Top Vietnam War Aces

During the Vietnam War, pilots would square-off using many new technologies. For the first time, air-to-air missiles would be used, allowing for longer range combat, and more intense dogfights. Early guidance systems would be used to line bombs up over the target, and the adoption of surface-to-air missiles across the board would result in hundreds of aircraft being shot down.

In this new age of jet combat, many pilots and WSOs would emerge as particularly talented on their respective systems, and by the end of the war a number of ace pilots had been forged. Today we take a look at the top scoring aces who emerged from both sides during the Vietnam War.

BACKGROUND

From the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 through to the evacuation of Saigon in 1975, American and Vietnamese jet fighters went head-to-head in increasingly risky scenarios. The aircraft varied over the years. For the Americans, a huge variety of jet fighters served which were tasked with air-to-air combat. These included the F-100 Super Sabre, the F-5 Tiger, the A-4 Skyhawk, and to some extent the F-105 Thunderchief.

But the main threat to Vietnamese pilots was usually the F-4 Phantom, which was operated by the Marines, Air Force, and Navy. Contextually, the most dangerous aircraft to the F4 was the MiG-21, the aircraft primarily used by Vietnamese aces. These two aircraft would become archrivals during this period, just like the Sabre and MiG-15 in the previous war. Yet the two aircraft were very different. The F-4 was technologically superior, featuring an array of systems for the guy in the back to deal with. Aerodynamically however, the aircraft was, as pilots often jokingly referred to it, a ‘flying brick’.

On the other hand, the MiG-21 had one pilot, and slightly simpler systems. Oftentimes pilots would rely on ground controllers to guide them to their targets. However, once a fight broke out, the MiG-21 made up for its technological limitations with its agility.

Phantom pilots countered this with power, oftentimes in a dogfight choosing to simply pull at full power into the vertical, hoping to stall out the MiGs should they follow. This is roughly the same tactic that was used by BF-109 pilots against Spitfires. Now, however, the aircraft had infrared missiles, which meant whoever was on the defensive had to not only dodge the direct gunsight, but a far larger danger zone. In this high-stakes game it was the F-4 and the MiG that produced the aces on both sides of the conflict. All American pilots on the ace list achieved their status with the F-4, whilst the Vietnamese achieved their ace status on a variety of MIGs, but most prominently the MIG-21.

LIST

We will look at the highest scoring aces, starting with those who achieved five kills, and working up to the one pilot who scored nine kills throughout the Vietnam War.

Richard Stephen Ritchie

With five kills to his name, the first ace on this list is Richard Stephen Ritchie, a USAF F-4 pilot. Initially trained on the F-105, Ritchie would re-train on the F-4. Arriving in Vietnam in 1968, he would fly almost 200 sorties, primarily in a close air support role. His skill with the aircraft landed him a role as an instructor at the USAF Fighter Weapons Course in 1969, similar to the Navy’s famous Naval Fighter Weapons School. At 26 years old, he was the youngest instructor ever. However, in 1972 he requested a second tour in Vietnam, which was approved.

Ritchie would be sent back with the 555th ‘Triple Nickles’ a renowned squadron at the time. Here, he and his teammates would be given modified F-4Ds. The key feature of this variant was the implementation of the APX-80 Combat Tree, at the time a classified system which showed aircraft IFF transponder signals on the WSOís radar scope. This essentially expanded the F-4s radar range, as it could pick up these signals beyond visual rangeBVR (Beyond Visual Range): In aerial warfare, engagements or combat operations that occur at distances where opposing aircraft cannot visually identif... More; at the time this was an impressive feat.

With this, Ritchie and his WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More were at a major advantage. His first victory would come on May 10th, 1972. Part of Operation Linebacker 1, Ritchie was part of a MiG combat air patrol (or MIGCAP). A few days prior, his flight lead Robert Lodge and his WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More Roger Locher had scored three kills, the highest of any USAF crew in Vietnam.

On the 10th of May, Ritchie and his 4-aircraft flight engaged an equal number of MiG-21s head on. They were 50 miles off the nose. The flight accelerated to Mach 1.4 to engage. The flight shot down three, but soon realised they had fallen into a trap. The Vietnamese used a tactic in which ground controllers would direct a second element of aircraft, with radars off, behind the Americans who were engaged with the first group of aircraft. Ritchie and his flight were suddenly jumped by Shenyang J-9s. Flight lead Robert Lodge and Roger Locher were hit, but Lodge said he couldnít be captured alive, because he had classified information. Lodge looked over his shoulder and told Locher to eject, but Lodge willingly went down with the aircraft.

Meanwhile, Ritchie and his WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More Chuck DeBellevue rolled around, locking up the last MiG-21, fired an AIM-7, and destroyed it. A few weeks later, Ritchie scored a second kill against a MiG-21 during a mission over North Vietnam. After his WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More got a lock, Ritchie ripple fired all four of his AIM-7s, destroying the MiG.

