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| Adolf Galland was a distinguished Luftwaffe fighter pilot in World War Two. Adolf Galland became the commander of the Luftwaffe’s fighter force (General der Jagdflieger) in the war and was considered by men in Fighter Command to have been a skilled and worthy opponent.
Adolf Galland was born in Westphalia on March 19th, 1912. He developed an early childhood fascination with flight and this led to him building gliders that he flew near his home. In 1932 Galland joined the aviation school for Lufthansa, Germany’s national airline. In 1933, he transferred to the Luftwaffe. In theory the Treaty of Versailles had banned all forms of German military flights but by 1933, few in Europe were willing to enforce the treaty – even if it had been possible to enforce it. Galland finished his training in 1935.
Galland flew in the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War. He flew in over three hundred missions – including the one on Guernica - and quickly gained a reputation as an excellent flier – if somewhat showy. He also developed a tactic that was to become known as carpet bombing – using all of a squadron’s bombers (or however many were in the flight) to attack one target. For his work in the Condor Legion he was awarded the Spanish Cross by Franco’s Nationalists.
At the start of World War Two in September 1939 with the attack on Poland, Galland flew fifty missions. In February 1940, he transferred to Jagdgeschwader 27. The attack on Western Europe once again gave Galland the opportunity to demonstrate his flying skills and he claimed fourteen kills by the time France surrendered.
During the Battle of Britain Galland flew Messerschmitt 109’s. At the age of twenty-eight he had a reputation as a skilled and experienced combat pilot who was respected by men under his command. In mid-August 1940, Hermann Goering, angered by the lack of success of the fighting units of the Luftwaffe, dismissed the commanders of his Jagdgeschwader’s and replaced them with the younger high-fliers. Adolf Galland came into this category and he was given command of JG 26. On September 25th, 1940, Galland recorded his fortieth kill.
The failure of the Luftwaffe to defeat Fighter Command ended the Battle of Britain. However, Galland continued to lead JG 26 against the attacks by both bombers and escorting fighters on Nazi targets in occupied Europe. On June 21st, 1941, he was shot down by a Spitfire and slightly wounded.
In November 1941, now with ninety-four confirmed kills, Goering appointed Galland General der Jagdflieger – commander of the Luftwaffe’s fighter squadrons. This meant that he could no longer fly operationally but in 1942, he flew an early version of the jet-powered Messerschmitt 262 and quickly became a convert as to the plane’s potential.
From 1943 to 1944, Allied bombing of Germany became more and more common. It was up to Galland to create some form of fighter base to attack the incoming bombers so that they did not reach their destination. His plan was to create an elite force of 1000 fighter pilots whose sole task would be to confront the Allied bombers. However, his plan did not come to fruition as D-Day in June 1944 and the Battle of the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) absorbed what rapidly dwindling resources he had at his disposal. His fighter planes were also fighting against the Mustang – a fighter that could cover much greater distances than was the norm for a fighter but a plane that could still be highly manoeuvrable and pack a fearsome punch. Hitler’s desire to see the Me 262 used as a fighter-bomber – and a lack of fuel for these revolutionary planes – meant that these planes were not used as Galland would have wanted them used – as a pure fighter plane.
Galland openly criticised Goering for the situation the Luftwaffe had found itself to be in. In January 1945, Galland was relieved of his command and placed under house arrest. He was replaced by Gordon Gollob.
He was allowed to return to active service and in March 1945, he was given the task of setting up JV 44 – an elite group of fighter pilots. On April 26th1945, Galland was injured when he crash-landed his Me 262.
Adolf Galland ended World War Two with 103 credited kills after flying 703 missions. Seven of these kills came about flying the Me 262. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with diamonds, swords and oak leaves.
Galland was captured by the Allies on May 14th, 1945. He remained a POW until 1947. His first job once released was to lecture for the RAF on fighter tactics. Galland then worked as a consultant for the Argentine Air Force before returning to Germany in 1955 to establish his own aviation consultancy firm.
Adolf Galland died on February 9th, 1996.
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