Luftflotte 3

Luftflotte 3^[1] (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)

II.Fliegerkorps (II.Air Corps) Chartres

Fliegerführer West (Flight Director in West Area/Land Air Attack)

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)

IX. Fliegerkorps (IX.Air Corps) Beauvais-Lille

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)

X.Fliegerkorps (X.Air Corps) Angers

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)

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)

2.Fliegerdivision (2.Air Division) Montfrin

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)

II.Jagdkorps (II.Fighter Corps) Chantilly

4.Jagddivision (4°Fighter Division) Metz

Jagdabschnittführer 4 (Fighter Direction 4°) St Pol-Brias

Fighters

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)

5.Jagddivision (5° Fighter Division) Jouy-en-Josas

Jagdabschnittführer 5 (Fighter Director 5) Bernay

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)

Jagdabschnittführer Bretagne (Fighter Direction in Britain) Brest

Fighters

II./JG 53 (Vannes)

Jagdabschnittführer Südfrankreich (Souther France Fighter Direction) Aix

Fighters

1./JGr 200 (Orange-Caritat)
2./JGr 200 (Avignon)
3./JGr 200 (Orange-Caritat)

Jagdlehrer-Gr Bordeaux (Instruction Wing in Bordeaux sector)

JG (Eins. Teile/Lehr) (Marignane)

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

This was the Luftwaffe section charged with managing the advanced equipment:

Fieseler Fi 103 (V-1)
Messerschmitt Me 262 A
Arado Ar 234 B;

they also used the Special Attack aircraft Junkers "Mistel 1".

Mentioned section poses your bases in France and Dutch areas.

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

These 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)

These units were based in Muhldorf, Bavaria, and composed of Helicopters:

Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drachen
Flettner Fl 265
Flettner 282B Kolibri

for operations in western and eastern front areas, with airfields in France (West) and East Prussia (East) for realizing some special liaisons, personal transport, rescue of wounded personnel, watching/air patrol, and other similar missions in the last days of the war.

Transportstaffeln 40 (West area)

Heer/Luftwaffe V-2 mobile ramps sections

Division zur Vergeltung(Div.z.V.)

This special unit was 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

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]