![Julius Arigi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Julius_Arigi.jpg)
The term "ace in a day" is used to designate a pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day, based on usual definition of an "
ace
An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...
" as one with five or more aerial victories.
World War I
Ace in a day on two occasions
A
Bristol F2B
The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British First World War two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, ''"Brisfit"'' or ''"Bif ...
crew – Canadian pilot Captain
Alfred Atkey
Alfred Clayburn Atkey, (16 August 1894 – 14 February 1971) was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 38 aerial victories, making him the fifth highest scoring Canadian ace. However, all those above him flew in singl ...
and English observer Lieutenant
Charles Gass – became "ace in a day" twice in the same week. On 7 May 1918, they shot down five German planes in a single sortie over
Arras. Two days later, on 9 May, they were credited with another five enemy machines in the course of two sorties. Atkey and Gass survived the Great War. Atkey credited with a total of 38 victories, making him the most successful two-seater pilot and Gass with 39 claims was the most successful observer ace of all time.
René Fonck
Colonel René Paul Fonck (27 March 1894 – 18 June 1953) was a French aviator who ended the First World War as the top Entente fighter ace and, when all succeeding aerial conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries are also considered, Fonc ...
, the top scoring French ''
Aéronautique Militaire
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Arm ...
'' and Allied ace of the war, scored six in a day on both 9 May and 26 September 1918.
Ace in a day
The first aviators to ever achieve "ace in a day" were pilot
Julius Arigi
Julius Arigi (3 October 1895 – 1 August 1981) was a flying ace of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I with a total of 32 credited victories. His victory total was second only to Godwin von Brumowski. Arigi was considered a superb natur ...
and observer/gunner
Johann Lasi
''Stabfeldwebel'' Johann Lasi (born 1890, date of death unknown) was a World War I Austro-Hungarian flying ace, a Croat by ethnicity, credited with five aerial victories on 22 Aug 1916, while acting as an unauthorized rear gunner for Julius Arigi ...
of the
Austro-Hungarian air force, on 22 August 1916, when they downed five Italian planes.
The first single pilot (as opposed to double aviators, as is the case with the previously mentioned Arigi and Lasi) was World War I German flying ace
Fritz Otto Bernert. Bernert scored five victories within 20 minutes on 24 April 1917. He had a total of 27 kills during the war, even though he wore glasses and had a useless left arm.
*
Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor
Andrew Frederick Weatherby (Anthony) Beauchamp-Proctor, (4 September 1894 – 21 June 1921) was a South African airman and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to Britis ...
, the top scoring South African ace of the war, was piloting an
SE5a
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Major Frank Goodden. It was one of the fast ...
fighter with
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
No 84 Squadron when he shot down five German aircraft on 19 May 1918.
*
Raymond Collishaw, a Canadian who was the top scoring
Royal Naval Air Service ace, piloted a
Sopwith Triplane
The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiori ...
when scoring six
Albatros D.V fighters near
Menen
Menen (; french: Menin ; vls, Mêenn or ) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Menen proper and the towns of Lauwe and Rekkem. The city is situated on the French/Be ...
, 6 July 1917.
*
John Lightfoot Trollope of the Royal Air Force shot down and destroyed seven German planes on 24 March 1918.
*
Henry Woollett
Henry Winslow Woollett, (5 August 1895 – 31 October 1969) was a British flying ace and the highest scoring British Balloon buster, balloon busting ace credited with List of World War I aces credited with 20 or more victories, 35 aerial victor ...
of the Royal Air Force shot down and destroyed six German airplanes on 12 April 1918, setting two afire.
*
Frederick McCall
Frederick Robert Gordon McCall (4 December 1896 – 22 January 1949) was a Canadian air ace during World War I, with 35 confirmed and two unconfirmed victories. After a career in civil aviation, he returned to service in World War II.
Early ...
, Canadian flying ace, shot down five German fighters, four (3
Albatros D.V and 1
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII qui ...
) in the morning and the fifth in the evening (Albatros D.V) of 30 June 1918 . For this success he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...
.
*
John Inglis Gilmour
John Inglis Gilmour, (28 June 1896 – 24 February 1928) was a British flying ace of the First World War. He was the highest scoring Scotsman in the Royal Flying Corps, with 39 victories.
Gilmour began his military career in the Argyll and Su ...
of the Royal Air Force successfully brought down five German aircraft in a single day on 1 July 1918. He achieved this whilst piloting a
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the ...
fighter.
*
Billy Bishop, the top scoring Canadian and British Empire ace of the war, was piloting an
S.E.5 on 19 June 1918, when he scored four
Pfalz D.III fighters and a
LVG C
Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. (L.V.G. or LVG) was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin- Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bombe ...
two-seat reconnaissance aircraft near
Ploegsteert
Ploegsteert ( pcd, Ploster) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Comines-Warneton, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
It is the most westerly settlement of Wallonia. It is approximately north of the French bo ...
.
*
Walter Carl Simon
Lieutenant Walter Carl Simon (1890–1971) was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.
Biography
Flying a Bristol F.2 Fighter for the British, he and his observer scored five victories on the single day of 30 July 1918; he t ...
, who served in
No. 139 Squadron RAF became the first American ace in day when he and his observer
William Smith in a Bristol F.2b shot down on 30 July 1918 three
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service ('' Luftstreitkräfte'') during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service ( ''Luftfahrtruppen''). ...
s, one LVG C and one reconnaissance plane
*
Eugene Seeley Coler, like W. C. Simon also an American serving in the RAF, at
No. 11 Squadron RAF, and also flying a Bristol F.2b, on 13 August 1918 with his observer Cyril William Gladman shot down five Fokker D.VIIs. For this, he was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross.
*
Heinrich Gontermann
Heinrich Gontermann (25 February 1896 – 30 October 1917) was a German fighter ace credited with 39 victories during the First World War.
Early life
Born in Siegen, Southern Westphalia, on 25 February 1896,''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter ...
of the ''
Luftstreitkräfte
The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Force)—known before October 1916 as (Flyer Troops)—was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service, alth ...
'' achieved five aerial victories on 19 August 1918 when, flying a
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII qui ...
, he shot down a SPAD fighter in the morning and destroyed four Allied observation balloons in the afternoon.
*
Arthur Spurling
Arthur Rowe Spurling, (19 May 1896 – 1984) was a Bermudian who served during the First World War as an infantryman and an aviator, becoming an ace credited with six aerial victories. He later served as a ferry pilot during the Second World Wa ...
, a
Bermudian pilot of
No. 49 Squadron RAF, with his observer
Frank Bell, were flying a
DH.9 bomber on 23 August 1918, when they single-handedly attacked thirty
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII qui ...
fighters, downing five of them (three by Spurling, two by Bell). Two days later Spurling shot down another D.VII over Mont Notre Dame. The two crewmen shared each other's victories, each attaining ace status in a single mission.
*
Frank Luke
Frank Luke Jr. (May 19, 1897 – September 29, 1918) was an American fighter ace credited with 19 aerial victories, ranking him second among United States Army Air Service pilots after Captain Eddie Rickenbacker during World War I. Luke was t ...
of
27th Aero Squadron USAAS, at the controls of a
SPAD XIII
The SPAD S.XIII is a French biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War, developed by '' Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) from the earlier and highly successful SPAD S.VII.
During early 1917, the French designer Louis ...
, achieved five victories on 18 September 1918, destroying two Fokker D.VII fighters, two observation balloons and an Halberstadt reconnaissance plane. Luke was killed in action 11 days later.
*
Friedrich Ritter von Röth
Oberleutnant Friedrich Ritter von Röth (29 September 1893 – 31 December 1918) was a German World War I fighter ace with 28 victories. He was the most successful German pilot at the extremely hazardous practice of shooting down enemy obse ...
of ''
Jagdstaffel 16'' shot down five
observation balloons in 15 minutes on 29 May 1918.
World War II
Triple-ace in a day
To achieve this a pilot must have destroyed 15 enemy aircraft in a single day. This has been achieved by only five pilots, all from the Luftwaffe:
*
Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down 17 Allied fighters in three sorties over
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
on 1 September 1942.
*
Emil Lang shot down 18 Soviet fighters on 3 November 1943, the most kills on a single day by any pilot in history.
*
August Lambert
August Lambert (18 February 1916 – 17 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and ground-attack pilot during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 116 aerial victories claimed in approximately 350 combat missions for ...
shot down 17 Soviet aircraft on a single day in 1944.
*
Hubert Strassl
Hubert StraßlHis name, in German, is spelled with a "sharp S"; see ß. (24 May 1918 – 8 July 1943) was an Austrian-born German fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe and fought during World War II. He was credited with 67 aerial victories—that is, ...
shot down 15 Soviet aircraft on 5 July 1943 near Orel.
*
Wilhelm Batz claimed 15 Soviet aircraft shot down on 31 May 1944.
