WWI British Empire Aces

Regardless of the odds, the British fliers of the RFC (later the RAF), took the fight to the Germans. Almost all aerial combat in their sector took place over the German lines. In the early part of the war, they favored the ungainly looking pusher biplanes. But when equipped with Nieuports, SE5a's, and Sopwith Camels, they increasingly "gave as good as they got."

The trench warfare of World War One was a gory, unglamorous, wearying business. There wasn't much heroic about sitting in dirty, muddy trenches. And it was even less heroic when the young men by the hundreds of thousands were mowed down German artillery and machine guns, in stupid frontal assaults on their trenches.

But the young fliers, above it all, fighting chivalrously amongst the clouds - there was something for the propagandists to write about in The Illustrated London News.

Top British Empire Aces

Pilot	Nat.	Sqn(s)	Plane(s)	Medal	Official Claims	Adjusted* Claims
Lt. Col. Billy Bishop	Can.	No. 60, 85	Nieuport 11, S.E.5a		72	55.0
Major James T. B. McCudden	Eng.	No. 3, 20, 29, 66, 56	S.E.5a		57	46.5
Major William G. Barker	Can.	No. 9, 4, 15, 28, 34, 139	Sopwith Camel, Snipe		50	40.5
Major Edward 'Mick' Mannock	Eng.	No. 40, 74, 85	S.E.5a		61	37.5
Captain Anthony F. W. Beauchamp Proctor	S. A.	No. 84	S.E.5a		54	34.0
Captain H. W. Woollett	Eng.	No. 24, 43	D.H.2, D.H.5, Sopwith Camel	DSO	35	31.0
Captain G. E. H. McElroy	Ire.	No. 40, 24	S.E.5a	MC	46	31.0
Captain James Ira 'Taffy' Jones	Aus.	No. 74	S.E.5a	DSO	37	29.5
Captain Albert Ball	Eng.	No. 13, 11, 60, 56	Bristol Scout, Nieuport 11, S.E.5a		44	28.5
Lt. Col. Raymond Collishaw	Can.	No. 3(N), 10(N), 13(N), 203	Sopwith 1½ Strutter, Pup, Triplane, Camel	DSO	62	28.5
Major Tom F. Hazell	Ire.	No. 1, 24	Nieuport Scout, S.E.5a	DSO	43	26.5
Major. John I. Gilmour	Scot.	No. 27, 65	Martinsyde Elephant, Sopwith Camel	DSO	39	27.5
Captain Arthur H. Cobby	Aus.	AFC No. 4	Sopwith Camel	DSO	29	26.5
Above this row includes all British Empire aces with over 25 claims, on an adjusted basis. Below are other noted aces.
Major D. R. MacLaren	Can.	No. 46,	Sopwith Camel	DSO	54	24.0
Captain Robert A. Little	Aus.	No. 8(N), 3(N), 203	Sopwith Pup, Triplane, Camel	DSO	47	21.0
Captain Philip F. Fullard	Eng.	No. 1	Nieuport 11	DSO	40	14.5
Lt. Arthur P. F. Rhys Davids	-	No. 56	S.E.5a	DSO	25	7.0
Major Lanoe George Hawker	Eng.	No. 6, 24	Bristol Scout, F.E.2, D.H.2		7	4.0
Captain Arthur Roy Brown	Can.	No. 9(N), 209	Sopwith Pup, Camel	DSC	10	3.5
Lt. Col. Wilmot B. Rees	Wales	No. 11, 32	Vickers F.B.5, D.H.2		8	2.0
*Counted on a basis comparable with WW2 claims. "Driven down" and "out of control" not included; these would have been "probables" in WW2. "Shared" simply counted as 0.5. Destroyed balloons included.
No. 3(N) is No. Squadron (Naval)

WWI British Empire Aces

Sopwith Camel and S.E.5a Pilots

Top British Empire Aces

Victoria Cross Recipients