Lehrgeschwader 1
Encyclopedia
Lehrgeschwader 1 (Demonstration Wing 1) formerly Lehrgeschwader Greifswald was a Luftwaffe multi-purpose unit during World War II, operating fighter, bomber and dive-bomber Gruppen. The unit was formed in July 1936. The unit operated most of the prominent German aircraft during the conflict, such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109
, Messerschmitt Bf 110
, Dornier Do 17
, Heinkel He 111
, Junkers Ju 88
and Junkers Ju 87
.
, the Geschwader suffered light losses. I.(Zerstörer)/LG 1 lost only three Bf 110s in September.
II./LG also took part. Operating He 111s the Gruppe began operations with 39 He 111s (34 operational), and struck at targets in and around Warsaw. The unit also undertook naval strike missions against Royal Navy
vessels off the Norwegian coast on 6 October. III./LG 1 also took part, committing 39 He 111s to the battle. Exact losses are unknown, but light.
IV.(Stuka) unit, also began its military operations over Poland. Equipped with the Ju 87 Stuka, the Gruppe supported the XI.Armee
until withdrawn from operations on 29 September. During the campaign, the unit was transferred to Luftflotte 1
.
II./LG 1 undertook missions against Allied shipping. On 1 May 1940, the Norwegian hospital ship Dronning Maud
was sunk by this unit.
, and spent the majority of its time heavily engaged with Allied Naval forces.
II./LG 1, operating under Luftflotte 2
, was tasked with direct ground support, Air interdiction
, and logistical strikes against the enemy. Operating with 18 of its 26 He 111s at the start of the campaign, it hit the French airfields at Lille
on 10 May. On 12 May a raid against Vlissingen harbour cost II. Gruppe two Heinkels. The Gruppe also took part in the Battle of Hannut
, attacking Allied positions in Belgium
, losing one He 111. The unit were withdrawn from the front-line for five days to convert to the Ju 88. During further operations against Allied rail targets, a further loss, a single Ju 88, was sustained on 20 May in the Amiens area.
II. Gruppe was tasked the missions against Naval forces until the end of the Dunkirk evacuation. Several missions against Ostend
and Dunkirk's harbours were flown from 25–31 May. This particular unit also took part in Unternehmen Paula, a 1,000 aircraft assault on French airfields in and around Paris on 2 June 1940, without loss. Missions over the Loire Valley
continued until the 22 June 1940.
III. Gruppe also participated . Committing 12 He 111s and 37 Ju 88s it supported II. Gruppe and its operations. IV.(Stuka)/LG 1 undertook ground attack operations with 37 Ju 87 Bs, without being involved in any notable actions.
V.(Zerstorer)/LG 1's responsibility was escort duties. Equipped with 33 Bf 110 Ds, the unit lost 8 Bf 110s from 10 May to 16 June 1940, when it was withdrawn for rest and refitting.
V. (Zerstörer)/LG 1 sustained particularly high losses, losing 25 Bf 110s between the 4 July and 16 September. It was reduced to just 10 Bf 110s, but on 7 September 1940 it lost a further seven 110s, as a result the unit was withdrawn from operations. It was designated I.NJG 3 on 29 September.
HMS Ajax
. During 22–27 May 1941, HMS Barham and HMS Warspite were damaged by LG 1s attacks.
Notable actions of the Geschwader during the two year stint in North Africa included I.(K)/LG 1s sinking of three large transport vessels Clan Campbell
, Clan Chattan and Rowallan Castle from the convoy MW 9, during attacks on 13–14 February 1941.
III./LG 1 also damaged the Australian destroyer Waterhen
on 9 July 1941, and sinking it on the 11 July.
The Geschwader supported the Afrikakorps until 1942. Bombing raids were made the Suez Canal, Cairo during this time.
On 11/12 May I.(K)/LG 1 led by Hauptmann
Joachim Helbig
were responsible for sinking HMS Kipling
, HMS Jackal
and HMS Lively
in the Gulf of Sollum.
