it seems that a lot of people heve forgot such great names such as priller , udet and rictofen .a.k.a. the red baron with 80 kills in a biplane bong with 40 , Mcguire ,with 39 for the u.s.a. and sabaro saki with 80 kills for the empire of japan and not forget johhston with 29 in the e.t.o. p.s. priller had 202 kills for germany … and gallands fighter doctrines are taught at top gun as a requiried to learn to pass the course …I could list more but am out of time remember … those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it …so lest we not forget…!!!
More than any other, I’m surprised that Hartmann wasn’t mentioned this time around. (Or was he?)
For anyone interested, here’s a link to a “short” list of aces from WWII. There’s a helluvalot more than this, there were literally thousands of aces in that war, nevermind any of the other aerial conflicts.
http://www.1000pictures.com/aircraft/aces.htm
There’s also a whole lot more out there on the net and in print.
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I acutally mentioned Johnson and Sakai in my earlier posts. Someone else, I think Sally mentioned Rictofen as well, I really think every pilot that came after Bolke owes something to him as well, as he’s kept them all alive at some point. There were tons of great great fighter pilots, but my favorite is still Johnson.
madda
Well, I know that the question was “Greatest” fighter pilot, but my absolute FAVORITE fighter pilot would have to be Capt. Wild Bill Kelso, the first American to shoot down a Jap over the continental United States!
War nerves? Who said war nerves?
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Hey Blacwolf,
How long did it take for him to shoot one down?? Most important how long was he lookin for em…!!!
Too funny[:p][:p][:p][:p]
PS Started the “smudge wash” on my 262…!!!
Flaps up,Mike
Well, according to his flight reports, he’d been tracking a squadron of Jap Zeros for two days, but lost them somewhere over Barstow. He’ll get 'em, though!
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Riigght…!!!
They must have had coated their a/c w/ Clearview1900…!! LMAO[:p][:p]
Flaps up,Mike
Uhhh… Mike, that’s Clearview 2000. [;)]
We doin’ sumthin’ tomorrow?
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Sorry, I ment to say that but then again clearview 1900 is the first release LOL
Flaps up, Mike
ya know I have not really thought about it. I’ll let ya know
Flaps up,Mike
I don’t think anyone has mentioned Snoopy yet…
Jim
OMG!!!
How could we forget the Snoop?
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Steve:
It looks like Snoop finally installed inverted fuel and oil systems…
Jim
Yeah, that’s the improved Mk.VI ‘Sopwith Camel’.
It has the thicker reinforced sideboards, larger entry opening and an extra layer of shingles on the roof which are also coated in red RAM for a reduced RCS.
With the exception of the fuel and oil sytems you mentioned, all the new internal systems are still classified.
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That thing’s way ahead of its time anyway, no wings!!! but its still manuverable. or is it…? and since when did the soapy camel have an observer? 
so with the observer did it have 2 or 3 mgs?
Similar to FAC pilots in Vietnam, there were requirements for the CFC to take along an observer who was indigenous to the area. In this case, Snoop was on an artillery spotting mission over Woodstock, NY.
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Several years ago I saw an article in an R/C modeling magazine that featured an R/C “Snoopy on a doghouse” that actually flew. The “doghouse” had no front or back and the floor was airfoil shaped and served as the wing. The trailing edge of the floor had the elevator and ailerons, and I believe the rudders were on the trailing edges of the walls. The engine was mounted inside. The article had one or two photos of the doghouse in flight.
Jim
I remember seeing that too! I used to fly rubber-powered stuff in the gym at school, (helped to have my Dad’s cousin’s husband as an art teacher AND good friend) and there was a guy who had a Snoopy-style Camel. It too was a doghouse. I could never figure out how the hell he got it to fly…
Someday, I’m gonna build a model of a real Camel and build it really well, for competition. I don’t really build that way anymore, but I wanna do this model top-notch, and then put a figure of Snoopy leaning up against the fuselage. Just like he leans against the doghouse in the comic strips.
There are some judges on the circuit over here that’ll just be ranting about it. I love screwing with people… hehe
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Steve:
Never would have guessed it… [:D]
Another Snoopy item I just happened to think of is my all-time favorite “Far Side” cartoon. It shows a fighter pilot walking away from his airplane. There are a number of kill marks on his plane with all of them being airplane oultines except one - the outline of Snoopy on his doghouse !
Jim
My vote goes to SCAT, Robin Olds.Just like Chennault did wiht the P-40 by showing men what it could do in the right hands. Olds showed and did with the F-4. Also, do not forget he scored over the Luftwaffe in the 38 as well as the 51.