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List of World War I aces credited with 20 or more victories. Manfred von Richthofen, the most successful flying ace of World War I wearing the Pour le Mérite, Prussia 's highest military order in this official portrait, c. 1917. The term ace (now commonly flying ace) was first used by French newspapers during World War I, describing Adolphe ...
NameCountryAir Service (s)Victories75 [6]Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force72 [7][b]62 [5]- Werner Voss. Werner Voss was considered as Germany’s Prince of Skies during the First World War and the only competitor to the Red Baron with regard to aerial warfare and victories.
- Georges Guynemer. Georges Guynemer was a famous French ace who had 54 aerial victories during the First World War. However, Guynemer had earned his celebrity ace status not only because of the overwhelming 54 kills but also for being one of the most chivalrous fighter pilots in the history of World War I.
- Donald MacLaren. Advertisement. Donald MacLaren stands out from his fellow air aces in terms of life expectancy in the Royal Flying Corps. With as many as 54 official aerial wins, MacLaren is considered to be the most successful ace of World War I to pilot the Sopwith Camel Aircraft, which, in turn, earned him his celebrity status.
- James McCudden. Longest serving and one of the highest scoring fighter pilots of the British Empire during the First World War, James McCudden is a recipient of the honorary Victoria Cross for his remarkable 57 aerial winning streaks.
The following are lists of World War I flying aces. Historically, a flying ace was defined as a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The term was first used by French newspapers, describing Adolphe Pégoud as l'as (the ace), after he downed seven German aircraft.
- Manfred Von Richthofen
- Eddie Rickenbacker
- Albert Ball
- William Bishop
- Werner Voss
- Georges Guynemer
The British called him the “Red Knight”; the French, the “Diable Rouge” (the “Red Devil”); but German pilot Manfred von Richthofen is best remembered by the immortal sobriquet the “Red Baron.” Born into a family of Prussian nobles in 1892, Richthofen began World War I as a cavalry officer before making the switch to the German air service. He score...
Lifelong daredevil Eddie Rickenbacker entered World War I as one of the United States’ top racecar drivers, having competed in the first Indianapolis 500 and set land speed records at Daytona. After a stint as a chauffeur on General John J. Pershing’s staff, he talked his way into the newly formed U.S. Army Air Service before getting his wings in e...
Though his kill count of 44 fell short of many of his countrymen, flying ace Albert Ball was arguably the British Empire’s most beloved fighter pilot during World War I. Renowned for his quiet demeanor—he supposedly loved gardening and lived alone in a small shack adjacent to his airplane hangar—Ball also had a ferocious fighting spirit. He often f...
Canadian pilots racked up an impressive record during World War I, but none was as prolific as William Bishop, who scored an amazing 72 aerial victories. Bishop began the war as a cavalryman, but soon grew tired of the mud and misery of trench warfare and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He went on to down a German plane in his very first dog...
The Red Baron is remembered as Germany’s king of the skies during World War I, but Werner Voss may have been his closest competitor. Voss entered the war in 1914 at the age of 17, and served as a cavalryman before transferring to the air service and being placed in the same squadron as the Baron. He quickly won fame for his acrobatic flying style a...
Famed French ace Georges Guynemer entered World War I as a mechanic before getting his pilot’s license and first taking to the skies in June 1915. Guynemer downed German aircraft at an impressive rate over the next year, and soon established himself as the most feared pilot in France’s famed N.3 squadron, known as the “storks.” All the while, he us...
- Albert Ball VC. © IWM (Q 69593) Albert Ball (1896-1917) was a British fighter pilot and, with 44 official victories, was one of the United Kingdom’s highest-scoring air aces.
- Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor VC. © IWM (Art.IWM ART 2880) Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor (1894-1921) was South Africa’s top flying ace during the First World War.
- William 'Billy' Bishop VC. © IWM (CO 1751) William ‘Billy’ Bishop (1894-1956) was Canada’s highest-scoring fighter pilot and one of the war’s top flying aces.
- Georges Guynemer. Georges Guynemer (1894-1917, pictured in the car) was a French fighter pilot and air ace credited with over 50 victories over the course of his service.
List of World War I aces credited with 10 victories. The term ace (now commonly flying ace) was first used by French newspapers during World War I, describing Adolphe Pégoud as l'as ('the ace'), after he downed five German aircraft. When aircraft began to shoot or force down other aircraft, systems to count "air victories" were subsequently ...
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Sep 16, 2016 · Manfred von Richthofen—better known as the “Red Baron”—was the top scoring flying ace of World War I, with 80 aerial victories between September 1916 and his death in April 1918.
