
Machine-guns 4x7.92 mm
Serial numbers 1-50

[SoD Stitch]

Gotta got with the Germans; between their martial upbringing (for the most part), their technical expertise, and their experience, they'd be hard to beat in a 1 v 1 situation. Made a lot of technical innovations, too, like the Rotte and Schwarm tactics of four aircraft providing mutual support for each other. By the end of the War, most of the air forces of the world had adopted German flying tactics (though not, obviously, their strategy).

[Soren]

Germany did, and you'll only have to look at the scores to find that out.

The experienced IJN pilots were some very tough & skilled pilots as-well though.

[Brain32]

Don't forget Croats. Very few pilots and many of them aces

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Surely good pilots but I would not say they were the best. Honorable Mention maybe.

My votes would go for:

1. Germany
2. Finnland
3. Japan
4. Italy
5. Romania

[Marcel]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Surely good pilots but I would not say they were the best. Honorable Mention maybe.

My votes would go for:

1. Germany
2. Finnland
3. Japan
4. Italy
5. Romania

Not to challenge you, but just from genuine interest: Why Italy on 4?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

There were many very good Italian pilots but I dont think the Italian Airforce was able to really prove itself nor were her pilots.

[Trautloft]

mine is
1.germany
2.finland
3. japan
4. hungary
5. bulgaria (from the view of an allied pilot...how is it if sum1's ramming your bomber?

[Brain32]

Surely good pilots but I would not say they were the best. Honorable Mention maybe.

Yes I can't say my guys were the best, but they definitely deserve the mention, we had almost as much aces as Italy did and our top scoring aces made more aerial victories then their did. And all that with one fact in mind - there was only ONE Croatian squadron, the 15.Jg52
Considering the numbers involved and achievements made, I decided to atleast mention them

[ToughOmbre]

My two bits...

Early in the war, Germany, Japan.

Later on, none were dangerous, except for the survivors, Hartmann, Galland, Rall, Sakai etc.

The rotation of American combat veterans back to train new pilots gave the US an overwhelming advantage later in the war. The great/dangerous German and Japanese pilots flew till they were killed. The lack of aviation gas alone limited new pilot training.

[SoD Stitch]

Originally Posted by ToughOmbre

My two bits...

Early in the war, Germany, Japan.

Later on, none were dangerous, except for the survivors, Hartmann, Galland, Rall, Sakai etc.

By the end of the War, particularly on the Axis side, what you ended up with were pilots that were either really good, or really new; as mentioned above, five years of constant war weeded out the pilots that either couldn't or wouldn't learn (they got killed, basically), and what was left were only the best (Hartmann, Barkhorn, Rall, Nowotny, Steinhoff, etc.), who had learned their lessons well, or the other 90% of the German pilots, who were brand-new and almost worthless, except as cannon fodder for the ever-increasing numbers of Allied fighters.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by ToughOmbre

My two bits...

Early in the war, Germany, Japan.

Later on, none were dangerous, except for the survivors, Hartmann, Galland, Rall, Sakai etc.

The rotation of American combat veterans back to train new pilots gave the US an overwhelming advantage later in the war. The great/dangerous German and Japanese pilots flew till they were killed. The lack of aviation gas alone limited new pilot training.

You are very mistaken my friend. There were plenty of good German pilots left even until the war was over.

I am sure that if you ask any allied pilot flying in 1944 and 1945 they will tell you than any opponant was very dangerous.

[ToughOmbre]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

You are very mistaken my friend. There were plenty of good German pilots left even until the war was over.

I am sure that if you ask any allied pilot flying in 1944 and 1945 they will tell you than any opponant was very dangerous.

I probably should have made myself clearer. What I meant was that early in the war ALL of the German and Japanese pilots were well trained, excellent, dangerous. As the war progressed the newer Axis pilots did not get the same level of training/hours that the veteran pilots received. I agree that there were many good pilots left, many more than I named in my post, at the end of the war (German, not so much Japanese). But there was also a higher percentage of under-trained replacements that did not last long when they went up against the well-trained American replacements.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes in that respect you are correct.