Every war is a terrible sorrow for all the people that it somehow affected.Throughout its history, humanity shall know the many wars, two of which were international.World almost completely destroyed Europe and brought down some of the major empires, such as the Russian and Austro-Hungarian.But even worse on the scales was the Second World War, in which many countries were involved in almost all over the world.Killed millions of people, even more left homeless.This horrible event is still somehow affects modern man.Its echoes can be found everywhere in our lives.This tragedy has left a lot of mysteries, disputes over which do not cease for decades.Heavy burden assumed in this battle for life and death was not yet quite got stronger from the revolution and civil war, and only build up its military and peaceful industry of the Soviet Union.In the hearts of the people settled implacable rage and desire to fight against the invaders who encroached on the territorial integrity and the freedom of the proletarian state.Many went to the front voluntarily.Simultaneously there was reorganization of the evacuated industrial facilities for the production of products for the needs of the front.Fighting took out real people.That is why it is called the Great Patriotic War.
Who are the aces?
both German and Soviet armies were perfectly trained and equipped with appliances, aircraft and other weapons.Personnel in the millions people.The collision of two military vehicles has generated its heroes and their traitors.One of those who can rightly be considered the heroes are the aces of World War II.Who they are and what they know?Ace can be considered as a person who has achieved in its field such heights that few people managed to subdue.And even in such a dangerous and terrible fact, as the military, has always had its professionals.As in the USSR, and the allied forces, and Nazi Germany were people who showed the best results in the number of destroyed equipment or manpower.About these heroes, and this article will tell.
List aces of World War II is extensive and includes many well-known personalities of his exploits.They were an example for the whole nation, they adored, admired.
Air Squadrons of WWII
Aviation - without a doubt one of the most romantic, but at the same time dangerous combat arms.As any technique can unsubscribe at any time, the case of the pilot is considered very honorable.It requires an iron shutter speed, discipline, the ability to control himself in any situation.Therefore, to the aviation aces are treated with great respect.After all, to be able to show a good result in such circumstances, when your life depends not only on technology, but also from yourself - the highest level of martial arts.So who are they - pilots aces of World War II, and why their exploits so famous?
Soviet pilot-aces
One of the most successful Soviet pilots were aces Ivan Kozhedub.Officially it during his service in WWII brought down 62 German planes, and he is credited with two American fighter that he destroyed at the end of the war.This served as a pilot-record holder in the 176 Guards Fighter Wing and flew by plane La-7.
second in scoring during the war became Alexander Pokryshkin (which was three times awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union).He fought on the southern Ukraine, the Black Sea coast, liberated Europe from the Nazis.During his life he brought down 59 enemy aircraft.He did not stop to fly, even when he was appointed commander of the 9 Guards Air Division, and won some of his aerial victory when he was in office.
Nikolai Gulayev - one of the most famous military pilots, who set a record - 4 departure of one aircraft destroyed.During his military service and destroyed 57 enemy aircraft.Twice awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
also high, and the result was Kirill Alexeyevich Evstigneeva.He shot down 55 German planes.Kozhedub which happened some time with Evstigneev serve in the same regiment, very respectfully spoke about this pilot.
Dmitry Borisovich Glinka also a Soviet ace.He destroyed 50 enemy aircraft in 100 combat missions.He was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union twice.
As can be seen, the Soviet aces of World War II were able to fight and did so bravely and selflessly.
Asa allies
But Allied air aces and had a very good performance.Among them are many brave pilots, but the impact to the Soviet "hawks" they still fall short.
Major Richard Bong had a list of wins, which means shot down 40 enemy aircraft.He is one of the most successful Allied pilots.After the war, Bong became a test pilot, but was killed when testing a new aircraft F-80s, unable to jump out with a parachute after the car engine failed.
Briton James Johnson during the war shot down 34 enemy vehicles.He commanded one of the assault groups of aircraft during the landing in Normandy in 1944.He started to fight in March 1943, flying a fighter "Spitfire".
American pilot, Major Thomas McGuire shot down 38 enemy aircraft.He was awarded many American awards, including the Congressional Medal of Honor.He was killed in a battle near the island of Los Negros in the age of 24 years.It happened on Jan. 7, 1945.
Frenchman Pierre Kloosterman won 30 victories in the air, and destroyed a large number of ground vehicles - locomotives, cars and trucks.Already at 24, he was able to achieve the rank of colonel of aviation, in which ended the war.
