Size of Legion Condor at end?

Discussions on all aspects of the Spanish Civil War including the Condor Legion, the Germans fighting for Franco in the Spanish Civil War.
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sitalkes
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Size of Legion Condor at end?

#1

Post by sitalkes » 21 Apr 2015, 02:48

I read on another web page about trans-atlantic liners that "In May 1939, the Wilhelm Gustloff, Robert Ley, Der Deutsche, Stuttgart, Sierra Cordoba and the Oceana were used for bringing home the so-called Legion Condor from Spain. . The Robert Ley alone took on 1,416 men." What was the total number of men/equipment returned on those ships?

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Ironmachine
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Re: Size of Legion Condor at end?

#2

Post by Ironmachine » 21 Apr 2015, 08:53

From the article The German Military Contribution to the Spanish Civil War, 1936-39 by Alaric Searle, published in The International Context of the Spanish Civil War, edited by Gaynor Johnson:
When the Legion returned to Germany, it had a strength of 281 officers, 4,383 men, and 472 civilian technicians.
Some additional data:
The Gustloff took on 1,405 men.
The Robert Ley took on 1416 men.
The Stuttgart took on 793 men.
Source: http://www.feldgrau.com


durb
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Re: Size of Legion Condor at end?

#3

Post by durb » 22 Apr 2015, 14:10

According to Alcofar the Nassaes (1975) the nominal combat strength of Legion Condor (LC) by Feb. 1939 was 128 aircraft:

- fighter group J/88: 46 Bf 109 (organized in 3 Staffeln, although 46 would be close to 4 Staffeln)
- bomber group K/88: 38 He 111
- recce and liason unit A/88 (involved also with bombing and close support) : 16 Do 17 + 2 Ju 86 + 5 Ju 87 + 4 Hs 126 + 4 He 45 + 2 He 70
- seaplane unit AS/88: 9 He 59 + 1 Ju 52 W

I´m not sure about the numbers and allocation of some planes (A/88), but anyway the combat strength of LC reached its maxim of about 130 aircraft during the final months of SCW. It is interesting to compare this figure with the number of shipped planes to Spain - although as many as 131 Bf 109 were sent to Spain, only 2 - 3 Staffeln (20 - 36) with Bf 109 could be put in combat by LC in 1938.

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Ironmachine
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Re: Size of Legion Condor at end?

#4

Post by Ironmachine » 23 Apr 2015, 08:04

As the original poster also asked about the equipment returned, it should be remembered that most of those aircraft remained in Spain (as also happened with the tanks, guns, vehicles... of the Legion Condor). Very few planes returned to Germany.

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