How many British aces were there in ww2?
During the Battle of Britain just 188 RAF pilots achieved that distinction – eight per cent of the total involved. A further 237 of those RAF pilots claiming successes during the Battle became “aces” later in the war.
Who was the last British fighter ace?
Cdr Paul Farnes DFM
Header image: Wg Cdr Paul Farnes DFM was the last surviving Battle of Britain fighter ace. We are sad to report on the death of the last surviving fighter ace of the Battle of Britain, Wing Commander Paul Farnes DFM, who passed away peacefully at his home on 28th January, aged 101.
Who was the top RAF Aces ww2?
Top 10 RAF Fighter Aces of WWII
- 1 – Marmaduke Thomas St John Pattle (left)
- 2 – James Edgar Johnson.
- 3 – Pierre Clostermann.
- 4 – George Frederick Beurling.
- 5 – William Vale.
- 6 – Robert Roland Stanford Tuck.
- 7 – John Randall Daniel Braham (right)
- 8 – Brendan Eamon Fergus Finucane.
Who was Britain’s leading ace?
“Johnnie” Johnson, Commanding Officer of the Canadian-manned Kenley Wing, brings his Spitfire Mk IX in for a landing following a fighter sweep over Nazi occupied Europe in May of 1943. Johnson was the top scoring British ace of WWII.
Is the Spitfire better than me 109?
The Bf 109 was arguably the best fighter in the world in 1940. It was faster than the Spitfire at high altitude, could dive more rapidly and carried a more effective armament of two cannon and two machine guns.
Are there any ww2 Spitfire pilots still alive?
Flight Lieutenant William Clark, 100, and Flying Officer John Hemingway, 100, are now the only surviving members of The Few.
Are there any German Battle of Britain pilots still alive?
The last surviving ace who fought in the Battle of Britain has died, aged 101. Wg Cmdr Paul Farnes was one of 3,000 Allied pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain, considered to be the first decisive battle to be fought entirely in the air. He died peacefully at his home on Tuesday morning, The Times reported.
Who was the best British fighter pilot of ww2?
‘Pat Pattle was a legend in the RAF … he was far and away the greatest ace the Middle East was ever to see, with an astronomical number of victories to his credit’ Roald Dahl. In terms of enemy aircraft shot down or destroyed, Squadron Leader Thomas ‘Pat’ Pattle was the greatest fighter pilot of the Second World War.
What was better Messerschmitt or Spitfire?
The Bf 109, in its initial avatars, was generally regarded as marginally superior to contemporaneous variants of the Spitfire. At low to medium altitudes, where much of the air combat in the early war occurred, the Bf 109 had the upper hand. However, the Spitfire was superior at higher altitudes.
Why did Germany have so many aces in ww2?
Its initial advantage, gained from their experiences during the Spanish Civil War, was gone. Furthermore, the Allies could out-produce anything that Germany made, including planes. So while many Allied pilots never encountered the enemy, the Germans always did – thereby increasing the latter’s chances of a kill.
Who was the highest scoring British ace in ww2?
List
| Name | Victories | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Badger, John Vincent Clarence (“Tubby”) | 8 | WIA 30 August 1940; DOW 30 June 1941 |
| Baker, Henry Collingham (“Harry”,”Butch”) | 7 | |
| Baldwin, John Robert (“Johnny”) | 15 | Highest scorer on Typhoons. MIA during Korean War |
| Ball, George Eric | 7 | KIFA 1 February 1946 |