Editing Condor Legion (section)

===<span class="anchor" id="Further campaigns"></span>Other campaigns===
The Condor Legion also took part in the [[Battle of Brunete]], a Republican offensive designed to take the pressure off northern Spain where fighting was ongoing.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=33}} The legion was sent from the north to reinforce a broken line.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=462}} There were repeated raids by bombers and by fighters based in [[Salamanca]] on Republican armoured vehicles and, later, defensive positions.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|pp=33–34}} Despite Nationalist fears, Republican aircraft were ineffective compared with German aircraft; the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was superior to the I-15 and I-16 models used by Republican forces.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=35}} The legion lost eight aircraft, but claimed 18 victories. German tactics improved after Brunete, particularly the ''en masse'' use of tanks by the Nationalists.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=36}}

The Nationalists again focused on capturing northern Spain. The latest models of German test aircraft faced an outdated Basque air force which had some Russian planes.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|pp=468–469}} Heavy [[Aerial bombing of cities|aerial bombardment]] by 200 Nationalist, German and Italian planes occurred far behind Basque lines in August 1937 and led to the fall of [[Santander, Spain|Santander]] after the 1 September [[Battle of Santander|battle]].{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=36}} The battle in [[Asturias]] ended with the fall of [[Gijon]] on 21 October. A large amount of ammunition was used by the Legion, including a million machine gun rounds and 2,500 tonnes of bombs.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=36}} Germany immediately began to ship its industrial production back to Spain.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=38}} Sperrle argued repeatedly with Faupel against HISMA's monopoly, and Faupel was replaced by Franco.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=471}} Sperrle also returned to Germany, and was replaced by {{ill|Hellmuth Volkmann|de}}.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=471}} After disagreements with Volkmann, Von Richthofen was replaced with [[Hermann Plocher]] in early 1938.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=38}}

[[File:Junkers Ju 87A with Spanish rebel markings.jpg|thumb|alt=A plane in flight, photographed from another plane|A Junkers Ju 87A with Condor Legion markings]]
After the next major campaigns (Madrid and [[Barcelona]]), the Condor Legion was moved to [[Soria]] and began a week of strikes against Republican airfields. This move was halted by the Republican advance on [[Teruel]] and ensuing [[Battle of Teruel|battle]].{{sfn|Westwell|2004|pp=38–39}} The legion's land and air forces were deployed in [[Bronchales]]. Poor weather resulted in few flights, and the town fell to Republican forces on 6 January.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=39}} Up to 100 sorties a day were launched during the Nationalist's counter-offensive through the [[Alfambra]] Valley. The [[Junkers Ju 87]]A was used for the first time in the advance on Teruel, which was retaken on 22 February.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=39}} The continued Nationalist offensive on [[Aragon]] from April to June 1937, including the [[Battle of Belchite (1937)|Battle of Belchite]], involved bombing raids and the legion's ground forces.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=39}} The legion was switched to focus in the north, towards the [[Segre River]], before moving south again after Nationalist successes.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=40}} It moved its headquarters to [[Benicarló]]; single-engine planes operated from nearby airfields, and twin-engine planes from [[Zaragoza]].{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=40}} Hitler's words to his colleagues belied a change in attitude about the war in Germany; a quick victory was undesirable, and a continuation of the war would be preferable.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=502}} German policy was to prevent a Republican defeat.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=510}} Casualties were beginning to mount for the Legion and{{snd}}combined with a resurgence in Republican air activity{{snd}}the Nationalist advance stalled, perhaps because of the reluctance of German commanders to supply reinforcements in light of the emerging [[Munich Agreement|Czechoslovak crisis]].{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=40}} Debates about the operation's rising cost to the Germans — then about 10 million Reichsmarks a month — continued unresolved.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=487}} The Legion's materiel was exhausted.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=541}}

Republican forces launched the last major offensive of the war, the [[Battle of the Ebro]], on 24–25 July. Condor Legion reconnaissance units had noticed a troop build-up and warned Nationalist forces, but their warning went unheeded.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=41}} Although the Republicans gained ground, they failed to gain control of [[Gandesa]]; 422 sorties by the legion (with around 70 aircraft operational) had a considerable effect. The rest of the battle saw a series of artillery attacks or air strikes, followed by a Nationalist ground advance.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=41}} Tensions in Czechoslovakia and a pilot shortage in Germany led to the return of 250 pilots from the legion, about half of whom were bomber crews. Although trained Spaniards made up some of the shortfall, Volkmann complained to central command in Berlin and was recalled in September.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=44}} During the 113-day battle, 10 legion aircraft were lost (some by accident) and 14 were badly damaged. The legion claimed about 100 Republican aircraft, one-third of those lost; five aircrew were killed, and six captured.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=44}} Aid from Germany temporarily halted in mid-September.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=553}} Germany and Nationalist Spain settled the issue of German interests in Spanish mines.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=566}}

The Legion took a short break from active duty to receive new aircraft (including Bf 109Es, He 111Es and Js, and Hs 126As), which brought its strength to 96 aircraft — about one-fifth of the Nationalist force. Richthofen returned to Spain in overall command, with [[Hans Seidemann]] his chief of staff.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|pp=44–45}} That reinforcement may have been the most important intervention by a foreign side in the war, enabling a counterattack after the Battle of the Ebro.{{sfn|Thomas|1961|p=566}} The legion primarily took part in operations against the remaining Republican air force in January and February 1939, with considerable success.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=45}} After participating in parades in Barcelona and elsewhere and minor duties over Madrid, it was dissolved.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=46}} The men returned on 26 May, the best aircraft were returned to Germany, and the rest of the equipment was bought by the new Spanish regime.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=47}}

The Condor Legion claimed to have destroyed 320 Republican planes with aircraft (shot down or bombed on the ground) and to have shot down another 52 with anti-aircraft guns.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|pp=47–48}} It claimed to have destroyed 60 ships, including [[Spanish Republican Navy]] vessels. The legion lost 72 aircraft from hostile action, and another 160 from accidents.{{sfn|Westwell|2004|p=48}}