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Ace of aces is a title accorded to the top active ace within a branch of service in a nation's military in time of war.^{[citation needed]} The title is most closely associated with fighter aces, though there are other types, such as tank aces and submarine aces.^{[citation needed]}

Flying aces

Ace of aces is a title accorded to the top flying ace of a nation's air force during time of war.^{[citation needed]}

World War I

The concept of aces emerged in 1915 during World War I.

Person	Country	WWI years active	Overall years active	Aerial victories	Plane flown	Notes
Adolphe Pégoud	French Third Republic	5 February 1915 – 31 August 1915	1907–1915			The first flying ace in history.[1]
Jean Navarre	French Third Republic	September 1914 – 17 June 1916	1914–1919	12	Nieuport 11, Nieuport 16 and Morane-Saulnier L	Wounded in action on 17 June 1916.[2][better source needed]
Georges Guynemer	French Third Republic	8 June 1915 – 11 September 1917	1914–1917	54	Morane-Saulnier L, Spad VII, SPAD XII and SPAD XIII	[2][better source needed][3][better source needed]
Charles Nungesser	French Third Republic	July 1915 – 14 August 1918	1914–1918	43	Voisin 3, Nieuport 17, Nieuport 25 and SPAD XIII
René Fonck	French Third Republic	May 1915 – 1 november 1918	1914–1918 1937–1940	75	Caudron G III, SPAD VII, SPAD XII and SPAD XIII	All-time Allied ace of aces, with 75 confirmed aerial victories.[4][page needed][5][6]
Oswald Boelcke	German Empire	15 August 1914 – 28 October 1916	1911–1916		Fokker E.I, Fokker E.III, Fokker E.IV, Fokker D.III, Albatros D.I and Albatros D.II
Max Immelmann	German Empire	February 1915 – 18 June 1916	1911–1916		Fokker E.I and Fokker E.IV
Werner Voss	German Empire	27 January 1915 – 23 September 1917	1914–1917	48	Albatros D.III, Fokker Dr.I, Pfalz D.III, Pfalz Dr.I, Albatros D.V	48 confirmed victories, tied with Josef Jacobs
Erich Loewenhardt	German Empire	March 1917 – 10 August 1918	1914–1918			54 confirmed victories, third after Manfred von Richthofen and Ernst Udet[7][page needed]
Manfred von Richthofen	German Empire	– 21 April 1918				The ace of aces von Richthofen, also called "The Red Baron", achieved 80 air combat victories, the highest score in World War I.
Ernst Udet	German Empire	– end of World War I				62 confirmed victories, second after Manfred von Richthofen[8]
Raymond Collishaw	Dominion of Canada	August 1916 – end of World War I				Credited with 60 victories, making him the second highest scoring Canadian ace of the war, behind Billy Bishop.[9]
Frederick Libby	United States ( RAF)	2 December 1916 – 2 December 1917				The first American ace. Fourteen victories.[10]
Billy Bishop	Dominion of Canada	April 1917 – end of World War I				Credited with 72 victories, making him the top Canadian and British Empire ace of the war.[11] In 1917 he became the highest scoring ace in the RFC and the third top ace of the war, behind only the Red Baron and René Fonck.[12]
Raoul Lufbery	United States ( Armée de l'air)	2 December 1917 – 15 May 1918				Succeeded Libby by scoring his 15th and 16th victories.[13]
Paul Frank Baer	United States ( Armée de l'air)	15 May 1918 – 18 May 1918				Succeeded Lufbery on his death. Nine victories.[14][better source needed]
Frank Leaman Baylies	United States ( Armée de l'air)	18 May 1918 – 12 June 1918				Succeeded Baer on his death.[14][better source needed]
David E. Putnam	United States ( Armée de l'air)	12 June 1918 – 12 September 1918				Succeeded Bayliss on his capture.[14][better source needed][clarification needed]
Frank Luke	United States	12 September 1918 – 29 September 1918				Succeeded Bayliss on his death.[14][better source needed][clarification needed]
Eddie Rickenbacker	United States	29 September 1918 – end of World War I				Succeeded Luke on his death. Was the American ace of aces for overall aerial victories (26).[14][better source needed]
Indra Lal Roy	British India	1917–1918				India's most successful fighter pilot, with 12 kills (two shared). He remains the only Indian fighter ace to this day.[15][better source needed]

World War II

World War II had more planes than any other war.

