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I would like to mention that I have flown the 262 first in May ‘43. At this time, the aircraft was completely secret. I first knew of the existence of this aircraft only early in ‘42 - even in my position. This aircraft didn’t have any priority in design or production.

Adolf Galland

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Adolf Galland
Age: 83 †
Born: 1912
Born: March 19
Died: 1996
Died: February 9
Aircraft Pilot
Military Personnel
Westerholt (Herten)
Adolf Josef Ferdinand Galland
Didn
Productions
May
Early
Firsts
Completely
Flown
First
Design
Aircraft
Even
Position
Mention
Would
Knew
Priority
Time
Existence
Priorities
Like
Secret
Production

More quotes by Adolf Galland

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An excellent weapon and luck had been on my side. To be successful, the best fighter pilot needs both.
Adolf Galland
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Only in the spirit of attack, born in a brave heart, will bring success to any fighter aircraft, no matter how highly developed it may be.
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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.
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I had to inspect all fighter units in Russia, Africa, Sicily, France, and Norway. I had to be everywhere.
Adolf Galland
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It's unbelievable what one squadron of twelve aircraft did to tip the balance.
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The German Luftwaffe always fought without any reserves. This is also the reason why we have pilots with extremely high numbers of victories.
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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.
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Today it is even more important to dominate the . . . highly sophisticated weapon systems, perhaps even more important than being a good pilot to make the best use of this system.
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It is true to say that the first kill can influence the whole future career of a fighter pilot. Many to whom the first victory over the opponent has been long denied either by unfortunate circumstances or by bad luck can suffer from frustration or develop complexes they may never rid themselves of again.
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We have built a total of about 1250 of this aircraft, but only fifty were allowed to be used as fighters - as interceptors. And out of this fifty, there were never more than 25 operational. So we had only a very, very few.
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According to Goering and the Luftwaffe High Command, they were supposed to be the fighter elite.
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As a fighter pilot I know from my own experiences how decisive surprise and luck can be for success, which in the long run comes only to the one who combines daring with cool thinking.
Adolf Galland
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Superior technical achievements - used correctly both strategically and tactically - can beat any quantity numerically many times stronger yet technically inferior.
Adolf Galland
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Of course, the outcome of the war would not have been changed. The war was lost perhaps, when it was started. At least it was lost in the winter of '42, in Russia.
Adolf Galland
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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.
Adolf Galland
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For the first time I was flying by jet propulsion. No engine vibrations. No torque and no lashing sound of the propeller. Accompanied by a whistling sound, my jet shot through the air. Later when asked what it felt like, I said, It felt as though angels were pushing.
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Flying is more than a sport and more than a job flying is pure passion and desire, which fill a lifetime.
Adolf Galland
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Many pilots of the time were the opinion that a fighter pilot in a closed cockpit was an impossible thing, because you should smell the enemy. You could smell them because of the oil they were burning.
Adolf Galland
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If we would have had the 262 at our disposal - even with all the delays - if we could have had in '44, ah, let's say three hundred operational, that day we could have stopped the American daytime bombing offensive, that's for sure.
Adolf Galland
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The first rule of all air combat is to see the opponent first. Like the hunter who stalks his prey and maneuvers himself unnoticed into the most favourable position for the kill, the fighter in the opening of a dogfight must detect the opponent as early as possible in order to attain a superior position for the attack.
Adolf Galland