Operation Magic Fire was renamed Operation Guido in November. Germany's involvement grew in September to encompass the Wehrmacht's other branches. The volunteers were stationed at Tablada Airfield near Seville, and, with the support of German Air transport, began the airlift of Francisco Franco's troops to Spain. Many believed that the German troops’ role would be to train the Nationalists and not to engage in active combat. Unaware of their destination, they were accompanied by six biplane fighters, anti-aircraft guns and about 100 tons of other supplies. The first contingent of 86 men left Germany on 1 August 1936. The organisation and the recruitment of German volunteers was also kept secret. The German involvement was kept hidden from the foreign and the economic ministries and funded with three million Reichsmarks. To carry out this mission, a joint venture was created between the Spanish-German " Spanish-Moroccan Transport Company" (Spanish: Companía Hispano-Marroquí de Transporte, HISMA) and the German Raw Materials and Good Purchasing Company ( German: Rohstoffe-und-Waren-Einkaufsgesellschaft). This mission became known as Operation Magic Fire ( German: Feuerzauber).
The Reich Air Travel Ministry concluded that Nationalist forces would need at least 20 Junkers Ju 52s, flown by Luft Hansa pilots, to carry the Spanish Army of Africa from Spanish Morocco to Spain. German Führer Adolf Hitler decided to support the Nationalists on 25 or 26 July, but was wary of provoking a wider European war. The first request for German aircraft was made on 22 July, with an order for 10 transport aircraft.
Main article: German involvement in the Spanish Civil War He 111E of the Condor Legion, 1939Īfter the military coup in Spain on 17 July 1936 launched the Spanish Civil War, the Nationalists requested the support of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
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