Werner "Vati" Mölders was born on 18 March 1913, at Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhrgebiet. He joined the army in 1931 and served as an officer cadet in the Infantry. In 1934, with the rebirth of the Luftwaffe as a result of Hitler coming to power, Mölders requested a transfer to become a pilot. At his first attempt to join the Luftwaffe, he was declared unfit for flying. He tried again and was accepted for flying training. He was badly afflicted by air sickness but overcame the problem through sheer willpower. On 1 July 1935, Leutnant Mölders was posted to Fliegergruppe Schwerin (later to be redesignated I./StG 162). He was appointed Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 334 (later to be redesignated 1./JG 53) on 15 March 1936. On 1 April 1936, he was transferred to the Schulstaffel of JG 134 to undertake instructing duties. For two years he was an instructor at Wiesbaden. He volunteered for the Condor Legion and arrived by sea in Cadiz on 14 April that year. He took over from Adolf Galland at the head of 3.J/88. During the Spanish conflict he showed considerable qualities not only as a pilot and marksman but also, and especially, as a tactician and organiser. Together with other airmen, in Spain he developed the technique known as the "finger four", or fan, which improved a flight's all-round vision and encouraged the pilots' initiative. Between 15 July and 3 November 1938, he shot down fourteen aircraft: eleven I-16 "Mosca", two Polikarpov I-15 "Chato" and one SB-2 "Katyuska", as well as one unconfirmed I-16 victory, most of these at the controls of  the Bf 109 C-1 coded 6-79 "Luchs". He was awarded the Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern und Brillanten in recognition of his achievements. At the end of the year he returned to Germany as the highest scoring German pilot of the Spanish conflict, with a glowing reputation and a maturity beyond his years and rank. At the beginning of World War II, Mölders was Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 53 "Pik As", based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. He became known by those under his command as "Vati" (Daddy) Mölders. He shot down his first aircraft of the Second World War on 21 September 1939, a French Curtiss 75 A fighter. On 1 November he went on to command  III./JG 53, also based at Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. On 27 May 1940, after his 20th victory, a French Curtiss 75 A SW of Amiens, he was promoted to Hauptmann and decorated with the Knight's Cross. He was shot down in combat on 5 June 1940, by French ace Sous Lieutenant René Pommier Layragues (6 victories) flying a D.520 of GC II/7 after having scored 25 victories during 128 missions and was taken prisoner. He was liberated two weeks later upon the armistice with France. He returned to Germany to be promoted to Major and given command of JG 51 as Kommodore. On 28 July 1940, during his first flight with his new unit, he succeeded in downing a Spitfire, but his aircraft was then hit by the enemy aircraft. Severely wounded in the legs, Mölders just managed to make an emergency landing at the airfield at Wissant in France. It was not until a month later that he was able to return to combat, most likely flying the Bf 109 E-4 W.Nr. 2404 (photographed on 31 August with 32 victory bars), as well as W.Nr. 3737, (shot down over England while being flown by Hptm Asmus on 25 October, with no stab markings according to the crash report, but 49 victory bars). He quickly brought his score up by downing 28 British fighters during the remainder of the Battle of Britain, including his 40th, a Spitfire over Dungeness, on 20 September, for which he was awarded the Oak Leaves (No. 2) the next day. On 22 October he downed three RAF Hurricanes to become the first Luftwaffe pilot to reach a score of 50 aerial victories. By the end of the Battle of Britain he had a total of 54 victories, and he would add one more before the end of the year.

    He continued flying and fighting over the Channel Front until early May, by which time he had brought down an additional 13 British aircraft. On 22 June 1941, the first day of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front, he shot down four Russian aircraft, one I-153 and three SB-2 bombers, his 69th through 72nd victories, and was awarded the Schwertern (No. 2). He was the first pilot to surpass von Richthofen's WW I record score of 80 on 30 June, when he shot down 5 SB-2 bombers to score his 78th to 82nd victories on a day that JG 51 claimed 110 SB-2 and DB-3 bombers. He shot down a further four enemy aircraft on 5 July for his 83rd to 86th victories. On 15 July he became the first pilot in history to record 100 victories and was immediately awarded the Brillanten (No. 1), the first German soldier to be so recognized. He was immediately forbidden to fly combat on the personal orders of Göring. At only 28 years of age, he was promoted to Oberst and appointed Inspector General of Fighters on 7 August. Even though ordered to cease flying combat missions, he continued to do so and achieved several unconfirmed victories over the Crimea. He personally instructed many pilots on how to achieve success, and helped develop the  forward air controller concept. On 22 November 1941, he was flying as a passenger in a He 111 from the Crimea to Germany to attend the funeral of Ernst Udet. Landing during a thunderstorm at Breslau the aircraft crashed and Mölders and the pilot were killed. In his memory, on 20 December 1941, JG 51 was bestowed the honor name "Mölders".
