Ace / Aces

Definition: Popular term to describe fighter pilots with high numbers of kills. The idea of the air 'ace' began in 1915 when a French magazine praised a pilot who recorded five kills. The cult of the air ace developed alongside aerial combat and by 1916 French units began publishing lists of kills for individual pilots, minimum scores were set by most nations for their medal winners and publicity flourished. The leading ace of all nations was Manfred von Richthofen, the 'Red Baron', with 80; the minimum to be an ace was five.