Five SB downed? - Legion Condor claims on 12.12.1936

[GuerraCivil]

In the official history of Legion Condor the day of 12.12.1936 was a great and almost unrivalled victory for the pilots of 4th Staffel of Fighter Group 88 (4.J/88).

Enemy had received new SB bombers ("Martin"), which had proven to be very difficult to knock down as they could achieve the max. speed of more than 400 km/h leaving effectively behind the German Heinkel He 51 fighters which could achieve the max. top speed of only 330 km/h.

However if the slower biplanes were happily at higher altitude, they could catch to bombers by diving. This appears to have been the case on 12.12.1936 when five happy pilots (Knüppel, von Gilsa, Rehahn, Sawallisch and Godecke) were each credited with destroyed "Martin" (SB) bomber. Von Gilsa, Rehahn, Sawallisch and Gödecke got a "confirmed" SB kill whereas Knüppel had to be content with "probable".

However, as great fiesta as the pilots in their time may have had celebrating their SB kills, these air victories appear to be only "paper air victories". To my limited knowledge none of these five claims can be verified by the SB loss records of Republican Air Force.

The German claims are even more doubtful if we analyze the combat situation and the fact that their machines were so much slower than the enemy SB bombers. The only practical chance for Heinkel 51 to catch much faster SB was by the extra speed gained by sharp deep. However such speed does not last long and such attack could not be repeated - the faster target had flown away before the slow biplane could have achieved again enough altitude to make a new dive attack.

To attack the SB bomber the Heinkel 51 needed not to been at higher altitude but also conveniently at the flying course of SB before it could achieve the favourable attacking position with dive. If such an attack failed, Heinkel 51 would be left hopelessly behind of SB. This kind of attacking method was not particularly effective and it´s success depended as much on good luck than on pilot´s skills.

Taking all above in account I would say that the five SB claims of LC pilots on 12.12.1936 are very dubious. Of all claims of Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War these claims are the least credible.