On August 8, 1940, the RAF Squadron led by Flight Lieutenant “Johnny” Johnson shot down 17 German planes, making this the most planes shot down in a single day. Johnson was part of a group of pilots who flew for the 307th squadron of the RAF in England, during the Battle of Britain.
Johnson and his squadron were credited with shooting down 17 enemy aircraft on August 8th. This was a record for the number of aircraft destroyed during a single day of battle. Most of Johnson’s kills came when he was sent to bolster the defense of a retreating squadron.
Flight Lieutenant Johnson’s display of air combat prowess won him the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Who has the most air to air kills?
The pilot with the most air-to-air kills is Erich Hartmann, a German Luftwaffe ace who served during World War II. He recorded an incredible 352 victories in 1,404 missions over the course of his career, the most of any fighter pilot in the history of aerial warfare.
Hartmann took advantage of his tenacity and tactical ability to become one of the most successful fighter pilots of all time. His incredible success earned him the nickname of “The Black Devil” by his foes and the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds by his friends.
Aside from being the most successful air-to-air fighter pilot, Hartmann was also renowned for his chivalrous behavior during battle, as he would never shoot down an unarmed aircraft or an aircraft that had already been damaged.
What fighter jets have never been shot down?
There are a variety of modern fighter jets that have never been shot down, including the American F-22 Raptor, the French Dassault Rafale, the Russian Sukhoi Su-57, and the United Kingdom’s Eurofighter Typhoon.
Additionally, the F-117 Nighthawk, which was developed in the United States during the Cold War, also has never been shot down. While these aircraft have remained unscathed, other more vulnerable fighter jets have not been as lucky.
For instance, the F-4 Phantom II has seen its fair share of combat and, unfortunately, has been shot down quite often. Despite this, the F-4 still remains one of the most beloved aircraft in the United States Air Force, making it one of the most successful and recognizable fighters in history.
How many German fighter planes were shot down in ww2?
Estimates of the total number of German fighter planes shot down during World War II vary. According to one reliable source, approximately 70,000 German fighter planes were shot down in World War II.
This number includes aircraft shot down both in European and North African theatres of war. It is speculated that a large proportion of these aircraft were shot down by Allied forces, especially the Soviet Union, during the period from 1941-1945.
The American and British forces in Europe and the Middle East contributed significantly to the number of German fighters shot down.
The German Luftwaffe fighter force suffered heavy losses in 1941, with the highest number of losses occurring between July and August that year. On average, around half of the entire Luftwaffe was destroyed each month during this period.
In addition, over 20,000 planes were lost due to severe weather conditions between 1939 and 1945, with the most losses occurring during the winter months when cold weather caused serious problems. This weather factor alone accounted for more than half of total fighter losses.
In total, it is estimated that between the years 1939-1945, in the European and North African theatres of war, 70,000 German fighter planes were shot down.
How many kills for ace pilot?
The number of kills for an ace pilot varies depending on which air force they are in and which wars they served in. Generally speaking, an ace pilot is defined as someone who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
Some of the world’s most successful ace pilots have shot down over 150 enemy aircraft, such as Erich Hartmann from Germany and Richard Bong from the United States. During World War II, ace pilots such as Eddie Rickenbacker (26 kills) and Francis Gabreski (31 kills) from the United States and Hans-Joachim Marseille (158 kills) from Germany achieved great success in aerial combat.
In the Korean War, Joseph McConnell scored 16 kills to become an ace pilot, while in the Vietnam War United States, John Lorring and Stephen McConnell both achieved ace status with 11 kills each. More recently, in the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan, several pilots, such as Captain Wiggs (six kills) and Captain Marra (four kills) of the United States Air Force achieved ace status.
Who is the most decorated fighter pilot in US history?
The most decorated fighter pilot in US history is Major William A. Shomo of the United States Air Force. During his time of service, Major Shomo flew a total of 219 combat missions during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1969, receiving the Medal of Honor – the highest and most prestigious award for valor in combat – in 1969 for his heroism.
He is also credited with downing 10 enemy aircraft and assisting a total of 11 others, as well as destroying a major air base. Major Shomo also received the Air Force Cross, 2 Silver Stars, 2 Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star with V and 2 oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters and the Vietnam Service Medal with 5 Service Stars.
To this day, Major William A. Shomo holds the title of the most decorated fighter pilot in US history.
When was the last US plane shot down?
The last United States plane to be shot down was an Army Black Hawk UH-60 helicopter, which was shot down in Iraq near Fallujah on November 2, 2003. The crash killed all 16 people onboard, including 15 soldiers and one civilian employee on the chopper.
It was the deadliest single incident for U. S. forces in Iraq since the war began in March 2003. The cause of the crash was determined to be hostile fire from a rocket-propelled grenade.
How many F 16 shot down?
Over the course of several armed conflicts, there have been numerous incidents of F-16 fighter jets being shot down. According to various reports, since the F-16 was introduced in 1975, there have been at least 43 F-16s that have been shot down all over the world.
The majority of these losses occurred during the Gulf War in 1991, when a total of 14 F-16s were shot down by surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and enemy aircraft, mostly operated by the Iraqi Air Force.
Since then, other F-16s have been shot down during the Croatian war of independence in 1995, the Kosovo War in 1999, the Second Lebanon War in 2006, the 2008 South Ossetia War and the ongoing conflict in Syria.
In the latter, during the Syrian Civil War, F-16s belonging to the governments of Israel, Jordan, and Turkey were all shot down.
As such, it is difficult to ascertain precisely how many F-16 fighter jets have been shot down since its introduction in 1975, but the number is certainly in the dozens.
How many B-17s were shot down during World War II?
It is estimated that a total of 4,750 B-17s were shot down during World War II. Approximately 3,700 of these losses were in the European Theater, while the remaining 1,050 losses occurred in the Pacific Theater.
According to some estimates, in Europe, German forces managed to shoot down one B-17 for every ten the US Air Force sent over Germany, making it the most costly bomber for the American side of the war.
On average, US forces lost 37 B-17s each mission. The majority of B-17s shot down occurred during long-range strategic bombing missions over Germany and England, although losses were also confirmed during smaller-scale tactical missions.
The B-17’s high losses may be due in part to its high profile and slow speed, both of which made it an easy target for German fighters. Additionally, the B-17 was often sent on deep penetration missions, reaching as far as Berlin, which resulted in greater exposure to enemy anti-aircraft fire.
How many US bombers were shot down over Germany?
It is difficult to determine the exact number of U. S. bombers that were shot down over Germany during World War II, as the U. S. Air Force does not maintain definitive records of the number of losses.
However, according to the Aviation Archive research and documentation website, over 12,000 U. S. bombers were shot down in Europe and North Africa during the course of the war. During the strategic bombing campaign, thousands of B-17s and B-24s were sent to attack German targets, and as a result, thousands of bombers and crew members were lost in combat.
According to a U. S. Air Force report, over 7,000 B-17s and B-24s were lost while serving in Europe and North Africa. Additionally, unofficial estimates suggest that more than 5,000 B-26s, B-25s, and A-20s were also shot down during strategic bombing missions in Europe.
Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the total number of U. S. bombers shot down over Germany during WW2 would be over 12,000.