German aces
Aces of the Luftwaffe of World War II is deservedly considered to be the most productive in the history of the pilots.One of them even became champion Guinness Book of Records.Who was this brave pilot?
most famous German ace of World War II, while the man who has set nobody beaten the record for the number of downed aircraft - is Erich Hartmann.In his account of the battle appears downed 352 enemy aircraft, with more than half of the victories he won over the fighters (260).Hartman flew solely on "Messerschmitt Bf 109G" and said that it is the best aircraft that he had ever seen.After the war, he surrendered to the Americans, who sent him to the Soviet troops.The result was a nearly 10-year sentence in the camps, but Eric was able to return to his wife and children and died at an advanced age.Record put them truly amazing, because no Soviet or Allied aces could not achieve such an impressive result.
Hans-Joachim Marseille - German pilot, who fought mainly in Africa.During his military service, and it was a short shot down a total of 158 aircraft the Americans and British.I crashed in the desert, during the approach to his aerodrome, after successful completion of a combat mission, and it happened because of problems in the plane.He was buried with great honors.
Gerhard Buckhorn - another German ace.On account of its 301 combat aircraft.Buckhorn several times received severe injuries, because, in addition to a combat pilot, he was also a test pilot, in particular flyby engaged the world's first jet fighter, the Me-262.After the war, engaged in testing airplanes for the German Air Force recovered.
But is German Aces of World War II aviation professionals were so much that they could single-handedly destroy the number of aircraft comparable to the three air divisions?In many ways, their success is due to weak enough flight training of Soviet pilots.The Soviet Union at the beginning of the war had lost about 1,200 aerial vehicles, which affected the status of the entire aircraft.Naturally, along with the aircraft were killed and the people who knew how to fly.In such circumstances, rather quickly we organized accelerated summer courses, which were able to restore the number of pilots, but at the expense of quality.For example, the average plaque Soviet pilots in the school was 13-34 hours, whereas that of the Germans - about 400 hours.In addition, the German tactics of air combat in the beginning of the war was a head taller than Russian.Toward the end of hostilities the situation changed in the opposite direction.
As we can see, pilots aces of World War II showed a really impressive results.But his exploits were famous not only them.What other arms of the service given to the world famous masters of military craft?
Tankers-aces of World War II
Equally important in combat armor.Tankers have always been very brave soldiers.Since destroy the tank can be in many ways, it is easy to guess that the danger lay in wait and everywhere.Nevertheless tankers always valiantly fought for the ideals of the country and no doubt gave his life for them.And, of course, among them they were also famous aces of World War II.
Soviet tank-aces
most famous Soviet tank master - is Dmitry Lavrinenko, who could boast a personal account in combat 52 enemy tanks.This soldier fought with the enemy in the famous T-34, which was one of the symbols of the war.
Another well-known Soviet tank of World - Zinovy Kolobanov.His feat was introduced in many textbooks and books, as he was able to kill one of 22 German battle tank (it is the second largest result among the history of tank battles of World War II).
But, despite the fact that the tank forces were among the most numerous in the composition of the Soviet army, tankers-aces of World War II, for whatever reasons, the Soviet Union were not found.Why do so - is unknown.It is reasonable to assume that many personal scores clearly over or under, so the exact number of victories aforementioned masters tank battle is not possible.
German tank aces
But German tank aces of World War II have a much greater track record.This is largely due to the thoroughness of the Germans, who are strictly documented, and time to war, they had more than their Soviet "colleagues."Footwork German Army began keeping in 1939.
German tanker number 1 - it Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann.He fought on many tanks (Stug III, Tiger I) and destroyed during the war 138 machines and 132 self-propelled artillery different enemy countries.For his success was repeatedly awarded with various orders and signs of the Third Reich.He was killed in battle in 1944 in France.
You can also select this tank ace Otto Carius.For those who somehow interested in the history of armored forces of the Third Reich, would be very useful book of his memoirs "Tigers in the mud."During the war, this man has destroyed 150 Soviet and American tanks and self-propelled guns.
Kurt Knispel - another tanker-record holder.He knocked for his military service 168 tanks and self-propelled guns of the enemy.About 30 cars are unsubstantiated, that does not allow him to catch up on the results from Wittmann.Knispel was killed in battle near the village of Vostits in Czechoslovakia in 1945.