Double-ace in a day
To achieve this a pilot must have destroyed ten enemy aircraft in a single day. This has been achieved by twelve pilots, three of whom repeated their achievement a second time within weeks.
![HiromichiShinohara](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/HiromichiShinohara.JPG)
*
Hiromichi Shinohara
1 August 1913 – 27 August 1939) was the highest-scoring fighter ace of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAF). On 27 June 1939 he set a Japanese record by downing 11 planes on a single day. He was shot down and killed on 27 August 1939, ...
, on 27 June 1939 set an Imperial Japanese Army Air Force record of eleven victories in a single day during an air battle over Tamsak-Bulak. He is highest scoring non-German ace in a day in history.
*
Adolf Dickfeld claimed eleven Soviet aircraft shot down on 8 May 1942.
*
Hermann Graf, the first fighter pilot to claim 200 aerial victories, shot down ten Soviet aircraft on 23 September 1942.
*
Max Stotz
Max Stotz (13 February 1912 – 19 August 1943) was an Austrian Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with shooting down 189 enemy aircraft claimed in more than 700 combat missions.
Born in Mannswörth, Stotz ...
claimed ten Soviet aircraft shot down on 30 December 1942.
*
Walter Nowotny
Walter Nowotny (7 December 1920 – 8 November 1944) was an Austrian-born fighter ace of the Luftwaffe in World War II. He is credited with 258 aerial victories—that is, 258 aerial combat encounters resulting in ...
, the first fighter pilot to claim 250 aerial victories, twice shot down ten in one day. On 24 June 1943 and on 1 September 1943 he claimed ten Soviet aircraft shot down.
*
Erich Rudorffer
Erich Rudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German ''Luftwaffe'' fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the ''Luftwaffe'' through the whole of World War II. He was the 7th most successful fighter pilot in the history ...
is credited with the destruction of the most aircraft ever in a single mission when he shot down thirteen Soviet aircraft on 11 October 1943.
*
Johannes Wiese claimed twelve Soviet aircraft shot down on 5 July 1943.
*
Walter Wolfrum twice shot down ten or more aircraft on one day. On 30 May 1944, he claimed eleven Soviet aircraft destroyed and on 16 July 1944, he claimed further ten shot down.
*
Walter Schuck claimed eleven Soviet aircraft shot down on 17 June 1944.
*
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful flying ace, fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in ...
, the highest-scoring fighter ace in history, downed eleven planes on 24 August 1944, in two consecutive missions. In the process, he became the first 300-kill ace in history, and as a result of this, gained the
, by then Germany's highest military award for standard servicemen.
*
Franz Schall
Franz Schall (1 June 1918 – 10 April 1945) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he flew approximately 550 combat missions and claimed 137 aerial victories—that is, 137 aerial comba ...
twice shot down ten or more aircraft on one day. On 26 August 1944, he claimed eleven Soviet aircraft destroyed, and on 31 August 1944, he claimed a further thirteen shot down.
*
Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer
Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (16 February 1922 – 15 July 1950) was a German Luftwaffe night-fighter pilot and the highest-scoring night fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. A flying ace is a military aviator credited with shootin ...
: although claiming only nine aircraft shot down, he destroyed ten RAF bombers on 21 February 1945.
Multiple times ace in a day
Seventeen-time ace in day
![Luftwaffe training with Walter Nowotny](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Luftwaffe_training_with_Walter_Nowotny.jpg)
* On 20 July 1942, then again on 2 August 1942, 1 June 1943, 8 June 1943, 21 June 1943, 24 June 1943, 13 August 1943, 18 August 1943, 21 August 1943, 1 September 1943, 2 September 1943, 8 September 1943, 14 September 1943, 15 September 1943, 9 October 1943, 13 October 1943 and 14 October 1943,
Walter Nowotny
Walter Nowotny (7 December 1920 – 8 November 1944) was an Austrian-born fighter ace of the Luftwaffe in World War II. He is credited with 258 aerial victories—that is, 258 aerial combat encounters resulting in ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a seventeen-time ace in a day, with five, seven, five, six, six, ten, nine, six, seven, ten, six, five, six, six, eight, six and six respectively.
Thirteen-time ace in day
* On 9 February 1943, then again on 15 February 1943, 24 August 1943, 14 September 1943, 11 October 1943, 6 November 1943, 7 April 1944, 3 July 1944, 26 July 1944, 25 August 1944, 25 September 1944, 10 October 1944 and 28 October 1944,
Erich Rudorffer
Erich Rudorffer (1 November 1917 – 8 April 2016) was a German ''Luftwaffe'' fighter ace who was one of a handful who served with the ''Luftwaffe'' through the whole of World War II. He was the 7th most successful fighter pilot in the history ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a thirteen-time ace in a day, with eight, seven, eight, five, seven, fourteen, six, five, six, five, six, seven and eleven respectively.
Twelve-time ace in day
* On 1 December 1943, then again on 2 December 1943, 5 December 1943, 8 April 1944, 10 April 1944, 2 May 1944, 31 May 1944, 5 June 1944, 19 July 1944, 17 August 1944, 22 August 1944 and 23 October 1944,
Wilhelm Batz, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a twelve-time ace in a day, with five, five, six, six, five, five, fifteen, eight, six, six, six and five respectively.
Ten-time ace in day
* On 30 July 1944, then again on 13 August 1941, 30 December 1942, 7 January 1943, 12 January 1943, 14 January 1943, 23 January 1943, 23 February 1943, 7 March 1943, and 16 March 1943,
Hans Philipp
Hans Philipp (17 March 1917 – 8 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He is credit ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a ten-time ace in a day, with five, five, eight, five, seven, five, six, eight, nine and five respectively.
Nine-time ace in day
* On 17 March 1944, then again on 7 April 1944, 25 May 1944, 15 June 1944, 17 June 1944, 28 June 1944, 17 July 1944, 22 July 1944, and 23 August 1944,
Walter Schuck, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a nine-time ace in a day, with seven, six, six, six, eleven, seven, seven, seven and five victories, respectively.
* On 16 May 1944, then again on 26 May 1944, 17 June 1944, 27 June 1944, 28 June 1944, 4 July 1944, 23 August 1944, 9 October 1944, and 21 October 1944,
Franz Dörr, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a nine-time ace in a day, with seven, five, eight, six, six, five, seven, six and five victories, respectively.
Eight-time ace in day
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-440-1313-03, H](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-440-1313-03%2C_H._J._Marseille_mit_abgeschossener_%22Hurricane%22.jpg)
* On 24 September 1941, then again on 3 and 17 June 1942, 1, 2, 3, 15 and 26 September 1942,
Hans-Joachim Marseille, Luftwaffe fighter pilot in the North Africa, became an eight-time ace in a day, claiming five, six, six, seventeen, five, six, seven and seven aerial victories, respectively.
* On 30 April 1942, then again on 2, 8, 13, and 14 May 1942, 14 August 1942, 2 and 23 September 1942,
Hermann Graf, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an eight-time ace in a day, claiming six, seven, eight, six, seven, five, five and ten aerial victories, respectively.
* On 12 January 1943, then again on 4 August 1943, 4 April 1944, 28 June 1944, 14 September 1944, and 9, 27 and 29 October 1944,
Otto Kittel
Otto Kittel (21 February 1917 – 14 or 16 February 1945) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. He flew 583 combat missions on the Eastern Front, claiming 267 aerial victories, making him the fourth highest scoring ace in aviat ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an eight-time ace in a day, claiming six, seven, five, five, six, five, seven and six aerial victories, respectively.
* On 7 October 1943, then again on 13, 21, 22, 23 and 24 October 1943, 2 and 3 November 1943,
Emil Lang, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an eight-time ace in a day, claiming five, ten, twelve, nine, six, five, eight and eighteen aerial victories, respectively.
Seven-time ace in day
* On 17 March 1944, then again on 27 June 1944, 28 June 1944, 4 July 1944, 17 July 1944, 17 August 1944 and 23 August 1944,
Jakob Norz
Jakob Norz (20 October 1920 – 16 September 1944) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Norz is listed with 117 aerial victories—that is, 117 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—becoming an " a ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern and Western Front, became a seven-time ace in a day.
Six-time ace in day
* On 30 June 1941, then again on 30 August 1941, 19 May 1942, 3 November 1942, 14 January 1943 and 26 February 1943,
Heinrich Bär
Heinz "Pritzl" Bär (; 25 May 1913 – 28 April 1957) was a German Luftwaffe flying ace who served throughout World War II in Europe. Bär flew more than one thousand combat missions, and fought in the Western, Eastern and Mediterranean th ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern and Western Front, became a six-time ace in a day.
* On 22 June 1942, then again on 19 July and 20 July 1942, 2 December, 28 December 1943 and 16 November 1944,
Gerhard Barkhorn
Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn (20 March 1919 – 11 January 1983) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow p ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a six-time ace in a day, claiming five, six, five, six, seven and five aerial victories respectively.
