The following are lists of World War I flying aces. Historically, a flying ace was defined as a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The term was first used by French newspapers, describing Adolphe Pégoud as l'as (the ace), after he downed seven German aircraft.[1]
The notion of an aerial "victory" arose from the first aerial combats, which occurred during the early days of World War I. Unsurprisingly, different air services developed their own definitions of exactly what an aerial victory might be, as well as different methods of assessing and assigning credit for aerial victories.
Conditions affecting accuracy of scores
Ownership of the terrain below had its effect on verifying victory. An enemy aircraft that crashed in enemy held territory obviously could not be verified by the victor's ground troops. Because aerial combat commonly took place over or behind the German lines, German scores are generally considered more accurate because German aces' victories were more easily confirmed on the ground. Additionally, the British handicap of returning home against prevailing wind on the Western Front fattened German scores.[2]
The scores presented in the lists cannot be definitive, but are based on itemized lists that are the best available sources of information. Loss of records by mischance and the passage of time complicates reconstructing the actual count for given aces.[3]
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.
^ Maksel, Rebeca. "¿Qué se necesita para convertirse en un" as "?". airspacemag.com . Consultado el 18 de febrero de 2024 .
^Ases empujadores de la Primera Guerra Mundial. pag. 39.
^Por encima de las trincheras: un registro completo de los ases de combate y las unidades de las fuerzas aéreas del Imperio Británico 1915-1920. pag. 7.
Bibliografía
Sobre los campos de Flandes: un registro completo de los pilotos de combate belgas y sus unidades durante la Gran Guerra, 1914-1918 . Walter M. Pieters. Calle Grub, 1998. ISBN 1-898697-83-3 , ISBN 978-1-898697-83-1 .
Sobre las líneas: los ases y las unidades de combate del servicio aéreo alemán, el servicio aéreo naval y la Infantería de Marina de Flandes, 1914-1918 . Norman Franks , Frank W. Bailey, Russell invitado. Calle Grub, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9 , ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1 .
Por encima de las trincheras: un registro completo de los ases de combate y las unidades de las fuerzas aéreas del Imperio Británico 1915-1920 . Christopher F. Shores, Norman Franks , Russell Guest. Calle Grub, 1990. ISBN 0-948817-19-4 , ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9 .
Por encima de los frentes de guerra: los ases observadores y piloto de bombarderos biplaza británicos, los ases observadores de cazas biplaza británicos y los ases de combate belgas, italianos, austrohúngaros y rusos, 1914-1918: Volumen 4 de Fighting Airmen of WWI Serie: Volumen 4 de Air Aces of WWI . Norman Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi. Calle Grub, 1997. ISBN 1-898697-56-6 , ISBN 978-1-898697-56-5 .
Ases británicos y del imperio de la Primera Guerra Mundial . Christopher Shores, Mark Rolfe. Editorial Osprey, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-377-2 , ISBN 978-1-84176-377-4 .
Fuerzas Aéreas Alemanas 1914-18 . Graham Sumner. Editorial Osprey, 2005. ISBN 1-84176-924-X , 9781841769240.
Ases italianos de la Primera Guerra Mundial . Paolo Varriale. Osprey Pub Co, 2009. ISBN 0764316648 , 9780764316647.
En el frente: un registro completo de los ases de combate y las unidades de los servicios aéreos franceses y de los Estados Unidos, 1914-1918 Norman LR Franks, Frank W. Bailey. Calle Grub, 1992. ISBN 0-948817-54-2 , ISBN 978-0-948817-54-0 .