Most websites tend to focus on the "aces," as it's spectacular to highlight the number of enemy aircraft a pilot has destroyed. And while there was certainly competition among pilots to see who could score the most kills, it's important to recognize that many pilots who gave their lives before reaching "ace" status are often overlooked.
Here, we believe that every fighter pilot deserves recognition for their contributions, regardless of how many kills they scored. Thousands of outstanding airmen played crucial roles in helping the Allied Forces gain air superiority over the Luftwaffe. They all deserve to be honored for their bravery and sacrifice.
As for our focus, this site is dedicated to the P-51 Mustang, so we will be specifically listing pilots who flew this iconic aircraft. We recognize that bomber pilots also deserve immense respect, but for now, our focus will remain on the Mustang.
Given the sheer number of pilots who flew the P-51, compiling a comprehensive list is a massive undertaking. This will likely be a lifetime project, so we encourage you to check back regularly for updates. You can also follow us on Facebook to stay updated with new names and information.
The term "ace" was first coined during World War I by the French press, who referred to Adolphe Pégoud as "L'as" (the French word for "Ace").
At the onset of World War I, Pégoud volunteered for flying duty and was quickly assigned as an observation pilot. On February 5th, 1915, he and his gunner were credited with shooting down two German aircraft and forcing another to land. He soon transitioned to flying single-seat aircraft, and by April, he had claimed two additional victories. His sixth success came in July.
The exact number of Pégoud's victories is uncertain, as early air combat was rare enough that even a forced landing could be credited as a "kill." However, it is widely accepted that Pégoud, rather than Roland Garros (who had four documented victories), was the first pilot to achieve "ace" status in any form.
Sadly, Pégoud was shot down and killed by one of his former German students on August 31st, 1915.
Adolphe Pégoud, the first pilot to be called "Ace"
The term "ace" is commonly used to refer to pilots who shoot down a specific number of enemy aircraft during combat. The precise number varied in the early stages of aviation, but by World War II, a widely accepted standard was that five kills qualified a pilot as an ace.
When examining the list of aces from World War II, there is a significant difference between air forces. For example, German ace Erich "Bubi" Hartmann shot down over 352 aircraft during the war, while the top American ace, Richard I. Bong, had 40 kills.
There are several reasons for this disparity:
1. Counting Systems:
The way different air forces counted kills varied. For instance:
This method of counting resulted in "fractioned" kill tallies for many aces. Major George E. Preddy Jr., for example, had a final tally of 26.83 kills.
2. Verifying Victories:
The nature of air combat often made it difficult to verify victories. In most cases, a victory would only count if a second party could confirm seeing the enemy aircraft crash. However, this was not always feasible. For example:
Later, gun cameras helped to verify victories, but they weren’t foolproof. The cameras only recorded when the guns were firing, so if a target was took a fatal hit, but didn’t burst into flames or fall apart, it might only be counted as damaged or as a "probable" kill rather than a confirmed destruction.
be counted as damaged or a probable, not as a destroyed aircraft.
A lot of fighter pilots would also suffer great frustration when, during post-mission debrief, it showed that the gun camera footage was completely useless because often the whole airframe shuddered extremely hard as a result of firing the guns.
3. Ground (Strafing) Victories:
For a short period, American pilots were credited with kills for ground victories, particularly those achieved during strafing runs. This system was used mainly by the 8th Air Force to encourage pilots to attack enemy airfields and destroy aircraft on the ground. However, ground victories were never considered as part of true ace status, as strafing was deemed more dangerous than aerial combat due to the heavy flak around targets.
4. The German Advantage:
One reason why German pilots had such high kill rates, particularly early in the war, is the fact that they often fought against inferior enemy aircraft and poorly trained pilots, especially during battles in Russia and France. Additionally:
5. Pre-WWII Conflicts:
Several pilots who became aces during WWII had also fought in earlier conflicts, such as the Spanish Civil War, the War in China, the Shanghai War, the Nomonhan Incident in Mongolia, the Winter War, or as part of the Flying Tigers. The kills scored in these earlier conflicts are often listed separately when referencing their total victories.
