Some of the Best Aces of WWII

Numerous fighter pilots took part in the different battles of World War II but only a handful of them are recognised as aces. Here are some of the deadliest and most celebrated pilots of the Second World War.

Erich Alfred Hartmann – Nicknamed “Bubi” by his fellow German soldiers and the “Black Devil” by his Soviet enemies, Erich Alfred Hartmann is credited to be the most successful fighter pilot in history. During his military career he has never been shot down and is has taken part in 1.404 missions and 825 aerial combats. Records show that he has taken down 352 Allied aircrafts during World War II.

Eino Ilmari Juutilainen – Eino Ilmari Juutilainen is known to be the highest scoring non-Germany ace in history. He was part of the Ilmavoimat (Finish Air Forces) and has 94 confirmed kills in 437 missions. Aside of participating in World War II he also fought in the Winter War and the Continuation War. Throughout his career he has won numerous awards including:

• The Medal of Liberty, 2^nd Class
• Iron Cross, 1^st Class
• Iron Cross, 2^nd Class
• Cross of Liberty, 4^th Class with Oak Leaves and Swords

Ivan Kozhedub – Born in 1920, in the Ukrainian village of Obrazhiivka, Ivan Mykytovych Kozhebud was the top Allied and Soviet pilot ace of World War II. With over 60 victories he was one of the best fighter pilots of the Second World War and one of the few to have taken down a German jet-powered fighter aircraft, Messerschmitt Me 262. Ivan Kozbebud has been declared a Soviet military hero (the highest distinction in the Soviet Union) on three different occasions and reached the rank of Chief Marshal of Aviation during his army career.

Marmaduke Thomas St. John Pattle – More commonly known as Pat Pattle, this South-African born, British fighter pilot was the highest scoring ace of the British Empire with 40 confirmed kills (although historians believe that the number is much higher). He took part in the Western Desert Campaign, Greco-Italian War, Invasion of Yugoslavia and the Battle of Greece where he was shot down and killed in action near Athens at the age of 26, one month after he was made squadron leader. You can learn detailed information about Pat Pattle by visiting the Royal Air Force Museum as soon as your removal to London is over. But before you do so, make sure that you arrange all the details with the man and van company that provided you removal services.

Tetsuzō Iwamoto – Tetsuzō Iwamoto is reputed to have been the finest pilot ace of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force. Throughout his military career he fought in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. During the latter he recorded a total of 80 kills. Sadly like most Japanese war veterans he suffered from depression after the war and died in 1955 at the age of 55.

Richard Bong – Major Richard Bong was the highest scoring American ace with precisely 40 kills during his military career. In 1944, he was awarded with the Medal of Honor for his remarkable service in the US army.