Who shot down the most German planes in ww2?

A new book examines the life of the WWII German ace. Luftwaffe fighter pilot Erich Hartmann was exceedingly good at aerial combat

aerial combat

Air combat manoeuvring (also known as ACM or dogfighting) is the tactical art of moving, turning and situating a fighter aircraft in order to attain a position from which an attack can be made on another aircraft.

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Aerial warfare - Wikipedia

. While serving in Germany's Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills.

Which plane shot down the most German planes in ww2?

More than half of the nearly 1,200 German aircraft shot down were by Hurricanes, but its impact has tended to fade into the background compared to the more graceful Spitfire. “The Spitfire had mystique about it,” Beaver says. The Germans would always say they had been shot down by a Spitfire rather than a Hurricane.

Who shot down the most German planes in the Battle of Britain?

The Battle of Britain started on 10 July 1940 and Douglas Bader shot down his first German aircraft of the battle the following day. He was an aggressive pilot and over the next few months he destroyed many more aircraft, including two Messerschmitt Bf 109s and a Dornier on 7 September.

Who was the best British pilot in ww2?

Spitfire Paddy: Brendan Finucane was Britain's greatest flying ace.

How many German planes were shot down by Spitfires?

The Spitfire entered service with No. 19 Squadron at Duxford in August 1938. Production was slow at first, but by September 1940 it was in service with 18 RAF squadrons. Spitfires shot down a total of 529 enemy aircraft, for a loss of 230 of their own.

The WWII Ace Who Shot Down 18 Fighters In One Day

How many German fighters did American bombers shot down?

The United States claimed that they destroyed 241 German fighters, broken-down as follows: bomber crews claimed 210 and their fighter escort claimed 31. German records show they lost 39 fighters. The USAAF overclaimed by more than 500 percent.

Which pilot has the most kills?

Erich Hartmann, with 352 official kills the highest scoring fighter pilot of all time. Ilmari Juutilainen, a Finnish flying ace with Brewster BW-364 "Orange 4" on 26 June 1942 during the Continuation War.

Was the b24 better than the B-17?

The B-17 had a very large wing and ailerons (the moveable portion of the wing), while the B-24 used a smaller wing and ailerons for speed. Thus, the Liberator was faster, but the Flying Fortress could fly higher.

Which pilot has the most kills in ww2?

While serving in Germany's Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills. How did Hartmann get so good at dominating the skies over the Eastern Front?

Was the Spitfire better than the Messerschmitt?

The Bf 109, in its initial avatars, was generally regarded as marginally superior to contemporaneous variants of the Spitfire. At low to medium altitudes, where much of the air combat in the early war occurred, the Bf 109 had the upper hand. However, the Spitfire was superior at higher altitudes.

Who was the most feared German fighter pilot?

Erich Hartmann became Germany's top ace in just three short years with more than 350 aerial victories. His streak remains the deadliest in history.

Who was the best ace of ww2?

Known as the “Ace of Aces” for his rank as the top American flying ace during World War II, Major Richard Ira Bong is credited with the downing of an impressive confirmed total of 40 enemy aircraft over the course of his career as a fighter pilot.

Who has the best fighter plane in ww2?

How many planes did B-17 Gunners shoot down?

Staff Sergeant Arooth's official record as a gunner — the greatest in Air Force history — included shooting down at least 17 enemy planes on only 14 missions, though it was estimated he actually downed more than 20 enemy aircraft.

How many B-52 shot down in Vietnam?

Only one other B-52 tail gunner had scored a successful kill against a Vietnamese fighter, though more than 30 B-52s had been shot down throughout the conflict.

How many Luftwaffe pilots died in ww2?

Both sides suffered heavy losses during the Battle of Britain – 544 pilots, which was about one in six, from RAF Fighter Command were killed and 2,500 Luftwaffe airmen lost their lives.

What was the most feared plane in ww2?

Junkers Ju87 Widely known as the “Stuka”, the Ju87 was one of the most feared aircraft during World War Two. It had a fearsome siren which terrified those who heard it. Lockheed Hudson Useful aeroplane. The wooden lifeboat was designed to be dropped by Hudsons to rescue airmen who had ditched.

Which was faster Spitfire or mosquito?

Further trials with the second prototype, W4050, against a Spitfire Mk II later in the year showed that the Mosquito was substantially faster, reaching a top speed of 392mph compared to the Spitfire's 360mph.

Could Germany have won the Battle of Britain?

Hitler's air force could have won a pivotal World War II battle if it had attacked earlier and changed tactics, a study says. Between May and October 1940, the German Luftwaffe fought British-led fighter pilots – including Australians – over the skies of southern England in the Battle of Britain.

Who was the greatest fighter pilot ever?

1. Erich „Bubi“ Hartmann. Erich Hartmann is the most successful fighter pilot of all times – with 352 kills. A number that will never be surpassed.

What country had the best pilots ww2?

That meant their best pilots flew far more missions than their British or American counterparts, and recorded much higher individual victory totals: 379 German pilots had 40 or more combat wins, compared to one each from the US and UK.

Who was the greatest pilot of all time?