The best pilots. Rating of aces whose pilots were better in World War II

On November 13, 1985, Air Marshal Alexander Pokryshkin passed away. During World War II he was one of the most successful Soviet pilots - according to various sources, Pokryshkin personally shot down from 46 to 59 enemy aircraft. For his exploits, he was awarded the Hero's Gold Star three times Soviet Union. LJ magazine several interesting stories about Pokryshkin and other air aces who fought in the skies over the USSR and occupied Europe.

At the end of the war, Pokryshkin was not only the most famous pilot in the world, but also the most authoritative figure in Soviet aviation, writes andrey_ka23 , who in 2013 attended the celebrations in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Soviet ace:

“Achtung! Achtung! Pokryshkin is in the air! - the German warning posts shouted, urgently warning - the famous Russian ace was in the air. Which meant - to increase caution, to get out of protracted air battles, for the “hunters” to gain altitude, for young people to return to the airfields.

Generous rewards awaited the one who brought down the Russian ace. There was no shortage of people who wanted to distinguish themselves, but this task turned out to be too tough for the enemy. And it wasn’t just Pokryshkin’s exceptional skill. It is appropriate to remember that in his squadron, and then in the regiment and division, such aces as Rechkalov and the Glinka brothers, Klubov and Babak, Fedorov and Fadeev took place. When such a group fought, it was, at least, imprudent to expect to defeat its commander. And today pilots continue the glorious traditions of the aces of the Great Patriotic War.

The Germans undoubtedly shot down more: Erich Hartmann (352 enemy aircraft shot down), Johan Steinhoff (176), Werner Mölders (115), Adolf Galland (103). Even if you divide it into two, it’s still more. Another thing is that these are hunters whose goal is precisely the maximum number of people shot down. Ours professed a different strategy, which turned out to be more effective and efficient. This allowed us to gain air supremacy. It is worth adding that Hartman shot down not only Soviet planes, but also 7 American ones.

As for quantity, here are a few facts.

Just a few days and heroic victories. Are you winning?
Summer 1944. June 1 6 aircraft shot down (5 Lags and 1 Airacobra). June 2 - 2 Airacobras, June 3 - 4 aircraft (two Lags and two Airacobras each). June 4 - 7 aircraft (all but one are Airacobras). June 5 - 7 aircraft (3 of them Laga). And finally, on June 6 - 5 aircraft (2 of them “Lag”). In total, in 6 days of fighting, 32 Soviet aircraft were shot down. And on August 24 of the same year there were 11 planes at once.

But here’s what’s strange: Eric Hartmann shot down 32 planes in the first six days of June, and the entire Luftwaffe by day: 1st - 21, 2nd - 27, 3rd - 33, 4th - 45, 5th - 43, 6th - 12. Total - 181 aircraft. Or an average of more than 30 aircraft per day. How much were the Luftwaffe's losses? Official figures for June 1944 are 312 aircraft, or just over 10 per day. It turns out that our losses are 3 times greater? And if you consider that German losses also include planes shot down by our anti-aircraft artillery, then the loss ratio is even greater!

But it’s not 1941. Plausible?

Let's assume that everything is true. And let’s compare two pilots - the same Hartmann and three times Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Kozhedub. Hartmann flew 1,404 sorties and shot down 352 aircraft, an average of about 4 sorties per aircraft; Kozhedub’s figures are as follows: 330 sorties and 62 enemy aircraft, an average of 5.3 sorties. In terms of numbers, everything seems to correspond...

How were downed planes counted? Below is an excerpt from the book by American researchers R. Toliver and T. Constable about Hartmann:

“The rest of the squadron pilots dragged the happy Blonde Knight into the mess hall. The party was in full swing when Hartmann's technician burst in. The expression on his face instantly extinguished the jubilation of those gathered.
- What happened, Bimmel? - asked Erich.
- Gunsmith, Herr Lieutenant.
- Is something wrong?
- No, everything is fine. It's just that you only fired 120 shots at 3 downed planes. I think you need to know this.
Whispers of admiration ran through the pilots, and the schnapps flowed like a river again.”

Plausible? If anyone thinks yes, a little information. Hartmann's aircraft (Messerschmitt Bf.109) is equipped with MG-17 machine guns and a 20-mm MG 151/20 cannon. The rate of fire for machine guns is 1200 rounds per minute, for cannons - 700-800 per minute (depending on the type of projectile). Thus, 53 charges are consumed per second. Hartman used up 120 in 2.26 seconds. And he shot down THREE planes. Still plausible?

But we are not talking about bookcases or even plywood Yaks. All three shot down were Il-2.

The most successful fighter pilot of all countries participating in World War II, with the exception of Germany, is considered to be the Finn - Eino Ilmari Juutilainen, who shot down 94 Soviet aircraft. His story is summarized merelana :

Yesterday this name came up by chance - in a conversation about who is from our area and who is not from ours. Eino Ilmari Juutilainen is one of our kind. Most of He spent his childhood in Sortavala and began his military service at an airfield near Viipuri - while Viipuri was still on the Finnish side.
Eino Ilmari Juutilainen is an ace pilot, one of the best in the Second World War, which the Finns say they call “continental” or “long”, as opposed to the winter one, which is also “short”.
During the Winter War, he conducted 115 combat missions - and there were only two victories. And during the “ongoing” war, he scored 92 victories. With almost five hundred sorties. And none of his planes received a single damage.

