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German day and night fighter pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories during World War II, over 25,000 British or American and over 45,000 Soviet aircraft. 103 German fighter pilots each shot down 100 or more enemy aircraft, for a total of approximately 15,400 victories.
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. [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. 103 German fighter pilots shot down more than 100 enemy aircraft for a total of roughly 15,400 ...
On 20 January 1944, Leopold Fellerer, a Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, became an ace in a day. [236] On 20 February 1944, Rudolf Frank, a German Feldwebel shot down five Avro Lancasters over Germany. [237] On 20 February 1944, Heinz Vinke, a Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, became an ace in a day. [238]
It is relatively certain that 2,500 German fighter pilots attained ace status, having achieved at least five aerial victories. [81] [82] These achievements were honored with 453 German single and twin-engine (Messerschmitt Bf 110) day-fighter pilots receiving the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Intense personal rivalry may have played an ...
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 ...
German records show that 38 were lost and 20 were damaged. [43] German fighter pilots claimed they shot down 121 bombers and 1 fighter. USAAF records show that 60 bombers and 1 fighter were lost, 17 bombers were scrapped, and 121 bombers were damaged. [44] 6 November 1943 Luftwaffe The Soviet army pushed the retreating German army to the west ...
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.). During World War II, hundreds of German Luftwaffe fighter pilots achieved this feat flying contemporary piston engine fighter aircraft. [1]
Oberleutnant Ludwig Franz Stigler (21 August 1915 – 22 March 2008) was a German fighter pilot and fighter ace in World War II. He is best known for his role in a December 1943 incident in which he spared the crew of a severely damaged B-17 bomber. He escorted the plane to safety over enemy lines.