Top Allied tank ace of WWII

tigerman

IMO, only tanks should be qualified as a kill. Jeeps and halftracks can't defend themselves in most cases and are unarmored. I believe pilots didn't count planes shot up on the ground as kills, only air-to-air combat.

Just like WWI pilots counted tethered observation baloons as kills (due to the danger of supporting AA located around them) in late WWII there were also ground kills credited to pilots, and for the same reason. But those kills do not count towards their tally of aerial victories and "acedom". Just as V-1s downed by various methods do not count towards those tallies either.

Now the whole tank "ace" thing is something that is really hard to compare to the air ace concept. Aside from being an invention of the Goebbels propaganda machine, a tank is run and fought by a crew, as opposed to a fighter plane. If the gunner is a poor shot, they loose. If the driver can not drive his vehicle in a tactical manner that enhances survivability, they loose. If the commander is not looking around for threats and spotting them first, they lose. If the loader can not load quickly for rapid follow up shot to insure a kill, they lose. Oh yeah, they all gotta maintain the beast so that it does not break down at a critical moment and they end up toast. 

Now the fighter pilot has to fly and fight his machine solo. Yes his ground crew keeps him flying, but all the variables of flying and fighting the plane, mechanical issues aside, are in his control: manuevering, shooting, looking,etc. all fall in his lap.

IMO, only tanks should be qualified as a kill. Jeeps and halftracks can't defend themselves in most cases and are unarmored. I believe pilots didn't count planes shot up on the ground as kills, only air-to-air combat.

This is an 11 year old post but it is wrong and I feel the need to post correct information.

Lafayette G. Pool had 12 Tanks, 246 AFVs/trucks as registered kills

BUT

The man credited as the Western Allies Tank Ace of WW2 was Canadian

Sydney V. Radley-Walters. He had 18 tank kills and an unregistered number of AFV's/trucks.

Tanks under his command are also thought to have killed German Ace Michael Wittmann.

QUOTE: Originally posted by edog The link states that Pool would always ride with his head out of the tank, constantly on the look out for the enemy. Call this stupid, smart, or gutsy, it worked. Like in most fights, it sounds like his aggressiveness is what made him so good at his job .

QUOTE: you have to go with facts once in a while