Why are pilots called Ace?

The term 'ace' is generally taken to mean any fighter pilot credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft. Lone aerial combat provided an outlet for acts of personal bravery. The aces were seen as chivalrous heroes engaged in honest and impressive one-to-one fighting.
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Why is it called a flying ace?

The use of the term ace to describe these pilots began in World War I, when French newspapers described Adolphe Pégoud, as l'As (the ace) after he became the first pilot to down five German aircraft. The British initially used the term "star-turns" (a show business term).
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How did a pilot become an ace?

To become an ace during World War I, a pilot had to shoot down five enemy planes. This article by Evan Andrews from HISTORY® explores six famous aces including the Red Baron and top American ace Eddie Rickenbacker.
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How does a pilot earn the title of ace?

In the USA, a pilot downing 5 or more enemy combatants in battle is called an Ace, although there is no such official title. But records are kept, and there are lists of aces for every aerial battle that has been fought, dating from WW1.
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How many ace pilots does the US have?

American Fighter Aces Association is a non-profit organization which recognizes the 1,450 combat American pilots (referred to as Aces) who have had five or more aerial victories in combat. The AFAA is located in Seattle's Museum of Flight. The exhibit houses documents, artifacts and histories of the Aces.
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What's An "Ace" Pilot?

Are there any female ace pilots?

Red Air Force female pilot Lilya Litvak became a fighter ace and a Hero of the Soviet Union fighting the Germans.
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Who was the last confirmed ace pilot?

Richard Stephen "Steve" Ritchie, USAF. “I miss combat flying to this day,” says Ritchie (photographed with an F-4 Phantom at Ellington Airport in Houston), who logged more than 4,000 hours during his Air Force career.
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Are there any modern Ace pilots?

USAF Captain Jeffrey Weinstein, became the 5th Vietnam war “ace” and last US ace to date when the F-4 Phantom he was the WSO (Weapons Systems Officer) shot down a MiG 21 on October 13, 1972. The most recent US ace to become an ace as a pilot was USAF Captain Steve Richie whose 5th kill was on August 28, 1972.
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Are there any aces alive today?

A flying or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft in combat. Anderson, the highest scoring American air ace alive, is one of 14 living aces out of 1,447 recognized with the distinction by the American Fighter Aces Association, according to an Air Force release.
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Who is the best ace pilot in history?

The Most Well-known Ace in Military Aviation History

One of the most well-known aces in military aviation history is Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the Red Baron. He was a German fighter pilot during World War I and is credited with 80 confirmed kills.
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Who was America's top ace?

Maj. Bong scored 28 air-to-air victories. When he returned to the Pacific for his second tour, he was assigned as a gunnery instructor. He voluntarily flew numerous combat missions and in "self defense" scored 12 more victories to bring his total to 40, making him the highest scoring ace in American history.
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Who is the American pilot with the most kills?

Known as the “Ace of Aces,” Major Richard Ira Bong is credited with the downing of an impressive confirmed total of 40 enemy aircraft. Top Image: Major Richard Bong courtesy of the US Air Force.
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Who was the most feared pilot?

With a kill count of 352 Allied aircraft, Erich Hartmann remains the most successful fighter pilot of all time, and it is highly unlikely that his score will ever be surpassed.
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Is Topgun a real thing?

The movies pull inspiration from real-life military aviation programs, such as the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School, also known as TOPGUN. However, the storyline and characters, including Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, are fictional. Enjoy the thrill of flying a Top Gun plane with Sky Combat Ace!
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What is a triple ace pilot?

Anderson flew 116 combat missions as a fighter pilot and leader with the 357th Fighter Group during WWII. He shot down 16 ¼ enemy aircraft during combat in his P-51 Mustang, earning the title, “triple ace.” The term 'Ace' is used to describe a fighter pilot who has been credited with shooting down five enemy aircraft.
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What do you call a pilot with 10 kills?

In Real Life, an ace is technically a fighter pilot with five or more kills. This is harder than it sounds; even in conflicts like the World Wars, where aerial combat occurred on a vast scale, the average pilot had zero confirmed kills from the day he got his wings to the day he bought his farm.
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What pilot has the most kills?

While serving in Germany's Luftwaffe in World War II, Erich Hartmann flew more than 1,400 missions in the Messerschmitt Bf 109, enabling him to score an astonishing 352 kills.
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Is Maverick an ace?

He and Rooster embrace on the runway, showing their relationship has improved, and Rooster has forgiven Maverick for pulling his papers. Phoenix remarks that Maverick has achieved "flying ace" status, having shot down five enemy aircraft; three MiGs 30 years prior, along with two Su-57s during the operation.
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Who was America's last ace?

When I asked my fighter pilot' friend what fighter pilot I should interview for my next "American Hero Stories" column, he didn't hesitate for an instant. "Steve Ritchie," he said as if I was an ignoramus. Steve Ritchie was "The Last Ace."
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Are there any black ace pilots?

A restored P-51C Mustang in Lee Archer's markings, is now flown by Kermit Weeks, at Fantasy of Flight. Archer is considered by some as the first and—as of 2010—only black U.S. pilot to earn an "ace" designation, for shooting down at least five enemy aircraft.
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What aircraft has the most kills?

The Messerschmitt Bf-109. Over 36,000 made and with and estimated 20–30,000 kills, it is by far the most successful combat aircraft of all time. Over 100 Luftwaffe pilots had 100+ kills, and many of them 200 and above. Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hart...
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Who is the best U.S. fighter pilot?

Capt.

Eddie Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace during WWI. He is considered one of the most accomplished American pilots for his valor during the war, achieving an impressive 26 kills during WWI. Rickenbacker was a race-car driver before his military career.
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How many kills does it take to be an ace pilot?

In Vietnam, the U.S. Navy had one Ace with five kills and one Air Force pilot had 4 kills but was already an Ace from WWII. An “Ace” is generally considered someone who shot down five or more aircraft in aerial combat. Ground “kills” don't count.
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What is the most successful fighter jet?

The F-15 may be the most successful jet fighter in military aircraft history but the B-52 is the most successful at least in my opinion. The B-52 started operations in 1955, and may go until 2045. That's ninety years for a military aircraft.
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