WEAPONS AND MILITARY LINKS
The Spanish civil war was the proving ground for the Blitzkrieg, or lightning war, the prologoue to Hitlers military expansion in Europe. Extensive use of air and tank warfare in support of ground troops was tested out on the battlefields in Spain.
Spanish civilians and republican forces faced large scale carpet bombing of civilian targets, like Guernica, which would later be used on Britain.
The air war in Spain saw the introduction of the Hartmann BF-109 and the later ME109, the Messerschmidts, pre jet, these were the fastest prop planes developed for their time. They acted as bomber support, troop strafing and for dogfights.
The tradition of the dog fight, solo air combat between opposing pilots and their planes, continued during the Spanish Civil War. The tradition of Air Aces, solo combat veterans, continued, and many pilots who would later fight in World War II received their initiation into air combat in Spain.
While Franco's forces were backed up by German Heinkel Bombers, Messerschmidts, Italian Chaboloto's and Breda's, the Republicans also had an airforce. Supported by Russian, French and American planes and an international brigade of pilots, the Republican air force was smaller than that of Franco's fascist allies. It's aim was to protect Republican cities from air attacks, which it did remarkably well, in air battles that were the reminiscent of the Battle of Britain.
History of the Polikarkov I-16
The 1-16 single-seat monoplane fighter
designed by a team headed by Nikolai N.
Polikarpov was obsolete at the beginning of
the Second World War, yet it bore much of
the brunt of the early Luftwaffe offensive
against the Soviet Union and continued in
first-line service until 1943.
Stories about planes and pilots under all flags
With an emphasis on the European Theatre of Operations.
Hitler's Luftwaffe in the Spanish Civil War.
Germany Admits Guilt In Gernika Massacre
But Gives No Apology on 60th Anniversary of the bombing
Bombing of Guernica
1997 Usenet/Listserver discussion
"Handmaid" Of The Army?
The American Perception of German
Bombardment Doctrine
prior to the Battle of Britain*
Capt Alexus G. Grynkewich, USAF
Chapter 5 Strategic Air Warfare The RAF vs.the Luftwaffe
References to Franco, Spain both pre and during WWII.
The Messerschmitt BF109-F4 "Franz"
Prelude to World War II
American Airpower Heritage Museum, Imperialism--Militarism 1930-1939
The Dornier Do17Z-2
was one of the workhorses of the German Luftwaffe. Known as the "Flying Pencil", it entered service in 1936 and saw extensive combat service in both the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
The Use Of Air Forces In The Conduct Of War
GIF & JPEGS of planes of the interwar period.
Model airplanes:Breda Ba.65 by RCR (RCR-012) 1/48
The Breda 65 served the Regia Aeronautica throughout the Thirties as their front
line tactical bomber. While fully capable during the Spanish Civil War, the single
engine plane was completely obsolete by the time Italy entered WWII. This is a
resin kit supplied with metal parts, photo-etched details and no decals.
$96.00
HARTMANN'S BF-109G (Messerschmidt)
history of the Spanish Air Force in Spanish.
Reference to Republican pilot, Air Ace.
Air Aces of the Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War produced a number of aces among the pilots that flew for both the Nationalist and Republican forces.
This list also includes American aces flying for the Republicans.
American Airpower Heritage Museum
Wars and Rumors of Wars Gallery: The Decade Before Pearl Harbor
Italy's Breda Ba.65
It was not the best ground-attack plane to see action in World War II.
It may well have been the worst.
Soviet Fighter on Three Fronts
In the years before World War II, Russia's Evgeny Stepanov flew against the Germans over Spain and fought the Japanese over Khalkin Gol.
German Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland during the Spanish Civil War
flew Heinkel He-51 biplanes, more often on strafing missions than in aerial combat.
Germany's Adolf Galland became a legend.
Battling overwhelming odds in the air and his superiors on the ground.
Boeing's Trailblazing P-26 Peashooter
Boeing's diminutive P-26 fighter bridged the gap between stick-and-wire biplanes and modern, all-metal monoplane fighters.
New Vanguard Series from Osprey Military Tanks in the SCW
"Tanks & Trucks of the Spanish Civil War", by John Wilson
Italian Tanks in the Spanish Civil War
Non Official WEB site of SPANISH NAVY
Roosevelt's Foreign Policy
Additional Attempts at Naval Disarmament
Submarine insignia for Italy, Spain, SCW descriptions.
Warships of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Osprey Military Books For Sale
Spanish Civil War Battle Tours
Osprey Men-At-Arms Series
An unrivaled source of information on the uniforms, insignia and appearance of the World's fighting men of past and present.
Spanish Civil War Military Collectors
Militaria on the Net a Collectors Guide:COLLECTORS Second World War Spanish by Marc Privett
The Spanish Legion home page
In Spanish
Articles on Francoist troops in the Spanish Civil War
The Spanish marines history page References in Spanish
El Diario Largo Astra guns
Journal of the Sociedad Largo, a Sworn Band of True Believers in the Goodness of Spanish Steel, the Right of Free Men and Women to Collect and Try to Shoot Odd and Unusual Firearms, and the Quest for a Really Great Buy in a Gun. Viva Espana!
Bibliography of Spanish guns & rifles
Air cooled, light, with less tendency to jam than any other machine gun this
was the weapon most used by revolutionaries starting with Makhno in the Ukraine and
the German Revolutionaries during the Spartacus Uprisings after World War I.
It was adapted for use by both WWI airplanes and armoured cars. It was
used during the Spanish Civil War by both Republicans and Falange.
Gun pictures including original photo of Maxim & his gun
History Of American Machine Gun & US military a review
A Working Bibliography on Machine guns
Table Of WWI Machine Guns With JPEGS
Military Bibliography On Machine Guns
First Airplane To Use A Maxim W.W.I France
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UPDATED: SEPTEMBE 19, 1998
Original page design copyright © 1998 Eugene W. Plawiuk