Fierce air battles took place not only in the European theater of operations. From the blog litvinenko_ai You can learn about the ace pilots of the Imperial Japanese Navy:

The main feature of the Japanese is their collectivism. For many centuries, the main source of food for the Japanese was rice. To grow rice, it had to be constantly watered. In the mountainous regions of the country it is impossible to water rice alone; here people acted as one team. The crop could be grown either by everyone together or by no one. The Japanese had no room for error. There will be no rice, famine will begin. Hence the collectivism of the Japanese. There is a Japanese proverb that goes something like this: “The nail that sticks out gets hammered in first.” That is, don’t stick your head out, don’t stand out from the crowd—the Japanese don’t tolerate white crows. From early childhood, Japanese children were instilled with the skills of collectivism and the desire not to stand out from the rest. This feature Japanese culture was also reflected in naval aviation pilots during the Great Pacific War or, as we commonly call it, World War II. Instructors at flight schools taught cadets as a whole, without singling out any of them; there was no individual approach at all. In parts of the incentive or penalty, the entire unit usually also received.

Japanese pilots fought in the skies over China long before the start of the Pacific War, they gained experience and became outstanding combat pilots. Japanese pilots swept away everything over Pearl Harbor and spread death over the Philippines, New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. They were aces. The French word as means ace, the first in his field is a master of air combat, it appeared during the First World War and referred to military pilots who were fluent in the art of piloting and air combat and who shot down at least five enemy aircraft. There were aces in World War II, for example, the best Soviet pilot Ivan Kozhedub shot down 62 enemy aircraft, the Finn was credited Eino Ilmari Juutilainen 94 Soviet aircraft. The best pilots of the Imperial Japanese Navy - Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, Saburo Sakai And Shioki Sugita were also aces. For example, Hiroyoshi Nishizawa reported to his family about 147 downed planes, some sources mention 102, according to other sources - 87 planes, which is still much more than the American and British aces, who shot down at most 30 planes.

Any war is a terrible grief for any people that it affects in one way or another. Throughout its history, humanity has experienced many wars, two of which were world wars. The First World War almost completely destroyed Europe and led to the fall of some major empires, such as the Russian and Austro-Hungarian ones. But even more terrible in its scale was the Second World War, in which many countries from almost all over the world were involved. Millions of people died, and many more were left homeless. This terrible event still affects us in one way or another modern man. Its echoes can be found everywhere in our lives. This tragedy left behind a lot of mysteries, disputes over which have not subsided for decades. He took on the heaviest burden in this life-and-death battle, not yet fully strengthened from the revolution and civil wars and the Soviet Union was just expanding its military and civilian industries. An irreconcilable rage and desire to fight the invaders who encroached on the territorial integrity and freedom of the proletarian state settled in the hearts of people. Many went to the front voluntarily. At the same time, the evacuated industrial facilities were reorganized to produce products for the needs of the front. The struggle has assumed a truly national scale. That is why it is called the Great Patriotic War.

Who are the aces?

Both the German and Soviet armies were well trained and equipped with equipment, aircraft and other weapons. The personnel numbered in the millions. The collision of such two war machines gave birth to its heroes and its traitors. Some of those who can rightfully be considered heroes are the aces of World War II. Who are they and why are they so famous? An ace can be considered a person who has achieved heights in his field of activity that few others have managed to conquer. And even in such a dangerous and terrible matter as the military, there have always been their professionals. Both the USSR and the Allied forces, and Nazi Germany had people who showed the best results in terms of the number of enemy equipment or manpower destroyed. This article will tell about these heroes.

The list of World War II aces is extensive and includes many individuals famous for their exploits. They were an example for an entire people, they were adored and admired.

Aviation is without a doubt one of the most romantic, but at the same time dangerous branches of the military. Since any equipment can fail at any time, the job of a pilot is considered very honorable. It requires iron endurance, discipline, and the ability to control oneself in any situation. Therefore, aviation aces were treated with great respect. After all, to be able to demonstrate good results in such conditions when your life depends not only on technology, but also on yourself is the highest degree of military art. So, who are these ace pilots of World War II, and why are their exploits so famous?

One of the most successful Soviet ace pilots was Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub. Officially, during his service on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, he shot down 62 German planes, and he is also credited with 2 American fighters, which he destroyed at the end of the war. This record-breaking pilot served in the 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment and flew the La-7 aircraft.

The second most productive during the war was Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin (who was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union three times). He fought in Southern Ukraine, in the Black Sea region, and liberated Europe from the Nazis. During his service he shot down 59 enemy aircraft. He did not stop flying even when he was appointed commander of the 9th Guards Aviation Division, and won some of his aerial victories while already in this position.

Nikolai Dmitrievich Gulaev is one of the most famous military pilots, who set a record of 4 flights per destroyed aircraft. In total, during his military service he destroyed 57 enemy aircraft. Twice awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

He also had a high result. He knocked down 55 German planes. Kozhedub, who happened to serve for some time with Evstigneev in the same regiment, spoke very respectfully of this pilot.

But, despite the fact that the tank troops were among the most numerous in the Soviet army, tank aces of the Second World War for some reason were not found in the USSR. Why this is so is unknown. It is logical to assume that many personal accounts were obviously overestimated or underestimated, so name the exact number of victories of the above-mentioned masters tank battle not possible.

German tank aces

But the German tank aces of World War II have a much longer track record. This is largely due to the pedantry of the Germans, who strictly documented everything, and they had much more time to fight than their Soviet “colleagues.” The German army began active operations back in 1939.