The Geschwader also took part in the Siege of Malta during October 1942.
IV.(Erg)/LG 1 and III./LG 1 (disbanded and reformed in May 1943) were based in Greece and Italy for the remainder of the war, striking at Allied Shipping. The units were bombed continually. Hangars and workshops that held vital spare parts were destroyed. The fuel crisis in July 1944 forced most of the two units to withdraw to Austria.
.
III./LG 1 moved to Nikolayez in the Ukraine from 23–24 March 1942. The units took part in the Battle of Sevastopol
and the Battle of Stalingrad
. It also conducted anti-shipping missions against the Soviet Navy
and Black Sea Fleet
in the Crimea
.
IV. Gruppe operated the Ju 87 from northern Norway
and Finland
at the start of Operation Barbarossa
. It flew a variety of ground attack missions, and anti-shipping missions around Murmansk
. According to its records, the Gruppe lost 26 Stukas, 21 crews killed, seven missing, 6 wounded and three captured between 3 September 1940 and 27 January 1942.
Later, just prior to the Battle of Berlin
, the Geschwader took part in Operation Eisenhammer, striking at the Oder
bridges to prevent their use by the Red Army
.
. The Gruppe also supported German forces during the Battle of the Bulge
offensive. Operating at night to avoid Allied fighters, the unit attacked troop concentrations and marshalling yards in Belgium and France. On the night of 16/27 December 1944, the unit lost five Ju 88S-3s out of nine in a raid against Namur
, Belgium. The Gruppe was ordered to disband on 22 April 1945, but was overrun by Canadian Forces at Varel 26–28 April. II./LG 1 also lost 19 aircraft in these operations.
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
, Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
, Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
, Heinkel He 111
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
, Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
and Junkers Ju 87
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
.
History
The unit was created to control the Lehrgruppe in the Luftwaffe. Stab/LG 1 was formed in July 1936, and on 1 April 1937 the Stab Gruppe was officially created along with I.(leichte Jagd), II.(schwere Jagd), III.(Kampf) and IV.(Stuka) Gruppen.Poland
On 25/26 August 1939 the unit mobilised. Assigned to Luftflotte 2Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
, the Geschwader suffered light losses. I.(Zerstörer)/LG 1 lost only three Bf 110s in September.
II./LG also took part. Operating He 111s the Gruppe began operations with 39 He 111s (34 operational), and struck at targets in and around Warsaw. The unit also undertook naval strike missions against Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
vessels off the Norwegian coast on 6 October. III./LG 1 also took part, committing 39 He 111s to the battle. Exact losses are unknown, but light.
IV.(Stuka) unit, also began its military operations over Poland. Equipped with the Ju 87 Stuka, the Gruppe supported the XI.Armee
11th Army (Germany)
The 11th Army was a World War I and a World War II field army.-World War I:The 11th Army was formed in early 1915. It briefly fought on the Western Front during the Battle of Ypres, holding the line against the allied attack...
until withdrawn from operations on 29 September. During the campaign, the unit was transferred to Luftflotte 1
Luftflotte 1
Luftflotte 1 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 1 in Berlin...
.
Scandinavia: The Invasions of Denmark and Norway
I.(K)/LG 1 undertook some armed reconnaissance missions along the Norwegian coast in late April 1940, without suffering casualties. The unit reported three losses. Whether these losses were inflicted as a result of enemy action is unknown.II./LG 1 undertook missions against Allied shipping. On 1 May 1940, the Norwegian hospital ship Dronning Maud
SS Dronning Maud (1925)
SS Dronning Maud was 1,489 ton steel-hulled steamship built in 1925 by the Norwegian shipyard Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted in Fredrikstad. Dronning Maud had been ordered by the Trondheim-based company Det Nordenfjeldske Dampskipsselskap for the passenger and freight service Hurtigruten along the...
was sunk by this unit.
