Based on historical records of aerial combat victories, the pilot widely regarded as number 1 is Erich Alfred Hartmann.
According to the reference provided from Wikipedia, Erich Alfred Hartmann (19 April 1922 – 20 September 1993) was a prominent German fighter pilot. His service occurred during World War II.
His distinction as the "number 1" pilot stems from his achievement as the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare. This title is attributed to him based on the highest number of verifiable aerial victories achieved by a single pilot.