* On 22 August 1942, then again on 3, 29 and 30 December 1942, 14 and 26 January 1943,
Max Stotz
Max Stotz (13 February 1912 – 19 August 1943) was an Austrian Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with shooting down 189 enemy aircraft claimed in more than 700 combat missions.
Born in Mannswörth, Stotz ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a six-time ace in a day, claiming five, five, five, ten, seven and six aerial victories respectively.
* On 27 March 1943, then again on 13 April 1943, 17 March 1944, 11 May 1944, 26 May 1944 and 17 July 1944,
Heinrich Ehrler, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern and Western Front, became a six-time ace in a day, with five, six, seven, five, five and five victories, respectively.
Five-times ace in day
* On 21 August 1941, potentially also on 28 September 1941, then again on 18 and 19 October 1941, 22 October 1941, and 16 August 1942,
Gordon Gollob, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a five-time, maybe six-time, ace in a day.
* On 17 December 1942, then again on 16 April 1943, 23 October 1943, 19 July 1944 and 15 October 1944,
Rudolf Trenkel
Rudolf Trenkel (17 January 1918 – 26 April 2001) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II. As a flying ace, he was credited with 138 victories and was a recipient of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.
Career ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a five-time ace in a day, claiming six, five, five, five and six aerial victories respectively.
* On 30 December 1942, then again on 14 and 23 January 1943,
Hans "Assi" Hahn, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a five-time ace in a day, claiming five, seven and five aerial victories respectively.
* On 18 January 1943, then again on 23 February 1943, 24 February 1943, 6 May 1943, and 21 July 1943,
Josef Jennewein
Josef Jennewein (21 November 1919 – 27 July 1943) was a German alpine skier and world champion. During World War II, he served first in the Wehrmacht and then in the Luftwaffe, and was credited with 86 air victories. He was awarded the Knight' ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a five-time ace in a day, claiming five, five, seven, five, and five aerial victories, respectively.
* On 2 August 1943, then again on 14 and 20 August 1943, 4 September 1943 and 5 February 1944,
Oskar Romm
Oskar "Ossi" Romm (18 December 1919 – 1 May 1993) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or su ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a five-time ace in a day, with five, five, six, five and six victories, respectively.
* On 19 March 1944, then again on 20, 30 and 31 May 1944, and 16 July 1944,
Walter Wolfrum, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a five-time ace in a day, claiming six, five, eleven, six, and ten aerial victories, respectively.
* On 8 April 1944, then again on 9 April 1944, 17 April 1944, 18 April 1944 and 7 May 1944,
Gerhard Hoffmann, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a five-time ace in a day.
Four-time ace in day
![Erich Hartmann voor zijn Bf 109 (G-6)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Erich_Hartmann_voor_zijn_Bf_109_%28G-6%29.jpg)
* On 26 June 1941, then again on 12 July 1941, 7 July 1942 and 9 July 1942,
Viktor Bauer
Viktor Bauer (15 September 1915 – 13 December 1969) was a former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern and Western Front, became a four-time ace in a day.
* On 24 October 1941, then again on 8 May 1942, 13 and 14 May 1942,
Adolf Dickfeld, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, claiming five, eleven, six and eight aerial victories respectively.
* On 9 March 1942, then again on 12 July 1942, 13 July 1942 and 22 July 1942,
Erwin Clausen
Erwin Clausen (5 August 1911 – 4 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 132 aerial victories—that is, 132 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy ai ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, claiming five, five, five and six aerial victories respectively.
* On 17 July 1942, then again on 11 January 1943, 13 March 1943, and 1 April 1943,
Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front and in North Africa, became a four-time ace in a day, claiming eight, five, six and five aerial victories respectively.
* On 30 August 1942, then again on 7 September 1942, 16 September 1942 and 18 September 1942,
Friedrich-Karl "Tutti" Müller, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, with five, seven, five and five victories, respectively.
* On 20 April 1943, then again on 8 May 1943, 5 July 1943 and 7 July 1943,
Joachim Kirschner
Joachim Kirschner (7 June 1920 – 17 December 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 188 aerial victories achieved in 635 combat missions. This figure includes 168 aerial victories ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, with eight, seven, eight and five victories, respectively.
* On 20 April 1943, then again on 5 November 1943, 6 November 1943 and 8 April 1944,
Heinrich Sturm
Heinrich Sturm (12 June 1920 – 22 December 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 158 enemy aircraft shot down in an unknown number of combat missions. All of his aerial victories were ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, with five, six, six and eight victories, respectively.
* On 26 May 1943, then again on 27 May, 4 and 19 August 1943,
Berthold Korts, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with five, five, nine and five victories, respectively.
* On 8 June 1943, then again on 5 July 1943, 7 July 1943 and 8 July 1943,
Hubert Strassl
Hubert StraßlHis name, in German, is spelled with a "sharp S"; see ß. (24 May 1918 – 8 July 1943) was an Austrian-born German fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe and fought during World War II. He was credited with 67 aerial victories—that is, ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, with six, fifteen, six and five victories, respectively.
* On 5 July 1943, then again on 7, 10 and 13 July 1943,
Günther Scheel
Günther Scheel (23 November 1921 – MIA 16 July 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. He i ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, with eight, seven, five and six victories, respectively.
* On 1 August, 4 August, 5 August, and 7 August 1943, Luftwaffe fighter pilot
Erich Hartmann
Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful flying ace, fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. He flew 1,404 combat missions and participated in ...
became a four-time ace in a day by shooting down 5 Soviet Union aircraft on each occasion. This, and his 24 August 1944 double ace in a day (11 kills) against Soviet Union airplanes, contributed to his all-time highest scoring ace total of 352 kills.
* On 10 April 1944, then again on 17 April 1944, 4 May 1944, and 6 May 1944,
August Lambert
August Lambert (18 February 1916 – 17 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and ground-attack pilot during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 116 aerial victories claimed in approximately 350 combat missions for ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, with seven, twelve, nine and fourteen victories, respectively.
* On 16 May 1944, then again on 25 May 1944, 26 May 1944, and 17 June 1944,
Rudi Linz, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a four-time ace in a day, with five, five, five and nine victories, respectively.
Three-time ace in day
![Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J16509, Günther Rall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-J16509%2C_G%C3%BCnther_Rall.jpg)
* On 22 June 1941, then again on 6 July 1942 and 22 September 1942,
Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with five, six and six victories, respectively.
* On 24 June 1941, then again on 5 July 1942 and 2 August 1942,
Karl-Heinz Schnell
Karl-Heinz Schnell (10 January 1915 – 13 March 2013) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. For the fighter pilots, it was a quantifiable measure of skill and success. Schnell was ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with seven, six and five victories, respectively.
* On 10 July 1941, then again on 12 July 1941 and 12 August 1941,
Walter Oesau
Walter "Gulle" Oesau (28 June 1913 – 11 May 1944) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. A fighter ace, he served in the Luftwaffe from 1934 until his death in 1944. He rose to command ''Jagdgeschwader'' 1, which was named in his hon ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern and Western Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with five, seven and six victories, respectively.
* On 17 August 1941, then again on 20 August 1942 and 5 July 1943,
Werner Lucas
Werner Georg Emil Lucas (27 December 1917 – 24 October 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 106 enemy aircraft shot down. The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Fr ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day.
* On 26 July 1942, then again on 7 August 1942 and 5 July 1943,
Kurt Brändle, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day.
* On 24 August 1942, then again on 17 September 1942 and 4 August 1943,
Heinz Schmidt, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with seven, five and five victories, respectively.
* On 4 December 1942, then again on 24 February 1943 and 23 June 1943,
Edwin Thiel
Edwin Ludwig Thiel (19 June 1913 – 14 July 1944) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or succes ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day.
* On 3 May 1943, then again on 20 August 1943 and 10 October 1943,
Günther Rall
Günther Rall (10 March 1918 – 4 October 2009) was a highly decorated German military aviator, officer and General, whose military career spanned nearly forty years. Rall was the third most successful fighter pilot in aviation history, ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, and the third highest scoring ace in history, became a three-time ace in a day, claiming five aerial victories on each of these days.
* On 5 July 1943, then again on 4 and 23 August 1943,
Gerhard Loos
Gerhard Loos (21 August 1916 – 6 March 1944) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he claimed 92 aerial victories, 14 of which were claimed in Defense of the Reich.
Born in Kommer ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with five, six and six victories, respectively.
* On 12 July 1943, then again on 22 November 1943 and 14 October 1944,
Joachim Brendel, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with five, six and five victories, respectively.
* On 20 July 1943, then again on 2 January 1944 and 21 January 1944,
Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Heinrich may refer to:
People
* Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
*Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...
, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot on the Eastern and Western Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with seven, six and five victories, respectively.
* On 21 October 1943, then again on 22 October 1943 and 3 November 1943,
Reinhold Hoffmann, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with seven, eight and eight victories, respectively.
* On 7 January 1944, then again on 13 March 1944 and 19 March 1944,
Herbert Bachnick, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day.
* On 22 March 1944, then again on 31 March 1944 and 14 March 1945,
Martin Becker, a Luftwaffe
night fighter
A night fighter (also known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor for a period of time after the Second World War) is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility. Night fighters began to be used i ...
pilot, became a three-time ace in a day, with six, seven and nine victories, respectively.
* On 19 April 1944, then again on 30 May 1944 and 16 October 1944,
Hans-Joachim Birkner, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with six, five and five victories, respectively.
* On 26 August, then again on 31 August 1944 and 1 September 1944,
Franz Schall
Franz Schall (1 June 1918 – 10 April 1945) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he flew approximately 550 combat missions and claimed 137 aerial victories—that is, 137 aerial comba ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a three-time ace in a day, with eleven, thirteen and five victories, respectively.
Two-time ace in day
![Hans Henrik Wind in Suulajärvi 1943](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Hans_Henrik_Wind_in_Suulaj%C3%A4rvi_1943.png)
* On 5 October 1940, then again on 6 November 1940,
Helmut Wick
Helmut Paul Emil Wick (5 August 1915 – 28 November 1940) was a German flying ace of World War II. He was a wing commander in the Luftwaffe (air force) of Nazi Germany, and the fourth recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak L ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on Western Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 9 July 1941, then again on 19 August 1942,
Siegfried Schnell
Siegfried Schnell (23 January 1916 – 25 February 1944) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 93—that is, 93 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on Western Front, twice became an ace in a day, with six and five victories, respectively.
* On 12 July 1941, then again on 12 December 1942,
Georg Schentke, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, claiming five and six aerial victories respectively.
* On 2 August 1941, then again on 16 September 1941,
Heinrich Hoffmann, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 17 August 1941, then again on 26 July 1942,
Walter Ohlrogge, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 16 March 1942, then again on 5 April 1942,
Wolfgang Späte
Wolfgang Späte (8 September 1911 – 30 April 1997) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. For fighter pilots it was a quantifiable measure of skill an ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 19 March 1942, then again on 16 September 1942,
Heinrich Setz, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 31 March 1942, then again on 5 April 1942,
Friedrich Beckh
Friedrich Beckh (17 January 1908 – 21 June 1942) was 48 victory- Luftwaffe flying ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successf ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, claiming five and six aerial victories respectively.
* On 20 April 1942, then again on 25 April 1942,
Friedrich Geißhardt
Friedrich GeißhardtHis name, in German, is spelled with a "sharp S"; see ß. (22 January 1919 – 6 April 1943) was a German former Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War I ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, claiming five and seven aerial victories respectively.
* On 23 April 1942, then again on 27 September 1942,
Rudolf Müller, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, claiming five and six aerial victories respectively.
* On 2 May 1942, then again on 8 May 1942,
Leopold Steinbatz
Leopold Steinbatz (25 October 1918 – 23 June 1942) was an Austrian-born fighter pilot of the Luftwaffe in World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 99 aircraft shot down in over 300 combat missions, all of which claimed over the Ea ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, claiming six and seven aerial victories respectively.
* On 14 May 1942, then again on 28 September 1942,
Karl Gratz
Karl Gratz (24 January 1919 – 14 March 2002) was an Austrian-born Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 138 aerial victories claimed in more than 900 missions. Gratz claimed the majority of his vict ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, claiming nine and five aerial victories respectively.
* On 22 June 1942, then again on 5 September 1942,
Hans Dammers
Hans Dammers (8 August 1913 – 17 March 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 113 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. During his numerous ground ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 7 July 1942, then again on 9 August 1942,
Joachim Wandel, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became ace in a day, claiming six and five aerial victories respectively.
* On 23 July 1942, then again on 7 August 1942,
Waldemar Semelka, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 24 July 1942, then again on 13 August 1942,
Johann Badum, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 23 August 1942, then again on 30 August 1942,
Johannes Steinhoff
Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff (15 September 1913 – 21 February 1994) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II, German general, and NATO official. He was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 23 August 1942, then again on 5 March 1943,
Hans Beißwenger
Hans BeißwengerHis name, in German, is spelled with a "sharp S"; see ß. (8 November 1916 – 6 March 1943) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. A flying a ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 22 September 1942, then again on 29 November 1942,
Josef Zwernemann, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, claiming six and five aerial victories respectively.
* On 17 December 1942, then again on 23 February 1943,
Günther Schack, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 11 April 1943, then again on 10 May 1943,
Wolf-Udo Ettel
Wolf-Udo Ettel (26 February 1921 – 17 July 1943) was a German World War II Luftwaffe flying ace and a posthumous recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 30 May 1943, then again on 22 July 1943,
Werner Quast
Werner Hermann Quast (21 June 1920 – 12 July 1962) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day, claiming five and six victories respectively.
* On 10 June 1943, then again on 5 July 1943,
Max-Hermann Lücke, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day, twice with seven victories.
* On 5 July 1943, then again on 4 August 1943,
Karl-Heinz Weber
Karl-Heinz Weber (30 January 1922 – 7 June 1944) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germ ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 5 July 1943, then agin on 14 August 1943,
Horst-Günther von Fassong
Horst-Günther von Fassong (27 April 1919 – 1 January 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviation, military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. Depending on source, he is credited between 63 and 136 aerial victories achieved in an ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 5 July 1943, then again on 20 October 1943,
Johannes Wiese, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day, claiming twelve and seven aerial victories respectively.
* On 2 August 1943, then again on 8 October 1943,
Heinrich Sterr, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day, claiming seven and six victories respectively.
* On 14 August 1943, then again on 26 September 1943,
Otto Gaiser
Otto Gaiser (5 October 1919 – 22 January 1944) was a Luftwaffe ace with 66 confirmed kills, and he was the recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extr ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 5 November 1943, then again on 16 February 1944,
Heinz Wernicke
Heinz Wernicke (17 October 1920 – 27 December 1944) was a Luftwaffe World War II fighter ace and was credited with 117 aerial victories—that is, 117 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. He was also a ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day.
* On 11 April 1944, then again on 7 May 1944, potentially on 1 November 1944 as well,
Peter Düttmann, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, with six, nine and five victories, respectively.
* On 11 April 1944, then again on 4 May 1944,
Helmut Bergmann
Helmut Bergmann (26 May 1920 – 6 August 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 36 enemy aircraft shot down in 135 combat missions. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see '' ...
, a Luftwaffe
night fighter
A night fighter (also known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor for a period of time after the Second World War) is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility. Night fighters began to be used i ...
pilot, became a two-time ace in a day, with seven and five victories, respectively.
* On 4 May 1944, then again on 22 May 1944,
Martin Drewes, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot on the Western Front, became a two-time ace in a day, with six and nine victories, respectively.
* On 7 May 1944, then again on 8 June 1944,
Heinz Sachsenberg, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, with six and five victories, respectively.
* On 17 June 1944, then again on 28 June 1944 and potentially on 16 September 1944,
Heinz Arnold
Heinz Arnold (12 February 1919 – 17 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace. He is credited with 49 aerial victories including seven victories claimed flying the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter.For a list of Luftwaffe Jet aces see ''L ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time, potentially three-time, ace in a day, with nine, six and five victories, respectively.
* On 25 May 1944, then again on 21 February 1945,
Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer
Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (16 February 1922 – 15 July 1950) was a German Luftwaffe night-fighter pilot and the highest-scoring night fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. A flying ace is a military aviator credited with shootin ...
, a Luftwaffe
night fighter
A night fighter (also known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor for a period of time after the Second World War) is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility. Night fighters began to be used i ...
pilot, became a two-time ace in a day, with five and nine victories, respectively.
* On 17 and 28 June 1944, Helmut Neumann, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, with eight and five victories, respectively.
* On 19 June 1944, then again on 24 October 1944, Commander
David McCampbell
Captain David McCampbell (January 16, 1910 – June 30, 1996) was a United States Navy captain, naval aviator, and a Medal of Honor recipient. He retired from the navy in 1964 with 31 years of service.
McCampbell is the United States Navy's all ...
, the USN's top ace and Medal of Honor recipient, became a two-time ace in a day, with seven victories during the "
Marianas Turkey Shoot", followed by nine victories on the second date.
* On 20 and 25 June 1944,
Hans Wind, Finland's second highest scoring fighter ace, became a two-time ace in a day, with five victories both days. This was part of his 13-day tally, from 13 June to 25 June, of 29 aerial victories fighting against the
Soviet Summer Offensive. His final World War II tally was 75.