France and the Low Countries
The Geschwader lost 55 aircraft in the battle, 50 of them in combat. LG 1 records reveal the unit claimed seven Allied ships sunk and 23 damaged, along with 19 Allied aircraft shot down in aerial combat. I.(K)/LG 1 began the campaign with 30 He 111s, of which 22 were combat ready. The Gruppe took part in the Battle of DunkirkBattle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
, and spent the majority of its time heavily engaged with Allied Naval forces.
II./LG 1, operating under Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
, was tasked with direct ground support, Air interdiction
Air interdiction
Air interdiction is the use of aircraft to attack tactical ground targets that are not in close proximity to friendly ground forces. It differs from close air support because it does not directly support ground operations and is not closely coordinated with ground units...
, and logistical strikes against the enemy. Operating with 18 of its 26 He 111s at the start of the campaign, it hit the French airfields at Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
on 10 May. On 12 May a raid against Vlissingen harbour cost II. Gruppe two Heinkels. The Gruppe also took part in the Battle of Hannut
Battle of Hannut
The Battle of Hannut was a Second World War battle fought during the Battle of Belgium which took place between 12 and 14 May 1940 at Hannut, Belgium...
, attacking Allied positions in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, losing one He 111. The unit were withdrawn from the front-line for five days to convert to the Ju 88. During further operations against Allied rail targets, a further loss, a single Ju 88, was sustained on 20 May in the Amiens area.
II. Gruppe was tasked the missions against Naval forces until the end of the Dunkirk evacuation. Several missions against Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and Dunkirk's harbours were flown from 25–31 May. This particular unit also took part in Unternehmen Paula, a 1,000 aircraft assault on French airfields in and around Paris on 2 June 1940, without loss. Missions over the Loire Valley
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley , spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. Its area comprises approximately . It is referred to as the Cradle of the French Language, and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke, asparagus, and...
continued until the 22 June 1940.
III. Gruppe also participated . Committing 12 He 111s and 37 Ju 88s it supported II. Gruppe and its operations. IV.(Stuka)/LG 1 undertook ground attack operations with 37 Ju 87 Bs, without being involved in any notable actions.
V.(Zerstorer)/LG 1's responsibility was escort duties. Equipped with 33 Bf 110 Ds, the unit lost 8 Bf 110s from 10 May to 16 June 1940, when it was withdrawn for rest and refitting.
Air Offensive over Britain
An attack on 15 August by 12 Ju-88s of I//LG 1 against RAF Middle Wallop destroyed several Spitfires, but the unit lost five aircraft to defending fighters. The Geschwader suffered a cripplingly high loss rate during the battle. From 8 July 1940 to December 1940, LG 1 lost 94 aircraft, and a further 13 were destroyed after returning with damage. LG 1 lost 119 crews and pilots killed, 102 missing and 36 captured.V. (Zerstörer)/LG 1 sustained particularly high losses, losing 25 Bf 110s between the 4 July and 16 September. It was reduced to just 10 Bf 110s, but on 7 September 1940 it lost a further seven 110s, as a result the unit was withdrawn from operations. It was designated I.NJG 3 on 29 September.
Battles of Yugoslavia and Greece
I.(K)/LG 1 took part in the campaign. It sank the Allied transport vessels Ellenis on 20 April, in Piraeus harbour, and Pennland (16,000 grt) on 24 April. It continued anti-shipping missions throughout the remainder of the conflict. On 21 May 1941 the gruppe damaged the Royal Navy Leander-classLeander class cruiser (1931)
The Leander class was a class of eight light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s that saw service in World War II. They were named after mythological figures, and all ships were commissioned between 1933 and 1936...
HMS Ajax
HMS Ajax (22)
HMS Ajax was a Leander class light cruiser which served with the British Royal Navy during World War II. She became famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate, the Battle of Crete, the Battle of Malta and as a supply escort in the Siege of Tobruk. This ship was the eighth in the Royal...
. During 22–27 May 1941, HMS Barham and HMS Warspite were damaged by LG 1s attacks.
