American Fighter Aces

American Fighter Aces By J. Ward Boyce with expanded text by Bill Martin   The American Fighter Aces Association currently recognize 1,442 fighter pilots as Aces.   In general, the World War I list includes those accepted by the individual services under the rules at that time. For example, pilots in the U.S. Air Service…

History of the American Fighter Ace: Vietnam War

History of the American Fighter Ace: Vietnam War By Bill Hess with expanded text by Bill Martin   The long war in Vietnam presented little opportunity for air-to-air scoring by fighter pilots, much less making a large number of Aces. All fighter operations took place under numerous restrictions and the number of enemy fighters available…

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War II

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War II By Bill Hess with expanded text by Bill Martin   December 7,1941 brought the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and America’s formal entry into World War II. American fighter pilots were in action from the very first. Army pilot George Welch was credited with four Japanese…

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War I

History of the American Fighter Ace: World War I By Bill Hess with expanded text by Bill Martin   During the First World War, the airplane became a primary weapon system. True, the earliest flights were strictly observation missions, but it was inevitable that English and French aircrews would sight German aircraft. Eventually they flew…