Greatest Fighter Pilot in World War II..... UPDATED

mosquitoman · 03-06-2005, 09:24 AM

I agree, the German army had the best quality equipment but the allies had 2 big advantages, one was that we had very efficient supply lines- the German army was still using horses for transport purposes. The other advantage is that quantity has a quality all it's own

cheddar cheese · 03-06-2005, 03:24 PM

Just because guys have the most kills doesnt automatically make them the best...Russians fought with a large disadvantage against the Germans. (I actually voted for Priller in the poll though.)

Before you complain, I am not anti-German or anything of the sort. The Germans are my favourite nation in terms of aviation of the war.

BombTaxi · 03-06-2005, 04:07 PM

I personally went for Galland, mainly because he made an outstanding contribution to the Luftwaffe as a staff officer as wellas a combat pilot. For a similar reason, I would have been inclined to include Bader in the poll as well as Johnson

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 03-18-2005, 05:32 PM

You have to go for either Hartmann (just because he was so young, never given a chance and beat everyones expectations) or Heinz Baer. Baer was an outstanding pilot and one of the greatest ever to fly a combat aircraft.

the lancaster kicks ass · 03-20-2005, 03:25 PM

i don't have to go for anyone, and what's not specail about taking out 38 single engined planes and getting holed once, or flying with fake legs??

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 03-20-2005, 03:39 PM

I think Lanc is getting aggrivated.

Erich · 03-21-2005, 10:27 AM

I stick with Heinz BAer for several reasons.............a distant relative for one

second the man flew many different fighters including the hot rod 262 and the rocket assisted 262.

third and lastly the many was on many different threaters of combat, flew against the best the Allies had to offer. In my opinion Hartmann's kills his first years of combat were inexperienced and easy pickings of Soviet fighters.....having the highest scores does not make you the best. incidently marseilles claims on the Afrika front are somewhat specualtive. At least 25-30 are suspect

acesman · 03-21-2005, 03:06 PM

Hartman did fight against Americans, and claimed several Mustangs over Romania, but I agree that you really have to judge a pilot by his opponents. For instance, the "Marianas Turkey Shoot" is not so much a tribute to the skill of the Hellcat pilots involved, but to the poor quality of the Japanese pilots. From that standpoint, Kozhedub or Priller would have to be considered the best, and I would vote for Priller, just for staying alive (and scoring some successes) for the last 16 months of the war against an overwhelming US/British air armada.

Gnomey · 03-21-2005, 03:14 PM

I would say Hartmann or Priller. Hartmann because of his large number of kills and Priller because of his success against the allies on the Western Front in the last part of the war against overwhelming superiority

Erich · 03-21-2005, 03:45 PM

if you guys are going just by latter war years in the ETO and surviving I could number 20-30 pilots better than Priller. Remember that Geschwader Kommodores for good reason were pulled from air combat service much to their own disliking to serve as administrative co-ordinators. The guys had to have some say as to what inner airfields they were to move their Geschwadern..........plus the moral booster of privately getting the new recruits trained which seemed an impossible task due to the high attrition of these 4-5 mission pilots, my cousin included in that very factor

E

delcyros · 03-21-2005, 04:51 PM

I did voted for Galland. He was inspiring, a master tactician and proved to be deadly. And I like his personal aircraft sign

FLYBOYJ · 04-09-2005, 02:57 PM

BUTCHER BOB!

1stLt Robert M. Hanson of VMF-215 enjoyed a brief career in which he shot down 20 of his final total of 25 Japanese planes in 13 days.

He was shot down during a strafing run on 3 February, 1944, a day before his 24th birthday.

FLYBOYJ · 04-09-2005, 03:20 PM

SCREWBALL GEORGE - WHAT A CHARACTER

Buzz Beurling, Canada's leading WWII ace. His skill in a cockpit was, however, matched with a streak of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He had two nicknames: "Buzz" for his habit of unauthorized low-level flying and "Screwball" for his erratic behavior. At one point he even designed his own uniform!

32 total kills, In 14 days of combat on Malta, he destroyed 27 enemy planes, damaged eight, and probably destroyed three more.

Mukhulai · 05-20-2005, 02:51 AM

Well, I am not going to announce who was the best. We do not have a tiniest idea about fighting in WW1 or 2. Thus I think it is really dumb to us to choose someone over the others. All those guys fought for their cases. Personally I like Saburo Sakai most. He was a real fighter. Think about it, badly damaged aircraft, half paralized body, one eye totally out of "service", other one is barely sees, 500 miles of flight over the sea to find tiny island airport with only magnetic compass and landing without crash. That is one hell lot of Fighter. After his recovery (with one eye), once 15 Hellcats tried to shoot his Zero down. Ofcourse they couldn't.

lesofprimus · 05-20-2005, 06:40 AM

HHHmmmm...... Good pick, but what u stated:

Quote:

Think about it, badly damaged aircraft, half paralized body, one eye totally out of "service", other one is barely sees, 500 miles of flight over the sea to find tiny island airport with only magnetic compass and landing without crash. That is one hell lot of Fighter.

Thats actually one hell of a pilot, not fighter........ But i do agree that he was a hell of a fighter pilot........