Most successful pilot in aerial combat, flying Tempests, June 1944 - May 1945

 

Pilot

Nation.

Unit(s)

Individual
Victories

Shared
Victories

Destroyed
on ground

Shared
on ground

Probables

V-1s

Previous
Victories

Biography

S/L D.C. Fairbanks, DFC**

US

3, 274

11

0

1

1

0

1

1

Read more >>

S/L W.E Schrader, DFC*

NZ

486

9

1(1/2)

2

0

0

0

2 1/2

Read more >> 

F/L J.J. Payton, DFC

Brit

56

6

0

0

0

0

1

1

Read more >> 

W/C E.D. Mackie, DSO, DFC*

NZ

274, 80, 122W

5

1 (1/2)

3

2

0

0

16

Read more >> 

F/O D.E. Ness, DFC

Can

56

5

1 (1/2)

0

0

0

5

0

Read more >>  
F/O A.R. Evans, DFC NZ 486 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 Read more >>

S/L C.J. Sheddan, DFC

NZ

486

4

3 (1/2, 1/2, 1/3)

0

0

0

7 1/2

0

Read more >>

F/L P.H. Clostermann, DSO, DFC*

Fr

274, 56, 3 

0

Read more >> 

F/O J. Garland, DFC

Can

80

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

Read more >> 

F/O V.L. Turner, DFC

Aus

56

4

0

0

0

0

2

0

Read more >>  

F/L A.R. Moore, DFC*

Brit

3, 56

3

1 (1/2)

0

0

0

1/2

21 1/2

Read more >>

P/O H. Shaw

Brit

56

2

3 (1/2, 1/2, 1/2)

0

0

0

8 +1/2, 1/2, 1/2

0

Read more >>

F/L J. H. Stafford

NZ

486

2

3 (1/2, 1/2, 1/2)

0

0

0

8

0

Read more >> 

 

Top Tempest Pilots Claiming V-1 "Diver" Flying Bombs Shot Down

 

Pilot

Nation.

Score

Unit(s)

Biography

S/L J. Berry, DFC**

Brit

61 + 1 shared

FIU (52 1/2), 501

Read more >>

Flt Lt R. Van Lierde, DFC**

Belg

35 + 9 shared

3

Read more >>

W/C R.P. Beamont, DSO, DFC*

Brit

26 + 5 shared

150W

Read more >>

F/O R. Clapperton, DFC

Brit

24

3

Read more >>

F/L A.R. Moore, DFC*

Brit

23 + 1 shared

3

Read more >>

F/S R.W. Cole, DFC

Brit

20 + 4 shared

3

Read more >>

F/S O.D. Eagleson, DFC

NZ

20 + 3 shared

486

Read more >>

F/O R.J. Cammock, DFC

NZ

20 + 1 shared

486

Read more >>

S/L J.H. McCaw

NZ

20 + 1 shared

486

Read more >>

P/O H.R. Wingate

Brit

19 + 2 shared

3

 

P/O K. Slade-Betts, DFC

Brit

19 + 1 shared

3

Read more >>

P/O R. Dryland, DFC

Brit

17 + 2 shared

3

 

F/L A.E. Umbers, DFC**

NZ

14 + 4 shared

3

Read more >>

F/O J.R. Cullen, DFC

NZ

14 + 4 shared

486

Read more >>

F/L L.R.J. Robb

Brit

13

FIU, 501

 

P/O H. J. Bailey

Aus

12 + 2 shared

3

Read more >> 

F/O R.E. Barckley, DFC

Brit

12

3

Read more >>

F/S D. J. MacKerras

Aus

11 + 3 shared

3

Read more >>

F/S M.J.A. Rose, DFC

Brit

11 + 1 shared

3

Read more >> 

F/L E. L. Williams

Rho

11

FIU, 501

 

F/L H.N. Sweetman, DFC

NZ

10 + 1 shared

486

Read more >>

P/O R.J. Dansey, DFC

NZ

9 + 4 shared

486

Read more >> 

F/O S. B. Feldman

US

9 + 3 shared

3

Read more >>

F/O B. J. Connor, DFC

NZ

9 + 1 shared

486

Read more >>

P/O H. Shaw

Brit

9 + 1 shared

56

Read more >>

F/L F. B. Lawless

NZ

9

486

Read more >>

F/O B. F. Miller

US

9

FIU, 501

Read more >>

F/L C. B. Thornton

Brit

9

FIU, 501

 

F/O R. C. Deluze

Fr

8

501

Read more >> 

F/O W. A. Kalka

NZ

8

486

Read more >> 

F/L J. H. Stafford

NZ

8

486

Read more >> 

F/O K. A. Smith

NZ

8

486

Read more >>  

F/L M. F. Edwards

Brit 

7 + 5 shared

3

Read more >> 

F/O G. J. M. Hooper

NZ

7 + 3 shared

486

Read more >>

F/O B. M. Hall

NZ

6 + 3 shared

486

Read more >> 

F/L S. S. Williams

NZ

7 + 2 shared

486

Read more >>

S/L C. J. Sheddan

NZ

7 + 1 shared

486

Read more >>

F/L W. L. Miller

NZ

7

486

Read more >> 

F/O W. A. Hart

NZ

6 + 2 shared

486

 

F/O L. G. Everson

Brit

6 + 1 shared

3

 

F/L H. Burton

 

6

501

 

F/O W. A. L. Trott

NZ

6

486

Read more >> 

F/L G. K. Whitman

US

5 + 5 shared

3

Read more >> 

F/O R. D. Bremner

NZ

5 + 4 shared

486

Read more >>

W/C H. M. Mason

NZ

5 + 2 shared

486

Read more >>

F/O W. R. MacLaren

Brit

5 + 1 shared

56

 

F/S G. H. Wylde

Brit

5 +1 shared

56

 

F/L G. L. Bonham

NZ

5

501

 Read more >>

S/L A. S. Dredge

Brit

5

3

 Read more >> 

S/L A. R. Hall

Brit

5

56

 

F/L D. E. Ness

Canada

5

56

Read more >> 

F/L N. J. Powell

NZ

5

486

 

F/O S. J. Short

NZ

5

486

 

P/O R. W. Pottinger

Brit

4 + 3 shared

3

Read more >>

F/O R. Bennett

Brit

4

501

Read more >> 

F/L E. W. Tanner

NZ

3 + 2 shared

486

 

 

 

Sources:
The Typhoon & Tempest Story (Chris Thomas & Christopher Shores)
Typhoon and Tempest Aces of World War 2 (Chris Thomas)
Aces High



Latest updates:

RC Tempests

17 Sept 2023
Stephan Frappier's 1/5-scale Hawker Tempest Mk. II, Vailly Aviation design.

Read more

Latest story

13 Sept 2023
Gordon Mellis' article about the loss of F/O Marshall and NV709 on the outskirts of the village Birgham in 1945.

Read more >>

Latest photos

11 Sept 2023
Paul Germain shares his late father's photos. He was stationed at Gutersloh with No. 16 Squadron in approx' 1948.

Read more

MW376

9 Sept 2023
Avionics update. The KF Aerospace team have been progressing well with avionics work over the past few weeks.

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MW763

29 June 2023
Another step closer to flight! Extensive engine running during the summer including taxing.

Read more