Adolf Galland

Biography

Adolf Galland was born in Westphalia (Germany). He is the junior by four wire of a manager of field. He very brilliantly made his first aeronautical experiments in his native area by controlling sailplanes (several beaten records).

In February 1932, Galland integrated the flying school of the Civil aviation, with Braunschweig, but, in 1933, it profited from a training ultrasecret of fighter pilot in Italy (the Germany did not have at that time the right to maintain an air force under the terms of the Traité Versailles). In February 1934, it became a recruit of the regiment of N°10 infantry to Dresden and, after having followed successfully the courses of the school of war, it was named second lieutenant at the end of 1934. In March 1935, Galland was affected with the squadron (" Jagdgeschwader" , Squadron of hunting) 2 " Richthofen " then based with Döberitz. In October 1935, it was crushed at the time of a drive to the stunt-flying, which been worth a deformed nose and a reduced vision to him. So he was initially declared inapt for the flight but he nevertheless obtained the permission to continue to fly after having cheated during a very rigorous sight test!

Galland took part within the Légion Condor in the war of Spain in the sides of the troops of Franco. After 15 month, it was raised by Werner Mölders. Although it did not take part in the bombardment of Guernica, it defended this attack after the war as being a missed tactical attack of the Luftwaffe. According to him, this attack aimed at a road bridge located near the commune and being used for the supply of the republican troops. Galland gave as explanation in its book the first and the last that the visibility was bad because of the clouds of smoke produced by explosions and that the systems of aiming of the bombers were still primitive.

The May 12th 1940, Galland obtained its first three air victories above the Belgium against Hawker Hurricane of Royal Air Force (British) and not of the Belgian Air force, as he had believed. In June 1940 Galland became the commander of the 3rd group of the " Jagdgeschwader" (Squadron of hunting) 26 " Schlageter " (Schlageter is a family name and is thus not translated, as opposed to what believed certain British authors). The July 28th, it was promoted with the rank of " Major" (commander) and, the September 24th, it obtained its 40e victory. It was promoted lieutenant-colonel on November 1st and colonel the December 8th.

Galland, by its chivalrous attitude, made much for the reputation of the " hunters of Manche". Thus, it met during this period the killed and captured British pilots Douglas Bader and Robert Stanford Tuck, which it invited on his basis with Saint Omer.

After its 94e air victory, the February 28th 1942, it obtained as a second soldier of the Wehrmacht (just after Werner Mölders) the brilliances for its cross of knight of the Croix of iron.

End 1941 colonel Galland, with the general surprise, was named with the head of the inspection of hunting as a " General der Jagdflieger" (literally: General of the fighter pilots, therefore General of hunting) to replace his/her comrade Werner Mölders, killed like passenger in an air crash. It fulfills this mission also successfully. It succeeds, inter alia, to ensure air protection against the Royal Air Force of the Cuirassé S Scharnhorst and Gneisenau as well as heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen at the time of their passage along all the Manche for their transfer of Brest in Germany then in Norway (Opération Cerberus), literally under the nose of the Navy and aviation British and coastal heavy artillery of England. The November 19th of the same year, it was promoted with the rank of " Generalmajor" (Air Brigadier general). At 30 years, Adolf Galland became thus youngest " Generalmajor" Wehrmacht.

In April 1943 was tested successfully the prototype jet fighter Messerschmitt Me 262. Galland immediately understood, like many of other officers experienced with the combat, that this plane was to be quickly affected with the defense of the " Reich" to counter the increasingly massive attacks of the flying fortresses of the 8th USAAF. Adolf Hitler did not hear it thus and wanted to employ the Me 262 as a fast bomber to push back a possible allied offensive. Galland arrived all the same, after having threatened to resign, to impose the use of this plane like hunter within the experimental flotilla " Nowotny" (" Erprobungsgruppe Nowotny") at the end of 1944.

In September 1943, one still gave him the command of the hunting of night. This made that at that time it had under its responsibility six different faces as all the operational units of hunting, drives out day or drives out of night!

November 1st 1944, Galland was named " Generalleutnant" (air major general) for its qualities of chief of hunting.

The pressure exerted on this model soldier became increasingly strong and one thus reproached him for not being intervened with more insistence near the marshal Göring to defend of young comrades translated before the martial court, often for unjustified reasons.

At the end of January 1945 it was dismissed of its station of " General der Jagdflieger" following insurmountable differences in point of view between him and Göring. Galland then accepted the new mission, on the insistence of Hitler itself, to constitute the " Jagdverband 44" , a unit only made up of " Me 262". Many the best German fighter pilots went voluntary to integrate this unit of elite, and this little of time before the end of the war, which became increasingly inescapable. One said with humor that the cross of knight of the iron cross (seldom decreed) formed integral part of the official uniform of this unit.

Galland lived the end of the war in a military hospital in Bavaria after being wounded with a leg by a gust drawn by a P-51 Mustang American. It was transferred to the United Kingdom by the Americans where it spent two years in captivity as a prisoner of war. Two of his/her brothers, also pilot, the " Major" Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland (54 victories) and the " Leutnant" Paul Galland (17 victories), were killed within flotilla JG 26. Fritz, his/her older brother, who was also fighter pilot and of recognition, survived the war.

Starting from 1948 Galland worked during six years as adviser technical near the air force Argentine then it turned over in Germany. It became there consulting industrialist and member of the directory of three aeronautical companies and a shipping company by Hélicoptère.

Galland was also known for its passion for the Cigare S to which it renonça unwillingly in 1963. The support with cigar installed in the cockpit of sound Messerschmitt Bf 109 to be able to preserve the cigar lit before putting its oxygen mask became legendary.

The Galland family was originating in Veynes (Hautes-Alpes). Jean was Pasteur with Corps (38) towards the end of the 17th century; with her death, its widow, Charlotte Gondre, like her son Jacques and his wife, born Jordan, emigrated in Germany where the couple made stock.

Decorations

Medalla of Campana Spanish
Medalla Militar Spanish
Cross of Spain with swords out of gold and brilliant
Bar of flight to the combat for the hunters with bar " 400" (many missions)
Distinguished of pilot and gold navigator with brilliances
seven quotations with the Wehrmachtsbericht (day order of Wehrmacht)
Distinguished black of wounded the
Cross of iron (1939) of 2nd and 1st classes
Cross of knight of the Cross of iron with sheets of oak, swords and brilliant

cross of knight July 29th 1940
sheets of oak September 24th 1940
swords brilliant June 21st 1941
January 28th 1942

See too

List of the holders of the cross of knight of the cross of iron with sheets of oak, swords and brilliant

Literature

Adolf Galland : Until the end on our Messerschmitt (editions Robert Laffont 1954 then " I have lu") or first and the last (ED. Yves Michelet (1985) ISBN 2905643005; recall the history of the Luftwaffe of 1934 with 1945. A. Galland did not publish that only one book under its only name: " Die Ersten und die Letzten" (First and the last). The 1st French version mentioned is very strongly shortened (cut of 60% of the text), is condensed and sifted enormous errors, like a " sit éjectable" in Me 109 F of Galland and a " second parachute" over him, on June 21st, 1941. The 2nd version entirely respects the text of origin and it is thus 2,5 times longer than 1st, and without errors.

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