Luftflotte 3

Updated on Nov 23, 2024

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Founded 1939

Similar Luftflotte 1, Luftflotte 5, American Free Corps, Schalburg Corps, III Army Corps

Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on 1 February 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West (Air Command West) on 26 September 1944. This Luftwaffe detachment was based in German-occupied areas of Northern France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Vichy France, to support the Axis power's forces in area. Its command offices were in Paris, France (on 26 June 1944).

Strategic Reconnaissance

Stab/FAGr.123 (Toussus le Noble - Buc)

4.(F)/123 (Saint-André-de-l'Eure)

5.(F)/123 (Monchy-Breton)

1.(F)/121 (Toussus le Noble - Buc)

Tactical Reconnaissance

Stab/NAGr.13 (Chartres)

1./NAGr.13 (Chartres)

3./NAGr.13 (Laval)

Land Air Attack

III./SG 4 (Clermont-Ferrand)

III./SG 4 (Detach) (Avord)

Strategic Reconnaissance

3.(F)/122 (Soesterberg)

6.(F)/123 (Cormeilles)

Bombers(Medium)

Stab/KG 2 (Gilze en Rijen)

I./KG 2 (Gilze en Rijen)

II./KG 2 (Gilze en Rijen)

III./KG 2 (Hesepe)

Stab/KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)

I./KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)

II./KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)

III./KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)

16./KG 6(JABO/Rapid) (Soesterberg)

Stab/KG 30 (Zwischenhan)

I./KG 30 (Leck)

4./KG 51 (JABO/Rapid) (Soesterberg)

5./KG 51(JABO/Rapid) (Gilze en Rijen)

6./KG 51(JABO/Rapid) (Soesterberg)

Stab/KG 54 (Eindhoven)

I./KG 54 (Eindhoven)

III./KG 54 (Eindhoven)

III./KG 66 (Montdidier)

(Eins)St. IV./KG 101 (Saint-Dizier)

Stab(KG)/LG 1 (Melsbroek)

I.(KG)/LG 1 (Le Culot)

II.(KG)/LG 1(Melsbroek)

JABO (Fighter-Bombers/Incursion strike groups)

I.(Jb)/SKG 10 (Tours)

Special duties/long-distance operations

1./KG 200 (Mont-de-Marsan)

1./KG 200(Detach) (Bordeaux–Merignac)

II/KG 200 (Biscarrosse)

Strategic/Maritime Reconnaissance (Ultra Long Range)

Stab/FAGr.5 (Mont-de-Marsan)

1.(F)/5 (Mont-de-Marsan)

2.(F)/5 (Mont-de-Marsan)

4.(F)/5 (Nantes)

3.(F)/123 (Corme-Écluse)

1.(F)/SAGr.129 (Biscarrosse)

1.(F)/JG.52 "BF 109"

Bombers (Heavy) Submarine Support/Merchant Strike (Long Range)

Stab/KG 40 (Bordeaux–Merignac)

1./KG 40 (Toulouse–Blagnac)

2./KG 40 (Bordeaux–Merignac)

II./KG 40 (Bordeaux–Merignac)

7./KG 40 (Saint-Jean-d'Angély)

8./KG 40 (Cognac)

9./KG 40 (Cognac)

Strategic/Tactical/Maritime Reconnaissance (Medium-Short Range)

1.(F)/33 (St.Martin)

2./NAGr.13 (Cuers)

2./SAGr.128 (Berre)

Bombers (Medium)

Stab/KG 26 (Montpellier)

II./KG 26 (LT) (Valence)

III./KG 26 (LT) (Montpellier)

III./KG 26 (LT)(Detach) (Valence)

Stab/KG 77 (Salon-de-Provence)

I./KG 77 (LT) (Orange-Caritat)

III./KG 77 (LT) (Orange-Caritat)

6./KG 77 (Istres)

4./KG 76 (Istres)

6./KG 76 (Istres)

Stab/KG 100 (Toulouse–Francazal)

III./KG 100 (Toulouse–Francazal)

Fighters

Stab/JG 1 (St.Quentin–Clastres)

I./JG 3 (St.Quentin–Clastres)

I./JG 5 (St.Quentin–Clastres)

II./JG 11 (Mons en Chaussée)

I./JG 301 (Épinoy)

Stab/JG 27 (Champfleury)

I./JG 27 (Vertus)

III./JG 27 (Connantre)

IV./JG 27 (Champfleury)

Night Fighters

Stab/NJG 4 (Chenay)

I./NJG 4 (Florennes)

III./NJG 4 (Junvincourt)

Stab/NJG 5 (Haguenau)

I./NJG 5 (Saint-Dizier)

III./NJG 5 (Athies-sous-Laon)

Fighters

Stab/JG 2 (Creil)

I./JG 2 (Creil)

II./JG 2 (Creil)

III./JG 2 (Creil)

Stab/JG 3 (Évreux)

II./JG 3 (Guyancourt)

III./JG 3 (Mareilly)

Stab/JG 11 (Le Mans)

I./JG 11 (Le Mans)

I0./JG 11 (Le Mans)

I./JG 1 (Alençon)

II./JG 1 (Alençon)

Stab/JG 26 (Guyancourt)

I./JG 26 (Guyancourt)

II./JG 26 (Guyancourt)

Night Fighters

Stab/NJG 2 (Coulommiers)