His next two kills occurred in July, and his fifth kill came in August. All of them were achieved with AIM-7s, and all were against MiG-21s.

A competition would develop between pilot Ritchie and WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More Jeffrey Feinstein, both of whom reached five kills.

Feinstein, despite having excessive myopia, would operate as a WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More in the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Here, he would achieve five kills against MiG-21s; three with the AIM-7, and two with Sidewinders.

William Driscoll RIO and Randall Cunningham Pilot

Next on the list, also with five shared victories to their names, are RIO William Driscoll and pilot Randall Cunningham. Both in the Navy, they flew the slightly altered F-4J, as they entered the conflict much later, arriving with the USS Constellation in 1972. While deployed, the pair would achieve two initial victories during separate missions. However, on May 10, 1972, they would achieve three kills in a single mission, in what is remembered as one of the most outstanding dogfights of the conflict. This happened the same day as Richard Stephen Ritchie achieved his first kill.

During the mission, the two were flying a ground strike mission, along with several other F4s, with a flight of B-52s to hit a railway. After releasing their bombs, the pair turned to engage 16 MiG-17s which had climbed to engage the B-52s. In the ensuing fight, Driscoll in the back seat locked up and destroyed two MiGs, but the pair soon became lost. Heading east to the coast, the two then engaged another MiG-17, destroying that one as well, before being hit by a missile. They ejected over the Gulf of Tonkin and were rescued.

Driscoll would go on to become an instructor at the US Naval Fighter Weapons School, working on the F-4 and F-14, whilst Cunningham would go on to have a far more controversial career, leaving the military and entering politics, which eventually landed him in jail for the crime of receiving bribery.

Nevertheless, the two remain the US Navy’s most recent ace pilots.

NUMBER 8

Four other pilots achieved five kills, all from North Vietnam. The first was Nguyen Van Nghia. Flying the MiG-21, he achieved all of his victories in 1972. Between June 23rd and 24th, he shot down two USAF F-4Cs. This was followed up in October that year with one F-4E kill, then in November when he shot down a Firebee drone, and lastly in December when he destroyed yet another F-4E. Impressive, but the next three on the list showed even more talent using older Russian aircraft.

Le Quang Trung also achieved five kills. However, his victories were achieved between the MiG-19 and the MiG-17, which was a far older aircraft closer to a Korean War design, but still highly agile.

Nguyen Phu Hung and Vo Van Man also achieved five kills. These two pilots, however, achieved all their kills flying exclusively the MiG-17. Usually this meant fighting without missiles, relying solely on cannon fire.

NUMBER 7

Next on the list are pilots who have 6 claimed victories to their name. There are 10 pilots who hold this title, all of them – save one – being north Vietnamese. For the sake of time, most of the following pilots will receive a brief overview without too much detail.

First is Nguyen Tien SamSurface-to-Air Missile: A ground-based or ship-launched guided missile system designed to detect, track, and destroy enemy aircraft, helicopters, crui... More, a MiG-21 pilot. Flying in combat sorties from 1968 through to 1975, he achieved all his kills in 1972. His kills – only one of which is not confirmed by the US military – were against USAF F-4 Phantoms. From July through to October, he shot down five F-4Es, and one F-4D.

Next is Vu Ngoc Dinh. Also flying the MiG-21, he saw combat earlier in the conflict, seeing victories from 1966 through to 1970. Of his victories, one is a shared kill, whilst the rest are solo. He managed to destroy three F-105s, an F-4D, an EB-66, and a HH-53 Pavelow.

Nguyen Ngoc Do also flew the MiG-21, although only saw victories during the period spanning 1967 to 1968. He shot down four F-105s. During one engagement shooting down an F-105F whilst his wingman – the previously mentioned Nguyen Van Coc – shot down an F-105D in the same flight. Ngoc Do later shot down an F-4, although this is claimed as a shared kill with fellow ace Pham Thanh Ngan, and finally an RF-101C Voodoo.

Nguyen Nhat Chi is next, operating very early on in the conflict. He flew the MiG-17, before later moving to the MiG-21. He achieved his first kill in 1965, downing a USAF F-4 which he achieved in the MiG-17. The next year in July, now equipped wih the MiG-21, he would shoot down an F-105, supposedly claiming the first MiG-21 kill against a piloted American aircraft. In 1967 he shot down another two F-4s, as well as an F-8 and an F-105F on a wild weasel mission.

Nguyen Duc Soat achieved at least six kills. Flying the MiG-21, he supposedly shot down a Firebee drone in 1969, however his confirmed kills occurred in 1972. In May he scored his first kill against a Navy A-7 Corsair. This was followed up by three USAF F-4E kills, one F-4D, and a Marine Corp F-4J.

