Who was the best fighter pilot ever? This was a contrast to the American practice of constantly sending experienced combat pilots, like John S. Thach (inventor of the “Thach weave”, back to train new pilots. Many of McCampbell’s victims were downed in 1944, when most of Japan’s best pilots had already been killed in battle, and the new ones had been barely trained. Cunningham won that engagement, becoming the first American ace of the Vietnam War. One might be able to determine the best of an era or a war (in the case of Vietnam, Cunningham bested the best pilot on the other side), but even then, it will be the subject of debate for years – as long as there are aviation enthusiasts.