Flying ace
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A flying ace is a military aviator who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft. The term originated in World War I in France, when French newspapers described Adolphe Pegoud as a flying ace after he became the first pilot to shoot down five German aircraft. Ace is also used to refer to non-aviators who have distinguished themselves by sinking ships, destroying tanks, etc. (i.e. U-boat ace). During WWI the Central Powers as well as the United Kingdom specified an ace as someone who had 10 or more confirmed "kills".
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World War I
Spanish Civil War
| Name | Country | Service | Victories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alois Vasatko | Czechoslovakia | Republican Air Force | 17 |
| Mario Bonzano | Italy | Nationalist Air Force | 15 |
| Brunetto di Montegnacco | Italy | Nationalist Air Force | 14 |
| Werner Mölders | Germany | Condor Legion | 14 |
| Guido Presel | Italy | Nationalist Air Force | 13 |
| Wolfgang Schellman | Germany | Condor Legion | 12 |
| Harro Harder | Germany | Condor Legion | 11 |
| Abel Guides | France | Republican Air Force | 10 |
World War II
Korean War
| Name | Country | Service | Victories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikolay Sutyagin | Soviet Union | VVS | 21 |
| Yevgeny Pepelyaev | Soviet Union | VVS | 19 |
| Capt. Joseph C. McConnell | USA | Air Force | 16 |
| Major James Jabara | USA | Air Force | 15 |
| Capt. Manuel J. "Pete" Fernandez | USA | Air Force | 14 1/2 |
| Maj. George A. Davis | USA | Air Force | 14 |
| Lev Shchukin | Soviet Union | VVS | 13 |
| Sergei Kramarenko | Soviet Union | VVS | 13 |
Vietnam War
| Name | Country | Service | Victories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nguyen Toon, aka "Colonel Tomb" (disputed - reportedly shot down by "Duke" Cunningham and William Driscoll on May 10, 1972) | North Vietnam | Air Force | 13 |
| Nguyen Van Coc | North Vietnam | Air Force | 9 |
| Mai Van Cuong | North Vietnam | Air Force | 8 |
| Randall "Duke" Cunningham/William Driscoll | USA | Navy | 5 |
| Charles B. DeBellevue | USA | Air Force | 6 |
| Vadim Petrovich Shchbakov | Soviet Union | PVO Strany (1) | 6 |
1. Advisor to NVPAF
Other conflicts
| Name | Country | Service | Victories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Col. (Res.) Giora Epstein | Israel | Air Force | 17 |
| Yiftah Spector | Israel | Air Force | 15 |
| Amir Nahumi | Israel | Air Force | 15 |
| Djur Abid Adib | Syria | Air Force | 5 |
| Majad Halabi | Syria | Air Force | 5 |
| Majid Zugbi | Syria | Air Force | 6 |
| Name | Country | Service | War | Victories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad Shams-ul-Haq | Pakistan | Air Force | 1971 | 4 |
| Syed Sa'ad Akhtar Hatmi | Pakistan | Air Force | 1971 | 3 |
| Name | Country | Service | Victories |
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Note: There were no aces in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. The pilots with the greatest number of victories is included Two F-15 Eagle pilots were credited with three victories each.
See also
de:Fliegerasse fr:Liste des as de l'aviation it:Asso dell'aviazione no:Flyveress pl:As myśliwski sl:Letalski as