Le Thanh Dao is next, seeing victories from December 1971 through to October 1972. During this period, he is claimed to have shot down six F-4s, as well as a shared kill on a Firebee drone. Thanh Dao and his MiG-21 would be shot down during his final engagement on October 15th 1972. In an interview, Thanh Dao says that he and his wingman were moving in to intercept 2 F-4s, when a third attacked from behind, hitting the MiG and forcing him to eject. He claims that while descending, an F-4 fired a cannon burst at him, which punctured his chute, rapidly speeding up his descent. He says he broke both legs and some vertebrae and was mostly unconscious for two days as locals dragged him to 9km, where he was then picked up by helicopter and placed in hospital for months. He says this kept him grounded for over a year, essentially ending his service in the war.

The next two on the list are both MiG-17 pilots, achieving their victories exclusively on these airframes. The first is Luu Huy Chao. In an interview with Smithsonian Magazine, Chao remembers that he – along with many of the slightly older Vietnamese pilots – had fought the French several years before the Vietnam war, and as a result they ëlearnt to fly an airplane before they could drive a carí. When the war started, Chao flew alongside ace Nguyen Van Bay and several other prominent pilots. He recalls that during the war, they would usually sleep under the wings of their aircraft during the day in case any attack was launched. On one mission – along with his flight lead Van Bay and wingmen ñ they were ambushed. One of the wingmen – Do Huy Hoang – was shot down by an F4. After hitting the ground and being surrounded by villagers he was mistaken for a South Vietnamese pilot due to his southern accent. His arms were damaged and he could not reach into his bag to pull out his North Vietnamese flag and was promptly beaten up.

Le Hai also flew the MiG-17, achieving six kills, although some sources claim seven. He trained in China before returning to Vietnam, where he flew early in the conflict.  Like Chao, Le Hai would earn a reputation for flying the MiG-17 after the more capable MiG-21 and MiG-19 were in service.

The ninth pilot with six kills is an American. Charles DeBellevue, a WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More. His six kills onboard the F-4 made him the highest scoring American of the Vietnam War. He would achieve all his victories in 1972, in the F-4D using either the AIM-7 or AIM-9. Four kills were against MiG-21s, all of which were shot down using the AIM-7, whilst two were against MiG-19s, both of which were shot down using Sidewinders. As mentioned earlier, he scored some of his kills while Richard Ritchie was in the pilot seat.

Last on the list to achieve six victories is Nguyen Dang Kinh, who’s kills were scored from 21 July 1966 through to October 26th, 1968. During this period, he shot down two F-4s, two F-105s, and two Firebee drones. However, Dang Kinh should technically be placed above the other pilots with six kills, since he was also involved in three further shared victories which are not attributed to his kill count. All three were achieved against the EB-66; the first was a shared kill with ace Vu Ngoc Din, the second shared with Dong Van Song, and the third attributed to the name ëThanhí.

Nguyen Van Bay

Next is Nguyen Van Bay. With seven kills to his name, he is tied for fifth place with fellow VPAF pilot Dang Ngoc Ngur. What made this pilot perhaps more impressive than his contemporaries was the limitations he had to work with. Unlike the other aces, he exclusively flew the MiG-17. This relic of an aircraft was – even during the mid to late 60s – considered a dated design, more akin to something from the Korean War. However, it did possess one advantages, and that was good manoeuvrability.

In the MiG-17, Van Bay operated in combat from 1965, through to 1972. Initially shot down by an F-4 in 1965, he would get back in the cockpit, and by 1966 he had scored his first kill. Throughout the conflict, he and his old MiG had shot down one F-4B, one A-4, one F-105, and two F-8s according to the US Navy, whilst Vietnam credited him with a further two kills. This is arguably the most impressive kill count on this list, given the limitations Van Bay had to work with, against far more advanced aircraft. During engagements, Van Bay would often outperform his fellow Vietnamese pilots in their newer aircraft.

Of all the stories available, Van Bay and his squadrons are some of the most interesting, given that many around him achieved ace status. These pilots would later be interviewed, along with their American counterparts, about their aerial battles.

Dang Ngoc Ngur likewise, achieved seven kills, with his scored in the MiG-21MF. Flying until his death in mid-1972, Ngoc Ngur is today identified as one of several ace pilots who likely played a part in the myth of ‘Colonel Toon’, a supposed North Vietnamese MiG-21 ace who – as American airmen said at the time – had shot down 13 US aircraft. In reality, it is unlikely this ‘Colonel Toon’ actually existed, but Ngoc Ngur was almost certainly one of the pilots who inspired the myth.

