Adolf Galland (1912 – 1996)
World War II German fighter pilot and commander of Germany's fighter force from 1941 to 1945.
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Superior technical achievements — used correctly both strategically and tactically — can beat any quantity numerically many times stronger yet technically inferior.
Never abandon the possibility of attack. Attack even from a position of inferiority, to disrupt the enemy's plans. This often results in improving one's own position.
The colossus of World War II seemed to be like a pyramid turned upside down, and for the moment the whole burden of the war rested on the few hundred German fighter pilots on the Channel coast.
The wave of terror radiated from the suffering city and spread throughout Germany. Appalling details of the great fire were recounted. The glow of the fires could be seen for one hundred twenty miles. A stream of haggard, terrified refugees flowed into the neighbouring provinces. In every large town people said, 'what happened in Hamburg yesterday can happen to us tomorrow.' Berlin was evacuated amid signs of panic. In spite of strict reticence in official communiques, the terror of Hamburg spread rapidly to the remotest villages of the Reich. After Hamburg in the wide circle of the political and the military command could be heard the words: "The war is lost".
The fighter must seek battle in the air.
During the Battle of Britain the question "fighter or fighter-bomber?" had been decided once and for all: The fighter can only be used as a bomb carrier with lasting effect when sufficient air superiority has been won.
Well, if it hadn't been for chaps like him...we wouldn't have had a bloody Commonwealth Air Training Scheme.
Adolf Galland was a living legend in the German air force of 1944. Galland's credentials as head of the German fighter forces stood imposing. His distinguished career spanned the entire war.
To use a fighter as a fighter-bomber when the strength of the fighter arm is inadequate to achieve air superiority is putting the cart before the horse.
Galland was undoubtedly the most colorful and charismatic German fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain.
They attracted Hurricanes and Spitfires as honey attracts flies.
Adolf Galland said that the day we took our fighters off the bombers and put them against the German fighters, that is, went from defensive to offensive, Germany lost the air war. I made that decision and it was my most important decision during World War II. As you can imagine, the bomber crews were upset. The fighter pilots were ecstatic.
"He who wants to protect everything, protects nothing," is one of the fundamental rules of defense.
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