The Americans and the Germans had totally different styles as to how they manged the careers of their fighter pilots. The Americans would send their fighter pilots home after so many missions to train the next batch pilots . The German’s kept their fighters flying for as long as they could stay alive.
Thus, the top German fighter aces at the end of the war were the best fighter pilots around. But all of the rest of the German fighter pilots lacked basic tactical skills. The Americans aces never even came close to having the experience or skills that Germans aces had. But the quality of the American pilots over all was better.
One of the things to keep in mind about the American aces during World War II is that much of what they shot down were poorly skilled flyer’s who had little skills. This is especially true of those kills recorded in the latter part of the war.
But their is always exceptions. And one particular exception was Richard Candelaria’s last dogfight. In that dogfight, he tangled with two German jets and one yellow nosed BF 109 (the yellow nose being a sigh of an ace) as well as some 14 BF 109’s piloted by the usual low skill dog meat that the Germans threw up in the last part of the war. And he fought with all of them all by himself for what must have seemed like forever, but really was a matter of minutes.
The German’s always put their good pilots in the jets so Chandelaria was tangling with three good German fighter pilots in addition to the dog meat. Unlike so many other American air victories recorded in the latter part of the war, this dogfight took some real flying.
The clips below is part of series talking about mustang victories in World War II. But most of them where fights against low skill opponents. That is why I am only calling your attention to part 4 of 5 and part 5 of 5.
According to this account Chandelaria was shot down by German ground fire shortly after this battle took place. But since this account is based off of second and third hand sources and the writer was not even sure Chandelaria was still alive (he was cause History Channel talked with him for the above clips), I don’t know how far you should trust it.
He indeed was shot down and later captured by the German military. He and other POW’s eventually escaped and made it home. I recently found out by an aunt that I am a relative of his. Looking for more info. I came upon this site.
Richard’s mother, Sally Wenk is my mother’s sister (Angelina Gomez).. Richard Candelaria and I are both named for our common grandfather Richard Gomez who was born in Spain and worked his way to Cuba and then to Mexico City. He worked as conductor on the railroad and met our common grandmother in Nogales Ariz. He married her and after my mother and others were born he moved the family to San Lorenzo Sonora Mexico. I and my mother went to San Lorenzo a few years ago and we located our grandfather’s gravesite not far from the village. His children’s names are carved on he headstone starting with my mother’s name (the oldest). Friends of my mother and Aunt Sally still lived in the village. I worked for Richard at one point in my life. I’m proud of Richard and I miss him, Betty, Calia, Candelyn and Syvanne. I’m a Real Estate & Loan Broker in California. I also am in Real Estate in Las Vegas NV since 1991.
Richard is alive. He lives in LA with his oldest daughter.
MR. RICHARD CANDELARIA MAY THE MAN UPSTAIRS LOOK OVER YOU AND YOUR LOVES . GOD BLESS, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE , AND YOUR GENERATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The four plus one probable Me262 fight took place on April 7th 1945.
He returned to base in England.
He was shot down on April 10th 1945 in the Eastern part of Germany, attacking an airbase. He evaded capture for 10 days then was caught.
After spending a couple weeks in captivity he escaped with some other pilots, stole a German car and held a German officer hostage to reach the Allied lines.
Real courage!
Here’s a great interview with the man:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Fd_X51E60
Was Colonel Candelaria ever able to find out the names of the jet pilot and the German ace pilot in the yellow tipped BF109 fighter which he shot down? What a brave warrior he is!