Jagdgruppe 88 (J/88) was a German Condor Legion fighter group serving in the Spanish Civil War.

The Germans used the war as an opportunity to evaluate new equipment, guns, vehicles and aircraft, and to develop tactical techniques which were later used in the 1939-45 conflict.

In addition to a detachment of converted Junkers Ju 52s, an initial cadre of six Heinkel He-51s, were despatched, with enough service staff to instruct the Spanish aircrews in the operation and maintenance of the aircraft.

Over the next few months the He 112 V6 was flown by several pilots, but on 19 July 1937, with Unteroffizier Max Schulze flying, the engine seized during landing, and the He 112 V6 broke its back and was written off.

The unit then took part in operations against the remnants of the Republican Air Force through early 1939, with considerable success.

Werner Mölders (14), Wolfgang Schellmann (12), Harro Harder (11) and Peter Boddem (10) were top scorers.

Hauptmann Gotthard Handrick, winner of the modern pentathlon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, arrived in the summer of 1937 to assume command of Jagdgruppe 88, remaining until September 1938, during which time he had claimed 5 victories.

Between July and November 1938 he shot down fourteen aircraft: eleven I-16s, two Polikarpov I-15s and one SB-2, mostly flying a Bf 109C-1 coded 6-79 "Luchs".

Leutnant Wilhelm Balthasar joined Jagdgruppe 88 in September 1937, and gained six victories, including four Tupolev SB-2 bombers shot down in one mission on 7 February 1938.