Adolf Galland
Adolf Galland was one of the most colourful characters in any WWII air force, and one of the most successful western-front Aces. Seldom without his trademark cigar--even when flying his Bf 109--Galland was a handsome bon vivant who liked the good life and made good company. His personal symbol, a hatchet- and gun-toting, cigar-chomping version of Mickey Mouse, was painted on his plane. Once he was almost shot down while flying a planeload of lobsters and champagne to a party. He was also deadly efficient as a fighter pilot and leader, and a hard-headed advocate for the effective use of the German fighter force.
An accomplished glider pilot in his teens, Galland became an instructor in the fledgling--and still secret--Luftwaffe in the early 1930s. He first saw combat in the Spanish civil war of 1936-1939, perfecting strafing and dive-bombing techniques in outmoded Heinkel biplanes. Recalled to the Air Ministry in Germany, he was replaced by Werner Mölders, his future mentor and rival. By May of 1940 Galland was flying Bf 109 fighters in France and Belgium. During the Battle of Britain a rivalry sprang up between Galland and Mölders, who had already scored 14 victories in Spain flying Bf 109s. By the end of the Battle Galland, who was now JG 26 Kommodore, had accumulated 52 victories, compared to Mölders' 54 in the same period. After another year of combat his score stood at 94.
In November 1941 Göring promoted Galland to succeed Mölders as General of Fighter Pilots, which kept him mostly out of the cockpit and frequently at odds with the Reichsmarschall. Galland's advocacy of a concentrated, central fighter defence ran counter to Göring's habitual stance that the offensive should never be abandoned. He continually had to defend his pilots against Göring's accusations of cowardice, and made no attempt to hide his outspoken views on weapons and tactics. This inevitably led to his dismissal as General of Fighter Pilots. In January 1945 he was allowed to form an elite squadron flying the Me 262 jet fighter.
Lt. General Adolf Galland (1912-1996) Final Tally: 104 Fighter Aircraft Flown: Me 262 Rank at End of War: General der Jagdflieger (Lt. General) Medals and Awards: Knight's Cross with oak leaves, swords, and diamonds Campaigns Flown: Battle of Britain, Battle over Europe.