Gabby Gabreski
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Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski was an American career pilot in the United States Air Force who retired as a colonel after 26 years of military service. He was the top American and United States Army Air Forces fighter ace over Europe during World War II and a jet fighter ace with the Air Force in the Korean War.
Gabby Gabreski
Second lieutenant Gabby Gabreski (left) and first lieutenant Cyclone Davis (second from left) at the Wheeler Field Officers Club, Hawaii, 1941
Gabreski and S/Sgt. Ralph Safford, his crew chief. The assistant crew chief Felix Schacki is in the background.
Gabreski in the cockpit of his P-47 after his 28th victory
Flying ace
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A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually considered to be five or more.
The "first French ace", Frenchman Adolphe Pégoud being awarded the Croix de guerre.
Manfred von Richthofen, known as the "Red Baron", scored the most officially accepted kills (80) in World War I and is arguably the most famous flying ace of all time.
French Colonel Rene Fonck, to this day the highest-scoring Allied flying ace with 75 victories.
Erich Hartmann, with 352 official kills the highest scoring fighter pilot of all time.