List of World War II aces from Germany
Name Rank Total wartime victories Unit Notes
Karl Ebbighausen Hauptmann 7 /10 JG 26
Heinz Ebeling Oberleutnant 18 JG 26 Knight 's Cross
Kurt Ebener Oberleutnant 57 /51 JG 3 , JG 11 Knight 's Cross
Kurt Ebersberger Hauptmann 30 /31 JG 26
Helmut Eberspächer Hauptmann 7 SKG 10 Knight 's Cross
Manfred Eberwein Oberleutnant 44+ JG 54
Reinhold Eckardt * Oberleutnant 20 NJG 1 , NJG 3 Knight 's Cross KIA 30 July 1942
Franz Eckerle * Hauptmann 59 JG 54 Knight 's Cross with Oak Leaves MIA 14 February 1942
Georg-Peter Eder Major 78 /50+ JG 51 , JG 26 , JG 1 , JG 2 Knight 's Cross with Oak Leaves
Johannes Edmann Oberfeldwebel 5 JG 26
Walter Ehle * Major 36 NJG 1 Knight 's Cross KIA 17 November 1943
Karl-Heinz Ehlen Leutnant 7 JG 26
Hans Ehlers * Major 55 JG 3 , JG 1 Knight 's Cross KIA 27 December 1944
Rudolf Ehrenberger * Oberfeldwebel 47 JG 53 Knight 's Cross KIA 8 March 1944
Heinrich Ehrler * Major 209 /182+ JG 5 , JG 7 Knight 's Cross with Oak Leaves KIA 4 April 1945
Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber Major 96 /91 JG 1 , JG 26 , JG 51 , JG 27 , JV 44 Knight 's Cross
Günther Eichhorn Leutnant 8 JG 5
Heinrich Eickhoff Oberleutnant 6 JG 27
Heinrich Graf von Einsiedel Oberleutnant 35 JG 3 German Cross
Franz Eisenach Major 129 JG 54 Knight 's Cross
Background -- E
This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. It is relatively certain that 2,500 German fighter pilots attained ace status, having achieved at least 5 aerial victories. This article lists 890 (updated as of October 2017) of these aces. German day and night fighter pilots claimed roughly 70,000 aerial victories during World War II, over 25,000 British or American and over 45,000 Russian-flown aircraft. 103 German fighter pilots shot down 100 or more enemy aircraft, for a total of approximately 15,400 victories. Approximately 360 German fighter pilots shot down from 40 to 99 enemy aircraft for a total of approximately 21,000 victories. Approximately 500 German fighter pilots shot down from 20 to 39 enemy aircraft for a total of approximately 15,000 victories. These achievements were honored with 453 German day fighter pilots and Zerstörer (destroyer) fighter pilots and 85 German night fighter pilots (including 14 crew members), for a total of 538 German fighter pilots, receiving the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. German losses, on the other hand, were very high as well. Roughly 12,000 German day fighter pilots were killed or are still missing in action, with a further 6,000 being wounded. The Zerstörer (destroyer) pilots suffered about 2,800 casualties, either killed or missing in action, plus another 900 wounded in action.