Top Pilot of WW1

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by slaterat

The Red Baron made too many mistakes the day he died to be ranked as the best, albeit he was not in very good shape at that time. Bishop gets my vote.

Slaterat

How does one mission with mistakes take away from all of your other achievments. Was he the only pilot who made mistakes and died?

Come on now, I know Bishop is Canadian but...

[slaterat]

Well Bishop is the third highest scorer on the list, although Mannock is often credited with 73. He got his 72 kills in a remarkably short time at the front. He was an expert marksman who hand loaded his own guns. Near the end of the war he shot down 25 planes in 10 days. He was an excellant leader who survived the war and went on to make a significant contribution in WW II.

Slaterat

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by slaterat

Well Bishop is the third highest scorer on the list, although Mannock is often credited with 73. He got his 72 kills in a remarkably short time at the front. He was an expert marksman who hand loaded his own guns. Near the end of the war he shot down 25 planes in 10 days. He was an excellant leader who survived the war and went on to make a significant contribution in WW II.

Slaterat

I will not argue that he is a great pilot and made a great contribution to the war.

By the way what do you think about the fact that a great many of his kills are under dispute today. Not saying I agree or disagree, just wanting your opinion.

[Arsenal VG-33]

I voted Rene Fonke, #2 ace of the war. In terms skill/love of flying though, I think I would have gone with Guynemer. Nungesser is a fav of mine too, even if he was reckless.

Of the aces above, it seems only Udet came away from the war with new theories concerning airpower, based on his previous experience.

[slaterat]

Actually Billy Bishops war record holds up quite well ,when compared to his peers. The controversy started in 1982 when a film maker, using government funds, produced a "docu drama" entitled "The Kid that couldn't miss". The producer openly admitted that his intent from the outset was to produce an anti hero movie. Because it was very poorly researched ,containing many factual errors, the film lost what little creditability it had and was more or less forgotten , but oddly enough is still available from the national film board of Canada.

More recently{2002} a Canadian historical writer named Greenhous published a book titled "The Making of Billy Bishop". This attack on Bishops credibility was more insidious , but just as unfounded.

A good place to read up on the controversy is

William "Billy" Bishop

Read it over if you have the time and make your own conclusions. The sections cocerning his being awarded the VC are the most enlightening as that is the central area of the alleged conspiracy/controversy.

Slaterat

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Cool thanks for the link. I will check it out.

[HerzAs]

Werner Voss

His last fight is reason enough

[Juha]

I voted for von Richthofen but I admit that I admire and symphatize more Voss. But the top ace was von R.

Juha

[pbfoot]

I'd like the emphasize Barker although he only had 50 kills his last fight in which he fought 60 aircraft solofrom JG2 including 15 Fokker DVII shooting down 3 and surviving to win the VC a DSO with bar and MC with Bar his personal camel was the most successful single aircraft in RAF history

"Barker however took his Sopwith Camel with him and continued to fly fighter operations. By this time, Barker's personal Sopwith Camel (serial no. B6313) had became the most successful fighter aircraft in the history of the RAF, having used it to shoot down 46 aircraft and balloons from September 1917 to September 1918, for a total of 404 operational flying hours. It was dismantled in October 1918, Barker keeping the clock as a memento - although he was asked to return it the following day"
He was also the first commander of the RCAF but died in a flying accident in 1930