The term "ace in a day" became famous for pilots who managed to shoot down five or more enemy aircraft in a single day. It was a rare and impressive feat, often considered a testament to a pilot's skill and aggression.
This is an extraordinary accomplishment, but it became more achievable with the introduction of more powerful aircraft and intensified aerial combat. One of the most remarkable records for single-day kills during World War II belongs to Emil Lang, a German ace who claimed 18 Soviet aircraft on November 3, 1943.
68 U.S. pilots were credited with achieving the "Ace in a Day" feat during WWII.
The "Ace in a Day" phenomenon began to take shape early in aviation history, notably in World War I, where the term refers to pilots who shot down five or more enemy aircraft in a single day. These feats of heroism set a standard and became legendary for aviators in both World Wars.
Early Examples of "Ace in a Day" Achievements:
1. Julius Arigi and Johann Lasi (Austro-Hungarian Air Force):
2. Fritz Otto Bernert (Austro-Hungarian Air Force):
On a morning patrol, Bernert managed to shoot one of an enemy patrol of Sopwith 1½ Strutters at 0830 hours, killing the pilot and burning the aircraft. Breaking off combat with the Sopwiths, Bernert next found a formation of Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2es. The three bombers were flying without aerial observers manning their rear guns; their gunners had been left home so more bombs could be loaded. Achievement: Bernert was a remarkable ace, scoring five victories in just 20 minutes during an engagement in the skies above the Western Front.
Slower than Bernert's fighter, with no rear defense, they were easy prey for him, and he blasted them from the sky between 0840 and 0845. Two of the unfortunate British pilots were killed, and the third captured after his crash. Then, with fuel and ammunition remaining, Bernert found an Airco DH.4 and shot it down at 0850 hours, killing the observer and wounding the pilot
What makes his achievement even more impressive is that he flew with glasses and had a disabled left arm, having been wounded in ground combat with a bayonet injury that severed a major nerve. Despite these challenges, he proved his exceptional piloting skills and determination.
3. John Lightfoot Trollope (Royal Air Force):
That day, John Trollope flew two combat sorties. During the first one, performed around midday, he intercepted and destroyed two DFWs. Then, Trollope spotted a formation of Albatros fighters and decided to engage them. That dogfight resulted with one enemy aircraft shot down, although the score could be even higher – Trollope´s ammunition ran out and he had to return to home airfield.
In the afternoon, during his second sortie of the day, Trollope intercepted another three enemy two-seaters and shot them down. On his way back home, he spotted another two-seat aeroplane and added it to his victory score, achieving a total of seven enemy aircraft destroyed in one day.
4. Henry Woollett (Royal Air Force):
Captain H. W. Woollett of No. 43 Squadron... whilst leading a patrol, he saw a German machine, out-manoeuvred it, fired about thirty rounds and saw it spin down and crash. During this fight he had been attacked by several other machines. Without delay he climbed rapidly above his attackers and dived on to a two-seater, firing as he went, causing this machine also to crash. Once again he out-climbed his opponents, looped away from two attacking Fokkers, made a vertical bank, and again dived on the tail of an Albatross. After he had fired about 40 rounds, this machine burst into flames and fell to pieces. He then went home. At 5 p.m. the same evening he attacked thirteen enemy aircraft... He first fired 30 rounds into one of the enemy aeroplanes, which turned over on its back and fell to pieces. He then climbed again, manoeuvred rapidly among the remaining twelve machines, avoiding the fire of his opponents until he could fire a burst into an Albatross, which spun down and crashed. He then made for home. On crossing the lines he saw another enemy machine above him. Once more the climb of his 'bus enabled him to get over his enemy, and he crashed his sixth machine for the day.
Woollet became the highest scoring British balloon busting ace, credited with 35 aerial victories, including eleven balloons.
4. René Fonck (French Air Service):
On May 9, between 1600 and 1605 hours, he shot down three enemy two-seater reconnaissance planes. Understanding the importance of reconnaissance planes, with their potential to direct intensive artillery fire onto French troops, A couple of hours later, he repeated the feat and added 3 more to his tally.
