Who Was the Greatest Pilot of Them All?

[BTs_GhostSniper]

This list is comprised of pilots that most aviation historians agree were the best at their skill--flying.  Some more famous aviators are not on the list because they were not as skilled as the pilots listed here (Amelia Earhart and Charles Lingbergh come to mind for this reason).  My personal pick goes to Gen James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle, who did as much to advance aviation as anyone.  He was an Air Racer in the 1920s and '30s, held the world speed record in 1932, won numerous aviation trophies, flew the world's first outside loop, perfected IFR flying and flew the first totally blind flight using instruments only, and he recieved one of the first (if not THE first) Doctorate Degrees in Aeronautical Science from MIT.  He is also one of the key people responsible for the development of high-octane aviation fuels that were so crucial to the success of the Allies in WWII.  In 1942, Gen Doolittle led a squadron of 16 B-25 Bombers in the first bombing raid on the Japanese Homeland during WWII, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.  Doolittle later became Commander of the 8th Air Force which directed the bombing raids over Europe during the last 2 years of the war.  After the war, Doolittle was instrumental in the creation of a separate Air Force in 1947.  He stopped flying in the early 1950s and was the highest ranking person ever to retire from the military reserves of the United States as a Lt Gen in 1959.  In 1985, President Reagan promoted him to the rank of General.  Jimmy Doolittle died in 1993 at age 96.

[c| Spetsnaz.]

I'd hafta go with Jimmy as well. My Grandmother had a chance to meet him before he died, and after her death a collage with his picture and autograph were passed on to me. Btw I also have an autographed picture of H.L. Mencken that my Grandmother passed down to me, and thats why I always quote him.

[Toxic::Joka]

Omg, wheres the red baron, the most legendary fighter ace ever...?

[BTs_GhostSniper]

Omg, wheres the red baron, the most legendary fighter ace ever...?

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I also did not list any pilot who DIED while flying.....all of the pilots listed lived out long lives and died of natural causes (except for Chuck Yeager and Dick Rutan, who are both still living).

[Mr.Mellow]

I originally voted for Chuck Yeager, but I didn't see ol' Hans up on there, so he's got my vote. Definately a pioneer in air-to-ground combat.

[macuser1984]

A lessor known fact about Jimmy Doolittle is that he was the first person to fly coast to coast in the U.S. in less than 24 hours....and was later the first to fly it in less than 12 hours.  And hey, he is the ONLY person ever to pilot a B-25 bomber off of an aircraft carrier in less than 500 feet (the other 15 pilots on that raid had significantly more room for their takeoffs).  He also won the Harmon, Schneider Marine, and Bendix Aviation Trophies, and was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Reagan in 1989.  Doolittle also founded and was the first President of the Air Force Association, and he was the last Chairman of NACA, the forerunner to NASA.  Also lessor known to most people is that Jimmy Doolittle was a boxer, an acrobat, an engineer, a test pilot, and an advisor to Presidents.

[Cossack]

How about Yuri Gagarin the first human in space and a good pilot in WWII. However he did die in a plane crash but he wasnt flying

My choice goes to Erich Hartmann.

[kami]

What about Charles Lindbergh?

[BTs_GhostSniper]

What about Charles Lindbergh?

Look at the part of my first post on this poll where I say "Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh come to mind for this reason".

[Casper]

Ghost for the Red Baron there is a difference in being shot down and crashing... if u get shot down that does not make u any worse or better then the ones on the list

[BTs_GhostSniper]

Ghost for the Red Baron there is a difference in being shot down and crashing... if u get shot down that does not make u any worse or better then the ones on the list

I didn't say they were any worse, I just said I left them off the list.  The main reason I left them off the list is that many of them didn't have long aviation careers in which to really prove their flying ability (Manfred von Richthofen, the "Red Baron", was only a pilot for 2 and a half years before his death).  Although many of these short-lived pilots have shown impressive achievements, I decided to stick with the pilots who completed an entire lifetime of flying and whose piloting skills encompassed more than just a few years of a single war, or just a few years of a single era of flight.  For instance, Erich Hartmann, the top scoring fighter ace of all time with 352 confirmed kills during WWII, also later flew for many years with the West German Air Force and retired as a Col.  Jackie Cochran set many aviation records during the 1930's, led the WASPS during WWII, and continued breaking records well after the war (including being the first female pilot to break the sound barrier).  So, as an aviation historian myself, these are the pilots I felt were the "best".

[cO.Kuza]

I also voted for chuck. X-planes are sweeet