Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945)

Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe formations in 1937 Luftwaffe day parade in front of the Reich Air Ministry, 1 March 1939.
Active	15 May 1933
Country	Nazi Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Air Force
Anniversaries	25 March 1933
Engagements	Invasion of Poland, Eastern Front, Battle of Britain, Defence of the Reich, Unternehmen Bodenplatte
Disbanded	8 May 1945
Commanders
Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe	Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring
Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe	Generalfeldmarschall Robert Ritter von Greim
Aircraft flown
Attack	Messerschmitt Bf 109 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Henschel Hs 129 Junkers Ju 87 Focke-Wulf Ta 152
Bomber	Junkers Ju 87 Junkers Ju 88 Heinkel He 111 Heinkel He 177 (strategic bomber) Dornier Do 17 Dornier Do 217
Fighter	Messerschmitt Bf 109 Messerschmitt Bf 110 Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Interceptor	Heinkel He 162 Messerschmitt Me 163 Messerschmitt Me 262 Focke-Wulf Ta 152
Patrol	Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Blohm & Voss Bv 138
Reconnaissance	Henschel Hs 126 Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Fieseler Fi 156
Trainer	Arado Ar 96 Klemm Kl 35
Transport	Gotha Go 244 Junkers Ju 52 Messerschmitt Me 323

Luftwaffe formations in 1937

Luftwaffe day parade in front of the Reich Air Ministry, 1 March 1939.

Between 1933 and 1945, the organization of the Luftwaffe underwent several changes. Originally, the German military high command, for their air warfare forces, decided to use an organizational structure similar to the army and navy, treating the aviation branch as a strategic weapon of war. Later on, during the period of rapid rearmament, the Luftwaffe was organized more in a geographical fashion.

Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (1919), Germany was prohibited from having an air force, with the former German Empire's Luftstreitkräfte disbandment in 1920. German pilots were secretly trained for military aviation, first in the Soviet Union during the late 1920s, and then in Germany in the early 1930s. In Germany, the training was done under the guise of the German Air Sports Association (German: Deutscher Luftsportverband (DLV)) at the Central Commercial Pilots School (German: Zentrale der Verkehrs Fliegerschule (ZVF)).

The formation of the German air arm was openly announced in February 1935, with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring as its Commander-in-Chief (German: Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe), in blatant defiance of the Versailles Treaty. Initial plans were for long-term growth of the Luftwaffe over a period of five years with the intention of using the Luftwaffe as a strategic force. These plans were changed several times, especially after the June 1936 death of Walter Wever and the succession of Ernst Udet. The focus and role of the Luftwaffe became one of ground support for the German Army during its Lightning War (German: Blitzkrieg) campaigns. Göring, using his political capital, was able to get significant resources allocated to the Luftwaffe, more so than the army (German: Heer) or the navy (German: Kriegsmarine). This made the Luftwaffe one of the most powerful force in Europe during its initial years. Partly due to its ground support role, the Luftwaffe was reorganized in a fashion similar to the army units, with one unit controlling a specific area. Each Luftwaffe unit was self-contained and had complete control over all aspects of Luftwaffe forces in that area.

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