Person	Country	WWII years active	Overall years active	Aerial victories	Plane flown	Notes
Erich Hartmann	Nazi Germany	19 September 1942-8 May 1945	1940–1945 1956–1970	352	Bf 109	Hartmann is the highest scoring ace of all time, with 352 aerial victories, the first pilot to achieve 300 aerial victories (on 24 August 1944) and 350 aerial victories (on 17 April 1945)[16]
Ilmari Juutilainen	Finland	1939–1944	1932–1947	94	Fokker D.XXI, Brewster Buffalo and Bf 109	The top scoring Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), and the top scoring non-German fighter pilot of all time. The top flying ace of the Finnish Air Force with 94 confirmed aerial combat victories[17]
Pat Pattle	United Kingdom	4 August 1940– 20 April 1941	1936–1941	50	Hurricanes and Gladiators	Credited with 51 victories, making him the most successful South African Ace of the Second World War.
Sailor Malan	South Africa	1939–1944	1932–1946		Spitfire	Commanded Biggin Hill at the height of the Battle of Britain, shooting down Werner Molders. Credited with over 30 confirmed victories.
George 'Buzz' Beurling	Canada	1940–1944	1940–1944, 1948	31	Spitfire and P-51 Mustangs	Credited with 31 confirmed victories, making him the most successful Canadian ace of the Second World War.[18]
James Edgar 'Johnnie' Johnson	United Kingdom	1941–1945	1939–1966	34	Spitfire	Highest scoring RAF ace of the war, with 34 confirmed kills.
Richard Bong	United States	19 January 1942–6 August 1945	1941–1945	40	P-38 Lightning and P-80 Shooting Star	Top US flying ace of the war, credited with 40 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded the Medal of Honor.[19]
Ivan Kozhedub	Soviet Union	6 July 1943 – 17 April 1945	1940–1985	64	La-5 and La-7	Credited with 64 victories, Kozhedub is the top scoring Allied ace of World War II. One of the few pilots to shoot down a Messerschmitt Me 262.[20][21]
William R. Dunn	United States ( Eagle Squadron)	16 April 1941 – June 1944	1934–1935 1939–1973		Spitfire, Hurricanes and P-47 Thunderbolt	First US ace of the war, while flying with the RAF.[22][page needed]
Joe Foss	United States	October 1942–1944	1939–1955	26	F4U Corsair and F4F Wildcat	Credited with 26 confirmed downed Japanese aircraft. Awarded the Medal of Honor.[23][better source needed]
Werner Mölders	Nazi Germany	1 September 1939 – 22 November 1941	1931–1941		Bf 109	[24]
Alfred Schreiber	Nazi Germany	-26 November 1944	1933-1944	5	Messerschmitt Me 262	First aerial victory by a jet fighter and first jet ace in aviation history.[25]
Robin Olds	United States	August 1943–1945	1943-1973	13	P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang	Triple ace - Olds was the only pilot to "make ace" in both the P-38 (five victories) and the P-51 (eight victories) in the war.

