Ace Of Aces

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by adamcotton, Oct 27, 2005.

  1. kiwimac

    kiwimac Member

    Hartmann definitely was the best of the best. Any pilot who could do what he did day after day for years deserves accolades. On another topic entirely what about Rudel, the Stuka ace, his record is pretty damned impressive as well.

    Kiwimac
     
  2. adamcotton

    adamcotton Senior Member

    Rudel - unlike Hartmann, an ardent Nazi!!! But, politics aside, I think the qualities required of a successful dive-bomber pilot are somewhat different from those of a fighter pilot, and perhaps merit a seperate thread...
     
  3. Erich

    Erich Senior Member

    Hartmann never took on he US heavy bombers so he is ruled out ast the best.

    the man was good no doubt but ........... I can list others you sufficeintly were better, a relative comes to mind, Herr Heinz Bär who flew many different aircraft and flew in many different theaters.

    Have no clue when this thread is brought up on so many different forums that hartmann, Rall and Barkhorn are always the best due to their high scores. Kills does not make the pilot the best gents [​IMG]
     
  4. Kitty

    Kitty Very Senior Member

    Erich is totally right.
    Just because someone managed to shoot down a large number of aircraft does not mean he was the best. He could have been someone who preyed on the lame ducks at the back of a bomber stream, or went after the softer targets of PR aircraft.
    I still say the nightfighters were the best. They were using what we now see as rubbish tracking systems. They were in the pitch dark, with only their own skills to keep them alive and to track down their targets. Let's ignore the day fighter pilots now, they were just a load of pussycats in comparison.
    Now go and debat that one, and probably rip me to shreds.
    (I have the upmost repsect for all pilots of the war, so don't hink I am trying to diss the day fighters. I just believe the night fighters were much more skilled and a damn sight better crews.)
    o_O
     
  5. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    (Erich @ Nov 18 2005, 02:51 AM) [post=41682]Hartmann never took on he US heavy bombers so he is ruled out ast the best.

    the man was good no doubt but ........... I can list others you sufficeintly were better, a relative comes to mind, Herr Heinz Bär who flew many different aircraft and flew in many different theaters.

    Have no clue when this thread is brought up on so many different forums that hartmann, Rall and Barkhorn are always the best due to their high scores. Kills does not make the pilot the best gents [​IMG]
    [/b]


    While the thread was titled "Ace Of Aces, Cast your vote for the most successful fighter pilot of WW2 it was a little ambiguous as it then went to "Best" in the opener.

    Set a new thread with specific criteria and you will probably achieve a different result.

    Hartmann was doing/did the best job for Germany where he was stationed. How would he have performed in the Western Theatre?............We'll never know!
     
  6. adamcotton

    adamcotton Senior Member

    Interesting post, Mosquito!

    The thing to keep in mind is that the day fighter war as different from the night fighter war as chalk is to cheese. Each had its unique character, and each demanded different things of its participants.

    The day fighter war was generally a team affair, often with swirling dogfights all over the sky. The hunter could become the hunted in the twinkling of an eye, and only the resilience of youth and lightning reflexes kept a pilot alive. It was a mix em up free for all, fast and furious...

    The Nightfighter war, however, was more like guerilla warfare, where ambush and stalking were the standard tactics employed. It required a different mind set to that of the day fighter pilot, and nightfighter pilots generally operated alone with their radio man/gunner/radar operator. Maturity could be a benefit, as it conferred the patience necessary when trying to pinpoint a target in a raven black sky...

    I agree that numbers alone do not necessarily make a fighter pilot great, but neither can they be dismissed quite so unequivocally...
     

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