The Red Baron

Agree or Disagree:
The Red Baron, barring none, is the absolute best pilot ever to fly. Personally, I agree. The Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen shot down the most, turned and burned w/the best, and all in all just had what it took to be a recognized leader. His name will always be remembered as almost inarguably (sp?) the best pilot this world has ever seen. What do you think?

Best known, yes. Highly skilled, yes. Best pilot? How can it be known?, but likely not so. MvR himself stated that many a pilot could turn and maneuver better than himself (obviously he was speaking only in terms of what he himself had seen in his short time on earth).

Highest scorer in WWI?, yes. Highest scorer of all time?, no, not even close.

Who was the best ever? Impossible to say, but my vote goes to Hans Rudel.

[mike_baram]

Of von Richthofen's 80 kills, how many of them were in actual one-on-one turn and twist dogfights, where the skill of both opponents could be compared?
Many of his victories were against slower observation planes. He scored heavily by coming from behind and getting in the first shot...
I'm not denigrating his ability, but let's put his record in perspective...
Superior fighter, superior aircraft, and element of surprise...a tough combination to beat. Let us respect the man, even praise him, but not apotheosize him.

Hi all,
I think we can't say RUDEL IS THE BEST or MVR IS THE BEST.
We don't know what Rudel would have done in a fokk DRI or MVR in a Stuka. I would say: Richthofen was one of the best of world war one and rudel one of the best on world war two!

I think most W.W.I enthusiast really don’t realize that the British took the air battle to the Germans, as the Germans flew mostly defensive patrols behind there own lines. That’s why it was easier for them (Germans) to confirm more victories than the British. A British pilot was most venerable when he would brake off combat to head back toward his own lines. That’s exactly what happened to major Lanoe Hawker in a fight with Von Richthofen on 23 of November 1916; Richthofen had a better machine, but Hawker was holding his own flying a D.H.2. But when did Richthofen pick Hawker off? When he was running low on fuel and had to brake off combat to get his tail back over to his own lines. That wasn’t skill on behalf of Richthofen’s part that was a simple advantage! (Oh, if Hawker only had a Sowith Pup!) And, I wonder where Richthofen would have spent the rest of the war if he had his scull crease while on a patrol behind the British side of the lines on July 6 1917? Richthofen was an outstanding leader, and did not take a stupid chance, That’s what kept him alive for most of the duration of the war.

Danny Walden

[Barrett]

The best? Complete waste of time; how'd we ever agree on the criteria?
The Greatest? Easy: James H. Doolittle, to wit:

First transcontintal crossing in -24 hours.
First instrument takeoff
First instrument landing
First outside loop
First PhD in aeronautics
Midwifed high-octane fuel between Shell and the Army Air Corps
Won the Thompson Trophy race, among others
Led the Tokyo Raid
Led the 8th Air Force

I was fortunate to know "General Jimmy"--an awesome combination of raw skill and powerful intellect. Nobody else is close.
Next question?

[leo]

The British and the French together greatly outnumbered their German enemy by three to one. Of course, the Germans would be on the defensive.
I don't see what other choice they had. As to British claims, yes it would be harder to verify them, but it would also be equally as hard to deny them. I think they claimed a lot more than they denied. Some have indicated they missed the mark by as much as 600 %.

Point well taken Leo

Danny Walden

It would be difficult to come to an agreement on the criteria, however I believe that Chuck Yeager is a contender for the best/greatest.

Obviously Richard Pearce is the greatest pilot that ever lived.

The best fighter pilot, in my opion is Raymond Collishaw.

Cheers

John