Best fighter Pilot

[FBKampfer]

Marseille. Undefeated, monstrously effective in the air, and having an almost mythic status in the Luftwaffe. He wasn't simply a pilot, he was a legend, killer instinct and skill personified.

A case could also be made for Nishizawa as well, for much the same reasons.

B

[Copprhed]

Hartmann 357 kills

[Krupinski]

I don't think anybody can say for certain, but Erich Hartmann was also undefeated in a sense. He was technically 'shot down' once and bailed out on his own accord while multiple P51s were pursuing him, rather than face a cockpit full of .50 cals. He was also a hunter... and would venture off on his own or in an extremely small group towards Russian airfields. He shot down 352 + however many unconfirmed in just over 2 years, roughly the same amount of time Marsielle saw combat. I speak from experience. After all, I trained him, and he flew as my wingman. 

[PR3D4TOR]

Hartmann was never shot down, but he had to ditch 14 times due to damage.

[FESS67]

As many have said, it is very hard to qualify the response as it was not a UFC fight - too many other factors at play, from area of operations, relative numbers in the air, aircraft type...etc  etc.

For me, the one I admire the most is Marmaduke 'Pat' Pattle.

The others were amazing fighter pilots - for some reason I gravitate to this man.  I cannot define it, it simply is the way I feel

[Muzzy]

Swede Vejtasa, but then again he was a bomber pilot so maybe he doesn't count.

Is this on the basis of the three zeroes he bagged at Coral Sea while flying an SBD, or the 7 bombers he got at Guadalcanal in a Wildcat?  Both were pretty impressive feats, but again, it's hard to say how he would have fared in the more intense environments the Germans and other pilots faced. Probably fairly well, but we'll never know.

[Karnak]

These were all good fighter jocks, but the German fighter pilot in N. Africa was by far the best that I can think of right now. 17 kills in one day! wow!

The problem with that claim is that the UK didn't lose 17 planes that day...

[PR3D4TOR]

Except they did. According to RAF records, they lost 13 planes shot down, and 6 crash landed. Several other aircraft had various degrees of damage, but managed to RTB safely. Marseilles may have claimed some of the planes that were damaged but made it back thinking they were more badly damaged than they were. In any case a victory for Marseilles even if not an outright "kill".

[DREDIOCK]

Except they did. According to RAF records, they lost 13 planes shot down, and 6 crash landed. Several other aircraft had various degrees of damage, but managed to RTB safely. Marseilles may have claimed some of the planes that were damaged but made it back thinking they were more badly damaged than they were. In any case a victory for Marseilles even if not an outright "kill".

I'd agree with this statement. If we are in a fight and you give me such damage as it forces me to abandon the fight and go land. You have effectively won the fight even if you did not outright destroy me. You have though downed me and vise verse

[DREDIOCK]

As many have said, it is very hard to qualify the response as it was not a UFC fight - too many other factors at play, from area of operations, relative numbers in the air, aircraft type...etc  etc.

This too I would agree with. For example. By 44,45 most of the best German pilots were long gone. I would put forth the sheer number of sorties German pilots flew as a primary cause. Eventually fatigue takes its toll and luck runs out

[Guppy35]

These were all good fighter jocks, but the German fighter pilot in N. Africa was by far the best that I can think of right now. 17 kills in one day! wow!

There are those who have looked at that day and not come up with those 17 claims

[Phoenix3107]

It's a split call for me between Clarence B. Anderson and Robin Olds.

[Zimme83]

Marseille, Juutilainen and Wind top 3. Juutilainen and Wind with 34 and 39 kills in Brewster, neither one of them crashed or were shot down a single time. Alldough Wind landed his 109 safely after a direct hit in the seat armour by a 37mm shell from a P-39 (BUGGY!!  )

[Puma44]

I'm the best fighter pilot.

No, I am.    

[Krupinski]

Hartmann was never shot down, but he had to ditch 14 times due to damage.

Yes, you're right but hence the quotes, those P51 pilots would probably say otherwise.