WERNER MOLDERS

Werner Molders was born in 1913, he was set to become the role model for all young German fighter pilots. Molders was the first fighter pilot to exceed Baron Von Richthofens 80 victories and the first fighter pilot to reach the 100 mark. Molders had been intent on a career in the Military after his Father was killed in the First World War, he entered the Dresden Military Academy in 1932 and would graduate two years later. In 1934 he applied for flight training with the Luftwaffe passing all but one test, the centrifugal spin chair which made him dizzy and caused him to vomit, a doctor was to recommend that Molders was unfit to became a pilot. Molders was determined though and practiced with the chair until he passed. Flying sickness though would continue with Molders  during the early part of his career. 

Molders Messerschmitt during the Battle Of Britain

During 1938 3  Staffel of JG 88 needed a new leader to replace Adolf Galland in Spain and Molders was chosen, after one month under the watch of Galland, Molders was excepted. It was here in Spain with the Condor Legion that Molders scored his first victory a polikarpov I -16 fighter, it was also in Spain that Molders would help every new pilot under his command to score their fist victory and to help them through the experience. By the 31st of October Molders had scored 14 victories in Spain and he returned to Germany in early November as the highest scoring pilot of the Condor Legion.

Werner would spend the winter teaching Luftwaffe recruits his tactics that he had learned while in Spain. Molders opened his World War II account by  scoring in the opening  weeks of the French campaign when he shot down a Curtis Hawk on the 20th of September 1940, by May he had become the first Luftwaffe pilot to reach 20 victories and was awarded the RitterKreuz . Molders scoring tatic was to hit them hard from close range. It was here in France that Molders was to became a POW, while leading 15 Messerschmitts on a patrol Molders messerschmitt was raked with shells, shattering his canopy and setting the engine on fire Molders bailed out and floated to earth where he was captured by French troops, life as a POW was short though as France surrendered a few weeks later. 

By July of 1940 Molders was a Major and Kommodore of JG 51, on the 27th of July 1940 during a flight over England Molders was jumped by the Legendry British Ace  Sailor Malan who riddled Molders Messerschmit so badly that it barley made it back to France, Molders was wounded in the knee and he crashed landed near Calais where he was hospitalised for a month. By the 26th of February Molders was Germany's second highest scoring Ace with 68 victories behind him. By June of 1941 Molders was in the East,  and JG 51 would became the first Luftwaffe fighter group to reach the 1,000 victories mark, on another day in June JG 51 shot down 96 Soviet aircraft and Molders accounted for 11 of those, by the end of July Molders had 115 victories to his name. Realizing that Molders was to valuable to risk in combat the higher powers in the Luftwaffe decided to ground him and at the age of just 28 he became Inspecteur der Jagdflieger (Inspector of Fighters). He was constantly on the move, wherever he was required Molders would be creating and directing battle groups of Stukas and fighters. It was around this time that Molders received notice of Ernst Udet's suicide and he requested to be one of the guard of honours at the funeral, despite very bad weather Molders took a flight in a Heinkel HE III Bomber, the plane took of in a violent thunderstorm despite pleas from the pilot to turn back Molders insisted that the flight continued. The weather was only to worsen with powerful headwinds, as the flight neared Breslau one of the engines failed, as the aircraft approached the landing strip the second engine failed, the Heinkel slammed into the ground killing Moulders instantly. It is said that the entire  nation mourned Molders passing, Jg 51 was awarded the name Molders. Werner Molders finished the War with 115 victories.

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