German tanker No. 1 is Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann. He fought with many tanks (Stug III, Tiger I) and destroyed 138 vehicles throughout the war, as well as 132 self-propelled artillery installations from various enemy countries. For his successes he was repeatedly awarded various orders and badges of the Third Reich. Killed in action in 1944 in France.

You can also highlight such a tank ace as For those who are in one way or another interested in the history of the development of the tank forces of the Third Reich, the book of his memoirs “Tigers in the Mud” will be very useful. During the war years, this man destroyed 150 Soviet and American self-propelled guns and tanks.

Kurt Knispel is another record-breaking tanker. During his military service, he knocked out 168 enemy tanks and self-propelled guns. About 30 cars are unconfirmed, which prevents him from matching Wittmann's results. Knispel died in battle near the village of Vostits in Czechoslovakia in 1945.

Besides, good results Karl Bromann had 66 tanks and self-propelled guns, Ernst Barkmann had 66 tanks and self-propelled guns, Erich Mausberg had 53 tanks and self-propelled guns.

As can be seen from these results, both Soviet and German tank aces of World War II knew how to fight. Of course, the quantity and quality of Soviet combat vehicles was an order of magnitude higher than that of the Germans, however, as practice has shown, both were used quite successfully and became the basis for some post-war tank models.

But the list of military branches in which their masters distinguished themselves does not end there. Let's talk a little about submarine aces.

Masters of Submarine Warfare

Just as in the case of aircraft and tanks, the most successful are the German sailors. Over the years of its existence, Kriegsmarine submariners sank 2,603 ​​ships of allied countries, the total displacement of which reaches 13.5 million tons. This is a truly impressive figure. And the German submarine aces of World War II could also boast of impressive personal accounts.

The most successful German submariner is Otto Kretschmer, who has 44 ships, including 1 destroyer. The total displacement of the ships sunk by him is 266,629 tons.

In second place is Wolfgang Lüth, who sent 43 enemy ships to the bottom (and according to other sources - 47) with a total displacement of 225,712 tons.

He was also a famous naval ace who even managed to sink the British battleship Royal Oak. This was one of the first officers to receive oak leaves; Prien destroyed 30 ships. Killed in 1941 during an attack on a British convoy. He was so popular that his death was hidden from the people for two months. And on the day of his funeral, mourning was declared throughout the country.

Such successes of German sailors are also quite understandable. The fact is that Germany began a naval war back in 1940, with a blockade of Britain, thus hoping to undermine its naval greatness and, taking advantage of this, to successfully capture the islands. However, very soon the plans of the Nazis were thwarted, as America entered the war with its large and powerful fleet.

The most famous Soviet submarine sailor is Alexander Marinesko. He sank only 4 ships, but what ones! The heavy passenger liner "Wilhelm Gustloff", the transport "General von Steuben", as well as 2 units of the heavy floating battery "Helene" and "Siegfried". For his exploits, Hitler added the sailor to his list of personal enemies. But Marinesko’s fate did not work out well. He fell out of favor with the Soviet regime and died, and people stopped talking about his exploits. The great sailor received the Hero of the Soviet Union award only posthumously in 1990. Unfortunately, many USSR aces of World War II ended their lives in a similar way.

Also famous submariners of the Soviet Union are Ivan Travkin - he sank 13 ships, Nikolai Lunin - also 13 ships, Valentin Starikov - 14 ships. But Marinesko topped the list of the best submariners of the Soviet Union, as he caused the greatest damage to the German navy.

Accuracy and stealth

Well, how can we not remember such famous fighters as snipers? Here the Soviet Union takes the well-deserved palm from Germany. Soviet sniper aces of World War II had a very high track record. In many ways, such results were achieved thanks to massive government training of the civilian population in shooting from various weapons. About 9 million people were awarded the Voroshilov Shooter badge. So, what are the most famous snipers?

The name of Vasily Zaitsev frightened the Germans and inspired courage in Soviet soldiers. This ordinary guy, a hunter, killed 225 Wehrmacht soldiers with his Mosin rifle in just a month of fighting at Stalingrad. Among the outstanding sniper names are Fyodor Okhlopkov, who (during the entire war) accounted for about a thousand Nazis; Semyon Nomokonov, who killed 368 enemy soldiers. There were also women among the snipers. An example of this is the famous Lyudmila Pavlichenko, who fought near Odessa and Sevastopol.

German snipers are less known, although several sniper schools have existed in Germany since 1942, providing professional training. Among the most successful German shooters are Matthias Hetzenauer (345 killed), (257 killed), Bruno Sutkus (209 soldiers shot). Also a famous sniper from the countries of the Hitler bloc is Simo Haiha - this Finn killed 504 Red Army soldiers during the war years (according to unconfirmed reports).

Thus, the sniper training of the Soviet Union was immeasurably higher than that of the German troops, which allowed Soviet soldiers to bear the proud title of aces of the Second World War.

How did you become aces?

So, the concept of “ace of World War II” is quite broad. As already mentioned, these people achieved truly impressive results in their business. This was achieved not only through good army training, but also through outstanding personal qualities. After all, for a pilot, for example, coordination and quick reaction are very important, for a sniper - the ability to wait for the right moment to sometimes fire a single shot.

Accordingly, it is impossible to determine who had the best aces of World War II. Both sides performed unparalleled heroism, which made it possible to distinguish from total mass individual people. But it was possible to become a master only by training hard and improving your combat skills, since war does not tolerate weakness. Of course, dry statistics will not be able to convey to modern people all the hardships and adversities that war professionals experienced during their rise to the honorary pedestal.