North African and Mediterranean Theatres
SS Clan Campbell (1937)
The SS Clan Campbell was a cargo vessel built in the yards of the Greenock Dockyard Co., Greenock, Scotland and launched on 14 January 1937 for Clan Line Steamers Ltd, of Glasgow. She was registered at Glasgow....
, Clan Chattan and Rowallan Castle from the convoy MW 9, during attacks on 13–14 February 1941.
III./LG 1 also damaged the Australian destroyer Waterhen
HMAS Waterhen (D22)
HMAS Waterhen was a W class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy . Built during World War I, the destroyer was completed in mid 1918, and commissioned into the Royal Navy. In 1933, Waterhen and four other British ships were transferred to the RAN...
on 9 July 1941, and sinking it on the 11 July.
The Geschwader supported the Afrikakorps until 1942. Bombing raids were made the Suez Canal, Cairo during this time.
On 11/12 May I.(K)/LG 1 led by Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Joachim Helbig
Joachim Helbig
Oberst Joachim Helbig was an officer and pilot in the German Luftwaffe bomber arm during World War II. He was credited with the destruction of of Allied shipping accomplished in 480 missions during World War II.Joachim Helbig was born in 1915 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936...
were responsible for sinking HMS Kipling
HMS Kipling (F91)
HMS Kipling was a K-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Yarrow, Scotstoun on 20 October 1937, launched on 19 January 1939, by the daughter of the poet Rudyard Kipling, and commissioned on 12 December 1939. On 28 December 1941 Kipling sank the German submarine U-75...
, HMS Jackal
HMS Jackal (F22)
HMS Jackal was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by John Brown and Company, Limited, at Clydebank in Scotland on 24 September 1937, launched on 25 October 1938 and commissioned on 31 March 1939...
and HMS Lively
HMS Lively (G40)
HMS Lively was an L-class destroyer of the Royal Navy.She served during the Second World War, and was sunk in the Mediterranean in an air attack on 11 May 1942....
in the Gulf of Sollum.
The Geschwader also took part in the Siege of Malta during October 1942.
IV.(Erg)/LG 1 and III./LG 1 (disbanded and reformed in May 1943) were based in Greece and Italy for the remainder of the war, striking at Allied Shipping. The units were bombed continually. Hangars and workshops that held vital spare parts were destroyed. The fuel crisis in July 1944 forced most of the two units to withdraw to Austria.
Russia
Only III. Gruppe and IV.(Stuka)/LG 1 were the only Gruppen of the LG 1 to operate in the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
III./LG 1 moved to Nikolayez in the Ukraine from 23–24 March 1942. The units took part in the Battle of Sevastopol
Battle of Sevastopol
The Siege of Sevastopol took place on the Eastern Front of the Second World War. The campaign was fought by the Axis powers of Germany, Romania and Italy against the Soviet Union for control of Sevastopol, a port in Crimea on the Black Sea. On 22 June 1941 the Axis invaded the Soviet Union under...
and the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
. It also conducted anti-shipping missions against the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
and Black Sea Fleet
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
.
IV. Gruppe operated the Ju 87 from northern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
at the start of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. It flew a variety of ground attack missions, and anti-shipping missions around Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
. According to its records, the Gruppe lost 26 Stukas, 21 crews killed, seven missing, 6 wounded and three captured between 3 September 1940 and 27 January 1942.
Later, just prior to the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
, the Geschwader took part in Operation Eisenhammer, striking at the Oder
Oder
The Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
bridges to prevent their use by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
Western Front: 1944-45
The Geschwader attempted to support the German Army in France. However, due to Allied air superiority it was restricted to flying at night. From 1 July 1944 to 31 August 1944 I.(K)/LG 1 lost 19 aircraft in the failed Normandy CampaignOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. The Gruppe also supported German forces during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
offensive. Operating at night to avoid Allied fighters, the unit attacked troop concentrations and marshalling yards in Belgium and France. On the night of 16/27 December 1944, the unit lost five Ju 88S-3s out of nine in a raid against Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
, Belgium. The Gruppe was ordered to disband on 22 April 1945, but was overrun by Canadian Forces at Varel 26–28 April. II./LG 1 also lost 19 aircraft in these operations.