* On 30 June 1944, then again on 5 March 1945,
Ulrich Wernitz
Ulrich Wernitz (21 January 1921 – 23 December 1980) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. He was credited with 101 aerial victories—that is, 101 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in ro ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, with five and eight victories, respectively.
* On 31 August 1944, then again on 16 October 1944, Adolf Nehring, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, with six and five victories, respectively.
* On 14 September 1944, then again on 22 December 1944,
Gerhard Thyben, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, twice became an ace in a day, with six and five victories, respectively.
* On 7 October 1944, then again on 24 October 1944,
Heinz Marquardt
Heinz "Negus" Marquardt (29 December 1922 – 19 December 2003) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day, with eight and five victories, respectively.
* On 13 and 24 October 1944, Johannes Keller, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became a two-time ace in a day.
* On the night of 7/8 February 1945, then again on the night of 15/16 March 1945,
Gerhard Raht, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, became a two-time ace in a day, with six and five victories respectively.
Ace in a day
1940
![Jorma Kalevi Sarvanto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Jorma_Kalevi_Sarvanto.jpg)
* On 6 January 1940,
Jorma Sarvanto
Jorma Kalevi Sarvanto (22 August 1912 – 16 October 1963) was a Finnish Air Force pilot and the foremost Finnish fighter ace of the Winter War.
Early life
Sarvanto was born and raised in Turku, Finland. He attended high school in Turku and g ...
, a Finnish lieutenant, destroyed six Soviet
DB-3 bombers in four minutes on one flight. Sarvanto was the top scoring pilot in the
Winter War
The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...
, with 17 kills.
* On 14 May 1940,
Hans-Karl Mayer, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 17 May 1940,
Max Bucholz
Max Bucholz (3 November 1912 – 19 July 1996) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Bucholz was credited with between 28 and 30 victories, including an ace in a day.
Early life a ...
, a German ''Oberleutnant'' of 1./JG 3 shot down four RAF
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...
s, a
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness b ...
and a French
Curtis Hawk 75. These were his first victories. On 13 July 1941, he again claimed five aerial victories on the Eastern Front.
* On 29 May 1940 during the
Dunkirk evacuation, RAF
turret gunner Corporal Albert Lippett and his pilot, Flight Lieutenant
Nicholas Gresham Cooke, claimed two
Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and a
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engine (Des ...
fighter during their first sortie, then added five
Junkers Ju 87 bombers in their second that day, becoming Britain's first aces in a day in the Second World War. Both men would die when their
Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns ...
was shot down on 31 May as they continued to protect the ships and troops at the beach.
* On 5 June 1940,
Wilhelm Balthasar
Wilhelm Balthasar (2 February 1914 – 3 July 1941) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with seven aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War and further 40 aerial ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Western Front, shot down five French aircraft.
* On 15 June 1940,
Pierre Le Gloan
Pierre Le Gloan (6 January 1913 – 11 September 1943) was a French flying ace of World War II. Unique in the annals of wartime flying, he scored victories against German, Italian and British forces. Flying in the French and Vichy French air force ...
of the French Air Force destroyed five Italian aircraft in one flight.
* On 24 August 1940,
Antoni Głowacki, flying with a
Polish Squadron in the RAF, (in duty fight R.A.F. 501 (Hawker Hurricane) Squadron shot down three Bf 109s and two Junkers Ju 88 bombers over Ramsgate, to become the first ace in a day of the
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
.
* Also on 24 August 1940, RAF pilot Ronald Hamlyn shot down five aircraft, flying a Spitfire with 610 Squadron.
* On 31 August 1940,
Brian Carbury
Brian Carbury, (27 February 1918 – 31 July 1961) was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was officially credited with destroying enemy aircraft.
Born in Wellington, Carbury joined the RAF ...
, a New Zealand flying officer, claimed three Bf 109s and two
He 111s in three sorties.
* On 27 September 1940,
Albert Gerald Lewis, a South African pilot officer, claimed six German aircraft (three Bf 109s, two Bf 110s and one Ju 88) destroyed, along with two probables and one damaged.
* On 7 October 1940,
Archie McKellar
Squadron Leader Archibald Ashmore McKellar, & Bar (10 April 1912 – 1 November 1940) was a flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.
McKellar grew up and joined the family business in his native Scotland, but i ...
. of the RAF shot down five
Messerschmitt Bf 109s during the Battle of Britain.
* On 11 December 1940, within six minutes, Charles Dyson of the RAF's No 33 Squadron destroyed six Italian Cr42s.
1941
![AWM SUK12082 Clive Caldwell](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/AWM_SUK12082_Clive_Caldwell.jpg)
* On 25 June 1941,
Hans Kolbow
Hans may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Hans (name), a masculine given name
* Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician
** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans
** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi a ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 26 June 1941, Reinhold Schmetzer of Luftwaffe
JG 77
''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 (JG 77) ''Herz As'' ("Ace of Hearts") was a Luftwaffe fighter wing during World War II. It served in all the German theaters of war, from Western Europe to the Eastern Front, and from the high north in Norway to the Mediter ...
shot down 5
Ilyushin DB-3s.
* On 26 June 1941,
Robert Olejnik, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 30 June 1941,
Hermann-Friedrich Joppien, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 23 July 1941,
Erich Leie, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 23 July 1941,
Rudolf Pflanz, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 11 August 1941, Eugen Wintergerst, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed seven aerial victories.
* On 14 August 1941,
Erbo Graf von Kageneck, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 17 September 1941,
Karl Kempf
Karl-Heinz Kempf (2 February 1920 – 3 September 1944) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield brave ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 26 September 1941,
Heinz Hackler, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 8 October 1941,
Günther Lützow
Günther Lützow (4 September 1912 – 24 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe aviator and fighter ace credited with 110 enemy aircraft shot down in over 300 combat missions. Apart from five victories during the Spanish Civil War, most of his cl ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 5 December 1941, within a few minutes,
Clive Caldwell
Clive Robertson Caldwell, (28 July 1911 – 5 August 1994) was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties, including an ace in a day. In addit ...
, the leading
Australian ace of the Second World War, destroyed five German aircraft in
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
.
1942
![Shigetaka Omori](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Shigetaka_Omori.jpg)
* On 15 February 1942,
Otto Schulz, Luftwaffe fighter pilot in North Africa, became an ace in a day.
* On 19 February 1942, while flying
Mitsubishi A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. The A6M w ...
fighter during the
Attack on Darwin
The Bombing of Darwin, also known as the Battle of Darwin, on 19 February 1942 was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia. On that day, 242 Empire of Japan, Japanese aircraft, in two separate raids, attacked th ...
,
Petty Officer
A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6. In many nations, they are typically equal to a sergeant in comparison to other military branches. Often they may be super ...
Yoshikazu Nagahama first destroyed one
US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served w ...
flying boat and then single-handedly shot down four
US Army Air Force
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
P-40 Warhawk
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and ...
fighters in a fight against five of them.
* On 20 February 1942, after the
aborted raid on Rabaul,
Edward O'Hare
Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry O'Hare (March 13, 1914 – November 26, 1943) was an American naval aviator of the United States Navy, who on February 20, 1942, became the Navy's first fighter ace of the war when he single-handedly attacked a ...
claimed shooting down five
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M was a twin-engine, land-based medium bomber formerly manufactured by the Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. Its official designat ...
medium bombers of the
4th Air Group
was a land-based bomber aircraft unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The air group was redesignated as the 702nd Air Group on 1 November 1942.
History
The unit was formed on 10 Febr ...
. While he was officially credited with five kills and received
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
for his action, in reality he most likely only shot down three of them.
* On 18 March 1942,
Hans Strelow
Hans Strelow (26 March 1922 – 22 May 1942) was a Luftwaffe military aviation, military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 68 enemy aircraft shot down in over 200 combat missions, all of which claimed over the Eastern Fr ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed seven aerial victories and became an ace in a day.
* On 2 May 1942,
Gerhard Köppen
Gerhard Köppen (17 May 1918 – 5 May 1942) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 85 aerial victories claimed in 380 combat missions.
Born in Holzendorf, Köppen joined military ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 14 May 1942,
Friedrich Wachowiak, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 4 June 1942, while escorting the morning strike against
Midway Island
Midway Atoll (colloquial: Midway Islands; haw, Kauihelani, translation=the backbone of heaven; haw, Pihemanu, translation=the loud din of birds, label=none) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the Unit ...
,
Petty Officer
A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotation OR-5 or OR-6. In many nations, they are typically equal to a sergeant in comparison to other military branches. Often they may be super ...
Shigetaka Ōmori claimed shooting down two
US Marine
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
fighters. After he returned to the carrier
''Akagi'', he and his unit took off again to intercept US Navy strike and claimed shooting down six
Douglas TBD Devastator
The Douglas TBD Devastator was an American torpedo bomber of the United States Navy. Ordered in 1934, it first flew in 1935 and entered service in 1937. At that point, it was the most advanced aircraft flying for the Navy and possibly for any na ...
torpedo bombers. Nevertheless, some of the bomber kills might have been shared.
