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 developed. The American qualification of five victories eventually became the standard, even though other air services had previously used differing figures.
While "ace" status was most often won by fighter pilots, bomber and reconnaissance crews, and observers in two-seater aircraft such as the Bristol F.2b ("Bristol Fighter"), also destroyed enemy aircraft. If a two-seater aircraft destroyed an aircraft, both crew members were credited with a victory. Because pilots usually teamed with differing observer/gunners in two-seater aircraft, an observer might be an ace when his pilot was not, and vice versa. The few aces among combat aviators have historically accounted for the majority of air-to-air victories in military history.
Loss of records by mischance and the passage of time complicates reconstructing the actual count for given aces. The scores presented in the list cannot be definitive, but are based on itemized lists that are the best available sources of information. Aces are listed after verifying the date and location of combat, and the foe vanquished, for every victory accredited by an aviator's home air service using their own aerial victory standards. Those victories for which the evidence is unavailable or fragmentary have been excluded from the victory count.
List of World War I aces by victory count:
Aces
This list is complete. Notable aces are linked to their biographies.
This along with the symbolic dagger †, indicates that the pilot was known to be either killed in action, missing in action, died of wounds, or killed in a flying accident during World War I.
| Name | Country | Air service(s) | Victories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Achilles |  German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| John William Aldred |  United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Gerald Frank Anderson |  South Africa
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Flaminio Avet |  Italy
|
Corpo Aeronautico Militare | 8 |
| Geoffrey Bailey | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Paul Barbreau |  France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Charles Bartlett | United Kingdom
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Bernard Beanlands |  Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Donald Beard | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps. Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Ludwig Beckmann | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Edwin Benbow | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Maurice Benjamin | South Africa
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Henry Biziou | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Gregory Blaxland |  Australia
|
Australian Flying Corps | 8 |
| Giles Blennerhasset | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Karl Bohny | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Aloys Freiherr von Brandenstein | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Clive Brewster-Joske | Australia
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Edric Broadberry | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Alfred John Brown | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Howard Burdick |  United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Ernesto Cabruna | Italy
|
Corpo Aeronautico Militare | 8 |
| Alvin Callender | United States
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| James Martin Child | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Henry Clay | United States
|
Royal Flying Corps, United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Robert David Coath | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Edwin Cole | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Hamilton Coolidge | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| James Geoffrey Coombe | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Dieudonné Costes | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Leslie Court | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| William Craig | Canada
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Otto Creutzmann | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Henry Crowe | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| James Dawe | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Gilbert de Guingand | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| John D. De Pencier | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force | 8 |
| Gunther Dobberke | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Percy Douglas | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Peter Roy Maxwell Drummond | Australia
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Gordon Duncan | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| William Durrand | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Harold E. Easton | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Friedrich Ehmann | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Leonard Herbert Emsden | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| William Portwood Erwin | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Walter Ewers | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Harold Ross Eycott-Martin | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Garfield Finlay | Australia
|
Australian Flying Corps | 8 |
| Desmond Fitzgibbon | United Kingdom
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Georges Flachaire | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Austin Lloyd Fleming | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Jean Alfred Fraissinet | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Hans-Eberhardt Gandert | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Jacques Gerard | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Cyril Gladman | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Clive Glynn | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Max Gossner | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| James Grant | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Gilbert W. M. Green | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Eustace Grenfell | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Victor Groom | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Louis Prosper Gros | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Julien Guertiau | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Wolfgang Güttler | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Adolf Gutknecht | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Hans von Häbler | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Reuben Hammersley | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Frederick Harlock | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Herbert George Hegarty | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Alfred Hemming | South Africa
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Heinrich Henkel | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| George Hicks | United Kingdom
|
Royal Air Force | 8 |
| D'Arcy Fowlis Hilton | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Ivan F. Hind | South Africa
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Wilhelm Hippert | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| William Norman Holmes | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Thomas Stanley Horry | United Kingdom
|
Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Richard Howard | Australia
|
Australian Flying Corps | 8 |