Geschwaderkommodore
- Major Hans JeschonnekHans JeschonnekHans Jeschonnek was a German Generaloberst and a Chief of the General Staff of Nazi Germany′s Luftwaffe during World War II. He committed suicide in August 1943.-Biography:...
, 1 October 1936 – November 1936 - Oberst Dr. Robert Knauss, 1 October 1937 – 17 November 1939
- Generalmajor Alfred BülowiusAlfred BülowiusAlfred Bülowius was a Luftwaffe commander during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership....
, 17 November 1939 – 21 October 1940 - Oberst Friedrich Karl Knust, 21 October 1940– 18 February 1942
- Oberst Franz von Benda, June 1942 – 2 December 1942
- Oberstleutnant Hans-Werner Freiherr von Buchholtz, 24 March 1943 – 2 August 1943
- Oberst Joachim HelbigJoachim HelbigOberst Joachim Helbig was an officer and pilot in the German Luftwaffe bomber arm during World War II. He was credited with the destruction of of Allied shipping accomplished in 480 missions during World War II.Joachim Helbig was born in 1915 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936...
, 14 August 1943 – 2 March 1945 - Oberstleutnant Rudolf Hallensleben, September 1944 – January 1945 (acting)
- Oberst Joachim HelbigJoachim HelbigOberst Joachim Helbig was an officer and pilot in the German Luftwaffe bomber arm during World War II. He was credited with the destruction of of Allied shipping accomplished in 480 missions during World War II.Joachim Helbig was born in 1915 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936...
, January 1945 (acting) - Major Richard Czekay, 2 March 1945 – 4 May 1945
I. (Zerstörer)/LG 1
- Major Oskar DinortOskar DinortOskar Dinort was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka pilot and first Stuka pilot to be awarded the coveted Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves...
15 March 1937 – 31 August 1937 - Hauptmann Axel von BlombergAxel von BlombergAxel von Blomberg was an officer in the German Air Force before and during World War II. He is best known for the role he played during the Anglo-Iraqi War.-Biography:...
, 1 September 1937 – 1 April 1939 - Major Walter GrabmannWalter GrabmannWalter Grabmann was a German World War II Luftwaffe Generalmajor. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, 1 April 1939 – 31 May 1939 - Major Dr. Ing. Ernst BormannErnst BormannDr.-Ing. Ernst BormannIn German a Doctorate in engineering is abbreviated as Dr.-Ing. . was a German World War I Luftstreitkräfte flying ace and a Generalmajor of the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
1 May 1939 – 30 June 1939 - Major Walter Grabmann, 1 July 1939 – 8 October 1939
I.(k)LG 1
- Major Eduard Teske, 1 November 1939 – 1 July 1940
- Hauptmann Wilhelm Kern, 1 July 1940 – 7 October 1940
- Hauptmann Kuno Hoffmann, 7 October 1940 – 1 October 1941
- Hauptmann Siegfried von Eichhorn, (acting) October 1941
- Hauptmann Karl Vehmeyer 1 October 1941 – 4 November 1941
- Major Joachim HelbigJoachim HelbigOberst Joachim Helbig was an officer and pilot in the German Luftwaffe bomber arm during World War II. He was credited with the destruction of of Allied shipping accomplished in 480 missions during World War II.Joachim Helbig was born in 1915 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936...
, 5 December 1941 – 24 January 1943 - Major Hans-Werner Freiherr von Buchholtz, 25 January 1943 – 24 March 1943
- Major Karl-Heinz Schomann, 24 March 1943 – 4 October 1943
- Major Richard Czekay, 16 May 1944 – 1 July 1944
- Heinz Ott October 7 July 1944 – November 1944
- Hauptmann Paul Hecking, 26 December 1944 – 23 January 1945 (MIA)
- Hauptmann Siegfried Freiherr von Cramm, 12 February 1945 – April 1945
- Oberstlt (promoted) Joachim HelbigJoachim HelbigOberst Joachim Helbig was an officer and pilot in the German Luftwaffe bomber arm during World War II. He was credited with the destruction of of Allied shipping accomplished in 480 missions during World War II.Joachim Helbig was born in 1915 and joined the Luftwaffe in 1936...
