List of World War I aces credited with 20 or more 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.^[1] At the beginning of World War I air combat had not been invented and aircraft were for reconnaissance only.^[2] When aircraft began to shoot or force down other aircraft, systems to count "air victories" were subsequently developed.^[3]

In the early stages of military aviation, different air services evolved different methods of assigning credit for aerial victories. None of these scoring systems were ironclad and they were all subject to flux. The actual number of air victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" varied.^[4]

The Germans, who did not use the term "ace" but referred to German pilots who had shot down 10 aircraft as Überkanone (big gun), gave credit to a single pilot with each downing of a particular enemy aircraft, and then only after visual verification of the wreckage of the fallen craft or its occupant(s).^[5] The French Armee de l'Air system also only counted aircraft destroyed, but granted full credit to every pilot or aerial gunner participating in a victory, which could sometimes be several individuals.^[6][7] Most other nations (including the United States) adopted the French system. British aircraft often fought over German territory, and could not follow the German practice of visual verification of the wreckage of the fallen craft or its occupant(s).^[8] Early fighting often only resulted in an opponent being forced to retreat or land ("driven down") within its own territory. Therefore, British practice awarded credit for combats endorsed as "decisive" by the commanding officer of his squadron; this could include German planes "driven down" or aircraft last seen "out of control" but not verified to have crashed.^[9][10] Russian scores sometimes reflected defeats without destruction of the foe.^[11] The term "ace" was never used officially by the British.^[12]

While "ace" status was most often won by fighter pilots, bomber and reconnaissance crews, and observers in two-crew aircraft such as the Bristol F.2b (Bristol Fighter), also destroyed enemy aircraft. On both sides, if a two-crew aircraft destroyed an aircraft, both crew 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.^[13]

See also

• Aerial victory standards of World War I

Legend

Abbreviations

      This along with †, indicates that the pilot was either killed in action (KIA), missing in action (MIA), died of wounds (DOW) or killed in a flying accident (KIFA) during World War I.

Awards

Award* indicates a bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the award who received a second award.
Award** and Award*** indicates a second or third bar is added to the ribbon for holders of the award and bar who received a third or fourth award.

Allies

Central Powers

Aces

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Chant, Christopher (2002). Austro-Hungarian Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 46. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 376 4. 
• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank; Guest, Russell (1993). Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps 1914-1918. London: Grub Street. ISBN 0 948817 73 9. 
• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank (1992). Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918. London: Grub Street. ISBN 0948817542, 9780948817540. 
• Franks, Norman (2000). Tony Holmes. ed. Nieuport Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 33. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 85532 961 1. 
• Franks, Norman (2001). American Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 42. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 375 6. 
• Franks, Norman; VanWyngarden, Greg (2001b). Fokker Dr I Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 40. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 223 7. 
• Franks, Norman (2002). Tony Holmes. ed. Dolphin and Snipe Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 48. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 317 9. 
• Franks, Norman (2003). Sopwith Camel Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 52. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 534 1. 
• Franks, Norman (2004). Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 62. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 728 X. 
• Franks, Norman (2007). SE5/5a Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 78. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84603 180 X. 
• Guttman, Jon (2002). Tony Holmes. ed. SPAD XII/XIII Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 47. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 316 0. 
• Guttman, Jon (2007). Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 79. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978 1 84603 201 1. 
• Kennett, Lee B. (1999). The First Air War, 1914-1918. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0684871203. 
• Newton, Dennis (1996). Australian Air Aces. Fyshwyck, ACT: Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1875671250. 
• O'Connor, Martin (1986). Air Aces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1914-1918. Mountain View, CA: Flying Machines Press. ISBN 1891268066, 9781891268069. 
• Shores, Christopher (2001). Mary Orr. ed. British and Empire Aces of World War I. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. 45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1 84176 377 2. 
• Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell (1990). Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915-1920. London: Grub Street. ISBN 0948817194, 9780948817199. 
• Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell (1990). Above the Trenches Supplement: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915-1920. London: Grub Street. ISBN 0948817194. 
• Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell (1996). Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915-1920. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1898697396. 

Further reading

• Toliver, Raymond F.; Constable, Trevor J. (1965). Fighter Aces. Macmillan. 

External links

• Austro-Hungarian aces of World War I
• Belgian aces of World War I
• Britain & Commonwealth aces of World War I: truncated list
• French aces of World War I
• German Empire aces of World War I
• Indian aces of World War I
• Italian aces of World War I
• Russian aces of World War I
• United States of America aces of World War I