We, the generation that lives without knowing such terrible things, should not forget about the exploits of our predecessors. They can become an inspiration, a reminder, a memory. And we must try to do everything to ensure that such terrible events as past wars do not happen again.

The title ace, in reference to military pilots, first appeared in French newspapers during the First World War. In 1915 Journalists nicknamed “aces”, and translated from French the word “as” means “ace”, pilots who shot down three or more enemy aircraft. The legendary French pilot Roland Garros was the first to be called an ace.
The most experienced and successful pilots in the Luftwaffe were called experts - “Experte”

Luftwaffe

Eric Alfred Hartman (Boobie)

Erich Hartmann (German: Erich Hartmann; April 19, 1922 - September 20, 1993) was a German ace pilot, considered the most successful fighter pilot in the history of aviation. According to German data, during the Second World War he shot down “352” enemy aircraft (of which 345 were Soviet) in 825 air battles.

Hartmann graduated from flight school in 1941 and was assigned to the 52nd Fighter Squadron on the Eastern Front in October 1942. His first commander and mentor was the famous Luftwaffe expert Walter Krupinsky.

Hartmann shot down his first plane on November 5, 1942 (an Il-2 from the 7th GShAP), but over the next three months he managed to shoot down only one plane. Hartmann gradually improved his flying skills, focusing on the effectiveness of the first attack

Oberleutnant Erich Hartmann in the cockpit of his fighter, the famous emblem of the 9th Staffel of the 52nd Squadron is clearly visible - a heart pierced by an arrow with the inscription “Karaya”, in the upper left segment of the heart the name of Hartman’s bride “Ursel” is written (the inscription is almost invisible in the picture) .

German ace Hauptmann Erich Hartmann (left) and Hungarian pilot Laszlo Pottiondy. German fighter pilot Erich Hartmann - the most successful ace of World War II

Krupinski Walter is the first commander and mentor of Erich Hartmann!!

Hauptmann Walter Krupinski commanded the 7th Staffel of the 52nd Squadron from March 1943 to March 1944. Pictured is Krupinski wearing the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, which he received on March 2, 1944 for 177 victories in air combat. Shortly after this photograph was taken, Krupinski was transferred to the West, where he served with 7(7-5, JG-11 and JG-26), ending the war in an Me-262 with J V-44.

In the photo from March 1944, from left to right: commander of 8./JG-52 Lieutenant Friedrich Obleser, commander of 9./JG-52 Lieutenant Erich Hartmann. Lieutenant Karl Gritz.

Wedding of Luftwaffe ace Erich Hartmann (1922 - 1993) and Ursula Paetsch. To the left of married couple Hartmann's commander is coming - Gerhard Barkhorn (1919 - 1983). On the right is Hauptmann Wilhelm Batz (1916 - 1988).

Bf. 109G-6 by Hauptmann Erich Hartmann, Buders, Hungary, November 1944.

Barkhorn Gerhard "Gerd"

Major Barkhorn Gerhard

He began flying with JG2 and was transferred to JG52 in the fall of 1940. From January 16, 1945 to April 1, 1945 he commanded JG6. He ended the war in the “squadron of aces” JV 44, when on 04/21/1945 his Me 262 was shot down while landing by American fighters. He was seriously wounded and was held captive by the Allies for four months.

Number of victories - 301. All victories on the Eastern Front.

Hauptmann Erich Hartmann (04/19/1922 - 09/20/1993) with his commander Major Gerhard Barkhorn (05/20/1919 - 01/08/1983) studying the map. II./JG52 (2nd group of the 52nd fighter squadron). E. Hartmann and G. Barkhorn are the most successful pilots of the Second World War, having 352 and 301 aerial victories, respectively. In the lower left corner of the photo is E. Hartmann’s autograph.

The Soviet fighter LaGG-3, destroyed by German aircraft while still on the railway platform.

The snow melted faster than the white winter color was washed off the Bf 109. The fighter takes off right through the spring puddles.)!.

Captured Soviet airfield: I-16 stands next to Bf109F from II./JG-54.

In tight formation, a Ju-87D bomber from StG-2 “Immelmann” and “Friedrich” from I./JG-51 are carrying out a combat mission. At the end of the summer of 1942, the pilots of I./JG-51 switched to FW-190 fighters.

Commander of the 52nd Fighter Squadron (Jagdgeschwader 52) Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich Hrabak, commander of the 2nd Group of the 52nd Fighter Squadron (II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 52) Hauptmann Gerhard Barkhorn and an unknown Luftwaffe officer with a Messerschmitt fighter Bf.109G-6 at Bagerovo airfield.

Walter Krupinski, Gerhard Barkhorn, Johannes Wiese and Erich Hartmann

The commander of the 6th Fighter Squadron (JG6) of the Luftwaffe, Major Gerhard Barkhorn, in the cockpit of his Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9 fighter.

Bf 109G-6 “double black chevron” of I./JG-52 commander Hauptmann Gerhard Barkhorn, Kharkov-Yug, August 1943.

Please note given name airplane; Christi is the name of the wife of Barkhorn, the second most successful fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe. The picture shows the plane Barkhorn flew in when he was commander of I./JG-52, when he had not yet crossed the 200-victory mark. Barkhorn survived; in total he shot down 301 aircraft, all on the eastern front.

