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wdolson -> RE: Name this plane? (4/30/2014 10:54:28 PM)
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After the war Erich Hartman was captured by the Russians and interrogated for hours on end. One time an interrogator was trying to get him to admit he was the best ace in history and asked him if he shot down more planes than anyone else and Hartman answered "no". When the interrogator asked how he could come to this conclusion Hartman explained that Marseille shot down 158 British aircraft and everyone in the Luftwaffe knew that one British or American aircraft was worth at least three Russian planes, so Marseille was the top ace of the Luftwaffe.
The interrogators had strict orders not to touch the people they were working over. It was psychological torture only. In this case the interrogator lost his cool and hit Hartman. Hartman never saw him again.
For the Allies there is also Marmaduke Pattle who may have been the RAF's ace of aces. He was killed in the Greece campaign and all records of his squadron were lost, so none of his kills were confirmed. Squadron mates have claimed his total was 50 when he was killed. At least 27 have been confirmed by comparing to Luftwaffe and Italian records.
He scored a number of his victories in a Gloster Gladiator.
If he had lived and was allowed to return to combat, who knows what kind of score he may have ended up with.
Bill
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