Best Pilots....

Lucrum · Jan 15, 2014

Lucrum · Jan 15, 2014

377OHMS · Jan 16, 2014

Quote from Lucrum:

Colonel Robin Olds

Olds was a god, plain and simple.

Another favorite of mine is more obscure, one Raoul Lufbery of Escadrille Lafayette. He is credited with upwards of 60 kills including 5 kills on his first combat mission. By all accounts you didn't want to run into this guy as he was handy against multiple attackers.

Lufbery would typically initiate a head-on encounter with an attacking formation and then turn tightly into them on the merge. The attackers would also enter a tight turn trying to get a shot on Lufbery and all would end up in a tight descending circle until proximity with the ground forced everyone in the circle to flatten out their flight paths. Lufbery would pick off the attackers who remained in the circle as they could no longer jink and yo-yo near the ground and momentarily straighten out to put a few shells into anyone who panicked and attempted to leave the circle after which he would cut immediately back into the circle.

Many of Lufbery's victims simply stalled or snap-rolled and dug a hole if they were not shot outright.

Lucrum · Jan 16, 2014

Quote from 377OHMS:

Olds was a god, plain and simple.

Another favorite of mine is more obscure, one Raoul Lufbery of Escadrille Lafayette. He is credited with upwards of 60 kills including 5 kills on his first combat mission. By all accounts you didn't want to run into this guy as he was handy against multiple attackers.

Lufbery would typically initiate a head-on encounter with an attacking formation and then turn tightly into them on the merge. The attackers would also enter a tight turn trying to get a shot on Lufbery and all would end up in a tight descending circle until proximity with the ground forced everyone in the circle to flatten out their flight paths. Lufbery would pick off the attackers who remained in the circle as they could no longer jink and yo-yo near the ground and momentarily straighten out to put a few shells into anyone who panicked and attempted to leave the circle after which he would cut immediately back into the circle.

Many of Lufbery's victims simply stalled or snap-rolled and dug a hole if they were not shot outright.

I'm surprised I hadn't heard of him before.

There are a number of well known aggressive fighter pilots that had a reputation for flying headlong into a swarm of enemy fighters.

There's actually a method to their apparent madness.
From an offensive standpoint, you're immersing yourself in a target rich environment. Increasing the odds of a kill or even multiple kills.
From a defensive standpoint, no matter the enemy's number only one or two can ever be in a position to fire on you at any given time.

Similar concept to the kung fu guy who takes on 50 bad guys.
Regardless of their number no more than a few can get close enough at any given time to be a threat.

Scataphagos · Jan 16, 2014

Quote from Lucrum:

http://www.airspacemag.com/panorama/198460521.html?start=14&page=1&c=y

I'd only seen pictures of SR-71 before, but the day I arrived at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, I saw both an SR-71 and U2 taking off... presumed heading for Vietnam. Vivid images, still.

Lucrum · Feb 26, 2014

Lucrum · Mar 18, 2014

Lucrum · Mar 18, 2014

Lucrum · Mar 24, 2014

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Lucrum · Apr 27, 2014