    He flew a total of some 330 missions during the Second World War, 100 of these on the Eastern Front, during which he shot down a total of 101 aircraft,  33 of these in the East. He also was the top scorer of the Legion Condor in Spain with 14 victories achieved in some 100 missions, and helped develop many of the modern fighter tactics still in use today.
 

No	Date	Time	A/c Type	Unit	Location	Comments
1.	15.7.1938	-	Curtiss	3. J/88	Algar area
2.	17.7.1938	-	Curtiss	3. J/88	N Liria
3.	19.7.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	W Villar del Arzobispo
4.	19.8.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	Flix area
5.	23.8.1938	-	SB-2	3. J/88	Albi area
6.	9.9.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	Flix area
7.	13.9.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	Flix area
8.	23.9.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	SW Ginestar
-	23.9.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	not confirmed
9.	10.10.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	NE Flix
10.	15.10.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	W La Figuera
11.	15.10.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	Sierra de Montsant area
12.	31.10.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	NW Flix
13.	31.10.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	S Ribarroja
14.	3.11.1938	-	Rata	3. J/88	Mola area
15.	20.9.1939	14:30	Curtiss	1./JG 53	W Merzig	Hawk H-75A of GC II/5, Armée de l’air flown by Sgt Queginer, baled out
16.	30.10.1939	11:12	Blenheim	III./JG 53	Near Klüsserath	Blenheim I (L6694) of 18 Sqn, RAF flown by Flt Lt AA Dilnot, crew killed
17.	22.12.1939	15:05	Morane	III./JG 53	15km NE Metz	Hurricane (N2385) of 73 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt RM Berry, killed
18.	2.3.1940	12:20	Hurricane	III./JG 53	Völklingen	Possibly Hurricane I (L1808) of 73 S1n, RAF flown by F/O EJ Kain (19/0/2 victories), crash-landed at Toul
19.	3.3.1940	13:55	Morane	III./JG 53	Metz	Morane 406 of GC II/3, Armée de l’air flown by Cpl Chef Korber, crash-landed at Toul
20.	26.3.1940	15:00	Morane	III./JG 53	Diedenhofen	Hurricane I of 73 Sqn, RAF flown by F/O N Orton, returned damaged
21.	2.4.1940	12:10	Hurricane	III./JG 53	St Avold	Hurricane I of 1 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O CD Palmer, baled out
22.	20.4.1940	11:54	Curtiss	III./JG 53	Zweibrücken area	Probably Hawk H-75A (No 136) of GC II/4, Armée de l’air flown by Adj Chef Cruchant, crash-landed near Bliesbück badly wounded
23.	23.4.1940	11:14	Hurricane	III./JG 53	S Diedenhofen	Probably Hurricane I (N2391) of 73 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt CNS Campbell, baled out wounded
24.	14.5.1940	16:30	Hurricane	III./JG 53	Sedan-Charville
25.	15.5.1940	13:05	Hurricane	III./JG 53	Sedan
26.	19.5.1940	9:35	Curtiss	III./JG 53	NE Reims
27.	20.5.1940	19:15	Vickers	III./JG 53	Compiegne	Possibly Vickers Wellesley
28.	21.5.1940	17:30	Morane	III./JG 53
29.	21.5.1940	17:50	Morane	III./JG 53
30.	21.5.1940	19:18	Morane	III./JG 53
31.	22.5.1940	17:50	Potez 63	III./JG 53	SW Mourmelon airfield
32.	25.5.1940	18:55	Morane	III./JG 53	Villers Cotterets Forest
33.	27.5.1940	9:10	Curtiss	III./JG 53	15km SW Amiens	Mölders said it was a Bloch 152
34.	27.5.1940	9:11	Curtiss	III./JG 53	15km SW Amiens	Mölders said it was a Bloch 152
35.	31.5.1940	19:00	LeO 45	III./JG 53	Abbéville-Amiens	LeO 451
36.	3.6.1940	14:30	Curtiss	III./JG 53	Paris	Possibly D.520
37.	3.6.1940	15:00	Spitfire	III./JG 53	Paris
38.	5.6.1940	11:20	Bloch	III./JG 53	Compiegne
39.	5.6.1940	11:23	Potez 63	III./JG 53	Compiegne
40.	28.7.1940	-	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Dover	Spitfire I of 41 Sqn, RAF flown by F/O ADJ Lovell (18.5/2/10.666 victories), crash-landed wounded
41.	26.8.1940	12:55	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Folkestone
42.	28.8.1940	10:40	Curtiss	Stab/JG 51	NE Dover
43.	28.8.1940	18:40	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Canterbury
44.	31.8.1940	9:50	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	between Folkestone and Dover
45.	31.8.1940	9:50~	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	between Folkestone and Dover
46.	31.8.1940	9:50~	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	between Folkestone and Dover
47.	6.9.1940	14:40	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Folkestone
48.	7.9.1940	18:30	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	London
49.	9.9.1940	18:45	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	London
50.	11.9.1940	17:05	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	SE London
51.	14.9.1940	17:40	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	SW London
52.	16.9.1940	8:50	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	London
53.	20.9.1940	12:34	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Near Folkestone	Spitfire of 92 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O HP Hill
