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Squadron Leader James Joseph "Orange" O'Meara DSO, DFC & Bar (1919 – 1974) was a Battle of Britain Spitfire ace whose final wartime score was 11 confirmed aerial victories, two shared victories, one unconfirmed destroyed, four probables, 11 damaged and one shared damaged. Squadron Leader James Joseph "Orange"...
Born in London in 1922 of Irish parents, Michael “Slim” Kilburn flew with No 124 and No 56 Squadrons during the war. Credited with 7 aerial victories and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and French Croix de Guerre, Kilburn graduated as an aeronautical engineer after the war and became a test pilot for de Havilland. Born in London in 1922 of Irish...
Flying SM825, 20-victory ace John Sheperd shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 towing a Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket fighter on 14 April 1945, destroying both. Flying SM825, 20-victory ace John...
Flying Spitfire SM823, seven-victory ace Patrick Coleman destroyed three Focke-Wulf Fw 190 over Germany on 1 May 1945. Flying Spitfire SM823, seven-victory...
Flying MB882, F/L Spencer shot down Hauptmann Emil ‘Bully’ Lang, a German ace credited with 173 aerial victories, on 3 September 1944. Spencer's final score was of ten confirmed victories. Flying MB882, F/L Spencer shot down...
Arthur A. "Pinky" Glen, DFC & Bar, was a Royal Air Force ace with 9 aerial victories. Arthur A. "Pinky" Glen, DFC &...
Jan Eugeniusz Ludwig Zumbach (1915-1986) was a fighter pilot in the Polish air force and joined the RAF after the fall of Poland. He scored 8 confirmed kills and a probable during the Battle of Britain, edning the war with 12 confirmed victories, 2 shared, 5 probables and one damaged. Jan Eugeniusz Ludwig Zumbach...
Tadeusz "Novi" Nowierski was a Polish reconnaissance pilot and one of the first Poles to join the RAF. His transition to fighters was a success as he shot down 5 German aircraft during the Battle of Britain. Hecommanded several units during the war, ending with 5 confirmed victories and two probables. Tadeusz "Novi" Nowierski was a Polish...
With 33 aerial victories, Pierre Clostermann DFC & Bar is France's ace of aces in World War II. He described his wartime experiences in his best-selling memoirs Le Grand Cirque (The Big Show), and notably his first flight in a Spitfire of OTU 61 in 1942. With 33 aerial victories, Pierre...
Air Vice Marshal James Edgar "Johnnie" Johnson CB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Bar (1915-2001) was credited with 34 individual victories over enemy aircraft, as well as seven shared victories, three shared probables, 10 damaged, three shared damaged and one destroyed on the ground, making him the RAF's highest-scoring ace on the Western Front in World War II. Air Vice Marshal James Edgar...
Stanislaw Skalski became the first Allied ace of the war when he shot down 6 German aircraft between 1 and 16 September 1939. After joining the RAF he increased his score to a total of 18 11/12 (or 22 11/12 according to some sources), making him the top Polish ace of the war. Stanislaw Skalski became the first...
Duncan Smith, DSO*, DFC** (1914-1996) was credited with 17 confirmed kills, two shared kills, six probables, two shared probables and eight damaged in aerial combat. Duncan Smith, DSO*, DFC** (1914-1996)...
Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL (21 February 1910 – 5 September 1982) was credited with 20 aerial victories, 4 shared victories, 6 probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged. In 1931, Bader had lost both his legs in a flying accident but fought his way back to active service to... Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert...
With 33 aerial victories, Pierre Clostermann DFC & Bar is France's ace of aces in World War II. He described his wartime experiences in his best-selling memoirs Le Grand Cirque (The Big Show). After the war, Clostermann devoted himself to his work as engineer, politics and fishing. With 33 aerial victories, Pierre...
Wg Cdr Bernard Duperier was one of the leading Free French fighter leaders, and commanded the "Ile de France" and "Alsace" fighter groups of the RAF. He was also an ace with 6 aerial victories, and one shared. Wg Cdr Bernard Duperier was one of...
Richard Hillary was a Battle of Britain 5-kill ace, who is best known for his book The Last Enemy based upon his experiences during the Battle of Britain. He was killed in a training accident in 1943. Richard Hillary was a Battle of...
Roland Robert Stanford Tuck DSO, DFC & Two Bars, AFC (1 July 1916 – 5 May 1987) joined the RAF in 1935. Tuck first engaged in combat during the Battle of France, over Dunkirk, claiming his first victories. At the time of his capture in early 1942, Tuck had claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, six probably destroyed, six damaged... Roland Robert Stanford Tuck DSO, DFC...
Jean Demozay, one of the first Free French pilots to join the RAF, flew in the final days of the Battle of Britain. His score steadily increased during the war, with a final score of 21 confirmed aerial kills and two probables, making him the third highest-scoring French ace of the conflict. Jean Demozay, one of the first Free...
Eric Stanley Lock DSO, DFC & Bar (19 April 1919 – 3 August 1941) was one of the most famous aces of the RAF during the early years of the conflict. By the time he went missing in action, he had shot down 26 enemy aircraft, 20 of which were fighters. Eric Stanley Lock DSO, DFC & Bar...
John C. Meyer was the fourth highest-scoring American ace in Europe with 24 aerial victories and 13 aircraft destroyed on the ground. By the time an accident put an end to his combat flying, he had flown 200 combat missions. He remained with the Air Force after the war and later became the Commander in Chief of the Strategic Air Command. John C. Meyer was the fourth...
With 16.5 aerial victories, Eugeniusz 'Dziubek' Horbaczewski stands as the third highest-scoring Polish ace of the war. He was killed in combat on August 18, 1944. With 16.5 aerial victories, Eugeniusz...
One of the greatest fighter pilots ever, Blakeslee led the 4th FG to become the leading American fighter unit in Europe. Discreet by nature, Blakeslee's aircraft was never decorated. He is credited with 15.5 aerial and 2 ground victories but some sources suggest his actual score to be much higher. He flew over 500 combat missions in 1,000 hours, more than... One of the greatest fighter pilots...
Leonard "Kit" Carson became the highest-scoring ace of the 357th Fighter Group with 18.5 victories, plus 3.5 strafing kills. He preferred to attack his opponents at very short range and ran "Clobber College", the 357th FG's combat school, teaching new pilots essential combat skills and techniques. Leonard "Kit" Carson became the...