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This short video tells you something of the wartime career of German fighter ace Adolf Galland. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western Front and the Defence of the Reich. On four occasions he survived being shot down, and he was credited with 104 aerial victories, all of them against the Western Allies.

During the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, Galland flew ground attack missions. Next, Galland flew Messerschmitt Bf 109s during the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. By the end of 1940 his tally of victories had reached 57.

In 1941 Galland stayed in France and fought the Royal Air Force (RAF) over the English Channel and Northern France. By November 1941 his tally had increased to 96, by which time he had earned the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

In November 1941, Werner Mölders, who commanded the German Fighter Force as the General der Jagdflieger, was killed in a flying accident and Galland succeeded him, staying in the position until January 1945. As General der Jagdflieger Galland was forbidden to fly combat missions. For commanding JG 26 with distinction, he earned the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.

Over the years, Galland's disagreements with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, head of the Nazi air force (Luftwaffe), about how best to combat the Allied Air Forces bombing Germany caused their relationship to deteriorate. The Luftwaffe fighter force was under severe pressure by 1944 and Galland was blamed by Göring for the failure to prevent the Allied strategic bombing of Germany in daylight.

The relationship collapsed altogether in early January 1945, when Galland was relieved of his command because of his constant criticism of the Luftwaffe leadership. Galland was then put under house arrest following the so-called Revolt of the Kommodores, during which senior Jagdwaffe pilots tried to "save" Galland's position, while having Göring dismissed as Reichsmarschall.

In March 1945, Galland returned to operational flying and was permitted to form a jet fighter unit of Me-262s which Galland called Jagdverband 44. He flew missions over Germany until the end of the war in May.

Source: Wikipedia, Sept, 2011

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