Free Eagles of the Third Reich: Men of the Luftwaffe in WWII (Stackpole Military History Series) by Samuel W. Mitcham Page B
Authors: Samuel W. Mitcham
Controlled civil aviation and supply, administration, and technical matters for the Luftwaffe.
RLM (Reichsluftfahrministerium, or Reichsluftfahrt Ministerium): The German Air Ministry. Initially in charge of all Luftwaffe functions, many of its responsibilities were later taken over by OKL.
Schlachtgeschwader: a ground attack and antitank wing; used primarily on the eastern front.
Schnellkampfgeschwader: a ground attack wing; used primarily on the eastern front.
Seenotdienst: the sea rescue service. During the war it saved the lives of many pilots on both sides.
Stabs-Schwarm: the staff section of a geschwader (wing); normally contained three to six aircraft.
Staffel: a squadron; the smallest operational Luftwaffe unit. Normally commanded by a captain or a lieutenant. It included a full-time adjutant. The signal, technical, and navigation branches of the staffel were supervised by flying officers in their spare time. Abbreviated 1, II/JG 77 (1st Squadron, II Group, 77th Fighter Wing), 3, I/KG 100 (3rd Squadron, I Group, 100th Bomber Wing), etc.
Stukageschwader: a Ju-87 “Stuka” wing. Abbreviated StG 1, StG 2, etc.
Zerstoerergeschwader: (literally, “Destroyer Wing”); a twin-engine fighter wing, abbreviated ZG 1, ZG 2, etc.
APPENDIX 5
Other Leading Luftwaffe
Personalities
Aschenbrenner, Lt. Gen. Heinrich . World War I infantry officer. Became a pilot in the 1920s and spent six weeks with the Russian 20th Air Force Brigade in 1931. Later served as air attaché at the German embassy in Moscow (1939–40) and was chief signals officer with Kesselring’s 2nd Air Fleet (1940–42). From 1942 until the end of the war he was chief signals officer at Luftwaffe Command Headquarters, except for a period of temporary duty as chief signals officer with 5th Air Fleet (1943).
Axthelm, Gen. Walter von . Bavarian. Flak expert. Led I Flak Corps in France and Russia (1940–42). Later became inspector general of the flak branch, a post he had at the end of the war. Promoted to general of flak artillery on April 1, 1944.
Baumbach, Lt. Col. Werner . Born in Coppenburg, Oldenburg area, 1916, Baumbach was the only bomber pilot to receive the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He commanded KG 30 in 1942 and later worked with Dr. Speer, his close personal friend, on the remote-controlled bomber project. After the war he wrote Zu Spaet? ( Too Late? ), one of the best early books on the Luftwaffe. He emigrated to Argentina with his wife and son in 1948 and, became a technical adviser to industrial firms. At the age of thirty-six he crashed and drowned in the Rio de la Plata.
Below, Col. Nikolaus von . Luftwaffe adjutant to Adolf Hitler from June 16, 1937, to April 29, 1945.
Beust, Col. Baron Hans-Henning von . A veteran of the Condor Legion, Beust was commander of III/KG 27 from 1940 until May 29, 1942, and then led the wing in the Stalingrad campaign. Hospitalized for infantile paralysis from October 1943 until April 1944, he was chief of staff to the general of bomber forces from September 24, 1944, until January 1, 1945, and was then named general of bomber forces.
Brauchitsch, Col. Bernd von . Son of Field Marshal Walter von Brauchitsch, the commander-in-chief of the army (1938–41). A member of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe, Bernd commanded I/StG 76 and IV (Stuka) Group, 1st Destroyer Wing, in 1940 and was Goering’s personal adjutant and a member of the “Little General Staff” for most of the war.
Buelowius, Gen. Alfred . Joined Prussian army, 1912. Discharged as a captain in 1919. Joined Luftwaffe, 1933. Served with bomber and dive-bomber schools until 1942. Served with VIII Air Corps in Russia (1942). Named commander, Luftwaffe Command North, September 1942, and commanding general, 1st Air Division, in Russia (October 1942). Commander of various air administrative areas, December 1944, to the end of the war. Promoted to general of flyers, 1945.
Christ, Col. Torsten . Operations officer of the Condor
RLM (Reichsluftfahrministerium, or Reichsluftfahrt Ministerium): The German Air Ministry. Initially in charge of all Luftwaffe functions, many of its responsibilities were later taken over by OKL.