On September 26, he repeated his feat of knocking down six enemy airplanes in a day, although this time three of his six victories were over Fokker D.VII fighters
These early examples set the tone for what would become a standard of excellence in aerial combat. The nature of dogfighting in World War I, with its emphasis on skill, speed, and precision, meant that a pilot could quickly rise to fame or infamy by scoring numerous kills, with some pilots achieving what seemed like impossible feats in a single day.
The remarkable feats of these aviators paved the way for future generations of airmen during World War II and beyond. These "ace in a day" records are not just about the number of kills, but also a testament to the bravery and determination of the pilots involved in the deadly air battles of the time.
World War II saw an increase in the number of pilots achieving double and even triple aces in a day, a feat that was rarer than in World War I due to the scale of air combat and the advancements in technology. Pilots were no longer just engaged in dogfights against a handful of enemy aircraft but were part of larger aerial battles that often involved complex formations, coordinated attacks, and intense combat.
Triple acedom (15 kills) was achieved by only 4 Axis pilots and 1 Japanese pilot (not verified). The highest numer of aerial victories in history for a single day was claimed by Emil Lang when he shot down 18 Soviet fighters on November 3rd , 1943.
1. Emil Lang:
Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) Emil Lang was born on January 14th, 1909. Lang joined the Luftwaffe as a member of the military reserve force on January 4th, 1938, with 8. Staffel (8th squadron) of Kampfgeschwader 51. Following the outbreak of war, he served as a transport pilot, flying missions to Norway, France, Crete and North Africa.
After completing fighter pilot training, he served with with 1./JG 54 (1st Squadron of the 54th Fighter Wing). At the age of 34 he was exceptionally old for a novice fighter pilot. His first three aerial victories were claimed in March of 1943. Before the year's end, his kill tally already stood at an amazing 100 victories, with a remarkable 72 scored around Kiev in just three weeks during October and November of 1943. He was the 58th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.
This series of multiple victories included ten on 13 October 1943 and 12 (victories 61–72) in three combat missions on 21 October 1943. During the Battle of Kiev, Lang set an all-time world record of 18 aerial victories claimed from four combat missions in one day on November 3rd, 1943, making him aviation history's leading ace-in-a-day.
In June of 1944, Lang claimed 15 aerial victories, including his 150th, a USAAF P-47 on June 14th, and 4 P-51 Mustangs shot down in just 4 minutes on June 20th, 1944. On June 24th he downed an additional 4 P-51s.
On July 9th, he claimed three RAF Spitfires (although on RAF record no Spitfires were shot down that day, this stated that Luftwaffe claims were sometimes believed exaggerated, although this did not diminish the fact that he was a great pilot and leader). On August 15th, he claimed two more P-47s, and 10 days later 3 P-38s in just five minutes (the hard-hit 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group lost 8 P-38s, its worst combat performance).
He claimed 3 Spitfires in 2 missions for his final victories (171–173) on August 26th. Of these, 144 were on the Eastern Front and 29 on the Western Front in 403 combat missions.
Emil Lang was killed in action over Belgium on September 3rd, 1944 when his Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 171 240—factory number) "Green 1" hit the ground and exploded in a field at Overhespen. He had experienced mechanical trouble on the runway when he and the other aircraft of his flight took off at Melsbroek at 1.20 pm. Ten minutes later, Lang was still having difficulties raising his landing gear. Flying at an altitude of 200 metres (660 ft), his wingman, Unteroffizier Hans-Joachim Borreck, called out P-47s to their rear. Lang broke upward and to the left. Groß saw Lang's Fw 190 diving in flames, its gear extended, but lost sight of him when his own craft was hit and he had to bail out.
A study of both German and American records suggests that they misidentified their opponents as P-51s of the 338th FS, 55th FG intercepted a flight of three to six Focke-Wulfs. Lt Darrell Cramer took a high deflection shot at the Focke-Wulf on the left, which fell upside down in a steep dive and crashed hard into the ground... this undoubtedly was Emil Lang. Lang ranks 26th amongst all aces of WWII.
