This is a very historic early pre-war Krieghoff drilling with Hensoldt Wetzlar 4x scope and a silver Luftwaffe presentation plaque with factory number/cod on the right side of the stock indicating presentation to famed German ace Adolf Galland. The silver plaque is approximately 2 x 3 inches and has a large Luftwaffe Eagle above the inscription "Fur Unser Befehlshaber von/I Gruppe III Staffel JG 26/21 Juni 1940." An accompanying laminated signed letter from Adolf Galland himself explains that this drilling was presented to him “just prior the Battle of Britain” (July-October 1940) by the men of his unit, I Gruppe, III Staffel JG26, after becoming Gruppe commander. “I carried my whole weapon collection with more than 35 gun and rifles through the (sic) whole war. By the end of the war the collection was at Hohenpeißenberg (sic)…and was taken by the occupying American forces”, continued Galland who often organized hunting parties for his men throughout the war. Adolf Galland is one of the best known and most dashing of the high scoring WWII German aces, accredited with 104 confirmed kills during his career. He started his aviation career in 1927 when he took his first glider flight. He soon became a champion glider pilot and earned admission into the prestigious Lufthansa's pilot training center at Braunschweig. The pilot training he received at the Lufthansa center soon helped him receive admission into the fledging Luftwaffe Flying Corps. He flew his first combat missions in 1937 in the Spanish Civil War and few combat missions again in the early days of WWII during the invasion of the low lands, Poland, Czechoslovakia, France, the Battle of Britain and throughout Europe. At age 29 he was the youngest general in the German forces with sole responsibilities of Luftwaffe units in Norway, Russia, Eastern Europe, Italy and Africa. He remained on active flying status all the way to the end of the WWII, flying his last missions in April 1945 in the first production jet, the Messerschmitt Me 262. He was captured at the end of the war and was eventually released in 1947. After his release, he went on to a very successful career as an aviation consultant for the Argentine Reinforce and the post-war German Air Force. Galland died in February 1996. The drilling has 23 ½ inch all blued barrels chambered in 16 gauge and 8mm Mauser, the rare Duralumin receiver, a light engraving on the receiver and breech end of the barrels, and excellent European walnut stock and forearm with hand cut checkering. The rib is fitted with a set of double claw mounts that perfectly fit the scope. The top of the left barrel is marked "SEMPER & KRIEGHOFF, SUHL," the underside of the receiver is marked "KRIEGHOFF DRILLING/WALDSCHUTZ-DURAL,” the underside of each shotgun barrel is marked "ROCHLING ELECTRO," and the right side of the rifle barrel is marked "KRUPP-LAUF". It has matching numbers on the barrels, receiver and forend. The stock is highly figured presentation quality walnut, and the length of pull is 13 3/4 inches. This lot also includes 2 copies of photographs showing Galland’s hunting parties, 3 WWII photographs of Galland featuring Cyrillic markings on the back, 1 colored reprint photograph of Galland which has his signature, and framed limited addition print “The Warrior’s Sword Had Come to Rest” (314/500) by James Dietz.

Very fine with 85% original blue finish on the barrels and 40% original black anodized finish remaining on the Duralumin receiver and rear of the trigger guard, with wear from carrying on his hunting trips. The scope retains 97% of the pre-war blue finish. The stock and forend are excellent showing only minor handling marks and nice sharp checkering overall. Just an exceptional example of a historic one-of-a-kind World War II Krieghoff drilling rifle presented to Luftwaffe Ace Adolf Galland.