Werner Mölders

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Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

August 10, 1938, still on the Ebro; since August 7, 1938 was developing the National offensive between Fanon and Mequinema. Again we had to fly as escorts for bombers and Stukas units which support the river crossing. My squadron took action against two squadrons of Republican Curtiss . I led the attack and when I reached the shooting distance I remembered I had promised my katschmareck the opportunity to make a throw. But close to me shot Uffz. Janisch, who earned his first victory over a Curtiss, so my irritated katschmareck missed the opportunity. In the operation were also involved Italian Fiat aircrafts.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

On August 20, 1938 while flying I saw two hostile groups to the northeast in the direction of Reus, but as I approached I lost sight of them. But underneath I saw a squadron of "Ratas" in aerial combat with two of our aircraft of the 1. Squadron. We attack when suddenly, come out of nowhere, appeared two Curtiss and a squadron of "Ratas". My Messerschmitt behaved exceptionally when I engaged myself against the enemy machine which was flying upwards. First I stood behind a "Rata" soon it had focused on my reticle and even today I do not know how did not fall down.

Then I saw a Curtiss near and behind me, who bravely insisted on the fight and attacked from below. I shot as I approached until I had to fly over to avoid crashing against it. I appreciated several impacts on the enemy aircraft which flew past under my wing and I lost it. Then I went into another Curtiss which was flying from my oblique to the front and I got several hits on its tail. But none of them was seen to fall. Ebbighausen received eight impacts by a Curtiss but fortunately he was able to land safely at home. So after twenty minutes fighting in the air, that day I did not bring down any enemy pilot.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

Lucky and unlucky at the same time

August 23, 1938. A day where everything went wrong again, but I had a crazy luck. We had to play free hunting missions, seeking contact with the Martin bombers. They came, though earlier than expected and found us still on the ground. It should pass still another hour, since the mission was planned between 13:15 hours and 14:30 hours, otherwise he would have been a disaster for them. We took off and stalked from above as they approached, our antiaircraft artillery began firing explosive shells in front of the bombers. I approached the bombers when from above a squadron of "Ratas" dropped a hot rain on my plane. Now the question was the bombers or the "Ratas". In a quick decision I chased the bombers which were flying in two closed chains. I approached about 200 meters inside the right formation. A heavy bomber appeared in sight and I opened fire with all weapons; the projectiles hit in the fuselage and engines, but the machine did not fall. Soon the windshield of my cockpit was filled with oil and flames came out of its left engine then my victim began to fall down ... ... ... ... ..

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

Lucky and unlucky at the same time.

I was about to chase another bomber when I spotted a "Rata" approaching from the right and two more from the left. I had nothing else to do there therefore I gave a turn by the rear of the swarm and plunged toward the ground, by then I was flying over enemy territory. Flying at 10 meters off the ground soon I lost those "Ratas" and I headed to the Ebro along a road that ran down there. There were the Republican trenches and beyond the National territory. Shortly afterwards I landed safely on the base. Uffz. Janitsch who saw me diving followed by the "Ratas" had not predicted anything bright in my future. Making the matters worse, the knocking down of the bomber could not be confirmed.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

A sausage (*) has disappeared.

August 24, 1938. We were awaiting the order to take action on our airfield near Zaragoza, the sky was quiet. Suddenly we heard over the hills the distant sound of an engine. Are we crazy or is a "Rata" coming up?. It was indeed a "Rata". It stabilized, landed, rolled, and..... man, finally stopped against an obstacle and crash-landed. From the cockpit stepped down a young pilot. We guide the boy (*) to our lodgings, a real sausage of 21 years who had only four flights to the front. It was a Spanish man who was disoriented after a fight with the Italians and thought he landed on his own airfield. This is war.

German pun for Würstchen (sausage) and Burschen (boy).
In fact we would say a salami.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

August 30, 1938. Nothing was seen about the enemy in these days. But they keep falling in the days ahead. Since yesterday it has unleashed a savage storm. We flew at low altitude to the combat airfield of Pomar. On the mountains is impossible to fly. The storm has intensified and the last departure from Pomar was quite difficult. At dawn this morning the storm reached our airfield. A transport plane Ju-52 lost its anchors and rolled backwards down the taxiway and ended up in the other side within the olive trees, had not been a Ju-52 there would not be integer. Then also one He-45 was thrown. Henze and other noncommissioned officers had disarmed the bivouac and it paid dividends as the Ju-52 moved through the area.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

September 1, 1938. The weather calmed down. In the evening the Italians hung in the sky as thick clusters. With 4 Bf-109 we escorted to a Do-17 during a reconnaissance flight. At 18:00 hours I observed coming from the northeast at 6 Martin bombers escorted by two squadrons of "Ratas". Now we sniff the "Ratas". I had not yet reached the distance of shooting when the hostile formation was dissolved in a big mess. The Italian aircraft had arrived before us.

September 3, 1938. A sad day for the squadron, according to orders received, half of the pilots must return home. Among them, my dear "katschmareck" Uffz. Jänisch. With sadness we drank a last farewell drink and then we see them to leave on the bus.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

September 5, 1938. Again today has come back the "Feldwebel Lorenz", an infamous night bomber, who brings unease to everyone in a full moon nights. He has been given the comic name for some reason by the antiaircraft artillery. In order to try to catch him I moved to the airfield of Benicasim, as the Feldwebel Lorenz had been seen the night before about Castellón. Shortly before dark, Goy and I took off from Becasim. I made sure that the Spanish anti-aircraft artillery had clear there were two German fighter planes in flight. But we were not lucky and spent the night at Benicasim, suffering from the effective mosquito attacks.