Gunter Rall

German ace fighter pilot Major Günther Rall (03/10/1918 - 10/04/2009). Günther Rall was the third most successful German ace of World War II. He has 275 air victories (272 on the Eastern Front) in 621 combat missions. Rall himself was shot down 8 times. On the pilot’s neck is visible the Knight’s Cross with oak leaves and swords, which he was awarded on September 12, 1943 for 200 air victories.

“Friedrich” from III./JG-52, this group in the initial phase of Operation Barbarossa covered the troops of the countries operating in the coastal zone of the Black Sea. Note the unusual angular tail number “6” and the “sine wave”. Apparently, this plane belonged to the 8th Staffel.

Spring 1943, Rall looks on approvingly as Lieutenant Josef Zwernemann drinks wine from a bottle

Günter Rall (second from left) after his 200th aerial victory. Second from right - Walter Krupinski

Shot down Bf 109 of Günter Rall

Rall in his Gustav IV

After being seriously wounded and partially paralyzed, Oberleutnant Günther Rall returned to 8./JG-52 on 28 August 1942, and two months later he became a Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Rall ended the war, taking an honorable third place in performance among Luftwaffe fighter pilots
won 275 victories (272 on the Eastern Front); shot down 241 Soviet fighters. He flew 621 combat missions, was shot down 8 times and wounded 3 times. His Messerschmitt had the personal number "Devil's Dozen"

The commander of the 8th squadron of the 52nd fighter squadron (Staffelkapitän 8.Staffel/Jagdgeschwader 52), Oberleutnant Günther Rall (1918-2009), with the pilots of his squadron, during a break between combat missions, plays with the squadron's mascot - a dog named "Rata" .

In the photo in the foreground from left to right: non-commissioned officer Manfred Lotzmann, non-commissioned officer Werner Höhenberg, and lieutenant Hans Funcke.

In the background, from left to right: Oberleutnant Günther Rall, Lieutenant Hans Martin Markoff, Sergeant Major Karl-Friedrich Schumacher and Oberleutnant Gerhard Luety.

The picture was taken by front-line correspondent Reissmüller on March 6, 1943 near the Kerch Strait.

photo of Rall and his wife Hertha, originally from Austria

Third in the triumvirate the best experts The 52nd Squadron was listed as Günter Rall. Rall flew a black fighter with tail number “13” after his return to service on August 28, 1942 after being seriously wounded in November 1941. By this time, Rall had 36 victories to his name. Before being transferred to the West in the spring of 1944, he shot down another 235 Soviet aircraft. Pay attention to the symbols of III./JG-52 - the emblem on the front of the fuselage and the “sine wave” drawn closer to the tail.

Kittel Otto (Bruno)

Otto Kittel (Otto "Bruno" Kittel; February 21, 1917 - February 14, 1945) was a German ace pilot, fighter, and participant in World War II. He flew 583 combat missions and scored 267 victories, which is the fourth most in history. Luftwaffe record holder for the number of shot down Il-2 attack aircraft - 94. Awarded the Knight's Cross with oak leaves and swords.

in 1943, luck turned his face. On January 24, he shot down the 30th plane, and on March 15, the 47th. On the same day, his plane was seriously damaged and fell 60 km behind the front line. In thirty-degree frost on the ice of Lake Ilmen, Kittel went out to his own.
This is how Kittel Otto returned from a four-day journey!! His plane was shot down behind the front line, 60 km away!!

Otto Kittel on vacation, summer 1941. At that time, Kittel was an ordinary Luftwaffe pilot with the rank of non-commissioned officer.

Otto Kittel in the circle of comrades! (marked with a cross)

At the head of the table is "Bruno"

Otto Kittel with his wife!

Killed on February 14, 1945 during an attack by a Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft. Shot down by the gunner's return fire, Kittel's Fw 190A-8 (serial number 690 282) crashed in a swampy area at Soviet troops and exploded. The pilot did not use a parachute because he died in the air.

Two Luftwaffe officers bandage the hand of a wounded Red Army prisoner near a tent

Airplane "Bruno"

Novotny Walter (Novi)

German ace pilot of World War II, during which he flew 442 combat missions, scoring 258 air victories, including 255 on the Eastern Front and 2 over 4-engine bombers. The last 3 victories were won while flying the Me.262 jet fighter. He scored most of his victories flying the FW 190, and approximately 50 victories in the Messerschmitt Bf 109. He was the first pilot in the world to score 250 victories. Awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds

Ivan Kozhedub is considered the record holder for the number of German aircraft shot down. He has 62 enemy vehicles to his credit. Alexander Pokryshkin was 3 planes behind him - it is officially believed that ace No. 2 can paint 59 stars on his fuselage. In fact, the information about Kozhedub’s championship is erroneous.

There are eight of them - there are two of us. Layout before the fight
Not ours, but we will play!
Seryozha, hold on! There is no light for us with you.
But the trump cards must be leveled.
I will not leave this heavenly square -
The numbers don't matter to me right now:
Today my friend protects my back
This means the chances are equal.

