The first ace to reach a certain score
 

Good morning Gentlemen,

this list shows which ace was the first to reach a certain score. Enjoy !

Score / ace / date
5 Adolphe Pégoud 03.04.15
6 Eugène Gilbert 17.06.15
7 Lanoe Hawker 07.09.15
8-13 Oswald Boelcke 12.01.16-21.03.16
14 Max Immelmann 23.04.16
15-29 Oswald Boelcke 01.05.16-27.09.16
30-31 Albert Ball 30.09.16
32-40 Oswald Boelcke 10.10.16-26.10.16
41-80 Manfred von Richthofen 13.04.17-20.04.18

81-115 Werner Mölders 06.05.41-15.07.41
116-150 Gordon Gollob 07.08.42-29.08.42
151-202 Hermann Graf 05.09.42-26.09.42
203-205 Hans Philipp 17.03.43-16.05.43
206-255 Walter Nowotny 14.09.43-12.11.43
256-275 Günther Rall 12.03.44-12.05.44
276-352 Erich Hartmann 20.08.44-08.05.45

Michael

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

Hi Michael

Philipp had quite a few unconfirmed in his total, so in reality Nowotny led 203-255.
My friend Bernd Barbas questioned Rall about his "275th" not being on the mikrofilms, but all others were. He explained that he was wounded after this one and just didn't complete the paperwork, thus unconfirmed, though we know it fell. I suspect that Rall was one of the few honest guys in the "200" club. So Rall 256-274.

Molders also had a few unconfirmed, as I suspect Gollob.

Berkhorn just misses out, being on 272 when Rall on 274.

Sad thing is that is reality Rall would have been first to 200 and 250. Perhaps Marseilles first to 150(by memory)

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

Hello Johannes,

if my memory serves me well, Hans Philipp's 203rd kill was recognized in the Wehrmachtsbericht from 18Mar1943. But I cannot relocate the text.

Michael

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

I've found an interesting discussion about the most successful living ace at given periods of time. This is worth a look:
http://forum.balsi.de/index.php?topic=6981.0

Cheers,

Michael

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

Good afternoon Gentlmen,

three late first scores by Erich Hartmann are still unclear to me:
346 (??.03.1945): what was the exact date ?
347 (16.03.1945): what did he shoot down ?
352 (08.05.1945): did he fly a Bf109G or a Bf109K ?

Michael

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

On May 8, 1945 Hartmann did not shoot down anything. Not sure about the model he flew though.
Gabor

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

Xavier Méal wrote in 2015 quite clearly, that it was a Bf109K and the wording sounds as if Hartmann himself said that some time before (in an interview?)

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

Maybe. Anyways, the only planes that Hartmann destroyed on May 8, 1945 were the final Bf 109s of his unit. After landing he claimed his final 'victory' over a never existing Yak-9 and destroyed the remaining Bf 109s with his cannon on the ground in order to avoid Soviet capture of them.
Gabor

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

Any idea what he believed to have shot down on 16.March?
Cheers,
Michael

Re: The first ace to reach a certain score
 

I do not know.
Gabor