Luftflotte 1 Explained

Luftflotte 1 ("Air Fleet 1") was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on 1 February 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 1 in Berlin. This Luftwaffe detachment served in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, supporting Axis forces in area; with command offices in Malpils, Latvia, (26 June 1944), Eastern front.

Units under command

Strategic reconnaissance

• Stab/FAGr 1 (Riga–Spilve)
• 3.(F)/22 (Riga–Spilve)
• 5.(F)/122 (Mitau)
• NASt 3 (Riga–Spilve)

Maritime reconnaissance

• 1./SAGr 127 (Reval–Ülemiste)

Transports

• 1./TGr 10(Ital.) (Riga–Spilve)

Transports (special works)

This unit was branch of Kampfgeschwader 200 (KG 200) with bases in East Prussia, Courland and the Baltic. It was equipped with:

• • Junkers Ju 252 Junkers Ju 352 Herkules
• Arado Ar 232 Tausendfüßler for transporting special commandos, weapons, vehicles or dropping secret agents in clandestine missions behind enemy lines.
• I.(TGr.)/KG 200 (based at Riga)

Bombers

• 14.(Eis)/KG 55 (Jakobstadt)

3.Fliegerdivision (3rd air division) Petseri

Tactical Reconnaissance

• Nahaufklärungsgruppe 5
  • Stab//NAGr 5 (Petseri)
  • 1./NAGr 5 (Idriza)
• Nahaufklärungsgruppe 31
  • 1./NAGr 31 (Wesemberg)

Land Air Strike

• I/SG 3 (Jakobstadt)

Night ground attack

• Nachtschlachtgruppe 1
  • Stab/NSGr 1 (Idriza)
  • 3./NSGr 1 (Idriza)
  • 1./NSGr 1 (Kaunas)
  • 2./NSGr 1 (Kaunas)
• Nachtschlachtgruppe 1
  • Stab/NSGr 3 (Vecuci)
  • 1./NSGr 3 (Vecuci)
  • 2./NSGr 3 (Vecuci)
  • 1./NSGr 12 (Vecuci)
• Nachtschlachtgruppe 12
  • 1./(Detach)NSGr 12(Riga–Spilve)
• Nachtschlachtgruppe 11
  • Stab/NSGr 11 (Rahkla)
  • 1./NSGr 11 (Rahkla)
  • 2./NSGr 11 (Rahkla)
  • 2./NSG 12 (Libau)

Jagdabschnittführer Ostland ("fighter direction in Ostland") Riga-Spilve

JG 54 with fighters

• Stab/JG 54 (Dorpat)
• I./JG 54 (Turku) (Finland)
• 2./JG 54 (Reval–Laksberg)
• 3./JG 54 (Reval–Laksberg)

Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Kuhlmey combat unit) Immola

Tactical reconnaissance

• 1./NAGr 5 (Immola)

Fighters

• II./JG 54 (Immola)

Ground attack

• Schlachtgeschwader 3 based at Immola
  • Stab/SG 3
  • 1./SG 3
  • 2./SG 3
  • 3./SG 3

Commanding officers

• Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, 1 February 1939 – 11 January 1940
• Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, 12 January 1940 – 10 May 1940
• General Wilhelm Wimmer, 11 May 1940 – 19 August 1940
• Generaloberst Alfred Keller, 20 August 1940 – 12 June 1943
• Generaloberst Günther Korten, 12 June 1943 – 23 August 1943
• General Kurt Pflugbeil, 24 August 1943 – 16 April 1945

Chiefs of staff

• Generalmajor Wilhelm Speidel, 1 February 1939 – 19 December 1939
• Generalleutnant Ulrich Kessler, 19 December 1939 – 25 April 1940
• Oberst Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch, 1 May 1940 – 9 May 1940
• Generalmajor Dr. Robert Knauss, 9 May 1940 – 4 October 1940
• Generalmajor Otto Schöbel, 5 October 1940 – 16 January 1941
• Generalmajor Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch, 16 January 1941 – 13 October 1941
• Generalmajor Herbert Rieckhoff, 13 October 1941 – 23 February 1943
• Generalmajor Hans Detlef Herhudt von Rohden, 23 February 1943 – 24 August 1943
• Generalmajor Klaus Uebe, 25 August 1943 – 24 December 1944
• Oberstleutnant Paul-Werner Hozzel, 25 December 1944 – 16 April 1945

Subordinate units

• II, III/Kampfgeschwader 1 "Hindenburg" (Ju 88A)
• Kampfgeschwader 76 (Ju 88A)
• Kampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 88A)
• K.Fl.Gr. 806 (Ju 88A)
• Jagdgeschwader 54 (Bf 109F)
• 2(F) Ob.d.L. (Do 215B)
• 5(F) 122 (Ju 88D)
• eleven squadrons of (Hs 126)
• SAGr 125 (Ar 95, Ar 196, He 114)
• one transport squadron (Ju 52)
• five liaison squadrons (Fi 156)
• IV Flak Corps
  • 2nd Flak Division
  • 6th Flak Division

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Abbreviations

• FAGr = Fernaufklärungsgruppe = Reconnaissance aircraft.
  • Gruppe = equivalent to a RAF Wing.
• JG = Jagdgeschwader = Fighters.
  • Geschwader = equivalent to a Royal Air Force Group.
• KG = Kampfgeschwader = Bombers.
• KG zbV = Kampfgeschwader zur besonderen Verwendung = Transport aircraft, later TG.
• NAGr = Nahaufklärungsgruppe = Observation aircraft.
• NASt = Nahaufklärungsstaffel = Observation aircraft.
  • Staffel = equivalent to a RAF Squadron.
• NSGr = Nachtschlachtgruppe = Night ground attack.
• SAGr = Seeaufklärungsgruppe = Maritime patrol aircraft
• SG = Schlachtgeschwader = Ground attack.
• TG = Transportgeschwader= Transport aircraft.

See also

• Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945)

References

Notes

References

• Luftflotte 1 @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Luftflotte 1 @ The Luftwaffe, 1933-45