Aces of the Legion Condor (Aircraft of the Aces)

The story of the 29 fighter pilot aces of the Legion Condor who became aces flying Messerschmitt Bf 109 C-Es, Heinkel He 51s, Henschel Hs 123s, Arado Ar 68 E-1s and Heinkel He 112s during the Spanish Civil War. For Germany, the Spanish Civil War proved a perfect testing ground for new technologies and tactics. During the war, some 19,000 German 'volunteers' formed an aviation group called the Legion Condor in support of the fascists. Originally flying He-51s, they were soon upgraded to 109s. These fighters proved dominant in the Spanish skies, and many members of the legion scored five or more kills during the fighting. This compact, illustrated volume tells the story of the first German aces and charts the evolution of aerial tactics kick-started by this 'baptism of fire'.