| Hans Hoyer | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Paul Hüttenrauch | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Hubert Hunt | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Frank Hunter | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Michael Hutterer | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Fritz Jacobsen | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Clinton Jones Jr. | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Ernest Graham Joy | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Kenneth William Junor | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Willi Kampe | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Karl Kaszala |  Austria-Hungary
|
Luftfahrtruppen | 8 |
| Fritz Kieckhäfer | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Franz Kirchfeld | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Robert Kirby Kirkman | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Arthur Gerald Knight | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps | 8 |
| Sidney Knights | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Arthur Korff | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Heinrich Kostrba | Austria-Hungary
|
Luftfahrtruppen | 8 |
| Fritz Krebs | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Antoine Laplasse | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Kenneth Leask | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Forde Leathley | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Alvaro Leonardi | Italy
|
Corpo Aeronautico Militare | 8 |
| Cecil Arthur Lewis | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Alan Light | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| George Lloyd | South Africa
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Dudley Lloyd-Evans | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Ivan Loiko |  Russia
|
Imperial Army Air Service | 8 |
| Carlo Lombardi | Italy
|
Corpo Aeronautico Militare | 8 |
| William Myron MacDonald | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| William John MacKenzie | United States
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Donat Makijonek | Russia
|
Imperial Army Air Service | 8 |
| Reginald Malcolm | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| George Ivan Douglas Marks | Canada
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Andre Martenot De Cordou | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Robert Massenet-Royer de Marancour | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Ernest Masters | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| M. B. Mather | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Hugh Maund | United Kingdom
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| John McCudden | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps | 8 |
| James McDonald | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Roderick McDonald | Canada
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Henry Meintjes | South Africa
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force, South African Air Force | 8 |
| James Meissner | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Alexander W. Merchant | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Karl Meyer | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Leslie Mitchell | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Kurt Adolf Monnington | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Henry Moody | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Joseph Michael John Moore | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Keith K. Muspratt | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Thomas Nash | United Kingdom
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Gastone Novelli | Italy
|
Corpo Aeronautico Militare | 8 |
| Luigi Olivari | Italy
|
Corpo Aeronautico Militare | 8 |
| Eric Olivier | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| William O'Toole | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Otto Parschau | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Edwin C. Parsons | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Eric Pashley | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps | 8 |
| Arthur Peck | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Edmond Pillon | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Friedrich Poeschke | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Roger Poupon | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Philip B. Prothero | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps | 8 |
| John Quested | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Lionel Rees | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps | 8 |
| Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Claus Reimer | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Karl Ritscherle | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Charles Robson | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| William Rooper | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps | 8 |
| Alexander Roulstone | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Richard Runge | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| William J. Rutherford | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Harold Satchell | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Franklin Saunders | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Paul Sauvage | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Karl Scharon | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Hans Schilling | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Viktor Schobinger | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Carl-August von Schoenebeck | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Owen Scholte | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Wilhelm Schwartz | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Walter Scott | United Kingdom
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Herbert Sellars | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| John Edward Sharman | Canada
|
Royal Naval Air Service | 8 |
| Walter Simon | United States
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| George Simpson | United Kingdom
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Robert Sloley | South Africa
|
Royal Flying Corps | 8 |
| John Henry Smith | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Langley Smith | Canada
|
Royal Naval Air Service | 8 |
| William Watson Smith | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Bertram Smyth | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Martinus Stenseth | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Vladimir Strzhizhevsky | Russia
|
Imperial Russian Air Force | 8 |
| John Summers | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Leslie Sutherland | Australia
|
Australian Flying Corps, Royal Australian Air Force | 8 |
| Alexander Tahy | Austria-Hungary
|
Luftfahrtruppen | 8 |
| Fritz Thiede | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
| Clifford Tolman | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Thomas Traill | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Del Vial | France
|
Aéronautique Militaire | 8 |
| Alexander Vlasto | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| John Warner | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Leslie Warren | United Kingdom
|
Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Wilbert White | United States
|
United States Army Air Service | 8 |
| Claude Melnot Wilson | Canada
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| William Wright | United Kingdom
|
Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force | 8 |
| Wilhelm Zorn | German Empire
|
Luftstreitkräfte | 8 |
References
- Maksel, Rebecca (7 April 2008). "What does it take to become an "ace"?". Need to Know. Air & Space Magazine. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- Franks, Bailey & Guest 1993, p. 10
- Dunnigan 2003, p. 149
- Shores, Franks & Guest 1990, p. 7
- ^ Franks, Bailey and Guest (1993).
- ^ Shores, Franks & Guest 1990
- ^ Franks, Guest & Alegi 1997
- ^ Franks & Bailey (1992).
- ^ Franks, Bailey (1992)
- Shores (2001), p. 82.
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