Luftflotte 5: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 14:28, 8 August 2010

Luftflotte 5^[1] (Air Fleet 5) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed 12 April 1940 in Hamburg for the invasion of Norway. It transferred to Oslo, Norway on 24 April 1940 and was the organization responsible for Lutwaffe activity in Occupied Norway throughout the Second World War.

History

Luftflotte 5 was responsible for German air operations during the invasion of Norway, and for the defence of the occupied territory thereafter. It was divided into various operational formations, governing air forces, and Air Districts (Luftgau) controlling ground forces and facilities. In 1940, for the invasion, its main air asset was FliegerKorp X, a formation containing comprising four bomber and one fighter wings (Geschwader) together with air support forces.

With the conclusion of the Norwegian campaign FliegerKorps X was moved to other theatres (first to the Battle of Britain, then to the Mediterranean) while in Norway air operations came under Fliegerfuehrer (Ff) Nord, an ad hoc formation of assigned squadrons (Staffel) and Groups (Gruppe). From June 1941 fighter forces in Norway came under the separate command of Jagdfuehrer Nord. Total forces amounted to three fighter groups and one bomber group, with attached night fighter and fighter bomber squadrons plus auxiliaries.

On the ground Luftflotte 5's assets were administered by a single air district, Luftgau Kommando(LgK) Norwegen, with subordinate commands operating airfields around Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen, and Stavanger in the south, Trondheim, in the centre, and Narvik and Kirkenes in the north of the country.

In 1941, with the invasion of the Soviet Union and the entry of Finland into the war as Germany’s ally, a second air district was formed (LgK Finnland) around Rovaniemi, to co-ordinate German air activity on the northern front.

In June 1942 Ff Nord was divided into three separate commands; "North (West)", organized from Trondheim; "Lofoten" operating against Allied convoys to Murmansk and the Soviet arctic ports; and "North (East)", supporting Army operations against Murmansk and the northern front. In the summer of 1942 Ff Lofoten was reinforced with two bomber groups formed specifically for maritime operations.

In 1944 these formations were reorganized again; Ff Nord Ost became, briefly Ff Eismeer before becoming Ff 3; Nord West became Ff 4; and Ff Lofoten became Ff 5.

On the ground LgK Norwegen became Kommandierende General der Luftwaffe (K.G.) in Norwegen, covering ground and air formations in Norway, while LgK Finnland became K.G. Finnland, with a similar remit in Finland and, later, northern Norway.

As the war progressed however these organizations became increasingly irrelevant as German forces were forced to retreat and their air strength diminished. By the end of World War II they existed largely on paper.

Commanding officers

Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch, 12 April 1940 - 9 May 1940
Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, 10 May 1940 - 27 November 1943
General Josef Kammhuber, 27 November 1943 - 16 September 1944

Chief of staff

Oberst Dr. Robert Knauss, 12 April 1940 - 16 April 1940
Generalmajor Helmuth Förster, 16 April 1940 - 9 May 1940
Generalmajor Dr. Robert Knauss, 9 May 1940 - 1 August 1940
Oberst Gerhard Bassenge, 1 August 1940 - 5 October 1940
Generalmajor Andreas Nielsen, 20 October 1940 - 31 December 1943
Oberst Ernst Kusserow, 1 January 1944 - 16 September 1944

Subordinated units

References

Notes

^ For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation

References

[1] For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organisation

[1]

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==History==
 Luftflotte 5 was responsible for German air operations during the invasion of Norway, and for the defence of the occupied territory thereafter.
 It was divided into various operational formations, governing air forces, and Air Districts (''Luftgau'') controlling ground forces and facilities.
+In 1940, for the invasion, its main air asset was ''[[10th Air Corps (Germany)|FliegerKorp X]]'', a formation containing comprising four bomber and one fighter wings (''Geschwader'') together with air support forces.
+With the conclusion of the Norwegian campaign ''FliegerKorps X'' was moved to other theatres (first to the Battle of  Britain, then to the Mediterranean) while in Norway air operations came under ''Fliegerfuehrer (Ff) Nord'', an ad hoc formation of  assigned squadrons (''Staffel'') and Groups (''Gruppe'').  From June 1941 fighter  forces in Norway came under the separate command of ''Jagdfuehrer Nord''. Total forces amounted to three fighter groups and one bomber group, with attached night fighter and fighter bomber squadrons  plus auxiliaries.
-In 1940 its main air asset was [[FliegerKorp X]], a formation containing comprising four bomber and one fighter wings (''Geschwader'') together with air support forces.
-With the conclusion of the Norwegian campaign FlK X was moved to other theatres (first to the Battle of  Britain, then to the Mediterranean) while in Norway air operations came under ''Fliegerfuehrer Nord'' an ad hoc formation of  assigned squadrons (''Staffel'') and Groups (''Gruppe'').  From June 1941 fighter  forces in Norway came under the separate command of ''Jagdfuehrer Nord''. Total forces amounted to three fighter groups and one bomber group, with attached night fighter and fighter bomber squadrons  plus auxiliaries.
 On the ground Luftflotte 5's assets were administered by a single air district, ''Luftgau Kommando(LgK) Norwegen'', with  subordinate commands operating airfields around Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen, and Stavanger in the south, Trondheim, in the centre, and Narvik and Kirkenes in the north of the country.
@@ Line 16: / Line 14: @@
 In 1941, with the invasion of the Soviet Union and the entry of Finland into the war as Germany’s ally, a second air district was formed (''LgK Finnland'') around Rovaniemi, to co-ordinate German air activity on the northern front.
-In June 1942 Ff Nord was divided into three separate commands; "North (West)", organized from Trondheim; "Lofoten" operating against Allied convoys to Murmansk and the Soviet arctic ports; and "North (East)", supporting Army operations against Murmansk and the northern front. In the summer of 1942 Ff Lofoten was reinforced with two bomber groups formed specifically for maritime operations.
+In June 1942 ''Ff Nord'' was divided into three separate commands; "North (West)", organized from Trondheim; "Lofoten" operating against Allied convoys to Murmansk and the Soviet arctic ports; and "North (East)", supporting Army operations against Murmansk and the northern front. In the summer of 1942 ''Ff Lofoten'' was reinforced with two bomber groups formed specifically for maritime operations.
-In 1944 these formations were reorganized again; Ff Nord Ost became, briefly Ff Eismeer before becoming Ff 3; Nord West became Ff 4; and Ff Lofoten became Ff 5.
+In 1944 these formations were reorganized again; ''Ff Nord Ost'' became, briefly ''Ff Eismeer'' before becoming ''Ff 3''; ''Nord West'' became ''Ff 4''; and ''Ff Lofoten'' became ''Ff 5''.
-On the ground LgK Norwegen became ''KG der Luftwaffe (K.G.) in Norwegen'', covering ground and air formations in Norway, while LgK Finnland became ''K.G. Finnland'', with a similar remit in Finland and, later, northern Norway.
+On the ground ''LgK Norwegen'' became ''Kommandierende General der Luftwaffe (K.G.) in Norwegen'', covering ground and air formations in Norway, while ''LgK Finnland'' became ''K.G. Finnland'', with a similar remit in Finland and, later, northern Norway.
 As the war progressed however these organizations became increasingly irrelevant as German forces were forced to retreat and their air strength diminished. By the end of World War II they existed largely on paper.