2. Hans-Joachim Marseille:
While Emil Lang mostly flew combat over Russia and the ETO, Marseille mostly flew combat over North Africa. He claimed all but seven of his official 158 victories against the British Commonwealth's Desert Air Force flying the Me-109. No other pilot claimed as many Western Allied aircraft as did Marseille.
He completed his training on July 18th , 1940. One of his teachers was Austro-Hungarian WWI ace Julius Arigi!
On August 10th , 1940, he was assigned to I. Jagd/Lehr-geschwader 2 , to begin operations over Britain. In his first dog-fight over England on August 24th , 1940, Marseille was involved in a four-minute battle with a skilled opponent. He finally was able to defeat his opponent and escaped by hugging the water over the North Sea after being bounced by several other Allied fighters. He did not take any pleasure in this kill and found it difficult to accept the realities of aerial combat. In a letter to his mother, dated August 24th , he said: “Today I shot down my first opponent. It does not sit well with me. I keep thinking how the mother of this young man must feel when she gets the news of her son's death. And I am to blame for this death. I am sad, instead of being happy about the first victory.”
After being transferred to another unit, Marseille made the trip to Africa on April 20th , 1941.
He scored two more kills on April 23rd and 28th , his first in the North African Campaign. However, on April 23rd , Marseille himself was shot down during his third sortie of that day by Sous-Lieutenant James Denis, a Free French pilot with No. 73 Squadron RAF (8.5 kills), flying a Hawker Hurricane. Marseille's Bf 109 received almost 30 hits in the cockpit area, and three or four shattered the canopy. As Marseille was leaning forward the rounds missed him by inches. He managed to crash-land his fighter. Ironically, just a month later, records show that James Denis shot down Marseille again on May 21st , 1941.
Marseille's kill rate was still very low at that point and he went from June to August without a single victory. Marseille persisted however, and created a unique self-training programme for himself, both physical and tactical, which resulted not just in outstanding situational awareness, marksmanship and confident control of the aircraft, but also in a unique attack tactic that preferred a high angle deflection shooting attack and shooting at the target's front from the side, instead of the common method of chasing an aircraft and shooting at it directly from behind.
Finally on September 24th , 1941, his practice came to fruition, with his first multiple victory sortie, claiming four Hurricanes. By mid December, he had reached 25 confirmed victories.
His attack method to break up formations, which he perfected, resulted in a high lethality ratio, and in rapid, multiple victories per attack. On June 3rd , 1942, Marseille attacked alone a formation of sixteen Curtiss P-40 fighters and shot down six aircraft of No. 5 Squadron SAAF, five of them in six minutes, including three aces: Robin Pare (6 victories), Douglas Golding (6.5 victories) and Andre Botha (5 victories).
His most successful day in history came on September 1st , 1942, when he destroyed 17 enemy aircraft in one day, divided over three sorties. Eight of those aircraft were shot down in a periode of just 10 minutes!
This was the most aircraft from Western Allied air forces shot down by a single pilot in one day.Only Emil Lang would do better with 18 against the Soviet Air Force on November 4th , 1943.
He made ace in a day on 7 different occasions:
Marseille died on September 30th , 1942, as the result of mechanical failure. His 158 kills rank him 30th amongst all aces in WWII.
Other triple aces in day were August Lambert (77th highest scoring ace with 116 victories) and Huburt Strassl (133rd highest scoring ace with 67 victories).
August Lambert:
Hubert Strassl
Japanese Naval pilot Hirojoshi Nishizawais said to have show down 15 enemy aircraft on August 4th , 1943, although no official records exist of him doing so. He was the top Japanese ace with 87 victories.
To be considered a double ace in a day one has to destroy over 10 enemy aircraft in a single day.
Notable German double ace is Erich Rudorffer who scored a total of 14 victories over the Russian theater, 13 of which were scored within a single mission on November 6th , 1943.
Germany counted a total of 20 double aces in a day. Austria had one, Franz Schall, who flew with the Luftwaffe. He also scored 14 of his 137 victories whilst flying the Me-262 jet.
There are numerous aces in a day (score 5 victories in a single day). Some quick "ace in a day" stats of WWII:
A few top US aces in a day of WWII that stood out:
David McCampbell, a US Navy pilot with VF-15, scored the most US victories in a single day, namely 9, and became an ace in a day not once, but twice.