Post-World War II era

Person	Country	Wars	Years active	Aerial victories	Plane flown	Notes
Royal N. Baker	United States	Korean War	1941–1975		F-86 Sabre	Was the ace of aces for jet-vs-jet combat. Succeeded Davis on his death.[26][better source needed][27][better source needed]
Joseph C. McConnell	United States	Korean War	1940–1954		F-86 Sabre	Was the ace of aces for jet-vs-jet combat.[28][better source needed]
Muhammad Mahmood Alam	Pakistan	Indo-Pakistani War of 1965	1953–1982		F-86 Sabre	Muhammad Mahmood Alam is credited with having shot down five Indian aircraft in less than a minute, the last four within 30 seconds.[29]
Giora Even Epstein	Israel	Six-Day War	1956–1997		Mirage III, Mirage 5,Kfir and F-16	Credited with 17 victories, 16 against Egyptian jets, making Epstein the ace of aces of supersonic fighter jets and of the Israeli Air Force.[30][31]
Randy H. Cunningham	United States	Vietnam War	1967–1987		F-4 Phantom II	First American ace of the Vietnam War.[32]
Nguyen Van Coc	Democratic Republic of Vietnam	Vietnam War	1961–2002		MiG-17 and MiG-21	From seven to nine victories on US-crewed aircraft, as well as two drones.[33][34]
Legesse Tefera	Ethiopia	Ogaden War			Northrop F-5	Ethiopia's most successful pilot, and the most successful Northrop F-5 pilot, with six or seven kills.[35][36][37][38]
Shahram Rostami	Iran	Iran–Iraq War	1967–2007		F-14 Tomcat	[39][40]
Jalil Zandi	Iran	Iran–Iraq War	1970–2001		F-14 Tomcat	Iran's most successful fighter pilot ever, with eight confirmed aerial victories. The most successful F-14 Tomcat pilot.[41][42][better source needed][43]
Mohommed "Sky Falcon" Rayyan	Iraq	Iran–Iraq War	1977–1986		MiG-21 and MiG-25	Iraq's most successful fighter pilot ever, with five confirmed aerial victories. The most successful MiG-25 pilot.[44][45]

Submarine aces

Ace of the Deep is a title accorded to the top subsea ace/undersea ace/submarine ace of a nation's submarine force during time of war.^{[citation needed]}

Persons accorded the title ace of aces

Person	Country	War	Period	Notes
Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière	Imperial Germany	World War I	1915–18	The commander of U-35, Arnauld de la Perière sank a total of 194 merchant vessels and gunboats totaling 453,716 gross metric tons.[46][47]
Dick O'Kane	United States	World War II	– 25 October 1944	Was captured and made Prisoner of war.[48][page needed]
Eugene Fluckey	United States	World War II		[49]
Malcolm David Wanklyn	United Kingdom	World War II	– 14 April 1942	Wanklyn was the British Ace of Aces in terms of tonnage.[49][50][better source needed][51][page needed]
Benjamin Bryant	United Kingdom	World War II	– end of World War II	Bryant was the British Ace of Aces.[52][53][page needed]
Reinhard Suhren	Nazi Germany	World War II		A U-boat ace.[54][page needed]
Gianfranco Gazzana-Priaroggia	Italy	World War II		The highest scoring Italian submarine commander, with 11 ships sunk for a total of 90,601 tons.[55]
Carlo Fecia di Cossato	Italy	World War II		With 16 sinkings, he is credited with the most kills in the Regia Marina, as well as the second most successful Italian submarine commander with 86,545 tons.[55]

Submarine hunters

Persons accorded the title ace of aces^{[citation needed]}

Person	Country	War	Period	Notes
John Walker	United Kingdom	World War II		Walker sank more U-boats (12 confirmed) during the Battle of the Atlantic than any other British or Allied commander.[56][better source needed]

Tank aces

A "tank ace" or Panzer ace has been described by Historian Robert Kershaw as being the minority of tank commanders that accounted for the most destroyed enemy armor, saying it is roughly analogous with a flying ace.^[57]