During his long career, Ngoc Ngur scored kills from August 1966, through to July 1972. In total, he shot down three Firebee drones, an F-105, and three F-4s. Technically, an eighth victory was achieved, but not counted; as one of the stories goes, Ngoc Ngur entered into a fight with an F-4E on July 8th, 1972. After firing a missile and hitting the aircraft of a pilot Ross and WSOWSO (Weapon Systems Officer) – A trained aircrew member in multi-seat military aircraft responsible for operating offensive and defensive systems, man... More Imaye, his MiG was then hit by an AIM-7 fired by a second F-4E crewed by a Lewinsky and Hardy, leading to his death. The F-4 he had hit staggered over the Thai border towards Udon Air Base, but the crew ultimately had to eject, so technically an eighth kill could be attributed here.

Next are 3 pilots who are known to have scored eight kills.

The first is Nguyen Hong Nhi, a MiG-21 pilot. In 1966, he became the first MiG-21 pilot to shoot down an American aircraft, and over the next two years he would score an additional seven victories. After his first kill – a Firebee drone – Hong Nhi scored victories against three F-105s, an RF-4, an F-4D, and an F-8. However, it is worth noting that many of the kills attributed to Hong Nhi are not confirmed by the US, who put them down to anti-air fire; Vietnamese pilots have said that this was done as it was seen as less embarrassing then admitting an aerial defeat, so this is anyoneís guess. After being shot down and ejecting in 1968, he did not achieve any further victories.

The second with eight kills is Mai Van Cuong, another MiG-21 pilot. From 1965 onwards, he would operate as a combat pilot, and earned a unique reputation as a drone killer. Six of his kills – scored from October 1996 through to June 1969 – were against Firebees Lightning Bugs. His other two kills were against an F-105, and an F-4, however the Vietnamese claim that he may have scored kills against a further two F-105s, which were never validated.

The third with eight kills was Pham Thanh Ngan, yet another MiG-21 pilot. Like the former two pilots, Thanh Ngan also served early in the conflict, serving in the military from 1959 onward. His first kill was achieved in 1966, against a Firebee drone, and through to 1968 he saw several more victories; two F-4Ds, an F-101 Voodoo, an F-105 and F-105F Wild Weasel, and lastly in 1968, a far less common F-102 Delta Dagger.

Nguyen Van Coc

However, the highest scoring ace of the Vietnam War – with 9 kills to his name – is Nguyen Van Coc. Like a number of other Vietnamese pilots, he went to the Soviet Union for four years of pilot training, and out of a selection of 120, he would be one of seven to graduate as a MiG-17 pilot. Soon thereafter, he underwent conversion training to the MiG-21, and returned to Vietnam in 1965.

Upon return, he would fly a MiG-21PF, and serve primarily as a wingman to others. In one recorded instance in 1967, he was shot down after he and several other pilots fell into a trap set by the USAF 8th Tactical Fighter Wing aircraft, but all ejected unharmed.

However, by 1968 he had become the highest scoring pilot in the Vietnam conflict. In October 1968 he would be pulled from the front lines and assigned an instructing role. Here, he would train Nguyen Duc Soat, who would himself go on to score 6 kills in the conflict.

Nguyen Van Coc’s success came down to his skills, his aircraft, and his weapon of choice – the K-13 infrared, with which he scored all his kills.

His first kill occurred on April 30th, 1967. While flying wingman to fellow ace Nguyen Ngoc Do, the two engaged a flight of F-105s. Switching to infrared missiles, Van Coc hit and downed an F-105D, while Ngoc Do destroyed his wingman – an F-105F.

OVERVIEW

We can appreciate that the Vietnam theatre was a very complex one. F-4 crews had a technologically superior aircraft, but MiG pilots had better agility. In some ways it was also a battle between airborne early warning aircraft in the south, and ground control operators in the north, while on another level it was psychological.

In an interview with Smithsonian Magazine, Van Bay and his wingman Luu Huy Chao both recall that they, in their outdated MiG-17s, knew that American fighters like the F-4 had a speed advantage, so they would work to trick them into a turn. The F-4 would bleed off speed rapidly once it went into a turn, and especially a turn in the climb as pilots often did, and soon the MiG would be at the advantage. Van Bay said the American’s mistake was flying too far north, which put them at a psychological disadvantage during a dogfight. Van Bay explains this is because the Americans could never dedicate all of their attention to the MiGs, due to other dangers like SAMs. Bay and Chao recall using ground control officers to vector them to target, then using visual cues while flying low to prioritise targets. They would identify F-105s travelling in packs of 4, and F-4s flying in pairs or in split groups of four.

With the possible exception of some air battles between Israeli and Arab-nation aircraft, the Vietnam War was essentially the last time large scale aerial warfare occurred with near-equally matched aircraft on both sides and at such close quarters. These aces, on both sides of the conflict, demonstrated exceptional skill and technical mastery, amplifying their aircraftís advantages and covering their respective weaknesses.