Vladimir Vysotsky

Several years ago, in the archives of three times hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Pokryshkin, records were discovered that allow us to take a different look at the merits of the legendary pilot. It turns out that for decades the true number of fascist planes he shot down was greatly underestimated. There were several reasons for this.
Firstly, the very fact of the fall of each downed enemy aircraft had to be confirmed by reports from ground observers. Thus, by definition, all vehicles destroyed behind the front line were not included in the statistics of Soviet fighter pilots. Pokryshkin, in particular, lost 9 “trophies” because of this.
Secondly, many of his comrades recalled that he generously shared with his wingmen so that they could quickly receive orders and new titles. Finally, in 1941, during the retreat, Pokryshkin’s flight unit was forced to destroy all documents, and more than a dozen victories of the Siberian hero remained only in his memory and personal notes. After the war, the famous pilot did not prove his superiority and was satisfied with the 59 enemy aircraft recorded to his account. Kozhedub, as we know, had 62 of them. Today we can say that Pokryshkin destroyed 94 aircraft, knocked out 19 (some of them, no doubt, could not reach the airfield or were finished off by other pilots), and destroyed 3 on the ground. Pokryshkin dealt primarily with enemy fighters - the most difficult and dangerous targets. It happened that he and two of his comrades fought with eighteen opponents. The Siberian ace shot down 3 Fokkers, 36 Messers, knocked out 7 more, and burned 2 at airfields. He destroyed 33 light bombers, 18 heavy ones. He was rarely distracted by smaller targets, shooting down 1 light reconnaissance aircraft and 4 transport aircraft. To be completely truthful, it should be said that he began his combat account on June 22, 1941 by shooting down our light two-seat Su-2 bomber, which, due to the stupidity of the command, was so classified that not a single Soviet fighter knew its silhouette. And the slogan of every combat pilot is not original: “If you see an unfamiliar plane, take it for the enemy.”

American President Franklin Roosevelt called Pokryshkin the most outstanding ace of World War II. It’s hard to disagree with this, although Kozhedub’s military merits are no less significant. Surely there are also unregistered planes on his account.

A Soviet pilot named Ivan Fedorov was even less fortunate in this regard. He shot down 134 enemy planes, carried out 6 ramming attacks, and “captured” 2 aircraft - forcing them to land at his airfield. At the same time, he was never shot down and did not lose a single wingman. But this pilot remained completely unknown. Pioneer squads were not named after him, and no monuments were erected to him. Problems arose even with awarding him the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

First time to this high award Ivan Fedorov was introduced back in 1938 - for 11 aircraft shot down in Spain. With a large group of officers from Spain, Fedorov arrived in Moscow for ceremonial presentation. Among those awarded, in addition to pilots, were sailors and tank crews. At one of the “banquets,” representatives of friendly branches of the military began to find out which type of armed forces was better. The dispute escalated to a fight, and then to a shootout. As a result, 11 ambulances transported the victims to Moscow hospitals and morgues. Ivan Fedorov did not take much part in the fight, but, becoming too furious, he hit the NKVD officer assigned to him. The pilot was a first-class boxer; on the second day, the special officer died without regaining consciousness. As a result, Fedorov was declared one of the instigators of the scandal. The leadership of the People's Commissariat of Defense hushed up this incident, but no awards were given to anyone. Everyone was scattered among military units with characteristics completely unsuitable for a future career.

As for Fedorov, he and several other pilots were called by the Chief of the General Aviation Staff, Lieutenant General Smushkevich, and said: “We fought heroically - and it’s all down the drain!” And left alone with Fedorov, he confidentially and friendlyly warned that the NKVD had opened a special file on him on the personal orders of Lavrentiy Beria. Then Stalin himself saved Fedorov from arrest and death, who ordered Beria not to touch the pilot, so as not to complicate relations with the Spaniards, for whom Ivan was a national hero. However, Fedorov was fired from the Air Force and transferred as a test pilot to the S.A. Design Bureau. Lavochkina.

Deprived of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, Fedorov literally a few months before the invasion of Nazi Germany in the USSR managed to receive the highest military award of the Third Reich. It turned out like this.

In the spring of 1941, the USSR and Germany, which were then on very friendly relations, exchanged delegations of test pilots. Fedorov went to Germany as part of the Soviet pilots. Wanting to show a potential enemy (and Ivan never doubted for a minute that war with Germany was inevitable) the power of Soviet military aviation, the pilot demonstrated the most complex figures aerobatics Hitler was stunned and amazed, and Reichsmarschall Goering gloomily confirmed that even the best German aces would not be able to repeat the “aerial acrobatic tricks” of the Soviet pilot.

On June 17, 1941, a farewell banquet was held at the residence of the Reich Chancellor, where Hitler presented awards to Soviet pilots. Fedorov received from his hands one of the highest orders of the Reich - the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, 1st class. Fedorov himself recalled this award reluctantly: “They gave me some kind of cross, I don’t understand it, I don’t need it, it was lying in my box, I didn’t wear it and would never wear it.” Moreover, a few days after the return of the Soviet pilots, the Great Patriotic War began...

The war found Fedorov in Gorky, where he worked at a factory as a tester. For a whole year, the pilot unsuccessfully bombarded the higher authorities with reports asking to send him to the front. Then Fedorov decided to cheat. In June 1942, on an experimental LaGT-3 fighter, he made 3 “dead loops” under the bridge over the Volga. The hope was that the air hooligan would be sent to the front for this. However, when Fedorov made his fourth approach, the anti-aircraft gunners from the bridge guards opened fire on the plane, apparently thinking that it could destroy the bridge. Then the pilot decided that he would not even return to his airfield, and flew straight to the front...

The front line was almost 500 km away, and Fedorov was not only fired upon by anti-aircraft guns, but also attacked by two MIG-3s of the Moscow air defense forces. Having happily avoided danger, Ivan Evgrafovich landed at the Klin airfield near Moscow, at the headquarters of the 3rd Air Army.

