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 Dupérier 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 Dupérier 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...
Bruce Carr was an ace credited with 14 aerial. One of his most surprising achievements was stealing a Fw 190 fighter from a German airfield to return to his base after he'd been shot down in Czechoslovakia. He also served in Korea and Vietnam. Bruce Carr was an ace credited with...
A former Eagle Squadrons pilot with the RAF, Don Gentile was transferred back to the USAAF in September 1942. His final wartime tally was 19.83 aerial victories, 3 damaged, 6 destroyed on the ground, as well as two aerial victories claimed while serving with the RAF. After the war, he became a test pilot and was killed in a flying accident in 1951. A former Eagle Squadrons pilot with...
Lt.Col. Edward O. McComas was credited with 14 victories, including 5 against Japanese Ki-43 Oscar fighters on 23 December 1944. Lt.Col. Edward O. McComas was...
"Bud" Anderson flew two tours of combat with the 357th FG and became the group's third highest-scoring ace with a total of 16.25 aerial victories. He remained with the Air Force and retired in 1972 with the rank of Colonel. "Bud" Anderson flew two tours of...