WW2 Royal Navy decimal score aces

[knusel]

Hello there gentlemen,

"Royal Navy Aces of World War 2" is a marvellous OSPREY volume, written by Andrew Thomas. It features a Royal Navy Ace list with shared kills counted fully.
Based on this, I compiled a WW2 Royal Navy ace list with shared kills counted in decimals and added the planes used for scoring. Enjoy.

Michael

Cork 9,75 [9+2] Hurricane 5,5 [5+1] Sea Hurricane 4,25 [4+1]
Sewell 9,5 [6+7] Fulmar 8 [5+6] Gladiator 1 [1+0] Sea Gladiator 0,5 [0+1]
Orr 9 [6+6] Fulmar 8,5 [6+5] Hellcat 0,5 [0+1]
Hay 7,92 [4+9] Skua 0,5 [0+1] Fulmar 4,42 [2+6] Corsair 3 [2+2]
Hogg 7,5 [4+8] Fulmar 7,5 [4+8]
Gardner 7,33 [6+4] Hurricane 4,33 [4+1] Fulmar 3 [2+3]
Dawson-Paul 7,25 [7+1] Spitfire 7,25 [7+1]
Barnes 7 [6+2] Fulmar 7 [6+2]
Tillard 6,5 [6+1] Fulmar 6,5 [6+1]
Ritchie 6 [5+2] Sea Hurricane 3,5 [3+1] Hellcat 2,5 [2+1]
Bruen 5,83 [4+4] Skua 0,83 [0+2] Fulmar 1,5 [1+1] Sea Hurricane 3,5 [3+1]
Brabner 5,5 [5+1] Fulmar 1 [1+0] Sea Hurricane 4,5 [4+1]
Jeram 5,5 [5+1] Hurricane 4 [4+0] Martlet 1,5 [1+1]
Evans 5 [2+8] Skua 0,33 [0+1] Fulmar 4,67 [1+7]
Sheppard 5 [4+2] Corsair 5 [4+2]
Sparke 5 [4+2] Fulmar 5 [4+2]

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Dear Sir,

I know that Sheppard was the only Royal Navy ace to score 5 victories with the Corsair and that all of them were against the Japanese Air Force.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[knusel]

Hello Edward,

yes. His Corsair is portrayed on the cover of the above-mentioned book.
Also of note is Canadian RH Gray who for sinking a Japanese ship with his Corsair and dying in doing so, received the Victoria Cross.

The biggest question mark of my list remains Jack Sewell's individual claim on 16Jan1941. This wonderful website
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/commonwealth_sewell.htm
says "It is possible, but not certain, that Sewell claimed on this date." (Last modified 29 April 2015) Has this issue been clarified in the meantime ?

Have a nice weekend,

Michael

[keith A]

There is some doubt as to whether Sheppard was actually an ace, one of his victories was only claimed as a probable but may have been confirmed later.

regards

Keith

[knusel]

Hello,

you're right. Intresting aspect. Christoper Shores reports the same conclusion in ACES HIGH, which seems to have been adopted by Andrew Thomas in the OSPREY Volume.
http://acesofww2.com/can/aces/sheppard_Don.htm

I think we should also include Bill Atkinson 5,83 [5+2] Hellcat 5,83 [5+2]
http://acesofww2.com/can/aces/atkinson/

Have a nice evening,

Michael

[knusel]

...what was William Atkinson's official final tally ?

In "Hellcat Aces of World War 2" Barrett Tillman writes the Fleet Air Arm logged 455 aerial victories (3.33 by Atkinson). Is there an official list of these ?

[Alfred.MONZAT]

It's an info from Chris Shores' Ace High, you'll find some details on these victories in the following pages: https://books.google.fr/books?id=66V2BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA83
There are supposedly 52 victories credited to FAA Hellcats.

[knusel]

...yes and 67 by Martlets/Wildcats, 52,5 by Corsairs, 112 by Fulmars.
I wonder if there is an official list of all 455 Fleet Air Arm kills.

Have a good Monday evening,

Michael

[knusel]

"Royal Navy Aces of World War 2" by Andrew Thomas also mentions some borderline cases of top aces of rather rare aircraft types:

• William Lucy claimed 3,33 [0+7] kills in the Blackburn Skua
• John Stott claimed 3,5 [2+3] kills in the Fairey Firefly
• Charles Keighly-Peach claimed 3,5 [3+1] plus one probable in the Gloster Sea Gladiator
• Rupert Brabner claimed 4,5 [4+1] kills in the Hawker Sea Hurricane
• Richard Reynolds claimed 3,5 [2+3] kills in the Supermarine Seafire