What did the germans learnt during the Spanish Civil War? (Luftwaffe, first part)

The Spanish Civil War was, in so many aspects, an experimental war. The big foreign powers like Germany, Italy or the Soviet Union used this war like a battlefield to test their new weapons.

The war provided combat experience with the latest technology for the German military. Germany sent the Condor Legion, composed with volunteers from his Air Force (Luftwaffe), lands forces and naval forces. In this first part I will expose about the aerial forces. His official mission was support to the Nationalism Band during his campaings over the war. It was the first time in which the Air Force were used like a main offensive force. They tested bombers like the Heinkel 111, Ju 87 or the Dornier Do-17. 

 Heinkel 111 (strategic bomber)

Ju-87 (also know Stuka; dive bomber)

Do-17 (strategic bomber)

With this class of bombers they developed new war tactics like "the carpet bombing", which is a large aerial bombing done to inflict damage in all selected area of land. 

The most important example of this tactic was the "Guernica bombing", when two Heinkels He 111, one Dornier Do 17, eighteen Ju 52 and three Italian SM.79 bombered 22 tonnes of explosive bombs over Guernica. The bombing is considered one of the first raids on a defenceless civilian population by a modern air force. The Basque government reported 1,654 people killed. This bombing hadn't got any tactical implication. It wasn't a important republican settlement. Hermann Goering also confessed in 1946 that Germany had considered Guernica as a testing ground. 

 Guernica's view after the bombing.

Ju-52 (bomber version)

It is particular, between the german aircraft, the Ju-87's case. The first time, one model was introducing secretly into Spain in 1936. It participates in the National Offensive over Bilbao and then it returned to Germany. Later, more Stukas were sent discretly to Spain and they participates in the Catalonia Offensive. They realised anti-shipping missions. Two of them were taking down, one came down and the other landing on a beach without crash.

They improved his bombing tactics with this plane using this type of maneuver.

Stuka's maneuver.

 

Stuka taken down.

The experience of the Spanish Civil War was so much important. The air and ground crews perfected their skills, and equipment was evaluated under combat conditions, although they didn't participate against a well-coordinated fighter opposition.

In conclusion, the Germany Air Force used Spain like a testing ground for his Luftwaffe.