Hauptmann
Walter Adolph was born on 11 June 1913 at Fontanelle
in the Bacau region of Rumania. Leutnant Adolph served with 1./J.88 of
the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War
from autumn 1937 until spring 1938. He gained one victory in that conflict,
claiming a Republican Curtiss (Polikarpov I-15) biplane fighter shot down
on 30 December 1937. From early 1939, Adolph served as Staffelkapitän of
2./JG 1. Towards the end of summer 1939, he was based at Seerapen, given
the role of protecting East Prussia. The unit flew several missions over
Poland but was soon recalled to Germany. He opened his account for World
War 2 by shooting down a RAF twin-engine reconnaisance Blenheim over Osnabrück
on 1 October 1939. During the French campaign, Adolph recorded a further
five victories. His total included three RAF Blenheim twin-engine bombers,
shot down in five minutes in the Maastricht area, on 12 May 1940. On 9
July 1940, 2./JG 1 was redesignated 8./JG 27. Adolph was appointed Gruppenkommandeur
of II./JG 26 and transferred in on 4 October 1940. He had recorded nine
victories to date. Hauptmann Adolph was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 13 November
1940 after 15 victories. II./JG 26 was the first Luftwaffe unit to transition
on to the new Focke Wulf Fw 190 fighter, receiving their first aircraft
in July 1941. On 18 September, Adolph led eight aircraft, in his Fw 190
A-1 (W.Nr. 0110 028) “Black <<”, to escort a German tanker off Ostend.
They encountered a force of RAF Blenheims escorted by Spitfire and Hurricane
fighters. Adolph did not return from the mission and his body was washed
up on a Belgian beach three weeks later. It would appear that he had been
shot down and killed by the English ace Cyril Babbage (7.27 confirmed,
2.333 probable and 2 damaged victories) of 41 Sqn, RAF off Blankenberge,
Belgium. Babbage claimed an unidentified aircraft similar to a Curtiss
Hawk. Adolph’s Fw 190 was the first of the type to be lost in aerial combat.
Walter Adolph had recorded 25 victories at the time
of his death. In addition he had claimed four unconfirmed victories. Included
in his total is one victory gained in the Spanish
Civil War.
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30.12.1937
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Curtiss | 1./J.88 | Spain | I-15 (95. Victory for J/88) |
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1.10.1939
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Blenheim | 2./JG 1 | Bad Driburg | Blenheim (N6231) of 139 Sqn RAF flown by F/O AC MacLachlan, 2 POW |
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12.5.1940
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Blenheim | 2./JG 1 | Near Maastricht | Blenheim of 139 Sqn RAF |
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12.5.1940
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Blenheim | 2./JG 1 | Near Maastricht | Blenheim of 139 Sqn RAF |
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12.5.1940
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Blenheim | 2./JG 1 | Near Lüttich | Blenheim of 139 Sqn RAF |
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6.6.1940
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LeO 451 | 2./JG 1 | Beauvais | LeO 451 of G.B. I/II, II/12 or II/31, Armée de l’Air |
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6.6.1940
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LeO 451 | 2./JG 1 | Montdidier | LeO 451 of G.B. I/II, II/12 or II/31, Armée de l’Air |
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19.7.1940
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Hurricane | 8./JG 27 | Near Isle of Wight | Hurricane of 43 Sqn, RAF |
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1.8.1940
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Blenheim | 8./JG 27 | Near Cherbourg | Blenheim of 236 Sqn, RAF |
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7.9.1940
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Spitfire | 8./JG 27 | S Stanford | |
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11.10.1940
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Maidstone | Spitfire of 41 Sqn, RAF |
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11.10.1940
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Maidstone | Spitfire of 41 Sqn, RAF |
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15.10.1940
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Hurricane | II./JG 26 | London | Hurricane of 46 or 501 Sqn, RAF |
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25.10.1940
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Maidstone | Spitfire of 603 Sqn, RAF |
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1.11.1940
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Maidstone | Spitfire of 74 Sqn, RAF |
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8.11.1940
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Tonbridge | Hurricane of 302 or 501 Sqn, RAF |
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17.6.1941
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Hurricane | II./JG 26 | Boulogne | Hurricane of 56 or 242 Sqn, RAF |
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22.6.1941
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | W Dunkirk | probably Spitfire Mk I of 609 Sqn. P/O François Xavier de Spierlet |
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26.6.1941
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Mardyck | Spitfire Mk V of 603 Sqn |
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6.7.1941
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Wormhout | Spitfire of 74 Sqn, RAF |
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8.7.1941
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Gravelines | |
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23.7.1941
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Blenheim | II./JG 26 | Ostend | Blenheim of 21 Sqn, RAF |
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24.7.1941
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | Gravelines | |
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16.8.1941
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | 20km NW Boulogne | Spitfire of 602 Sqn, RAF |
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16.8.1941
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Spitfire | II./JG 26 | 8km N Marquis | Spitfire of 609 Sqn, RAF |
Victories : 25
Awards : Ehrenpokal (26 October 1940)
Ritterkreuz (13 November 1940)
Units : JG 1, JG 27, JG 26
