Interview with Galland
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Dickie
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Re: Interview with Galland
Are you talking about your grandfather Mauf? I didn't know, anything to share?
Re: Interview with Galland
Only the little stuff I have (it's all second hand by my grandmother and dad), he died when I was 3 years old.
He never shared much about what happened when he was in service. Back in his youth, he loved the idea of flying and jumped at the chance for flight training when he got it as part of the Nazi programs to get young boys into flying. From how my grandma told it, he was plain naive back then (like many) and never expected to be thrown into a war. He joined Air Sea Rescue in Norway in the hopes of avoiding fighting as much as possible. Which didn't always work out. Sadly, we don't have any documents from back then of his (and going by what kind of character he must have been, he wouldn't have wanted to keep them). The only plane we know of that he flew was the He-115 (it was the only type he mentioned). From what I pieced together, he must have been with the Seenotstaffel 10 and/or Küstenflieger-Gruppe 406 as he stayed in Norway pretty much until the end of WW2. As he mentioned laying mines in the channel at one point, he must have been with 406 at least for some time.
According to his telling, he was shot down twice, both times getting away wet, cold but unharmed. Grandma and my dad never pushed him on the topic afaik. What they did tell me was that after the war, he often visited the next airport in reach, watching the planes take-off and landing. He dreamed of getting back into flying but he never had the money nor the time after he got children.
Not quite the story of some dashing fighter jock but he's a little, maybe tragic, hero who got suckered into the war machine and tried his best to avoid having to harm other people. The saddest part is that he never got a chance to fly again after WW2.
He never shared much about what happened when he was in service. Back in his youth, he loved the idea of flying and jumped at the chance for flight training when he got it as part of the Nazi programs to get young boys into flying. From how my grandma told it, he was plain naive back then (like many) and never expected to be thrown into a war. He joined Air Sea Rescue in Norway in the hopes of avoiding fighting as much as possible. Which didn't always work out. Sadly, we don't have any documents from back then of his (and going by what kind of character he must have been, he wouldn't have wanted to keep them). The only plane we know of that he flew was the He-115 (it was the only type he mentioned). From what I pieced together, he must have been with the Seenotstaffel 10 and/or Küstenflieger-Gruppe 406 as he stayed in Norway pretty much until the end of WW2. As he mentioned laying mines in the channel at one point, he must have been with 406 at least for some time.
According to his telling, he was shot down twice, both times getting away wet, cold but unharmed. Grandma and my dad never pushed him on the topic afaik. What they did tell me was that after the war, he often visited the next airport in reach, watching the planes take-off and landing. He dreamed of getting back into flying but he never had the money nor the time after he got children.
Not quite the story of some dashing fighter jock but he's a little, maybe tragic, hero who got suckered into the war machine and tried his best to avoid having to harm other people. The saddest part is that he never got a chance to fly again after WW2.
Re: Interview with Galland
It's an extraordinary story, actually. I often thought of that since you mentioned him to me earlier on...Mauf wrote:Not quite the story of some dashing fighter jock but he's a little, maybe tragic, hero who got suckered into the war machine and tried his best to avoid having to harm other people. The saddest part is that he never got a chance to fly again after WW2.
Larry I got to have a better look at the pictures (only read this on a phone earlier on), I am sure you know all that already, but:
http://en.ww2awards.com/person/38562
What a guy your granddad was. Thanks for sharing again!
Casca - Germans have a very long history in Argentina since the 19th century. It was a natural choice for many before and after the war.
Re: Interview with Galland
Wow Larry, what a grandfather!Larry wrote:I dont know much about my Grandfather, because he crashed with Kurt Tanks Jet Fighter prototyp Pulqui II. at 9.10. 1952 in age of 38 in Argentinia. Thats why my mother speaks spain because she grew up in Carlos Paz (Arg).
I already read much about Otto Behrens in my JG26 books. Whithout his and Karl Borris enthusiasm and work for the FW190 it problaby would have never made it to operational use!
In Priller's JG26 book there's a own small chapter about Otto Behrens. There is mentioned that his youngest daughter (your mother Larry?) even smuggled Galland's medals under her skirt to Argentinia!
He wasn't only a pilot of 6./JG26, he was also it's Staffelkapitän (leader) from 23 Dec. 41 to 30 Jun. 42 when he was finaly transferred to the Luftwaffe's test center at Rechlin.
