As part of Nazi Germany’s support for the Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War, an air component of volunteer crews was established as the Legion Condor. Initial Legion Condor bomber strength was composed of Junkers Ju 52. However these proved vulnerable to Republican Polikarpov I-16 fighters. In response, Germany sent some of its latest bombers to provide a more effective attacking force. This consisted of four Dornier Do 17s, four Junkers Ju 86s and four Heinkel He 111Bs.
The He 111s combat debut was on 9 March 1937 and by October, deliveries of new machines enabled the whole of Kampfgruppe 88 to be equipped with them. As the newer He 111E model became available, B models were passed on to the Spanish Nationalist Air Force, who used them to equip Grupo 10-G-25 in August 1938.
During the Spanish Civel War, the Legion Condor received a total of 94 Heinkel He 111s. Of these 21 were lost to enemy action, 15 to accidents and one more to sabotage. The remaining 25 He 111B and 33 He 111Es were left to the new Spanish Air Force at the end of the war.
Late in 1939 Spain received three He 111Js and three He 111Hs which were used for weather reconnaissance. An additional H model was received as a pattern aircraft for the license production by CASA. CASA built 256 H-16 bombers as the CASA 2.111.
He 111B models continued operating as bombers until 1952, with the E models being retired in 1956. They continued to be used as trainers until 1958 when the last one was retired. Although mostly retired during the 1960s, some CASA 2.111s continued as transports into the early 1970s.
Heinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF 1.K88 25×14 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B 25-15 of K88 Legion Condor Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B-1 Condor Legion 1.K88 25×15 named Holzauge 1937Heinkel He 111 B-1 Condor Legion 1.K88 25×15 named Holzauge 1937Heinkel He 111 B-1 Nationalist AF 1.K88 25×27 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF 1.K88 25×28 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B coded 25-29 Legion Condor Spain 1936Heinkel He 111 B Nationalist AF K88 25×34 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B Nationalist AF K88 25×35 SpainHeinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF K88 25×37 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF 2.K88 25×45 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B Nationalist AF K88 25×46 Operation Neptune Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B Nationalist AF K88 25×46 SpainHeinkel He 111 B 25-49 WNr-2332 Spain June 1954Crashed Heinkel He 111 B-2, coded 25-51 of Legion Condor 1936Heinkel He 111 B-2 25×57 Legion Condor, Spain 1936Heinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF K88 25×92 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF K88 25×96 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF K88 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 B-2 Nationalist AF K88 Condor Legion Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 Pedro 1 of the Legion CondorHeinkel He 111 of the Legion CondorHeinkel He 111 B-2 of the Condor LegionHeinkel He 111 E Nationalist AF K88 25×79 with Dornier Do 17 P Spain 1938Heinkel He 111 E of 113 Grupo 25×54 at Son San Juan Spain 18th Aug 1941Heinkel He 111 E of 110 Grupo 25×86 at San Javier SpainHeinkel He 111 E-1Heinkel He 111 E 25×61 WNr 0020 Spain June 1954Heinkel He 111 E of 110 Grupo 25×77 at Agoncillo La Rioja Spain 1941Ground crew of Legion Condor poses with aerial bombs. Heinkel He 111 B in the background
