JG 26 Schlageter Vol. 1

It can be said that the history ofJagdge-schwader 26 (JG 26) started in 1936 when _ Germany remilitarized Rhineland. On March 7th the commander of III./JG 134, Hptm. Oskar Dinort received an order to take part in a great mystification to convince Western Allies about the military power of the Third Reich. At noon, on the next day, two Staffel from his unit start­ed circling around the cathedral in Koln, while He 51 biplanes landed at the local civilian air­port. They were the only airforce units involved in the entire operation of remilitarizing Rhine-land. For JG 26, it was the beginning of its for­mation. After the outbreak of the Civil War in Spain, and creation of Legion Condor supporting nation­alist troops of General Francisco Franco, many members of II./JG 134 joined in and went to Spain to gain combat experience. In early 1937, JG 234 was formed with II./JG 234 as part of it at the airbase at Diisseldorf. II./JG 234 was commanded by Maj. Fduard Ritter von Schleich, well-known WWI ace, nicknamed „Schwarze Ritter" („The Black Knight"), who was awarded the highest Prussian decoration of Pour le Merite. At the same time, III./JG 134 stationed at Koln was redesignated as I./JG 234 and received a new commander Hptm. Walter Grabmann. Both units had three Staffel with appropriate numbers: 1./JG 234 - 1, 2 and 3 Staffel (He 51 biplane fighters), and II./JG 234 - 4, 5 and 6 Staffel (Ar 68 biplanes). In mid 1937, I./JG 234 was moved to the new air-base at Koln-Ostheim. In November of 1937, the second unit in the entire Luftwaffe, JG 234, started training on monoplane Fighters - Messerschmitt Bf 109B. Ex­actly one year later, the unit received a new des­ignation -JG 132. Its first commander was Obst. Fduard Ritter von Schleich, who until then com­manded II./JG 132, of which command took over veteran of combat in Spain, Hptm. Werner Palm.

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