What pilot has been shot down the most?

Erich “Bubi” Hartmann Erich Hartmann is the most successful fighter pilot of all times – with 352 kills. A number that will never be surpassed.

How many kills is an ace?

five
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually considered to be five or more.

Is Top Gun real?

Inspired by a 1983 article in California Magazine, Top Gun is a fictional story based on life at the real US Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego County, CA, which until 1996 was the home of the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, nicknamed TOPGUN.

Who was the last fighter ace?

His third credited kill came in the 1999 Kosovo War when Rodriguez shot down a Serbian MiG-28 that had taken off to resist NATO’s air attack on the first night of the campaign. Rodriguez is widely known as the “Last American Ace.”

What qualifies a pilot to be an 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. However, the lives of air aces were often cut short through combat or because of mechanical failure.

Who was the American pilot that shot down a US plane?

American WWII Pilot Was a Hero for Shooting Down a U.S. Plane Army Air Forces Lt. Louis E. Curdes had an insane story. Earning the designation of an “Ace” pilot, Curdes had downed 10 enemy aircraft. But maybe his most important shot came when he brought down a U.S. plane.

What happened to the pilot who shot down the nurse’s wife?

The pilot, crew, and its human cargo were completely intact. Among the passengers he shot down was a nurse Curdes dated just the night before, a girl name Valorie — whom he later married. The story was rewritten by Air Force Col. Ken Tollefson in his book US Army Air Force Pilot Shoots Down Wife.

What happens if you have to eject from a fighter plane?

If you have to eject from a fighter plane, you will come away from the experience significantly bruised and battered, possibly with fractured bones and torn ligaments. But despite the risks of ejection seats, they do save pilots’ lives.

What happens if you fly an airplane without a flight plan?

A general aviation airplane without a flight plan, chugging into restricted airspace, does not take long to stick out from the herd.