– 30 April 1945
II. Gruppe/LG 1
- Oberstleutnant Hans-Detlef Herhudt von Rohden, 1 November 1938 – 1 July 1939
- Major Kurt DobratzKurt DobratzDr. jur. Kurt Dobratz was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, 1 July 1939 – 6 August 1940 - Hauptmann Heinz CramerHeinz CramerHeinz Cramer was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Heinz Cramer was shotdown by...
, 6 August 1940 – 17 September 1940 (POW) - Hauptmann Arved CrügerArved CrügerArved Crüger was a Luftwaffe wing commander during World War II and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient. He married the German movie actress Carola Höhn in 1941. He was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 77 in 1942...
, 1 October 1940 – December 1940 - Major Gerhard KolleweGerhard KolleweGerhard Kollewe was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
, December 1940 – 17 October 1942 - Major Gerhard Richter, 17 October 1942 – 20 January 1943
- Hauptmann Karl-Heinz Schomann, 21 January 1943 – 24 March 1943
- Hauptmann Leopold Köck, 10 September 1943 – unknown
- Major Dieter-Hans Clemm von Hohenberg 16 May 1944 – 30 June 1944
- Hauptmann Karl Peters, 24 July 1944 – 4 May 1945
III. Gruppe/LG 1
- Major Karl-Eduard Wilke, April 1937 – unknown
- Oberstleutnant Hans SeidemannHans SeidemannHans Seidemann was a World War II Luftwaffe general. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, April 1938 – 30 November 1938 - Major Dr. Ernst Bormann, 1 December 1938
- Hauptmann Karl-Friedrich Knust, 19 July 1940 – October 1942
- Hauptmann (first name not known) von Grothe, October 1940 – December 1940
- Hauptmann Hermann HogebackHermann HogebackOberstleutnant Hermann Hogeback was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and flew more than 500 operational sorties. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, January 1942 – 31 August 1942 - Hauptmann Hans-Günther Nedden, May 1943
IV. (Stuka)Gruppe/LG 1
- Obstlt Hans-Hugo Witt 1 April 1937 – August 1937
- Major Günter SchwartzkopffGünter SchwartzkopffGünter Schwartzkopff was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
1 November 1938 – 1 June 1939 - Hauptmann Peter Kögl, 1 June 1939 – 22 June 1940
- Hauptmann Bernd von Brauchitsch, 22 June 1940 – 31 July 1940
- Hauptmann Erwin Röder, 1 August 1940 – 21 December 1940
- Hauptmann Walter Klemme 21 December 1940 – 31 May 1941
- Hauptmann Arnulf BlasigArnulf BlasigArnulf Blasig was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
1 July 1941 – 27 January 1942
IV.(Erg)Gruppe/LG 1
- Major Karl Vehmeyer, 17 April 1941 – 25 February 1942
- Hauptmann Hans-Karl SteppHans-Karl SteppHans-Karl Stepp was a German World War II Luftwaffe Stuka ace.For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, (acting) 28 January 1942 – unknown - Hauptmann Gerhard Richter, 26 February 1942 – 17 October 1942
- Major Erwin Schulz, 18 October 1942 – 21 November 1942
- Major Hans-Werner von Buchholtz, 22 November 1942 – 21 January 1943
- Major Heinz Ott, 1 February 1943 – 4 October 1943
- Major Karl-Heinz Schomann, 5 October 1943 – 5 July 1944
- Majot Richard Czekay, 6 July 1944 – 11 January 1945
V. (Zerstörer)/LG 1
- Major Walter Grabmann, 8 October 1939 – 11 April 1940
- Hauptmann Horst Liensberger, 11 April 1940 – 27 September 1940 (KIA)