Fictional "Ace"

[JamesM]

Hi all!

I am writing a historical fiction novel about a fictional Spitfire ace, New Zealander James Jacob Lucas, during 1943-45. I said that he equalled "Johnnie" Johnson's score of 38 "kills", and I want to know if it is alright to put this into effect?
Any help appreciated.

Thanks.

James.

[SMF144]

Hi James,

Interesting question. Well, if it's fiction then the sky's the limit, right?

Stephen

[JamesM]

Thanks for the repy!

I've since upped it to 64 confirmed "kills". Too many confirmed "kills" for my "real" pilot to rack up in three years of war?

Hope to hear from you.

Thanks.

James.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The main problem to achieve such a score was that it was unlikely for a Western pilot to stay on the frontline long enough to see enough German planes to achieve this score. Both RAF and USAAF thought that someone that scored 20+ victories was then better used learning how to score to young people on the rear than on the front to be killed trying to score the next one...

So although Johnson score was possible (he did it), 64 is propably too high for the RAF in WWII. The RAF top-scorer Pattle was killed at 50 and may have fought some time more over Greece and Crete and score some more kills, but all the surviving aces of his unit didn't increase their score AFAIK after these battles...

In late war (43-45) such a score is IMOO impossible because of the lack of targets per Allied pilot. In the early war, the problem was not the lack of target but the fact to survive long enough. Very few pilots flew during the both phases of the war while flying fighters (from memory, I have more example of successfull 1940 aces flying Typhoons, bombers or even transports than of those flying still Spitfire in 1944).