 Flying with this unit until July 1938, he claimed nine and was credited with seven aerial victories over Spain and was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords ("Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern").There, he was issued one of the first Messerschmitt Bf 109 B-1's sent to the Condor Legion.A Polikarpov I-16 fighter aircraft shot down on 21 February 1938 was his first aerial victory of the war.