Furthermore, good results were Karl Bromanna - 66 tanks and self-propelled guns, Ernst Barkmanna - 66 tanks and self-propelled guns, from Erich Mausberga - 53 tanks and self-propelled guns.
As can be seen from these results, both Soviet and German tank aces of World War II were able to fight.Of course, the quantity and quality of Soviet military vehicles was much higher than that of the Germans, however, as the practice, and they both used quite successfully and have become the basis for some of the post-war tank designs.
But this list of arms, which distinguished their masters, not the end.Let's talk a little about the submarine aces.
Masters submarine warfare
Just as in the case of aircraft and tanks, are the most successful German sailors.Submariners Kriegsmarine during the years of its existence, the ship sank 2,603 Allied countries, the total displacement of the index reaches 13.5 million tons.It really is an impressive figure.And the impressive personal accounts by German submarine aces of World War II, too, could boast.
Highest German submarine - Otto Kretschmer, which account for 44 ships, including one destroyer.Total tonnage sunk their ships - 266,629 tonnes.
In second place - Wolfgang Lüth, who sent a ship to the bottom 43 of the enemy (and according to other sources - 47) total displacement of 225,712 tons.
also known sea ace Günther Prien was, and who managed to sink even the British battleship "Royal Oak".It was one of the first officers who received the oak leaves to the Knight's Cross.Prien destroyed 30 ships.He died in 1941 in an attack the British convoy.He was so popular that his death two months hiding from the people.On the day of his funeral, the mourning has been declared throughout the country.
Such successes of German sailors also quite understandable.The fact that Germany began naval war in 1940, with the British blockade, thus hoping to undermine its greatness and the sea, taking advantage of this, conduct a successful seizure of the islands.However, very soon the plans were thwarted by the Nazis, as the war entered America with its large and powerful fleet.
Did the Soviet Union aces among submariners?
most famous Soviet sailor submarine - Alexander Marinesco.He sank only 4 of the ship, but no!Heavy passenger liner "Wilhelm Gustloff" transport "General von Steuben" and 2 units of heavy plavbatarei "Helena" and "Siegfried."For his exploits, Hitler made a sailor in the list of personal enemies.But fate Marinesko did not work well.He fell out of favor with the Soviet power, and died, and his exploits stopped talking.The award of Hero of the Soviet Union, a great sailor received only posthumously in 1990.Unfortunately, many aces of World War II the Soviet Union ended their lives this way.
also famous divers of the Soviet Union are Ivan lieutenant - sank 13 ships, Nikolai Lunin - also 13 warships, Valentin Starikov - 14 ships.But Marinesko topped the list of the best sailors of the Soviet Union as the greatest damage caused to the German Navy.
accuracy and secrecy
Well, how can you not remember such famous fighters, snipers?Here, the Soviet Union takes deserved the palm of Germany.Soviet snipers aces of World War II, has a very high track accounts.In many ways, these results were achieved thanks to massive state prepare the civilian population for shooting from different weapons.Badge "Voroshilov Sharpshooter" were awarded to about 9 million people.So what are the best known snipers?
name Vasily Zaitsev frightened Germans and instilled courage of Soviet soldiers.This regular guy, a hunter killed his rifle Mosin 225 Wehrmacht soldiers just a month of fighting at Stalingrad.Among the prominent names sniper - Fedor Okhlopkov, on account of which (during the war), about a thousand of the Nazis;Semen Nomokonov that killed 368 enemy soldiers.Among the snipers were women.Example - famous Lyudmila Pavlichenko, who fought under the Odessa and Sevastopol.
German snipers are less well known, although in Germany since 1942, there were several sniper schools are engaged in vocational training.Among the most successful German shooters - Mattias Hettsenauer (345 killed), Josef Allerberger (257 killed), Bruno Sutkus (209 soldiers shot).It is also known by a sniper from the Hitlerite bloc is Simo Hayha - the Finn during the war had killed 504 Red Army (unconfirmed).
main weapon of any marksman was Mosin rifle with telescopic sight, but, depending on the situation, also used by SVT.In addition to the basic features of their weapons, were also studied by the discipline necessary for survival - stealth, the ability to wait, to be in complete immobility, and orienteering.
Thus, sniper training of the Soviet Union was incomparably higher than that of the German forces, which allowed the Soviet soldiers to wear the proud title - Squadrons of WWII.
How to become aces?
So, the concept of "ace of World War II" is quite extensive.As already mentioned, these people achieved in their business is truly impressive results.
