This video gives a quick summary of an in depth study of selected German Fighter Ace kill claims:
View: https://youtu.be/TV86LNJKYYM
View: https://youtu.be/TV86LNJKYYM
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Logically, given a large sample size, any pilot's kill claims should have the same probability of being being verified as a loss or not. The study found that Hartmann's kill claims had only a ~21% verification rate vs ~90% of other pilots such as Lipfert. How could the enemy 'discriminate' against some German pilots and not others?The book "Verified Victories" is based on the notion that a victory for one side means the other side records a loss. That is not always the case, and many records were destroyed in war. There are any number of reasons why this is not the case, but the main one is exceedingly simple.
Suppose pilot A shoots an enemy plane from the sly by simply hitting his fuel line or carburetor. The airplane is recovered, repaired, and flies in combat again. Whether or not with the same pilot is immaterial.
1) Fact: The pilot claiming the victory shot an enemy airplane from the fight, and so SHOULD be awarded a victory.
2) Fact: The enemy shot from the fight was not completely destroyed. In my mid, completer3 destruction is not a requirement anyway.
3) Fact: The enemy side did not record a loss, nor SHOULD they have recorded it as such.
So, we have a victory without a corresponding match.
I have a very basic issue with "Verified Victories" premise (each victory must be matched by a corresponding loss) , and believe there are many cases where a victory is warranted when there is no recorded corresponding loss.
Sorry, Hartmann stands at 352 for me. It was his wartime total as awarded. I'll happily look at the aces for countries that used a point total for victory awards, such as Bulgaria. They used a point system:
individual claim for a four engined bomber destroyed = 3 points.
individual claim for a four engined bomber damaged = 2 points.
individual claim for a fighter aircraft destroyed = 1 point.
individual claim for a two engined bomber damaged = 1 point.
shared claim for a four engined bomber destroyed = 1 point.
shared claim for a four engined bomber damaged = 1 point.
individual claim for a fighter aircraft damaged = 0 points.
Others used points, too, such as Romania: 3 victories for a 4 or 6 engined aircraft - 2 victories for a 2 or 3 engined aircraft - 1 point for a single engined aircraft. I cannot agree with "points" when we are talking about victories over individual enemy aircraft, but they DID have some good pilots.
I have no way to verify Hartmann's victories
Of course, I don't HAVE and do not see how I can GET German primary