Virtual Museum - Model
Aircraft (Plastic)
RNZAF F4U
Corsair. Scale 1:48
RNZAF
Antarctic Flight de Havilland Beaver. Scale 1:72
RAF de
Havilland Mosquito. Scale 1:48
Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 110. Scale 1:48
Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Scale 1:48
Messerschmitt Bf 109E. Scale 1:48. Model depicts aircraft from
Luftwaffe JG 26 Schlagetr as flown by Adolf galland during the Battle
of Britain 1940. Adolf Galland was possibly the most famous
German ace of the Second World War. He enlisted in 1933 and,
assigned to JG 27, Galland began scoring victories on 12 May 1940
during the German invasion of Belgium. Twelve victories in the Battle
of France led to his promotion to Major and leadership of III/JG 26
"Schlageter" and Galland became the second-ranking German ace behind
his friend and rival, Werner Moelders. On 1st August Galland had 17
victories, and Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring awarded him the
Ritterkreuz, or Knight's Cross, previously awarded only to Moelders
among fighter pilots. In the thick of the Battle of Britain, Galland
shot down three British aircraft on three occasions - 15 August, 31
August and 18 September. On 17th August Galland was summoned to a
meeting with Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering at Goering's estate in
Germany. Goering promted Galland to Geschwaderkommodore, or Wing
Commander, of JG 26. The short range of the Bf 109's, which had been
designed as interceptors, limited their combat time over southeast
Britain to 10-20 minutes, and on one occasion Galland crossed the
Channel on fumes, gliding to a crash-landing on the beach at Cap Gris
Nez. Galland's most famous moment came in September 1940 when Goering
visited the fighter unit commanders in France. First Goering angrily
criticized them for allowing British Spitfires and Hurricanes to shoot
down so many German bombers, and then he asked Galland what he needed
to defeat the Royal Air Force. Galland replied, "I'd like Spitfires for
my Geschwader." Goering wasn't impressed! But Galland remained in
favor, because by 23rd September he had reached 40 victories. Hitler
honored him by spending Christmas Day of 1940 in company with Galland
and JG 26. Following the death of Werner Moelders, on 28 November 1941,
Galland was forced to abandon combat flying to become Inspekteur der
Jagdfleiger, or Commander of Fighters, with the rank of Generalmajor.
In January 1945 his volatile relationship with Goering soured, and
Galland returned to combat with a special unit of Messerschmitt 262 jet
fighters. With the publication of his autobiography, The First and the
Last, he became celebrated around the aviation world. He died in 1996 .