Air combats

Experience the thrilling aerial battles that shaped military history, from legendary World War dogfights to modern jet combat encounters. This collection chronicles the most significant air combat engagements, featuring detailed accounts of fighter pilot tactics, famous aces, and revolutionary aircraft that changed the face of aerial warfare throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

42 events in this collection

October 5, 1914

First Aerial Victory in WWI

French pilots Sergeant Joseph Frantz and Corporal Louis Quénault achieved the first confirmed aerial victory in history by shooting down a German Aviatik B.I over Reims, France, marking the beginning of air-to-air combat.

April 14, 1915

First Night Fighter Victory

German pilot Kurt Wintgens achieved the first successful night fighter victory in aviation history by shooting down a French Farman aircraft near Lunéville, France. This groundbreaking achievement revolutionized aerial warfare and established the foundation for modern night fighting capabilities.

June 7, 1915

First Zeppelin Shot Down by Aircraft

British Flight Sub-Lieutenant Reginald Warneford made history by becoming the first pilot to shoot down a German Zeppelin LZ 37 during World War I, marking a crucial turning point in aerial warfare.

July 1, 1916

First Aerial Combat of the Somme

The first aerial combat of World War I took place during the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916, between British Royal Flying Corps and German Luftstreitkräfte, establishing fundamental principles of air warfare that would influence military aviation for generations to come.

September 1916

Boelcke's Dicta Creation

German flying ace Oswald Boelcke established revolutionary aerial combat rules known as Boelcke's Dicta, transforming individual air combat into organized tactical engagements during World War I.

April 1, 1917

Battle of Bloody April

A devastating month-long air campaign during World War I where the German Air Service dominated the Royal Flying Corps, resulting in 245 British aircraft and 211 aircrew losses over the Western Front.

June 2, 1917

Billy Bishop's Daring Solo Raid

Canadian flying ace Billy Bishop conducted a remarkable solo raid on a German airfield near Cambrai, France, destroying three enemy aircraft on the ground and engaging in aerial combat. This mission earned him the Victoria Cross, making him the first Canadian pilot to receive this prestigious honor.

April 2, 1918

Largest WWI Dogfight

The largest aerial battle of World War I took place on April 2, 1918, over Saint-Quentin, France, involving around 100 aircraft in a massive dogfight between German and Allied forces. The battle consisted of two major engagements resulting in 28 aircraft losses.

April 20, 1918

Red Baron's Last Victory

On April 20, 1918, Manfred von Richthofen, known as the Red Baron, achieved his 80th and final aerial victory by shooting down a British Sopwith Camel over Morlancourt Ridge, France. This marked his last triumph before his death the following day.

September 26, 1918

René Fonck's Six Victories in One Day

French ace René Fonck achieves remarkable feat by downing six German aircraft in a single day while flying his SPAD S.XIII fighter, marking his most successful day during World War I.

July 10, 1940

Battle of Britain Begins

The Battle of Britain officially commenced on July 10, 1940, marking the start of Nazi Germany's first major aerial campaign against Britain, beginning with attacks on shipping convoys in the English Channel.

August 9, 1941

Douglas Bader's Last Combat Mission

RAF Group Captain Douglas Bader, a double amputee fighter ace, flew his final combat mission on August 9, 1941, scoring his last aerial victory before being shot down and captured over northern France.

November 22, 1941

Adolf Galland becomes youngest German general

Adolf Galland was appointed as General der Jagdflieger (General of Fighters) in the Luftwaffe at age 29, making him the youngest general in the German armed forces during World War II. With 94 aerial victories and over 400 combat missions, his promotion marked a significant milestone in military history.

May 4, 1942

Battle of the Coral Sea

The Battle of the Coral Sea (May 4-8, 1942) was a pivotal World War II naval engagement between Allied and Japanese forces, marking the first time aircraft carriers fought without visual contact. The battle prevented Japanese expansion towards Port Moresby and protected Australia from invasion.

