Warner Moelders

Moelders had a burning ambition to be a soldier,but in 1923 an Uncle took him on a pleasure flight and from then on his sole ambition was to fly.Overcoming initial problems of air sickness and disorientation he was one of the first pilots to enlist in Hitler`s secret Luftwaffe. He became an instructor before moving to spain to command 3 Staffel or J 88 of the Legion Kondor when it converted to BF 109c from the HE 51. It was during this conflict that he devised the `finger four` system in which fighters flew in two pairs (rottes) that formed a four section flight (Schwarm). In this formation each pair covered the tails of the others.

During the Battle of Britain Moelders commanded JG 51 and was involved in a three way unofficial competition with Adolf Galland and Hellmut Wick to see who could outscore the other.On 22 October he became the first of the trio to reach his half century, then had a barren period during which Wick overtook him before being killed in combat with RAF ace `Cocky` Dundas and the Spitfires of No 609 Sqn during November. The Knights Cross with Oak Leaves Swords & Diamonds was awarded on the 15 July, 1941 and at the age of 28 he was promoted to Oberst and appointed to the post of Inspector of Fighters. On 22 November, 1941 he was a passanger in the HE 111 taking him to Ernst Udet`s funeral when the aircraft crashed and Moelders was killed. Although by comparison with some other Luftwaffe aces his score of 115 kills was not outstanding, he would clearly have achieved similar heights if he had lived to see further action. As it happened his memory was, and still is, perpetuated by JG 51 which was given the name `MOELDERS ` to honour his memory.