Army commander Mikhail Gromov, a famous polar pilot, having listened to the detailed report of the “volunteer”, decided to keep him. Meanwhile, the management of the Gorky Aviation Plant declared Fedorov a deserter and demanded that he be returned from the front. He sent them a telegram: “I didn’t run away to come back to you. If guilty, bring him to court.” Apparently, Gromov himself stood up for the “deserter”: “If you had fled from the front, then you would have been tried, but you go to the front.” Indeed, the case was soon closed.

In the first month and a half, Fedorov shot down 18 German aircraft and already in October 1942 he was appointed commander of the 157th Fighter Aviation Regiment. He met the spring of 1943 as the commander of the 273rd Air Division. And from the summer of 1942 to the spring of 1943, Fedorov commanded a unique group of 64 penalty pilots, created by Stalin’s personal order. He considered it unreasonable to send even seriously guilty pilots to ground penal battalions, where they could not bring any benefit, and the situation at the front then was such that every trained and experienced pilot was literally worth his weight in gold. But none of the aces wanted to command these “air hooligans”. And then Fedorov himself volunteered to lead them. Despite the fact that Gromov gave him the right to shoot anyone on the spot at the slightest attempt at disobedience, Fedorov never took advantage of this.

The penalty fighters performed brilliantly, shooting down about 400 enemy aircraft, although victories were not counted towards them, just like Fedorov himself, but were distributed among other air regiments. Then, after the official “forgiveness,” several of Fedorov’s wards became Heroes of the Soviet Union. The most famous of them was Alexey Reshetov.

In May 1944, Fedorov, having voluntarily resigned from the post of commander of the 213th Air Division, not wanting to do “paper” work, in his opinion, became deputy commander of the 269th Air Division, having the opportunity to fly more. Soon he managed to collect special group, consisting of nine pilots, with whom he was engaged in the so-called “free hunt” behind the front line.

After a thorough reconnaissance, a group of Fedorov’s “hunters”, who knew the location of enemy airfields well, usually flew over one of them in the evening and dropped a pennant, which was a can of American stew with cargo and a note inside. In it on German Luftwaffe pilots were invited to fight, strictly according to the number of those arriving from the Soviet side. In case of violation of numerical parity, the “extra” were simply knocked down on takeoff. The Germans, of course, accepted the challenge.

In these “duels” Fedorov won 21 victories. But, perhaps, Ivan Evgrafovich spent his most successful battle in the skies over East Prussia at the end of 1944, shooting down 9 Messerschmitts at once. Thanks to all these striking achievements, the ace received the front-line nickname Anarchist.

All pilots of the “Fedorov group” received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and Vasily Zaitsev and Andrei Borovykh were awarded it twice. The only exception was the commander himself. All of Fedorov’s aspirations for this title were still “turned up.”

After Great Victory Fedorov returned to the Lavochkin Design Bureau, where he tested jet aircraft. He was the first in the world to break the sound barrier on the La-176 aircraft. In general, this pilot holds 29 world aviation records. It was for these achievements that on March 5, 1948, Stalin awarded Ivan Fedorov the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
As for the obscurity of the most successful ace of the Soviet Air Force, Ivan Evgrafovich never sought to debunk this misconception: “I have always been able to stand up for myself and will be able to, but I will never bother and write to higher authorities in order to return undelivered awards. And I don’t need them anymore - my soul lives on other matters.”

So the best Soviet aces of World War II - such a misconception! — Pokryshkin and Kozhedub are still considered.

I offer my colleagues to read the introductory part from my book “The Devil's Dozen Luftwaffe Aces.” This material was written into the book at my request by Sergei Sidorenko Jr.

By 1939, Germany was fully prepared for revenge for the shame of the First World War. Aviation was especially proud, as it demonstrated convincing superiority over any enemy. The pilots - heirs to the traditions of the best aces of the last war - after the "Spanish triumph" and the victorious European "blitzkriegs" were surrounded by an aura of universal admiration and glory.
The definition of “ace” first appeared during the First World War - then an ace was called a pilot with five confirmed victories. This standard has been adopted by most states, except Germany. German pilots were considered aces only in overcoming the threshold of 10 enemy aircraft shot down. During World War II, Germany replaced the term "ace" with "expert". To gain the right to be called an “expert,” the pilot, first of all, had to demonstrate his professionalism in combat, and not shoot down as much as possible more enemy aircraft. In terms of Allied standards, the Luftwaffe gave the world about 2,500 aces. The number of “experts” was much smaller - about 500.
What distinguished German pilots from pilots of other countries? Why is the number of their air victories disproportionately greater?

In past years, many materials have been published in foreign literature about the victories of the best Luftwaffe fighter pilots in the period 1939-1945. The much larger number of planes shot down by German pilots compared to Allied aviation pilots gave rise to persistent distrust of this fact not only on the part of aviation historians, but also by the participants in air battles themselves. Large quantity Luftwaffe “experts” at the end of the Second World War were taken to England, where specialists carefully compared their testimony about personal victories with the data and circumstances of their own losses. Until now, these protocols are classified.
As a result of research, especially recently, a significant part of aviation historians, even among former opponents Nazi Germany is becoming more and more convinced of the reality and credibility of the victories of German fighter pilots. The British are known for their pedantic attitude towards recording victories and dividing them into half, quarter and even eighth. However, there is no reason to believe that if the allied aviation aces do not have such a number of downed aircraft to their credit, then the Germans cannot have this either.