June 4, 1942

Battle of Midway

The decisive air battle at Midway on June 4, 1942, where American forces destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers in a single day, marking a turning point in World War II's Pacific theater. The battle resulted in the loss of Japan's elite carrier force and shifted naval superiority to the United States.

August 7, 1942

Guadalcanal Air Battles

The Guadalcanal air battles began on August 7, 1942, marking a crucial turning point in World War II's Pacific theater. These intense aerial engagements started when American forces launched Operation Watchtower against Japanese positions in the Solomon Islands, leading to a six-month struggle for air superiority.

August 7, 1942

Saburo Sakai's Miraculous Survival Flight

Japanese ace pilot Saburo Sakai completed an extraordinary 560-mile flight back to base while severely wounded, demonstrating remarkable courage and skill after being shot in the head during a combat mission over Guadalcanal.

February 11, 1943

First Female Fighter Ace

Soviet pilot Lydia Litvyak made history by becoming the world's first female fighter ace during the defense of Stalingrad in World War II. Known as the 'White Rose of Stalingrad,' she achieved five confirmed aerial victories against Nazi aircraft.

June 14, 1943

Operation Pointblank

Operation Pointblank was a crucial World War II air campaign launched on June 14, 1943, combining US and British air forces to destroy German aircraft production capabilities and gain air superiority over Europe before D-Day.

July 6, 1943

Ivan Kozhedub's First Aerial Victory

Soviet fighter pilot Ivan Kozhedub achieved his first aerial victory during the Battle of Kursk, shooting down a Messerschmitt Bf 109. This marked the beginning of his legendary career that would lead to 62 confirmed aerial victories, making him the top Allied ace of World War II.

February 20, 1944

Defense of the Reich Peak Campaign

The Defense of the Reich reached its climax in 1944 when the Luftwaffe engaged in desperate battles against Allied bomber formations and their P-51 Mustang escorts, marking a crucial turning point in the air war over Europe.

June 19, 1944

Great Marianas Turkey Shoot

A decisive World War II naval air battle where US forces destroyed 346 Japanese aircraft while losing only 30 of their own, effectively ending Japan's carrier-based air power in the Pacific.

August 1, 1944

Erich Hartmann's Record-Breaking Achievement

Erich Hartmann, known as the 'Black Devil,' achieved the milestone of becoming history's highest-scoring fighter ace with 352 confirmed aerial victories while flying for the Luftwaffe during World War II on the Eastern Front.

September 27, 1944

RAF Ace Johnnie Johnson's Final Victory

Air Vice Marshal James 'Johnnie' Johnson, RAF's top-scoring Western Allied fighter ace of World War II, achieved his 38th and final aerial victory by shooting down a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 over Nijmegen, Netherlands, while leading the Canadian 144 Wing.

December 12, 1944

Richard Bong Becomes America's Top Ace Pilot

Major Richard Bong achieves his 40th aerial victory, becoming America's highest-scoring fighter ace of World War II while flying the P-38 Lightning in the Pacific Theater. He surpassed Eddie Rickenbacker's World War I record and was awarded the Medal of Honor by General Douglas MacArthur.

December 24, 1944

Major Preddy's Last Victories

Major George Preddy, America's top P-51 Mustang ace, achieved his final two aerial victories on Christmas Eve 1944, before tragically losing his life to friendly fire the next day. His total of 27 confirmed kills made him the highest-scoring P-51 Mustang pilot in the European Theater.

March 9, 1945

Tokyo Firebombing

Operation Meetinghouse, conducted on March 9-10, 1945, was the deadliest air raid in history. 334 B-29 Superfortress bombers dropped incendiary bombs on Tokyo, killing 80,000-100,000 civilians and destroying 15.8 square miles of the city.

October 14, 1947

Breaking the Sound Barrier

On October 14, 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier, piloting the Bell X-1 'Glamorous Glennis' to a speed of Mach 1.07 (700 mph) at 45,000 feet over the Mojave Desert.