54.	20.9.1940	12:34	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Near Folkestone	Spitfire of 92 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt PR Eyles
55.	27.9.1940	17:00	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Near Maidstone	Possibly Spitfire I (P9364) of 222 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt E Scott (5/3/0 victories), killed
56.	28.9.1940	15:00	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Near Littlestone
57.	11.10.1940	12:30	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Near Folkestone	Spitfire I (X4562) of 66 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O JHT Pickering, baled out over Canterbury, wounded
58.	12.10.1940	10:40	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Liquizue
59.	12.10.1940	10:40	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Cauberberg
60.	12.10.1940	10:45	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Dungeness
61.	15.10.1940	9:15	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Kneleig
62.	17.10.1940	16:25	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	London
63.	22.10.1940	15:40	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	NW Maidstone
64.	22.10.1940	15:40~	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	NW Maidstone
65.	22.10.1940	15:40~	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	NW Maidstone
66.	25.10.1940	10:45	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	NW Dover	Spitfire I (P7365) of 603 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O SF Soden
67.	25.10.1940	13:10	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Margate	Spitfire I (P7309) of 603 Sqn, RAF flown by P/O P Oliver
68.	29.10.1940	13:55	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Dungeness
69.	1.12.1940	15:15	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Ashforth
70.	10.2.1941	17:29	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	5km NNE Calais
71.	20.2.1941	16:56	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Dover
72.	20.2.1941	16:59	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Dover
73.	25.2.1941	15:20	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	N Gravelines
74.	26.2.1941	18:22	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	SW Dungeness
75.	12.3.1941	19:15	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Dungeness	Spitfire II of 74 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt JN Glendinning (4/1/1 victories), killed
76.	13.3.1941	15:22	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	SW Boulogne	Spitfire of 64 Sqn, RAF flown by Sqn Ldr ARD MacDonnell (12.5.1.7 victories), baled out, POW
77.	15.4.1941	-	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Boulogne
78.	16.4.1941	-	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	SW Dungeness
79.	16.4.1941	-	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	S Le Touquet
80.	4.5.1941	-	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	E Canterbury
81.	6.5.1941	-	Hurricane	Stab/JG 51	Dover
82.	8.5.1941	-	Spitfire	Stab/JG 51	Dover
83.	22.6.1941	-	Curtiss	Stab/JG 51		I-153 of 123 IAP/10SAD, VVS
84.	22.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
85.	22.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
86.	22.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
87.	22.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
88.	24.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
89.	25.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
90.	29.6.1941	-	Pe-2	Stab/JG 51
91.	29.6.1941	-	I-16	Stab/JG 51
92.	30.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51	Bobyruysk area
93.	30.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51	Bobyruysk area
94.	30.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51	Bobyruysk area
95.	30.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51	Bobyruysk area
96.	30.6.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51	Bobyruysk area
97.	5.7.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
98.	5.7.1941	-	SB-2	Stab/JG 51
99.	5.7.1941	-	I-18	Stab/JG 51		MiG-3
100.	5.7.1941	-	I-18	Stab/JG 51		MiG-3
101.	9.7.1941	-	Curtiss	Stab/JG 51	Rogachev-Orsha-Smolensk area	I-153
102.	9.7.1941	-	Curtiss	Stab/JG 51	Rogachev-Orsha-Smolensk area	I-153
103.	9.7.1941	-	I-16	Stab/JG 51	Rogachev-Orsha-Smolensk area
104.	10.7.1941	-	RZ	Stab/JG 51	Rogachev-Orsha-Smolensk area
105.	10.7.1941	-	RZ	Stab/JG 51	Rogachev-Orsha-Smolensk area
106.	11.7.1941	-	E/a	Stab/JG 51	Rogachev-Orsha-Smolensk area
107.	11.7.1941	-	E/a	Stab/JG 51
108.	12.7.1941	-	E/a	Stab/JG 51
109.	13.7.1941	-	E/a	Stab/JG 51
110.	13.7.1941	-	E/a	Stab/JG 51
111.	14.7.1941	-	Pe-2	Stab/JG 51
112.	14.7.1941	-	Pe-2	Stab/JG 51
113.	14.7.1941	-	Pe-2	Stab/JG 51
114.	15.7.1941	-	E/a	Stab/JG 51
115.	15.7.1941	-	E/a	Stab/JG 51
-	8.11.1941	-	Il-2	Stab/JG 77

Victories : 115
Awards : Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
Units : J/88, JG 53, JG 51