The technical equipment, training and fighting spirit attributed to the Luftwaffe "experts" cannot sufficiently explain the huge number of their victories. One of the main factors that helps clarify this confusing problem can be the significant number of combat missions that German pilots made during the war, compared to Allied pilots. The number of combat sorties, for example, that of Erich Hartmann, among allied aviation pilots has no analogues at all. He flew 1,400 combat missions and fought 800 air battles. Gerhard Barkhorn fought 1,100 fights. Günter Rall scored his 200th victory in his 555th combat mission. The result of Wilhelm Butz, who achieved 237 victories in his 455th combat mission, was surprising.
On the Allied side, the most active fighter pilots flew between 250 and 400 combat missions. Based on this fact alone, the German pilots had much more possibilities win (and be defeated!) in battle.
These data alone show that German “experts” spent tens of times more time in the air than their rivals on the other side of the front. They could not be recalled from the front after reaching a certain amount combat missions, as was the case in American aviation. German ace pilots moved up the hierarchy very slowly, which meant that the war was long and difficult for them, so the more and more they flew, the better and better they became and, as a result, achieved a high level of professionalism inaccessible to others. In the Luftwaffe, the division of pilots into two categories was clearly visible: aces, making up 15-20% of the total number, and middle-class pilots, who were also very strong and practically not inferior in skill to the pilots of the allied aviation. There was also the “old guard of the Luftwaffe,” which had been forged for a long time in the crucible of the European sky, bombarded pilots, each of whom had 3-4 thousand flight hours. Most of them went through the school of war in Spain and consistently participated in all European conflicts. They knew the war down to the last detail and were in absolute command of their machines, so meeting them in the air was extremely dangerous for any enemy.

Due to their national mentality, the Germans strictly and unquestioningly carried out the orders of the command - zeal, multiplied by skill, made them the most dangerous rivals. Their motto is "victory or death." However, not everyone could obtain the right to be called an “expert”. Experienced fighter pilots, “experts,” generally have a special combination of personal qualities. He must have extraordinary endurance and excellent vision. The ability to accurately fire at an enemy indicates his training and sniper qualities. Only quick reaction and a sense of danger developed at the level of instinct can guarantee life in an air battle. Fluency in an aircraft helps you gain self-confidence in a combat situation and focus on the enemy's actions. The courage characteristic of infantry soldiers and officers is replaced in aviation by a more important quality - self-control. And although aggressiveness is an important character trait for a fighter pilot, it should not be allowed to prevail over vigilance. However, it cannot be said that these qualities were characteristic only of German pilots. The main differences were in tactics, techniques and methods of conducting air combat, the system for counting air victories, the number of sorties and the theater of operations. “It was easier to fight in the East. When the war began, the Russians were not ready for it either technically or psychologically. They did not have such effective fighters as we did, our advantage was especially great in 1941-42. Closer to the middle of the Second World War war, in 1943-44, the Russians accumulated extensive experience in combat operations and they had vehicles that met the requirements of those days" (Günter Rall).

A very strong point of the German Air Force was tactics. Such recognized “experts” as Galland and Mölders have been working on its improvement since the Spanish War. They resolutely fought against the outdated tactical principles of the period of the First World War and developed new techniques for conducting group and individual air combat, corresponding technical capabilities aviation technology of its time. Unsurpassed individual combat tactician, Erich Hartmann. said: “In an air battle, you should remain unnoticed by the enemy for as long as possible. It is advisable to start an attack from the direction of the sun. After a rapid dive, you need to be behind and slightly below the enemy, so that he cannot see your plane from the cockpit. When approaching the enemy, you need to be extremely be attentive, especially when attacking a bomber, fearing the tail gunner. It is important to open fire first - this will give a huge psychological advantage over the enemy. It is better to shoot in short bursts and preferably for sure.” And one more thing: "... the attack should be carried out in four stages: be the first to detect the enemy, assess the situation and occupy advantageous position for a surprise attack, carry out the attack itself and try to quickly leave "... for a cup of coffee." If the enemy discovered you first, you need to break away from him and (or) take a wait-and-see position, or leave the battle altogether."

After the war, the German aces themselves were looking for an answer to such a complex question: why did the Allied aviation pilots have a significant lag in the number of victories won? “The Americans, for example, considered an ace to be a pilot who had five downed aircraft to his combat record. Just think - five! For us, such a number, to put it mildly, was not a source of pride. How to German pilots managed to shoot down a hundred or more planes? The fact is that we were looking for the enemy, and not he for us. It was a risky endeavor, but the end often justified the means. Many Americans flew fifty or more combat missions over German territory, but never shot down a single one of our aircraft. Moreover, they couldn’t even detect us. So the first thing you need to do is detect the enemy. Constant combat sorties allowed us not to lose our qualifications, and this was also the key to the success of the Luftwaffe. We often experienced a shortage of experienced pilots, and therefore the number of sorties was much higher than planned. The same Americans, having completed fifty flights, were sent back to the states as heroes. The British, after several combat missions, returned home either for retraining or for examination in a hospital. But we were placed in more stringent conditions, and we had to take risks" (Günther Rall).
Walter Krupinski also recalled on this occasion: “American and British pilots, after completing their missions, returned to their homeland. Their lives were not exposed to the same danger that we or the Russians had to experience. Having completed a hundred flights, I only had to my credit two downed enemy planes. This suggests that I learned the basics of air combat rather slowly, but at the same time, I accumulated the necessary experience. After all, one does not become an ace right away, but gradually acquires combat skills in war... Later, I trained myself. training for fighter pilots, which consisted of simply taking one of the newcomers with me on a mission. One of my students was Hartman, who later became a famous ace... Experience is of paramount importance for a fighter pilot...”