Favorite Ace

Ace in a day against five -190s in a P-38! That's scrappy.

One of my favourite aces is Alfred Wattle Benjamin Clare who first saw combat at the ripe old age of 31 in December 1941.

Alf, known to all and sundry as "Sinbad", was a pre-war omnibus driver in Maitland, New South Wales. He enlisted in the RAAF and, straight out of training, was posted to 453 Sqn in Singapore to fly Buffalos. He got 5 kills flying against the Japanese over Malaya and Singapore from 8 Dec 1941 to 15 Feb 1942. He was evacuated back to Australia, was commissioned, and later flew Boomerangs on operations in New Guinea.

I have a letter from Bill Collyer, another 453 Sqn Buffalo pilot, who mentioned Alf's achievement becoming an ace on the Buffalo. He said "It was a mighty effort, but then Alf was a mighty bloke." Surely there can be no greater compliment from one Aussie to another!

Here are a couple of my favourite photos of Alf, in his Boomerang "Sinbad II":






And here's Alf after commissioning (he's a Flt Lt in the pic) later in the war:

A very hard, but interesting question!!!

Would like to know what other members think of this topic!

ARTESH said:

A very hard, but interesting question!!!

Would like to know what other members think of this topic!

Click to expand...

Amen! There's so many here who know so much about these guys that I'd love to hear. I'd also love to hear drgondog tell us more about his father -- and any other members who have fighter pilots in the family, even if they're not aces.

Thumpalumpacus said:

Amen! There's so many here who know so much about these guys that I'd love to hear. I'd also love to hear drgondog tell us more about his father -- and any other members who have fighter pilots in the family, even if they're not aces.

Click to expand...

Ahh my father. Oldest of four boys, worked at rail yard in home town Greeneville TX school to help pay bills during Depression, worked early mornings before school during football season. Started as QB as a Freshman, was All-State Texas QB three times (first and only 3 time All State in Texas, including Davy O'Brien.). Won one State HS championship, Runner up next year losing 7-6 playing with separated shoulder and other team knew he couldn't pass.

Went to Vanderbilt, was Colliers Honorable Mention ALL American QB, Joined AAF after graduation. Aviation Cadet July through November 1940. Graduated in Class 41-A. Retained as Instructor and served Durance Vile in ATC until he escaped into B-26 assignment, Completed Advanced Training in B-26 and escaped again into Fighters, claiming too short to reach rudder pedals. Completed ATS in P-40K at Sarasota in April, 1944. Shipped to ETO as replacement (Cpt) and grabbed out of replacement pool by Ace and 354FS CO LtC Claiborne Kinnard at 355th FG. Reported to 355th on June 1. Flew first mission at 0230 June 6, shot his first airplane down (Ju 87) late that afternoon. Began combat ops as #4, then few Kinnard's wing, then became flight leader after June 20th when he got two 109s 'plus' a thrird when he hit another diving on him in a head on pass off 30 degree deflection... and it went straight in. He withdrew his claim when his flight leader claimed that the same 109 chasing him lost control and dove into the ground. He received his first DFC by shooting them off the tails of two of his flight in trouble. He became 354FS Ops Officer when Kinnard moved to 355HQ as Deputy Gp CO. He became 354FS CO on July 28 - eight weeks after first day of Combat. He became Ace one week later. Was shot down by flak and rescued by #3 Deacon Priest in first ETO piggy back rescue on August 18, 1944. Promoted to Major the next week. Shot down two more 109s on September 11 plus a damaged. Led the Fighter Escort for last Shuttle Mission September 18th to Warsaw Poland and then Kiev, then Foggia and back to Steeple Morden on the 22nd. Promoted to Deputy Group CO and LtC in October. Finished his first Tour with a belly landing of a rail flak crapped out Mustang with over 200 holes in it.

Second Tour not as exciting, but led the 354th FS on its highest one day bag of 39 Destroyed at Husum on April 13 and got 4-2 on the ground to close out WWII with 7 air, 4 ground - Silver Star, 4 DFC, 13 AM, Croix De Guerre and Polish Medal of Valor. Post VE Day Group CO of 355th at Gablingen GY.

Over the years my favorite fighter pilots (aces) were my father, Olds, Kinnard, Hovde, Hill, Priest and Ralph Parr. I have had several encounters with Rall, Galland and Krupinski - one with Hartman. I was impressed with all, but Very impressed with Rall.