He was the all time US Navy leading ace with a total of 34 aerial victories which also ranked him 3rd amongst all US flying aces of WWII. He was also the highest scoring US ace to survive the war (he passed away in 1996).
On June 19th , 1944, during the Marianas Turkey Shoot, McCampbell shot down 5 Japanese D4Y “Judy” dive-bombers in a single mission, thus making ace in a day. In a second mission, later that very same day, he downed an additional two A6M “Zekes”, augmenting his total to 7 in one day.
On October 24th , 1944, he became the only American pilot to achieve “ace in a day” twice, whilst also setting a US combat record of 9 enemy aircraft shot down in a single mission. He and his wingman engaged with 60 Japanese aircraft that day, his wingman also getting 6.
Both men returned to the USS Essex after running low on fuel, only to be taken under fire by the friendly
fleet when they were mistaken as Japanese aggressors. Several USN Hellcats also dived on them,
realizing their mistake at the very last minute. Upon making final approach to the USS Essex, they had to
abort because the flight deck was full of launching aircraft. They were diverted to the USS Langley and
just after McCampbell made contact with the flight deck, his engine quit, there was no more fuel left…
After examining the gun bays it was also discovered that he only had 2 rounds left for his six machine
guns.
Apart from the USN highest award, the Navy Cross, David McCampbell was also awarded the US high-
est military award, the Medal of Honor.
William L. Leverette was a double ace who scored 7 victories (all Stuka dive bombers) in a single mission with the USAAF in the MTO (Mediterranean Theater of Operations) on October 9th , 1943. His total tally stood at 11 at the end of WWII, ranking him a shared 11th place on the US armed forces aces list.
The top ace in a day in the ETO (European Theater of Operations) was 352nd FG ace and the top P-51 Mustang ace George E. Preddy. Preddy downed 6 German fighters in one single mission on August 6th , 1944.
The last US ace in a day was Mexican American Oscar F. Perdomo, who scored 5 victories on August 13th , 1945. He flew with the 507th Fighter Group, 464th Fighter Squadron of the 20th Air Force in the Pacific Theater.
Strafing ace in a day: Lt. Col. William C. Clark of the 339th FG destroyed 5 enemy aircraft on the ground in one single mission on April 16th , 1945.
Lt. Col. Elwyn G. Righetti would do better on April 19th, 1945, when he destroyed 9 aircraft in one single strafing mission. Sadly, he would not return back to base that day.
Since WWII there has only been 1 more ace in a day, namely Muhammad Mahmood Alam of the Pakinstan Air Force, who shot down 5 Indian Air Force Hawker Hunter Mk.56 fighters in less than one minute during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965.
Benjamin Warmer of the 9th Bomb Group also scored 7 victories in one mission on July 5th , 1943. What makes it so special is that he was actually a gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions that day.
Lydya Vladimirovna Litvjaková | 16 | Soviet Air Force | 12 + 4 shared |
Yekatarina Vasiljevna Budanová | 11 | Soviet Air Force | 6 + 5 shared |
Klavdija Jakovlevna Fomicevová | 11 | Soviet Air Force | 0 + 11 shared |
Germany | 263 pilots who scored between 5 and 10 kills in a single day. |
33 german pilots became “ace in a night”, scoring between 5 and 10 kills in one single night mission. | |
France | On june 15th , 1940, Pierre Le Gloan became the first ace in a day of WWII when he destroyed 5 Italian aircraft in one mission. |
Finland | Hans Wind scored 5 kills in a day 5 separate times during the Soviet Summer Offensive 1944. He gathered a total of 30 kills in just 12 days, totaling 75 by the end of the War. |
Australia | Clive Caldwell destroyed 5 German aircraft in the space of a few minutes over North Africa in World War II, on December 5th , 1941. |
US | 69 pilots (44 USAAF, 18 US Navy, 7 USMC and 1 whilst flying with the AVG) were credited as ace in a day. |
Click here to see a list of the top aces per Fighter Group.
