Which of the top three scoring flying aces of all time died on 8 January 1983?
d989499169463462b53c71d66102a66c
Jagdgeschwader 52 "Jagdgeschwader" 52 (JG 52) (52nd Fighter Wing) of the Luftwaffe, was the most successful fighter-wing of all time, with a claimed total of more than 10,000 victories over enemy aircraft during World War II. It was the unit of the top three scoring flying aces of all time, Erich Hartmann, Gerhard Barkhorn and Günther Rall. The unit flew exclusively with the various versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 throughout the war.
97d08a7ff1d48e7f1f4be3f300bb5de4
Gerhard Barkhorn Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn (20 March 1919 – 8 January 1983) was the second most successful fighter ace of all time after fellow "Luftwaffe" pilot Erich Hartmann, the two people to ever exceed 300 confirmed victories. Barkhorn joined the "Luftwaffe" in 1937 and completed his training in 1939.
b163ccadae0407023796131082e65094
Evan Mackie Evan Dall "Rosie" Mackie, {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (31 October 1917 – 28 April 1986) was a New Zealand fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War. Many New Zealand pilots who served overseas enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF); Mackie chose to join the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and as such, with 21.5 "kills", he was the highest scoring member of that service.
248825ac863bb3f0e4cec5a532bb2dc0
Frank George Gibbons Flight Lieutenant Frank George Gibbons {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (13 June 1899 – 21 May 1932) was a British First World War flying ace credited with fourteen aerial victories. He served in the Royal Air Force post-war, until killed in a flying accident during an air race.
7801efd46ae37087c3bff3c44323458b
Frederick Stanley Gordon Lieutenant Frederick Stanley Gordon was a World War I flying ace from New Zealand. While serving in Britain's Royal Air Force, he scored nine aerial victories as a fighter pilot.
eef9709e0a83bebe13760f8c4efd4e7b
E. Grahame Joy Major Ernst Grahame Joy {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (2 November 1888 – 21 June 1993) was an American-born Canadian who became a flying ace during the First World War, credited with eight aerial victories. He had set aside his law studies and family obligations to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force, then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. While he left military service after World War I to practice law, he would return to the colours for World War II.
5a804a7534b21115ad0250f4cd72cfa4
George Gates Captain George Brian Gates {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (born 21 July 1899 – date of death unknown) was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories, twelve of them enemy aircraft, and three observation balloons.
0d7a27b2c205e5a74b61569e5423d4b9
Victor Huston Major Victor Henry Huston {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (13 October 1890 – 10 April 1941) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. He was the only ace in his squadron.
b83e4c4bed0d1a8a6ab708d115348411
William Cambray Lieutenant William Charles Cambray {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (12 November 1894 – 1978) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories won while flying as an observer/gunner in two-seater aircraft.
fd55289e0d00921f756a46f39a04a85d
Karl Thom Leutnant Karl Thom (19 May 1893 – 3 March 1945), was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 27 victories. He was decorated with both his nation's highest decorations for valor, the Military Merit Cross as an enlisted soldier, and the Pour le Mérite after he was commissioned as an officer. He was one of only four German aces of World War I to achieve this double award.
a7ea2fa368f522e9e692b28bc7645f36
Les Clisby Leslie Redford (Les) Clisby, (29 June 1914 – 15 May 1940) was an Australian fighter ace of World War II. Serving with the Royal Air Force (RAF), he was credited with sixteen aerial victories before being killed in action during the Battle of France. In a combat career lasting a matter of months, he was Australia's first ace of the war. Born in South Australia, Clisby joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a mechanic in 1935, but was later accepted for flying training. He graduated as a pilot in 1937, and chose to take a commission with the RAF. After arriving in Britain, he was assigned to No. 1 Squadron, flying the recently introduced Hawker Hurricane. Posted to France following the outbreak of World War II, he achieved his first aerial victory on 1 April 1940. Clisby became known as a highly aggressive fighter pilot, who threw himself into combat irrespective of the odds. In a five-day period, commencing on 10 May 1940, he was credited with destroying at least eight German aircraft. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for these and earlier victories, he was himself shot down in flames on 15 May. He was buried in France.
40620d74157e090deb97c00b4910b1c1
Urban L. Drew Urban Leonard Drew (March 21, 1924 – April 3, 2013), known as Ben Drew, was a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Forces and a flying ace. He was the first and the only Allied pilot to shoot down two Luftwaffe jet-powered Me-262 aircraft in a single mission while flying a propeller-driven North American P-51 Mustang. He received the Air Force Cross for the mission in 1983.
09425795dd96c9c1da3e620ee746720e
Edric Broadberry Captain Edric William Broadberry {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (14 December 1894 – 26 December 1967) was a British pilot. He began his military career during World War I. During that conflict, he would become a flying ace credited with eight confirmed aerial victories. He remained in service throughout World War II, and served his nation for 33 years, not retiring until 1947.
6a5fc57b7d34979120b032383828968e
Robert P. Baldwin Robert P. Baldwin (October 19, 1917 – April 7, 1994) was an Army Air Corps and United States Air Force pilot during World War II and Korea. He became a flying ace during the Korean War, shooting down five enemy aircraft.
2f790c3cd4926f1c733c997fecd0e0a4
Franz Büchner Franz Büchner (2 January 1898 – 18 March 1920) was one of the most successful German fighter aces of the First World War, shooting down 40 enemy aircraft. He survived the war, but died in 1920 while combating the communist revolutionaries in his nation.
85c742c59229dd23f8f1f4a03ef8cd32
Fraser Barron James 'Fraser' Barron DSO & Bar, DFC, DFM (9 January 1921 – 20 May 1944), was an officer of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) who was killed in flying operations during the Second World War. Barron was one of only four New Zealanders to be awarded a bar to his DSO and was considered a standout bomber pilot of the war.
c514eb5d4dcd2af4fa496c187dacc650
Edward Hoare (RAF airman) Sergeant Edward Hoare {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (18 July 1890 – 8 October 1973) was a British First World War flying ace credited with seven aerial victories as an observer/air gunner.
422d165aa9bda52e6c98ac346a05ed52
Thomas Stanley Horry Lieutenant Thomas Stanley Horry (born 21 May 1898, date of death unknown) was a First World War flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.
6fffe10ff23d5a26ff4e33b570a02c40
Victor Groom Air Marshal Sir Victor Emmanuel Groom, (4 August 1898 – 6 December 1990) was a senior officer in the British Royal Air Force and a flying ace of the First World War credited with eight aerial victories. He rose to become a consequential participant in air operations to support Operation Overlord, the invasion of France during the Second World War.
ea348f7128a21431c70c8830315d049b
Victor Sayaret Victor Louis Georges Sayaret (3 December 1889 – 19 July 1980) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.
88abb30f06f67ca284db5e9085089773
Ace of aces Ace of aces is a title accorded to the greatest active flying ace in a nation's military service (see List of aces of aces).
33985ee0e80dbd558764277f871bd81f
John E. L. Hunter Captain John Ellis Langford Hunter {'1': ", '2': ", '3': ", '4': "} (31 January 1897 – 18 June 1971) was a British World War I flying ace credited with 12 confirmed aerial victories.