Best fighter pilot of ww2?

[alyster]

When talking about planes, then it is much easier to compare planes with thing like speed, max height/range etc. But it is alot harder to compare pilots, cause someone always has better plane or more luck etc. Still I would like to know what do u thing?

[Webmaster]

Maybe nice if their amount of kills and aircraft can be posted here. That would make it easier to decide your vote.

[alyster]

Ok, I added the side he was on, victories and plane(s) and the place he was fighting at if his country was fighting at several fronts.

[Viggen]

Well the statistics speak for them selfs, cant belive i voted on a german. 

[alyster]

Well, number of kills isn't always everything. Like some had better planes then enemies, better tactics etc. All the 200+ kills were made in the eastern front coz russians sucked, but RAF was strong and there weren't many pilots who kill over 100 planes in the west. And some just didn't have time to fly due to duty as General.(That part was for germans, coz they had all the top scores, 2500+aces;) ). And some like US pilots just didn't see the enemy too often.
But then again it's a poll and I was looking for what u think so I can't blaim u if u go for Harmann, coz 352 is a HUGE number!

Anyway, I would like it if u'd add why some1, is it coz of the numbers or his flying skills or what ever

[Goose]

Numbers speak for them selves.

Sure the type and quality of an aircraft mean something but put an ace in an old aircraft and he/she will bag a rookie in an advanced one. Adolf Galland himself said "Only the spirit of attack born of a brave heart will bring success to any aircraft no matter how advanced it may be." But bear in mind that Eric Hartman flew continuously for years while guys on the allied side flew for a while and were then pulled to the rear to help the war effort by training others. All of these men in this poll are efficient at what they do to more or less a certain higher level than others.

Personally my vote is for Eric Hartman. Beacuse even taking into consideration the length of time he was an active pilot, he STAYED ALIVE during this time also despite being shot down on many ocassions. Hartman got 10 P-51s before being shot down for the fianl time and being captured. And that was when the odds couldn't be any worse.

[Viggen]

Well, how about Chuck Yeager then? He may not have as many kills as these above, but he was an excellent pilot during WW II. Remember that he shot down 3 or  was it 5 enemy planes in one day. 

[alyster]

I added him. And he did have 5 kills on one day and a month later he had 4 kills on one day. It's a nice score for a USAAF pilot.

[Viggen]

Cool, thanks Alyster! I wish i vote on Chuckie, but since i already voted on the "German" i have to live with it. 

[Webmaster]

352 is huge number, so can't resist voting for him, it may have been on the eastern front, but we have a Russian ace here as well you know. But you are right. Maybe I should have voted for the Russian, he was up against experienced pilots flying more advanced aircraft.

[alyster]

But bear in mind that Eric Hartman flew continuously for years while guys on the allied side flew for a while and were then pulled to the rear to help the war effort by training others.
Personally my vote is for Eric Hartman. Beacuse even taking into consideration the length of time he was an active pilot, he STAYED ALIVE during this time also despite being shot down on many ocassions. Hartman got 10 P-51s before being shot down for the fianl time and being captured.

He flew since 1942.
Hartmann wasn't captured after being shot down, he and his unit destroyed their planes and went to US captured  sector, where they surandered. US gave him out to USSR after that.

[Goose]

That's right the allies gave him to the russians. He spent I think 10 years in prison before beign released.
His actual score on retirement was 353.
As part of the West German Air Force he was choosen as a test pilot or something of the sort for the Kestrel, the for runner to the Harrier. During a test flight to hover the aircraft, at NAS Oceana, he crashed, after which he hopped out of the aircraft and shout "HAA HAA 353 allied aircraft destroyed!!!"

Sure Yeager was great! They all are! They all have a certain level of skill and charisma that places them just a notch above the rest of pilots.  I voted for Eric cause I admire him the most.