I./NJG 2 (Châteaudun)

II./NJG 2 (Coulommiers)

II./NJG 4 (Coulommiers)

Fighters

II./JG 53 (Vannes)

Fighters

1./JGr 200 (Orange-Caritat)

2./JGr 200 (Avignon)

3./JGr 200 (Orange-Caritat)

Jagdlehrer-Gr Bordeaux (Instruction Wing in Bordeaux sector)

Jagdabschnittführer Bordeaux (Fighter Direction in Bordeaux) Bordeaux-Merignac

Zerstörer (Heavy Fighters)

Stab/ZG 1 (Bordeaux–Merignac)

1./ZG 1 (Corme-Écluse)

3./ZG 1 (Corme-Écluse)

2./ZG 1 (Châteauroux)

III./ZG 1 (Cazaux)

Luftwaffe Special Strike Units

Jet Bombers/Jet Fighter-Bombers

(R)"Blitz" KG 76 (Istres)

II.St.(JABO)/KG 51 (Soesterberg)

Mistel Special Section

2. (Mistel I) /KG 101 (Saint-Dizier)

II. (Mistel I) -(Detach)/KG 200 (Saint-Dizier)

Bombers with V-1 Launchers

Stab/KG 3 (Venlo)

II./KG 3 (also known as I./KG.5) (Venlo)

I./KG 53 "Legion Condor" (Gilze en Rijen)

III./KG 53 "Legion Condor" (Gilze en Rijen)

Luftwaffe V-1 fixed/mobile ramps units; operated near Calais (France), and in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Untergruppenbezeichnung FZG (Flakzielgerät) 76 (also known as 5.Flak Division (W), later as Armeekorps zur Vergeltung)

I./155 Artillerie Abt (W)

II./155 Artillerie-Abt (W)

III./155 Artillerie-Abt (W)

Luftwaffe special transport units(1944–45); based in Muhldorf, Bavaria, and composed of Helicopters:

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drachen

Flettner Fl 265

Flettner 282B Kolibri

Heer/Luftwaffe V-2 mobile ramps sections

Division zur Vergeltung(Div.z.V.); led by Heer and SS Commanders, working along with Luftwaffe personnel and facilities. They operated in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

"Div.z.V." Nordgruppe

444° Artillerie-Abt

485° Artillerie- Abt (also known as Artillerie Regiment z. V. 902)

2°./485° Artillerie-Abt

"Div.z.V." Südgruppe

500° Waffen SS Artillerie-Abt (also known as 500° SS Werfer Abt.)

836° Artillerie-Abt (also known as Artillerie Regiment zur Vergeltung 901)

Heer V-4 "Rheinbote" Mobile ramps units

I./709 Artillerie Abt

Heer V-3 Artillery group

705° Artillerie Abt.

Abbreviations

FAGr = Fernaufklärungsgruppe = Reconnaissance aircraft.

Gruppe = equivalent to a RAF Wing.

JG = Jagdgeschwader = Fighters.

Geschwader = equivalent to a Royal Air Force Group.

JGr = Jagdgruppe = Fighters.

KG = Kampfgeschwader = Bombers.

LG = Lehrgeschwader = Operational Training.

NAGr = Nahaufklärungsgruppe = Observation aircraft.

NJG = Nachtjagdgeschwader = Night Fighters

SAGr = Seeaufklärungsgruppe = Maritime Patrol aircraft

SKG = Schnellkampfgeschwader = Fast Bombers.

St = Staffel = equivalent to a RAF Squadron.

ZG = Zerstörergeschwader = Twin engined day fighters.

Commanding officers

Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle, 1 February 1939 – 23 August 1944

Generaloberst Otto Deßloch, 23 August 1944 – 22 September 1944

Generalleutnant Alexander Holle, 22 September 1944 – 26 September 1944

redesignated to Luftwaffenkommando West

Generalleutnant Alexander Holle, 28 September 1944 – 15 November 1944

Generalleutnant Josef Schmid, 16 November 1944 – 27 April 1945

Generalleutnant Martin Harlinghausen, 28 April 1945 – 8 May 1945

Chief of staff

Generalmajor Maximilian Ritter von Pohl, 1 February 1939 – 10 June 1940

Oberst Günther Korten, 11 June 1940 – 31 December 1940

Generalmajor Karl Koller, 1 January 1941 – 23 August 1943

Generalleutnant Hermann Plocher, 1 October 1943 – 26 September 1944

redesignated to Luftwaffenkommando West

Oberst Hans Wolters, September 1944 – March 1945

Oberst Heinrich Wittmer, March 1945 – May 1945

References

Luftflotte 3 Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

Strategic Reconnaissance

Tactical Reconnaissance

Land Air Attack

Strategic Reconnaissance

Bombers(Medium)

JABO (Fighter-Bombers/Incursion strike groups)

Special duties/long-distance operations

Strategic/Maritime Reconnaissance (Ultra Long Range)

Bombers (Heavy) Submarine Support/Merchant Strike (Long Range)

Strategic/Tactical/Maritime Reconnaissance (Medium-Short Range)

Bombers (Medium)

Fighters

Night Fighters

Fighters

Night Fighters

Fighters

Fighters

Jagdlehrer-Gr Bordeaux (Instruction Wing in Bordeaux sector)

Luftwaffe Special Strike Units

Abbreviations

Commanding officers

Chief of staff

References