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		Obituary: Robert S. Johnson (1920-1998) Robert S. Johnson, one of the two American top-scoring aces in the European Theater in WWII, died on December 27, 1998. Flying a Thunderbolt in "Zemke's Wolf Pack" (the 56th Fighter Group), Johnson became the first American pilot of the Second World War to surpass Eddie Rickenbacker's WWI record of 26 victories. His final tally of 28 kills was matched in the European Theater only by fellow "Wolf Pack" pilot Francis Gabreski. Johnson had two advantages in amassing this enviable record: superior eyesight and the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter. According to Gabreski and others who flew with him, Johnson could spot enemy aircraft further away than most combat pilots, and he had the skill-and the guts-to use the massive Thunderbolt fighter to shoot those aircraft down. The Thunderbolt was huge, heavy, and well-armed, but its size and weight meant that it could not out-turn more nimble Messerschmitt and Focke-Wulf fighters. Johnson used the P-47's superior roll rate to latch onto the tail of an enemy fighter, and eight .50-caliber Brownings did the rest. Initially lacking in gunnery skills as a cadet, Johnson honed his shooting technique. Next on the list for improvement was his sense of discipline; he broke formation to score his first kill, but soon learned that group integrity separated dead heroes from pilots who lived to fight another day. However, like most successful fighter pilots, Johnson was aggressive and ready to take risks. Johnson acknowledged his "reputation as a sort of wild man." He quoted fellow pilots as saying, "Don't fly with Johnson, he'll get you killed." Despite this reputation, Johnson shared one powerful emotion with all sane combat aviators: "I was always scared-that was what made me move quick." --Johnson quotes and information are drawn from the New York Times obituary published January 1, 1999. Comments or suggestions? Send them to CFSMail@microsoft.com. © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.