* On 4 June 1942, during the
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under ...
, US Navy
Lieutenant (jg)
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
Elbert S. McCuskey was credited for destroying three
Aichi D3A
The Aichi D3A Type 99 Carrier Bomber ( Allied reporting name "Val") is a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber. It was the primary dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and was involved in almost all IJN actions, including the a ...
dive bombers during the Japanese first attack on the carrier
''Yorktown''. When ''Yorktown'' was hit by the same attack, he landed on
''Enterprise'', rearmed his
Grumman F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlant ...
fighter and took off to defend ''Yorktown'' against the second attack, during which he claimed two
Nakajima B5N
The Nakajima B5N ( ja, 中島 B5N, Allied reporting name "Kate") was the standard carrier-based torpedo bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) for much of World War II.
Although the B5N was substantially faster and more capable than its Al ...
torpedo bombers.
* On 22 June 1942, Erwin Leykauf, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 26 June 1942,
Friedrich Körner, Luftwaffe fighter pilot in North Africa, became an ace in a day.
* On 5 July 1942,
Hartmann Grasser, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 5 July 1942, Ralph Furch, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 12 July 1942,
Lutz-Wilhelm Burckhardt, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 24 July 1942,
Leopold Münster, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 1 August 1942,
Franz-Josef Beerenbrock, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed nine aerial victories.
* On 7 August 1942,
Hans Fuß, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed six aerial victories.
* On 12 August 1942,
Richard John Cork of the Royal Navy's
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
shot down five aircraft during the defence of a Malta Convoy in
Operation Pedestal.
* On 12 August 1942,
Karl-Heinz Bendert, Luftwaffe fighter pilot in North Africa, became an ace in a day.
* On 13 August 1942,
Johann Badum, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day. He may have already become an ace in a day on 24 July 1942. He claimed six aerial victories on 24 and 25 July. According to Matthews and Foreman, all six claims were dated on 24 July. According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, he claimed four on 24 July and two on 25 July.
* On 19 August 1942,
Josef Wurmheller
Josef "Sepp" Wurmheller (4 May 1917 – 22 June 1944) was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 102 enemy aircraft shot down in over 300 combat missions. He claimed the majority of his aerial victories over ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 3 September 1942,
Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt
Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt (15 September 1920 – 7 September 1942) was a German fighter pilot during World War II. A flying ace, he was credited with 59 victories against the Western Allies in North Africa. Stahlschmidt was a close friend of the p ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot in North Africa, became an ace in a day, with five victories.
* On 15 September 1942,
Werner Schröer, Luftwaffe fighter pilot in North Africa, became an ace in a day, with six victories.
* On 22 September 1942,
Heinrich Bartels, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 29 September 1942,
Rudolf Klemm, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 25 October 1942, Captain
Joe Foss
Joseph Jacob Foss (April 17, 1915January 1, 2003) was a United States Marine Corps major and a leading Marine fighter ace in World War II. He received the Medal of Honor in recognition of his role in air combat during the Guadalcanal Campaign. In ...
,
USMC
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through co ...
VMF-121, downed five Japanese planes in two sorties during the
Guadalcanal Campaign while flying a
Grumman F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlant ...
. Foss was the second highest scoring Marine ace of the war with 26 victories and was awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
. He was also the first Marine to claim ace in a day.
* On 26 October 1942,
Stanley "Swede" Vejtasa, a
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
(USN) aviator, downed seven Japanese planes in one sortie in the
Battle of Santa Cruz while flying a
Grumman F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlant ...
.
* On 1 November 1942,
Hubertus von Bonin
Hubertus von Bonin (3 August 1911 – 15 December 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, a fighter ace listed with 77 enemy aircraft shot down. He claimed four victories in the Spanish Civil ...
Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 16 December 1942,
Wilhelm Freuwörth Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day when he claimed six aerial victories over Soviet
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 ( Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack plane that was produced by the Soviet Union in large numbers during the Second World War. The word ''shturmovík'' (Cyrillic: штурмовик), the generic Russian term ...
ground-attack aircraft.
* On 19 December 1942,
Kurt Ebener Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 28 December 1942,
Helmut Bennemann
Helmut Bennemann (16 March 1915 – 17 November 2007) was an ''Oberstleutnant'' of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe in World War II. Bennemann claimed 93 aerial victories in over 400 combat missions. The majority of his victories were claimed over the E ...
Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
1943
![Pappy Boyington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Pappy_Boyington.jpg)
* On 14 January 1943,
Alfred Teumer, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 31 January 1943, Captain
Jefferson DeBlanc, USMC
VMF-112
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 (VMFA-112) is a reserve United States Marine Corps McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron is based at NASJRB Fort Worth, Texas and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 41 (MAG-41), 4 ...
, scored five victories in the
Guadalcanal Campaign. His actions, despite mechanical problems with his aircraft and being vastly outnumbered, earned him the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
.
* On 12 February 1943,
Gustav Denk, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 7 March 1943, Walter Hoeckner of Luftwaffe
JG 26
''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 (JG 26) ''Schlageter'' was a German fighter-wing of World War II. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran, Freikorps member, and posthumous Nazi martyr, arrested and executed by the French for ...
shot down 4
Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik
The Ilyushin Il-2 ( Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack plane that was produced by the Soviet Union in large numbers during the Second World War. The word ''shturmovík'' (Cyrillic: штурмовик), the generic Russian term ...
s and 2
P-40C Tomahawks.
* On 7 April 1943, 1st Lieutenant
James E. Swett, USMC
VMF-221
Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221) was a reserve fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps. Originally commissioned during the World War II, it flew the Brewster F2A-3, and after reconstitution in 1943, the F4U Corsair. The squadro ...
, scored seven victories fighting against the Japanese
Operation I-Go
was an aerial counter-offensive launched by Imperial Japanese forces against Allied forces during the Solomon Islands and New Guinea Campaigns in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Taking place from 1–16 April 1943, during the operation, ...
offensive. His actions that day earned him the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
.
* On 18 April 1943, 2nd Lieutenants Arthur B. Cleaveland, Richard E. Duffy, and MacArthur Powers, USAAF
57th FG, both claimed five Ju-52 transports over the Mediterranean.
* On 13 May 1943,
Archie Donahue
Archie Glenn Donahue (October 24, 1917 – July 30, 2007) was a decorated American combat pilot and a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He shot down a total of 14 Japanese planes during the war, including five in a single ...
engaged in a one hour long dogfight west of Florida Island. Donahue possibly became an ace in a day, as he was confirmed to have shot down four Zeros, and most likely shot down a fifth. A fellow Marine verified the fifth kill, but Donahue was never credited for it. also see April 12, 1945. Had it been confirmed, this would have been the first every ace in a day by a carrier based pilot.
* On 26 May 1943,
Walter Ehle
Walter Ehle (28 April 1913 – 18 November 1943) was a Luftwaffe night fighter fighter ace, ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battle ...
, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot on the Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 12 June 1943, Lieutenant (JG) Vernon E. Graham, USNR, with a
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atla ...
carrier fighter unit that intercepted 35
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was ...
fighters, shot down 5 Zeroes, ran out of fuel mid-combat, and made a dead-stick landing on
Pavuvu
Pavuvu is the largest of the Russell Islands in Central Province, Solomon Islands. It is located northwest of Guadalcanal. The area is . The largest village is Nukufero on the north coast.
The island had served as a coconut plantation for nativ ...
.
*On 16 June 1943, 2nd Lieutenant
Murray J. Shubin, USAAF
347th FG, shot down five Zeroes near Guadalcanal.
* On 22 June 1943,
Hans-Dieter Frank, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot on the Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 1 July 1943, Captain Elmer M. Wheadon, USAAF
318 FG, shot down five Japanese planes.
* On 5 July 1943,
Johann-Hermann Meier, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 5 July 1943,
Rudolf Rademacher
Rudolf "Rudi" Rademacher (19 June 1913 – 13 June 1953) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 97, potentially up to 126, aerial victories—that is, 97 aerial co ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 5 July 1943,
Emil Bitsch, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 5 July 1943,
Hans Grünberg, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 13 July 1943,
Wilhelm Moritz, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern and Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 13 July 1943, then again on 7 September 1943, 15 September 1943, 16 February 1945 and 25 April 1945,
Günther Josten
Günther Josten (7 November 19217 July 2004) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 178 enemy aircraft shot down in 420 combat missions, all of which claimed over the Eastern Front. Following Wo ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, five times became an ace in a day.
* On 15 July 1943, 1st Lieutenant Joseph J. Lesicka, USAAF
318th FG, downed five Japanese planes in the Pacific Theater.
