Condor over Spain: The civil war, combat experience and the development of Luftwaffe airpower doctrine

Abstract

The Spanish Civil War was the most intensive experience of combat for the Luftwaffe before World War II. However, the vast majority of the literature ascribes only a rather passive contribution of the air war over Spain to the historical development of the Luftwaffe's airpower doctrine; indeed, traditional views assert that the Spanish Civil War in the air only permitted the German Air Force to test a predetermined blitzkrieg doctrine and practice a pre‐decided tactic of dive‐bombing utilising the Junkers Ju‐87 Stuka. This article analyses Luftwaffe doctrine before and after the Spanish Civil War in conjunction with the roles actually performed by German military aircraft during the conflict in order to assess to what degree civil war combat experience may have changed Luftwaffe airpower doctrine. The monograph concludes that the Civil War had a tremendous impact on the Luftwaffe combat doctrine with which Germany entered the World War in 1939. The paramount revolution being the modernisation of Luftwaffe air superiority (fighter) tactics.