Person	Country	War	Period	Tanks destroyed	Tank type crewed	Notes
Kurt Knispel	Nazi Germany	World War II	1940 – 28 April 1945	168	Tiger I and Tiger II	168 confirmed and 195 unconfirmed tank kills. He fought in nearly every type of German tank, working as a loader, gunner, or commander. He is credited with destroying a T-34 tank from 3,000 meters.
Otto Carius	Nazi Germany	World War II	1940 – 7 May 1945	150	Tiger I, various others	Credited with over 150 tank kills and 1 aircraft shot down, mostly in various Tiger tanks.[58]
Johannes Bölter	Nazi Germany	World War II	1940 – 28 April 1945	139	Tiger I	Destroyed 139 enemy tanks, including 16 tanks in one action. Referenced in Wolfgang Schneider's "Tigers in Combat, Volume 1" [59]
Michael Wittmann	Nazi Germany	World War II	1941 – 8 August 1944	138	Tiger I and Sturmgeschütz III	Credited with over 138 tank kills [60]
Paul Egger	Nazi Germany	World War II	1941 – 3 May 1945	113	Tiger I	SS obershafuehrer Credited with 113 tank kills [61]
Fritz lang	Nazi Germany	World War II	1941 – ????	111	Stug III	Germany's WW2 top assault gun ace.[62]
Albert Kerscher	Nazi Germany	World War II	???? – 19 April 1945	100	Tiger I	Feldwebel Albert Kerscher, a member of Schwere Panzer Abeteilung 502. Credited with 100 tanks destroyed [63][64]
Zvika Greengold	Israel	Yom Kippur War	6 October 1973 – 25 October 1973	60	Centurion	In total 60 tanks were accredited to him.[65] Greengold himself claims 20 Syrian tanks over the space of holding his position for 20 hours. He changed tanks six times.[66][67]
Dmitry Lavrinenko	USSR	World War II	1941	52	T-34	Dmitry Fyodorovich Lavrinenko was a Soviet tank commander and Hero of the Soviet Union. He was the highest scoring tank ace of the Allies during World War II. Lavrinenko destroyed 52 tanks in just 2.5 months of fierce fighting in 1941.
Alfred Nickolls	United Kingdom	World War II	1940 – 1943	30	M4 Sherman	According to the 22nd November 1942 citation,[68] Corporal Nickolls, in a Sherman tank at El Alemain destroyed 14 tanks, including destroying 9 German tanks in one single engagement.[68] He destroyed 30 tank during the entire North Africa campaign, making him the top tank ace of the United Kingdom and the top tank ace of the western Allies during World War II [69] Awarded the Military Medal by Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery[70]
Zinovy Grigoryevich Kolobanov	USSR	World War II	1941	25	KV-1	Destroyed 22 tanks and 2 artillery pieces before running out of ammunition, while leading a unit of 5 KV-1Es in an ambush near Leningrad on 20 August 1941. His unit destroyed a total of 43 German tanks that day.[71]
Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters	Canada	World War II	October 1942 - end of World War II	18	M4 Sherman	Credited with 18 tank kills and many other armoured vehicles, whilst in command of three Sherman tanks, named 'Caribou'.[72] The tank squadron under his command may have been responsible for the death of German tank ace Michael Wittmann.
Lafayette G. Pool	United States	World War II	27 June 1944 – 15 September 1944	12	M4 Sherman	Widely recognised as the American tank ace of aces, with 12 confirmed tank kills and 258 armoured vehicle kills, whilst in command of a Sherman tank.[73][74]
Börje Bror Brotell	Finland	World War II	1943 – 1944	11	Sturmgeschütz III	Recognised as the Finnish tank ace of aces, with 11 confirmed and 4 unconfirmed tank kills during World War II. Brotell’s role during The Battle of Tali–Ihantala was decisive and his Sturmgeschütz III destroyed multiple enemy tanks which had achieved a breakthrough.[75]
Arun Khetarpal	India	Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Battle of Basantar	9 December 1971 - 16 December 1971	10	Centurion	Indian Tank ace. Personally responsible for destroying 10 tanks before he was killed in action in Battle of Basantar[76]