The next day we brought a few mosquito's nets from La Cenia and after my management, Feldwebel Trenckle gave me 800 pesetas. The next evening I was visited by two Spanish commanders and talk about the night hunting.

It was a wonderful night of full moon. Patrolling at about 1000 meters north of Castellón, the time of flight passed without incident and was the same for Goy, the Feldwebel Lorenz had not taken off that night. At 02:00 hours and under a clear sky we flew along the coast to La Cenia where we landed without illumination.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

September 9, 1839

Again flew with my squadron over the sea and we engaged with a squadron of "Ratas" which was coming from the direction of Tarragona. The boys had changed their tactics, now they were flying in a big bow forwards and not in a obstinate straight line as before. I went lurking over the plane further to the rear and fired a blast on the "Rata". I had to hit the pilot as the machine began uncontrolled movements and plummeted to the ground. As I watched Uffz. Kiening flying back to our lines leaving a white trail behind, so I stood up and behind his tail and escorted him back to our lines. There were no longer enemy aircrafts. Later when Kiening was over our own lines, I saw the last three Curtiss; these thugs were firing on us vertically from below and then landed, sometimes had a stroke of luck as was the case with Kiening. He landed in the vicinity of Batea.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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September 9, 1839

you should read September 9, 1938.

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

September 12, 1938. Today the war took a break, because Hauptmann Handrick, Hauptmann Schellmann and Maj. Mehnert (commander of the bombers) go home. I gathered the whole squadron. The Commander received our salutations, we drank a farewell drink and then followed the parade, in front the band, the Moors, Spanish women, the banner of the squadron and finally the two vehicles of the honorees. They were two mule carts decorated for the occasion. Then came the Jolanthe of the Stukas and the antiaircraft artillery painted with its explosions the H in the sky. Then the the flight of the Ju-52 took off and escorted by two Bf-109 Hauptmann Handrick left Spanish soil. On September 10, 1938, had assumed the command of the Jagdgruppe, Hauptmann Grabmann.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

September 23, 1938. At 09:00 hours we returned to the airfield and we received the pleasant news that the new Commander Hauptmann Grabmann had shot down a bomber Martin; it was his first victory. At 12:00 hours with my squadron took off on a mission of free hunting and on the coast south of Tarragona we found a squadron of "Ratas". The "Ratas" had detected an Italian squadron and were disturbed. In the fight I went unnoticed behind a "Rata" and from close range I shot a full blast against it. The aircraft tilted, then turned and crashed in a vertical position. Ebbighausen also saw the downing and he was my witness; it was my seventh victory. Goy and Uffz. März also managed a victory each one, but without witnesses. In the following days I participated in other missions but without success.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

October 4, 1938. Again we managed to hunt. At 5000 meters I saw five Martin bombers escorted by three squadrons of "Ratas". Unfortunately the boys came echeloned up to 6000 meters so I had to travel a great distance before attacking and therefore could not avoid that they see me approaching to them. I reached the last and shot, I should probably wounded the pilot and the machine began to turn. I stood back into firing position and managed to hit a second burst in the "Rata" that caught fire and fell down. That was my eighth. The rest of the swarm came over me so the bombers were flying alone. Then appeared the Commander and Oberleutnant G. who were flying as a separate section and managed one downing each. The Oberleutnant's bomber caught fire and fell down to the ground like a torch. But he had crossed in the sights of a "Rata" because he was shot in the shoulder and had to make an emergency landing. Today visited the squadron the Spanish commander Muñoz and we showed him the Messerschmitt Bf-109.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.
http://reibert.info/forum/showthread.php?t=30929

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

October 15, 1938. One truly devilish day. I flew in one Arado from Zaragoza to La Cenia and at 11:00 hours I took off with my squadron and the Italian Savonas. At 6000 meters high we crossed a layer of cirrus, the observation upwards was guaranteed. At 12:00 hours we detected two squadrons of "Ratas" at 4800 meters. The formation of Lippert attacked from above but without success. I stood in a firing position behind the first squadron of "Ratas" and filled the last bird with machine gun bullets. Uffz. März, flying behind me, witnessed the downing west of La Figueroa. Shortly afterwards I saw a "Rata" coming from below. I left him to get close up to 50 meters and fired, the "Rata" fell in flames west of the Sierra de Montsant. Half an hour later it still could see the smoke plume.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

October 17, 1938. Today I am six months in Spain. In the evening I received a call from Oberstleutnant Plocher from the Staff and congratulate me for Hauptmann (promotion?). It was a great joy. We celebrated the (promotion to?) Hauptmann with the whole squadron. Then followed days of rest with storms and visits to the Italian comrades in arms. In the air all was quiet.


Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows.....................

Werner Mölders tells about his life.

The Condor Legion.

For October 30, 1938 the weather began to improve and on October 31, 1938 the war returned with full intensity. Early we had action during an escort of our bombers when we stumbled with three squadrons of "Ratas". Among them we observed a new type of aircraft, identified as a new class of Curtiss. They have double star motor and are thinner than the old "Ratas" and are similar to the Bf-109. I went to the enemy squadron flying below. I attacked one aircraft which turned left and went down, I followed it and fired. The plane dived down until it finally began to spin and fell down.

Sources: Der Adler. 15 Oct 1940.
Der Adler. 29 Oct 1940.
Mölders und seine Männer . Fritz von Forell.
Der Adler 1939 – Heft 08.

Cheers. Raúl M .