As Europe spiralled into political chaos and the shadow of another war grew on the horizon during the summer of 1939, some of the Luftwaffe's pilots were no strangers to combat, having honed their skills in Spain as it tore itself apart in a civil war that had lasted three years from July 1936. Commanded by Legion Condor ace Hptm Werner Molders, 1 Staffel (unit) / Jagdgeschwader (fighter wing) 53 - 1./ JG 53 - scored the wing's first 'kill' of what would become World War Two on September 9,1939; Ofw Walter Grimmling, another Spanish Civil War veteran, downing a reconnoitring Bloch MB.131.On strength with Groupe Aerien de Reconnaissance (reconnaissance group) 1/14, the twin-engine aeroplane crashed to the northeast of the German city of Saarbruecken killing two of its crews; the third was wounded and quickly captured. As Molders turned for home in his 109 -carrying JG 53's famous 'Pik As' - or 'Ace of Spades' - emblem, the unit would soon make a reputation for itself.
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