I never gave the remotest thought to playing QB in HS or college - but he never put any pressure on me to play anything so I was content with being pretty good running back and corner. I did eventually clean his clock at golf and wing/competitive shooting, although he was a pretty good shot and golfer. I miss him.

A good cornerback is worth his weight in gold.

Your dad has one hell of a story -- thanks for sharing it.

Kyösti (Kössi) Karhila

There's quite a few Aces I like, but a couple stand out.

One of which, is Bill Overstreet, who was quite an accomplished pilot (and character) and he had whitewall tires and red wheels on his P-51, too!




Another, would be Gerhard Thyben, an Fw190 pilot, who on the last day of the war, shot down a Soviet fighter as he was flying to the west to surrender - with his crew chief in the baggage compartment!

GrauGeist said:

There's quite a few Aces I like, but a couple stand out.

One of which, is Bill Overstreet, who was quite an accomplished pilot (and character) and he had whitewall tires and red wheels on his P-51, too!

View attachment 686300

Interview with Captain William B. "Bill" Overstreet, 363rd FS - Bud Anderson: To Fly and Fight

Training; Hamilton Field; Assigned to 357th FG I was born in Clifton Forge, Virginia, on April 10, 1921. On December 7, 1941, I was working as a statistical engineer for...

toflyandfight.com

Another, would be Gerhard Thyben, an Fw190 pilot, who on the last day of the war, shot down a Soviet fighter as he was flying to the west to surrender - with his crew chief in the baggage compartment!

Click to expand...

Hi Dave - Bill Overstreet was credited with 2.25 air and 2 ground. He caught quite a bit of trash from other 357 pilots for his claim of chasing and destroying 109 under the Eiffel Tower as the 357FG (or him) was nowhere near Paris that day of his claim.

drgondog said:

Hi Dave - Bill Overstreet was credited with 2.25 air and 2 ground. He caught quite a bit of trash from other 357 pilots for his claim of chasing and destroying 109 under the Eiffel Tower as the 357FG (or him) was nowhere near Paris that day of his claim.

Click to expand...

I know the Eiffel Tower story was questionable, but his exploits, including a near-death experience in a P-39 is quite a read.

And you gotta love those whitewall tires!

Thumpalumpacus said:

Another point I found interesting, which I didn't mention above in the interest of brevity, is that he's the only American fighter pilot to make ace in two theaters in WWII, at least according to the Wiki article I linked.

Again, this is why I love this forum -- I learn so much about a topic which obviously interests us all. Good stuff!

Click to expand...

Howard was Paid for 1.33 air and 4 ground AVG, then had six air with 354h FG in ETO.

Off the top John Landers had 6 in P-40 SWP, 4 in P-38 and 4.5 in P-51D in ETO.

drgondog said:

Howard was Paid for 1.33 air and 4 ground AVG, then had six air with 354h FG in ETO.

Off the top John Landers had 6 in P-40 SWP, 4 in P-38 and 4.5 in P-51D in ETO.

Click to expand...

I always appreciate corrections, especially when the sources are so good.

Thumpalumpacus said:

I always appreciate corrections, especially when the sources are so good.

Click to expand...

Thump - not correcting You, only Wiki.

How about Lt. Curdes?

Didn't make ace in both theaters, but had an interesting talley...

I'd have to go with Hans-Joachim Marseille. 158 kills, all but 7 against the Western Allies in North Africa, including 17 in three sorties. Equally honoured and respected by everyone, and very much a non-Nazi to boot.

Canada's top ace of the war, Richard Audet. Not too many aces were KIA by trains.

Illmari Juutilainen

CrotalusKid said:

Illmari Juutilainen

Click to expand...

A very interesting one, indeed!!!

Highest non-German Ace of All times, with +90 confirmed Aerial victories!!!

Also the Finnish Submarine commanders were more successful than Italians.

Helmut Lipfert, officially 203 kills. A modest man, also liked by his Romanian trainees, did not give any impression of an arrogant Nazi. In addition, he seems to have been exceptionally accurate in his air victory claims. And why not my distant relative Captain Olli Puhakka, also a very accurate claimant, officially credited 46 kills and 10 damaged, or the carefree humorist and also a very accurate claimant Warrant officer Eero Kinnunen, officially credited 22½ kills and 2 damaged.