Interestingly it looks like he never made a victory claim (nothing to find in the JG26 victory claim list). So he really seemed to be more the technical pilot than a fighter.
Re: Interview with Galland
hallo pitti,Pitti wrote:Wow Larry, what a grandfather!Larry wrote:I dont know much about my Grandfather, because he crashed with Kurt Tanks Jet Fighter prototyp Pulqui II. at 9.10. 1952 in age of 38 in Argentinia. Thats why my mother speaks spain because she grew up in Carlos Paz (Arg).
I already read much about Otto Behrens in my JG26 books. Whithout his and Karl Borris enthusiasm and work for the FW190 it problaby would have never made it to operational use!
In Priller's JG26 book there's a own small chapter about Otto Behrens. There is mentioned that his youngest daughter (your mother Larry?) even smuggled Galland's medals under her skirt to Argentinia!
He wasn't only a pilot of 6./JG26, he was also it's Staffelkapitän (leader) from 23 Dec. 41 to 30 Jun. 42 when he was finaly transferred to the Luftwaffe's test center at Rechlin.
Interestingly it looks like he never made a victory claim (nothing to find in the JG26 victory claim list). So he really seemed to be more the technical pilot than a fighter.
the story about gallands medals is true. my mother is the oldest of the 4 kids of otto behrens. galland, together with the family behrens, followed by ship otto behrens and kurt tank to argentinia. peron "bought" german engineerings to built up his own airforce. the horten brothers and stuka pilot rudel(he wasn`t a real engineer
) and many more where there.I see you come from hannover pitti, the youngest daughter still lives in hannover (langenhagen) in the house of my grandfather and grandmother behrens.
otto wasn`t a real fighter pilot. more the engieer, mabye it saved his live during the war.
a sad detail is that the day, the 9.10. was the birthday of my grandmother. the day that otto crashed.
Casca: the way was germany/ tirol/meran/madrid/dakar/natal/buenos aires
"We were the last bastion of defence.
After us, there was nothing."
Fighter Pilot Ken Wilkinson No 19 Sqn. Summer 1940.
Re: Interview with Galland
Incredible! Typical Larry. Modest guy doing the best screenshots in the world. And btw my granddad was Otto Behrens. 
I've read about the jet development in Argentina and I recall reading about the crash of the prototype, the reason I came across that story was the RR engine, same as MiG-15 basically. Now the story gets another dimension, especially with your grandmoms birthday, very very sad indeed.
do you look anything like him btw?
I've read about the jet development in Argentina and I recall reading about the crash of the prototype, the reason I came across that story was the RR engine, same as MiG-15 basically. Now the story gets another dimension, especially with your grandmoms birthday, very very sad indeed.
do you look anything like him btw?Re: Interview with Galland
...no robo, not at all 
best screenshots? hmm... I`m not sure about that. well I`m easly do my best, like everybody here in ACG. thats all.
best screenshots? hmm... I`m not sure about that. well I`m easly do my best, like everybody here in ACG. thats all.
"We were the last bastion of defence.
After us, there was nothing."
Fighter Pilot Ken Wilkinson No 19 Sqn. Summer 1940.
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Dickie
- Group Captain
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Re: Interview with Galland
Amazing story, but if you don't look like him much you could pass for German legend Michael Ballack, or even James Bond
Seriously, brilliant reading, and are these your daughters? Great to find out these personal things as we all get to know each other
And Mauf, terrific stuff about your grandfather too and it underlines the many jobs there were even in flying. My only flying relative was my great uncle Fred, a bomb aimer in the RAF and his Short Sterling was shot down by flak on one of the big attacks on Berlin. He is buried there.
Seriously, brilliant reading, and are these your daughters? Great to find out these personal things as we all get to know each other
And Mauf, terrific stuff about your grandfather too and it underlines the many jobs there were even in flying. My only flying relative was my great uncle Fred, a bomb aimer in the RAF and his Short Sterling was shot down by flak on one of the big attacks on Berlin. He is buried there.
Re: Interview with Galland
..yes Osprey, Isabelle (now 7) and Florence (now 5).
they would like join ACG too...
they would like join ACG too...
"We were the last bastion of defence.
After us, there was nothing."
Fighter Pilot Ken Wilkinson No 19 Sqn. Summer 1940.
Re: Interview with Galland
What a flamebait:P The hun will be all over it^^