▁combat ▁training ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁select ▁few ▁German ▁pil ots ▁at ▁the ▁Lip et sk ▁f ighter - p il ot ▁school ▁in ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁After ▁his ▁return ▁and ▁upon ▁the ▁official ▁announ cement ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Luft wa ffe , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁ 2 ./ J G ▁ 1 3 5 ▁squad ron , ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁Ober le ut nant ▁Sch ell mann ▁took ▁over ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Staff el ▁of ▁Jag d gruppe ▁ 8 8 , ▁in ▁the ▁" Cond or ▁Leg ion ", ▁fighting ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Civil ▁War . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁year ▁he ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁a ces ▁in ▁the ▁theatre ▁with ▁ 1 2 ▁vict ories , ▁second ▁only ▁to ▁Werner ▁M öld ers . ▁ ▁Upon ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁Germany ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Cross ▁in ▁Gold ▁with ▁S words ▁and ▁Diam onds ▁and ▁promoted ▁to ▁Haupt mann ▁( Capt ain ). ▁He ▁then ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁St ab ▁( Head quarters ) ▁flight ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁IV . ▁Gruppe ▁of ▁the ▁Jag d gesch w ader ▁ 1 3 2 , ▁gain ing ▁command ▁experience . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁year , ▁it ▁was ▁renamed ▁I ./ J G ▁ 3 3 1 , ▁then ▁finally ▁I ./ J G ▁ 7 7 . ▁At ▁the ▁out break ▁of