Richard Bong, U.S; better still Erich Hartmann, Germany [352 kills], better than that Nazawa {?} of Japan. Over 600 kills, going back to the Chinese [according to Saburo Sakai].
Gerd Barkhorn did better, however keep in mind that these German pilots flew combat years before WWII started. (I.E. Spanish war ect....)
Which points out a basic flaw in Axis pilot rotation: Their best pilots flew until they were killed. An Ace killed in a landing accident or an engine fire is just as dead as one killed in a dogfight.
Our best pilots were regularly rotated into training slots. Either as IP's or tactics or training on the next "hot aircraft". Tactical know-how was imparted to new pilots until our "average pilot" was much better than "their average pilot" -- plus ours were generally better equipped. That's how you win wars in an industrial age.
I think you’re referring to Nishizawa, according to Sakai, the most talented Zero fighter pilot he’d ever seen.
I’ll look them up-thanks