* On 14 August 1943,
Otto Gaiser
Otto Gaiser (5 October 1919 – 22 January 1944) was a Luftwaffe ace with 66 confirmed kills, and he was the recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extr ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 21 August 1943,
Johannes Bunzek, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 7 September 1943,
Albin Wolf, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 16 September 1943, Major
Pappy Boyington
Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (December 4, 1912 – January 11, 1988) was an American combat pilot who was a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. A Marine aviator with ...
, USMC
VMF-214
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214 (VMFA-214) is a United States Marine Corps attack squadron consisting of Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL jets. It is currently in the process of transitioning from its fleet of AV-8B Harrier ( V/STOL) jets. The ...
, scored five victories over the Solomon Islands while flying an F4U Corsair. A
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
recipient, Boyington was the top scoring Marine fighter pilot during the war, shooting down a total of 28 Japanese aircraft before he too was shot down and captured in January 1944.
* On 19 September 1943,
Friedrich Obleser, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 8 October 1943,
Helmut Lipfert, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern, became an ace in a day.
* On 9 October 1943, Major
William L. Leverette and 2nd Lieutenant Harry T. Hanna, USAAF
14th FG, both became aces in a day over the Aegean Sea with seven
and five Stuka victories, respectively. Leverette was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
and was the first of just two Army Air Forces pilots to claim seven victories in a single mission.
* On 10 October 1943,
Walter Krupinski, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern, became an ace in a day.
* On 11 October 1943, Colonel
Neel. E. Kearby, USAAF
343rd FG, shot down six Japanese planes, four
Ki-43
The Nakajima Ki-43 ''Hayabusa'' (, " Peregrine falcon", "Army Type 1 Fighter" ) is a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in World War II.
The Allied reporting name was "Oscar", but it was ...
"Oscar" and two
Ki-61 "Tony", during one mission in his P-47 "Fiery Ginger", becoming the first P-47 pacific ace, the first P-47 ace in day and setting a
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
record for most victories in a single mission in the Pacific Theater. He was awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
for this mission, which was presented to him by General
Douglas MacArthur in January 1944.
* On 12 October 1943,
Horst Ademeit
Horst Ademeit (8 February 1912 – 7 August 1944) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) during World War II. The Knight's ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed six aerial victories.
* On 27 October 1943, Alois Lechner, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 2 November 1943,
Paul-Heinrich Dähne
Paul-Heinrich Dähne (7 July 1921 – 24 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 100 aerial victories—that is, 100 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enem ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed five aerial victories.
* On 1 December 1943,
Egon Mayer, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Western Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 15 December 1943,
Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber
Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber (10 August 1914 – 13 May 1996) was a German Luftwaffe officer in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. During the Spanish Civil War, he flew with ''Kampfgruppe'' 88 of the Condor Legion as an air observer. During ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed six aerial victories plus two further unconfirmed claims.
* On 15 December 1943,
Konrad Bauer, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed six aerial victories.
1944
![Major George E Preddy Jr FRE 000343](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Major_George_E_Preddy_Jr_FRE_000343.jpg)
* On 14 January 1944, 1st Lieutenant
Robert M. Hanson, USMC
VMF-215
Marine Fighting Squadron 215 (VMF-215) was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was commissioned and fought during World War II. Known as "The Fighting Corsairs", the squadron fought in many areas of the Pacific War, including ...
, scored five victories over the Solomon Islands area while flying an F4U Corsair. He was shot down and killed less than one month later. He claimed 25 kills during the war.
* On 20 January 1944,
Leopold Fellerer
Leopold "Poldi" Fellerer (7 June 1919 – 16 July 1968) was a Luftwaffe night fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefiel ...
, a Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, became an ace in a day.
* On 20 February 1944,
Rudolf Frank, a German ''Feldwebel'' shot down five Avro Lancasters over Germany.
* On 20 February 1944,
Heinz Vinke
Heinz Vinke (22 May 1920 – 26 February 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a night fighter ace credited with 54 aerial victories claimed in approximately 150 combat missions making him the eighteenth most succes ...
, a Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, became an ace in a day.
* On 29 March 1944,
Walther Wever, a Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 23 April 1944, Horst Berger, a Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 7 May 1944
Hans Waldmann of the Luftwaffe shot down six
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...
aircraft, taking his total to 120 aerial victories.
* On 7 May 1944,
Friedrich Haas
Friedrich Haas (20 January 1924 – 9 April 1945) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace from Dillenburg, Dillenburg/Hesse, Germany and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. Friedrich Haas was credited with 74 aerial victori ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 8 May 1944, 1st Lieutenant
Carl J. Luksic
Carl John Luksic (June 20, 1921 – May 24, 2009) was a United States Air Force lieutenant colonel. During World War II, he became a flying ace credited with 8.5 aerial victories, including five in one day for which he was awarded the Distinguis ...
, USAAF
352nd FG, shot down three Fw 190s and two Bf 109s in one sortie out of his total of 7 solo and 3 shared victories. He was captured 2 weeks after on the 24th.
*On 12 May 1944, 1st Lieutenant
Robert J. Rankin, USAAF
56th FG, shot down five planes over Germany. He finished the war with 10 victories.
* On 30 May 1944,
Otto Fönnekold, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, shot down seven
Bell P-39 Airacobra
The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by t ...
fighter aircraft.
* On 6 June 1944,
Herbert Huppertz
Herbert Huppertz (3 June 1919 – 8 June 1944) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and fighter ace during World War II. He is credited between 68 and 73 aerial victories, depending on source, achieved in approximately 380 combat missions. ...
, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Western Front, shot down three
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon is a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. It was intended to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, as a replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, but several design problems were encountered and i ...
, one
North American P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
and one
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft to become an ace in a day.
* On 10 June 1944, 2nd Lieutenant Herbert B. Hatch Jr., USAAF
1st FG, shot down five enemy planes, probably destroyed a sixth and damaged another over Rumania.
* On 15 June 1944, Lieutenant Lloyd G 'Barney' Barnard, USN VF-2, shot down five Japanese Zero fighters in a single mission off the Bonin Islands.
* On 19 June 1944,
Helmut Grollmus, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day, claiming six aerial victories.
* On 19 June 1944, Commander Charles W. Brewer, USN VF-15 (five); Lieutenants George R. Carr, USN VF-15 (five);
Alexander Vraciu, USN VF-16 (six); and Ensign Wilbur 'Spider' Webb, USN VF-17 (six+); all became aces in a day over Guam in a single mission.
* On 23 June 1944, Wilhelm Hübner, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day, claiming eight aerial victories.
* On 30 June 1944,
Ilmari Juutilainen
Eino Ilmari "Illu" Juutilainen (21 February 1914 – 21 February 1999) was a fighter pilot of the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time. The top flying ace of the Finnish Air Force, he led all Fi ...
, Finland's top scoring fighter ace, shot down six Soviet planes flying against the same Soviet Summer Offensive as colleague and fellow ace in a day Wind. Juutilainen's final World War II score was 94, highest scoring non-German pilot ever.
* On 7 July 1944,
Fred J. Christensen, USAAF
56th FG, attacked with his squadron 12
Junkers Ju 52 which were landing on
Gardelegen airfield. Squadron claimed 10 destroyed, thereof Christensen claimed 6 and set record as first pilot in
8th Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces ...
and first American pilot in
European Theatre
The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II. It saw heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years, starting with Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 and ending with the ...
to claim 6 kills in one day and in one sortie.
* On 21 July 1944, Sigurd Haala, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day.
* On 6 August 1944,
George Preddy, USAAF
352nd FG, shot down six German Bf 109s. He was the top USAAF
P-51 Mustang ace (26.83 kills, including shared kills).
* On 5 September 1944, 1st Lieutenant William H. Allen, USAAF
55th FG, shot down five planes over Europe.
* On 14 September 1944,
Franz Eisenach, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in day with nine aerial victories claimed that day.
* On 27 September 1944, 1st Lieutenant William R. Beyer, USAAF
361st FG, shot down five Fw 190s in the vicinity of Eisenach. He ended war with 9 claims.
*On 28 September 1944, 2nd Lieutenant John H. Wainwright Jr., USAAF
405th FG, shot down six planes over Europe.
* On 12 October 1944, 1st Lieutenant
Charles "Chuck" Yeager, USAAF
357th FG, shot down five Bf 109s in one sortie. He ended the war with 12 victories. On 14 October 1947, flying the
Bell X-1 rocket plane, he became the first pilot to break the
sound barrier
The sound barrier or sonic barrier is the large increase in aerodynamic drag and other undesirable effects experienced by an aircraft or other object when it approaches the speed of sound. When aircraft first approached the speed of sound, th ...
in level flight.
