american aces of world war 2

In 1943 American Fighters started to appear over Germany at an alarming rate. Some say the Americans flew better aircraft and had the best trained pilots, many completing over 250 hours training before flying combat missions. The Americans flew the P-51 Mustang the P-47 Thunderbolt and the P-38 Lighting. They even seemed as invincible as the Luftwaffe at the beginning of the War. By late 1943 US fighters were commanding the skies over Europe.

In May 1943 American Fighters began their escort missions to the heavy bombers of the American Air Force, the range of the P-47 though was just about 175 miles which would be about enough to escort the 'Heavies' across the English Channel. The Eighth Air Force got it's first Ace on the 30th of July 1943, Capt. Charles London scored his fifth victory. Range for the fighters was still a problem though, the Luftwaffe would wait until the fighters had reached their endurance and have to turn back , and then they would pounce. In the Autumn of 1943 though this would all change with the arrival of the P-51 Mustang the Americans now had a fighter that could escort the bombers to their target's and back. The tide of the air war was about to turn....