Schlachtgeschwader: a ground attack and antitank wing; used primarily on the eastern front.
Schnellkampfgeschwader: a ground attack wing; used primarily on the eastern front.
Seenotdienst: the sea rescue service. During the war it saved the lives of many pilots on both sides.
Stabs-Schwarm: the staff section of a geschwader (wing); normally contained three to six aircraft.
Staffel: a squadron; the smallest operational Luftwaffe unit. Normally commanded by a captain or a lieutenant. It included a full-time adjutant. The signal, technical, and navigation branches of the staffel were supervised by flying officers in their spare time. Abbreviated 1, II/JG 77 (1st Squadron, II Group, 77th Fighter Wing), 3, I/KG 100 (3rd Squadron, I Group, 100th Bomber Wing), etc.
Stukageschwader: a Ju-87 “Stuka” wing. Abbreviated StG 1, StG 2, etc.
Zerstoerergeschwader: (literally, “Destroyer Wing”); a twin-engine fighter wing, abbreviated ZG 1, ZG 2, etc.
APPENDIX 5
Other Leading Luftwaffe
Personalities
Aschenbrenner, Lt. Gen. Heinrich . World War I infantry officer. Became a pilot in the 1920s and spent six weeks with the Russian 20th Air Force Brigade in 1931. Later served as air attaché at the German embassy in Moscow (1939–40) and was chief signals officer with Kesselring’s 2nd Air Fleet (1940–42). From 1942 until the end of the war he was chief signals officer at Luftwaffe Command Headquarters, except for a period of temporary duty as chief signals officer with 5th Air Fleet (1943).
Axthelm, Gen. Walter von . Bavarian. Flak expert. Led I Flak Corps in France and Russia (1940–42). Later became inspector general of the flak branch, a post he had at the end of the war. Promoted to general of flak artillery on April 1, 1944.
Baumbach, Lt. Col. Werner . Born in Coppenburg, Oldenburg area, 1916, Baumbach was the only bomber pilot to receive the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He commanded KG 30 in 1942 and later worked with Dr. Speer, his close personal friend, on the remote-controlled bomber project. After the war he wrote Zu Spaet? ( Too Late? ), one of the best early books on the Luftwaffe. He emigrated to Argentina with his wife and son in 1948 and, became a technical adviser to industrial firms. At the age of thirty-six he crashed and drowned in the Rio de la Plata.
Below, Col. Nikolaus von . Luftwaffe adjutant to Adolf Hitler from June 16, 1937, to April 29, 1945.
Beust, Col. Baron Hans-Henning von . A veteran of the Condor Legion, Beust was commander of III/KG 27 from 1940 until May 29, 1942, and then led the wing in the Stalingrad campaign. Hospitalized for infantile paralysis from October 1943 until April 1944, he was chief of staff to the general of bomber forces from September 24, 1944, until January 1, 1945, and was then named general of bomber forces.
Brauchitsch, Col. Bernd von . Son of Field Marshal Walter von Brauchitsch, the commander-in-chief of the army (1938–41). A member of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe, Bernd commanded I/StG 76 and IV (Stuka) Group, 1st Destroyer Wing, in 1940 and was Goering’s personal adjutant and a member of the “Little General Staff” for most of the war.
Buelowius, Gen. Alfred . Joined Prussian army, 1912. Discharged as a captain in 1919. Joined Luftwaffe, 1933. Served with bomber and dive-bomber schools until 1942. Served with VIII Air Corps in Russia (1942). Named commander, Luftwaffe Command North, September 1942, and commanding general, 1st Air Division, in Russia (October 1942). Commander of various air administrative areas, December 1944, to the end of the war. Promoted to general of flyers, 1945.
Christ, Col. Torsten . Operations officer of the Condor
Similar Books
A Promised Fate
Cat Mann
Constant Cravings
Tracey H. Kitts
Black Tuesday
Susan Colebank
Leap of Faith
Fiona McCallum
Deceptions
Judith Michael
Exile to the Stars (The Alarai Chronicles)
Dale B. Mattheis
The Unquiet Grave
Steven Dunne
Twin Deception: A BWWM Billionaire Romance
Izabella Brooks
Spellbound
Marcus Atley
Sheikh's Unlikely Desire
Sophia Lynn