*On 24 October 1944, Lieutenant Commander Harold N. Funk, USN VF-23 (five); Lieutenants Carl A. Brown Jr., USN VF-27 (five); Kenneth G. Hippe, USN VC-3 (five); William J. Masoner Jr., USN VF-19 (six); Roy W. Rushing, USN VF-15 (six+); James A. Shirley, USN VF-22 (five); Eugene P. Townsend, USN VF-27 (five+); and Ensign Thomas J. Conroy, USN VF-22 (six); all became aces in a day off the Philippines.
* On 2 November 1944,
Donald S. Bryan, USAAF
352nd FG, shot down five German Bf 109s aircraft while en route to join and escort B-17 bombers on a mission to Germany.
* On 16 November 1944, Captain
John J. Voll, USAAF
31st FG, shot down five planes over Germany.
* On 21 November 1944, Captain
William T. Whisner, USAAF
352nd FG, shot down 6 Fw 190 and 1 probable. Fought in the Korean War and became 1 of 7 aces in two wars (16 solo kills and 1 shared in WW2; 6 solo and 1 shared in Korea).
* On 26 November 1944, 1st Lieutenant J. S. Daniell, USAAF
339th FG, shot down five planes over Germany.
* On 27 November 1944, Captain
Leonard K. Carson, USAAF
357th FG, shot down 5 Fw 190. Ended war with 18 claims.
* On 4 December 1944, Major
William J. Hovde, USAAF
355th FG, shot down four Fw 190s, one Bf 109, and shared one Fw 190 over Berlin.
*On 14 December 1944, Lieutenant Robert H. Anderson, USN VBF-80, shot down five Japanese planes and probably downed a sixth off the Philippines.
* On 18 December 1944, 1st Lieutenant David B. Archibald and 1st Lieutenant Paul E. Olson, USAAF
359th FG, both shot down five Fw 190s before they too were shot down and captured as prisoners of war.
* On 21 December 1944,
Hans-Joachim Kroschinski, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, became an ace in a day
* On 23 December 1944, Lieutenant Colonel
Edward O. McComas, USAAF
23rd FG, shot down five Japanese planes over China.
* On 23 December 1944, Lieutenant Colonel
David C. Schilling
David Carl Schilling (December 15, 1918 – August 14, 1956) was a U.S. Air Force officer, fighter ace credited with 22½ confirmed claims, and leading advocate of long-range jet fighter operations. Kansas' Schilling Air Force Base was named in hi ...
, USAAF
56th FG, shot down three Bf 109s and two Fw 190s over
Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ru ...
.
* On 27 December 1944, Captain
Ernest E. Bankey, USAAF
364th FG, shot down four Fw 190s and one Bf 109; and shared one Bf 109 in area of Bonn. Ended war with 9.5 claims.
* On 29 December 1944, within seven minutes,
Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet of
411 Squadron RCAF
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
, piloting a
Spitfire IXe, destroyed two Bf 109s and three
Focke-Wulf Fw 190s over
Osnabrück
Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population ...
.
1945
![William A Shomo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/William_A_Shomo.jpg)
* On 3 January 1945,
Heinz Ewald, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed five aerial victories.
* On 11 January 1945, Captain
William A. Shomo, USAAF
71st RG, shot down seven Japanese planes in a single mission over the Philippines and was awarded the Medal of Honor.
* On 14 January 1945, Captain
Felix D. Williamson, USAAF
56th FG, shot down five German fighters in a single mission and was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
.
* On 16 February 1945, Lieutenant Alexander L. Anderson, USN VBF-80 (five); Lieutenant
Patrick D. Fleming, USN VBF-80 (five); became aces in a day over Tokyo in a single mission.
* On the night of 21/22 February 1945,
Günther Bahr, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, became an ace in a day, when he shot down seven bombers.
* On 14 March 1945, 1st Lieutenant Gordon H. McDaniel, USAAF
325th FG, shot down five Fw 190s in the Mediterranean Theater of operations.
* On 15 March 1945, Ferdinand Löschenkohl, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, claimed five aerial victories.
* On 16 March 1945, Erich Jung, Luftwaffe night fighter pilot, became an ace in a day, claiming eight nocturnal aerial victories.
* On 18 March 1945, Lieutenant Commander Marshall U. Beebe, USN VF-17, shot down five Japanese fighters over Kyushu.
* On 21 March 1945, Johannes Hager, Luftwaffe fighter pilot on the Western Front, claimed five aerial victories.
* On 22 March 1945, Lieutenant Colonel
Sidney S. Woods, USAAF
4th FG, shot down five Fw 190s over Germany. Woods had previously claimed two victories in the Pacific, these were his last claims of the war.
* On 24 March 1945, Major
Robert A. Elder and Lieutenant Colonel
Wayne K. Blickenstaff, USAAF
353rd FG, both became aces in a day over Germany. Elder shot down four Fw 190s, one Bf 109 and damaged one Fw 190; these were his only claims in the war. Blickenstaff, who was already an ace with five kills, destroyed two Fw 190s and three Bf 109s. These were his last claims in the war.
* On 2 April 1945, 1st Lieutenant
Bruce W. Carr, USAAF
354th FG, shot down five planes and damaged a sixth over Germany.
* On 12 April 1945, Major
Archie Donahue
Archie Glenn Donahue (October 24, 1917 – July 30, 2007) was a decorated American combat pilot and a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He shot down a total of 14 Japanese planes during the war, including five in a single ...
, USMC
VMF-451, scored five victories over Okinawa. Donahue was already an ace with nine kills, these were his last claims of the war. This was the first ever official ace in a day by a carrier based f4u pilot.This was his second ace in a day, also see May 13, 1943
* On 17 April 1945, Lieutenant Commander
Eugene Valencia, USN VF-9, shot down six Japanese planes over
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
.
* On 22 April 1945, three American USMC pilots of the
VMF-323
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 (VMFA-323) is an aircraft carrier-based aviation squadron of the United States Marine Corps. The squadron is equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, ...
"Death Rattlers" squadron, separately became aces in a day in the
Battle of Okinawa: Major Jefferson Dorroh (six); Major
George C. Axtell (five+); and 1st Lieutenant
Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe
Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe III (July 12, 1923 – August 23, 2016) was an American fighter ace, Democratic Party politician, insurance executive, and funeral director. As a Marine pilot in World War II he received the Navy Cross for five of the sev ...
(five).
* On 25 May 1945, two American pilots separately became aces in a day over
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
: 1st Lieutenant
Richard H. Anderson, USAAF
318th FG, downed five
Zeros, and had a sixth in his sights when he ran out of ammunition; Captain
Herbert J. Valentine, USMC
VMF-312, downed five Japanese planes, making him the last Marine of the war to become an ace in a day.
* On 28 May 1945, Captain John E. Vogt, USAAF
318th FG, downed five Zeros over Kyushu, Japan. These were his only claims of the war.
* On 10 June 1945, 2nd Lieutenant Robert J. Stone, USAAF
318th FG, downed five Japanese aircraft over the Pacific.
* On 13 August 1945, becoming the last fighter ace of World War II just two days before the
surrender of Japan, 1st Lieutenant
Oscar Perdomo, USAAF
475th FG, scored all of his five career victories fighting a Japanese attack near
Keijo (Seoul), Korea.
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
During the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965,
Muhammad Mahmood Alam
Air Commodore Muhammad Mahmood Alam (Bengali: মহম্মদ মাহমুদ আলম; ur, ) 6 July 1935 – 18 March 2013) was a Bengali fighter pilot officially credited by the Pakistan Air Force with having downed four India ...
downed five aircraft in a single sortie on 7 September 1965 with four in less than a minute, establishing a world record. These claims, however, have been widely contested by Indian Air Force and retired PAF Air Commodore Sajad S. Haider since the
gun camera
Gun cameras are cameras mounted on a gun, used to photograph or record from its perspective. They are typically used on the weapons of military aircraft and operate either when the gun is fired or at the operator's will. Gun cameras are used for ...
footage was never made public.
Russo-Ukrainian War
The Russo-Ukrainian War; uk, російсько-українська війна, rosiisko-ukrainska viina. has been ongoing between Russia (alongside Russian separatists in Ukraine) and Ukraine since February 2014. Following Ukraine's Rev ...
On 13 October 2022, the Ukrainian government claims that Ukrainian pilot Vadym Voroshylov shot down 5 Shahed 136 drones before being forced to eject from his MiG-29 aircraft after it was hit by debris from the last Shahed-136 that had shot down. Voroshylov had shot down two Russian cruise missiles the day prior, though this has yet to be officially verified by independent sources.
[https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/inside-ukraines-desperate-fight-against-drones-with-mig-29-pilot-juice]
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{Lists of flying aces
Aviators who became ace in a day
The term "ace in a day" is used to designate a pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day, based on usual definition of an " ace" as one with five or more aerial victories.
World War I Ace in a day on two occasions
A Bristol ...
*