November 8, 1950

First Jet Combat in MiG Alley

The historic first jet-versus-jet aerial combat occurred when Lieutenant Russell Brown, flying an F-80C Shooting Star, successfully engaged and shot down a Soviet-built MiG-15 over MiG Alley in North Korea, marking a revolutionary moment in aerial warfare history.

November 8, 1950

First MiG-15 vs F-86 Sabre Dogfight

The historic first encounter between Soviet MiG-15 and American F-86 Sabre occurred on November 8, 1950, marking the beginning of jet-versus-jet aerial combat. The battle took place over Sinuiju, North Korea, near the Yalu River, in an area that would later become known as 'MiG Alley'.

April 1, 1954

First NATO Interception of Tu-95 Bear

RAF fighters made history by conducting the first NATO interception of a Soviet Tu-95 'Bear' strategic bomber off the Scottish coast. This encounter established long-lasting protocols for aerial surveillance during the Cold War.

October 28, 1965

Black Thursday Air Battle

On October 28, 1965, U.S. Air Force suffered one of its most devastating losses during Operation Rolling Thunder when North Vietnamese forces shot down multiple F-105 Thunderchiefs near Hanoi, resulting in five aircraft losses and multiple casualties.

January 2, 1967

Operation Bolo

Operation Bolo was a decisive aerial battle of the Vietnam War on January 2, 1967, where U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantoms, disguised as F-105 Thunderchiefs, successfully destroyed seven North Vietnamese MiG-21s without any American losses.

June 5, 1967

Operation Focus

Operation Focus was a decisive Israeli military strike that launched the Six-Day War. In less than three hours, the Israeli Air Force destroyed nearly 300 Egyptian aircraft, effectively eliminating Egypt's air combat capability and achieving complete air superiority.

September 6, 1976

Viktor Belenko's MiG-25 Defection

Soviet pilot Lieutenant Viktor Belenko defected to the West by flying a top-secret MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor to Japan's Hakodate Airport, providing NATO and the United States with unprecedented access to Soviet military technology.

June 7, 1981

Operation Opera

Israeli Air Force conducted a precision bombing raid on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor near Baghdad, destroying the facility and preventing Iraq's nuclear weapons development program. The operation involved 8 F-16 fighters and 6 F-15 Eagles, completing a 2,200 km round trip mission.

August 19, 1981

Gulf of Sidra Incident

US F-14 Tomcats engaged and shot down two Libyan Su-22 fighters over disputed waters in the Gulf of Sidra, challenging Libya's territorial claims and the 'Line of Death' declaration.

May 1, 1982

Operation Black Buck

Operation Black Buck was a series of British long-range bombing raids during the 1982 Falklands War, covering an unprecedented 8,000-mile round trip from Ascension Island to strike Argentine positions in the Falkland Islands.

June 9, 1982

Bekaa Valley Air Battle

In a decisive two-hour air battle known as the 'Bekaa Valley Turkey Shoot', Israeli Air Force fighters shot down 29 Syrian MiG aircraft without any losses while destroying 17 Syrian SAM sites. The battle demonstrated the superiority of Western military technology and changed modern air combat doctrine.

April 15, 1986

Operation El Dorado Canyon

A significant U.S. military air strike against Libya on April 15, 1986, ordered by President Ronald Reagan in response to Libya's involvement in the Berlin discotheque bombing. The operation involved 18 F-111F bombers targeting multiple military facilities across Libya.

January 17, 1991

Operation Desert Storm Launch

Coalition forces launched a massive air campaign against Iraq, initiating Operation Desert Storm with 2,250 combat aircraft and advanced stealth technology in a coordinated multinational assault.

February 24, 1996

Brothers to the Rescue Shootdown

On February 24, 1996, Cuban MiG-29 fighters shot down two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue over international waters between Cuba and Florida, killing four Americans. The incident sparked international outrage and led to significant diplomatic consequences between the United States and Cuba.