Condor Observador
The Spanish Civil War, which raged from July 1936 to April 1939, served as something of a proving ground for the weapons, other military hardware, and, in some cases, the fighting men of several nations that supported one side or the other during the conflict. Some offered their support openly, others not so much. Of all these outside participants, perhaps the most notable was Germany. ‘Ole Adolph and his pals sent an expeditionary force known as the Condor Legion to fight on the side of Franco’s Nationalists.
The Condor Legion was made up of volunteers from Germany’s air force (Luftwaffe) and army (Heer). Among the Condor Legion’s air units was Aufklärungsstaffel 88 (A/88), its sole air-reconnaissance outfit. A/88 flew a few different types during the conflict, including the Henschel Hs 126 which was added to its stable in the Fall of 1938.
Six Hs 126A-1s were delivered to A/88, performing well in the reconnaissance and light bomber roles. One was lost, presumably to enemy fire, though your author does not know for sure at the time of this writing. The type’s participation in the Spanish affair was something of a service test; an operational evaluation preparatory to its introduction to operational units of the Luftwaffe in 1938.
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After the end of the conflict, the remaining Henschels were apparently left in Spain for use by the Spanish Air Force. Such was the case with much of the German equipment sent to Spain for what turned out to be something of a dress-rehearsal for a much greater, bloodier conflict to follow just a few months later.
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© Steve Donacik 2024
This was adapted from an article posted on one of my aviation photo blogs.
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