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Luftstreitkräfte
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The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte, known before 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (Imperial German Army Air Service), was the over-land air arm of the German military during World War I (1914–1918). Although its name actually means something very close to "The German Air Force" it remained an integral part of the German army for the duration of the war, unlike the later Royal Air Force, which was a new and totally separate service formed from the Royal Flying Corps and the RNAS.
first military aircraft to be acquired by the German Army entered service in 1910 - forming the neucleus of what was to become the Luftstreitkräfte in 1916.
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The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte, known before 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (Imperial German Army Air Service), was the over-land air arm of the German military during World War I (1914–1918). Although its name actually means something very close to "The German Air Force" it remained an integral part of the German army for the duration of the war, unlike the later Royal Air Force, which was a new and totally separate service formed from the Royal Flying Corps and the RNAS.
Founding
The first military aircraft to be acquired by the German Army entered service in 1910 - forming the neucleus of what was to become the Luftstreitkräfte in 1916. The duties of such aircraft were initially intended to be reconnaissance and artillery spotting in support of armies on the ground, just as balloons had been used during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871 and even as far back as the Napoleonic Wars. For comparison, France's embryonic army air service (Aviation Militaire), which eventually became the Armée de l'Air, was instituted later in 1910 - the British Royal Flying Corps was not founded until 1912.
Organisation
The Luftstreitkräfte organisation changed during the war substantially to accommodate the new types of aircraft, doctrine, tactics and the needs of the ground troops, in particularly the artillery. During this time evolved the system of organisation and unit designations that would form the basis of those used in the Luftwaffe in 1933.
During 1916, the German High Command, in response to the then current Allied air superiority, reorganised their forces by creating several types of specialist units, most notably single seat fighter squadrons, or Jastas in order to counter the offensive operations of the Royal Flying Corps and the French Air Force.
Fighter unit organization
The Jagdstaffels, or hunting groups, established by the reorganization were fielded by four kingdoms of the German Empire. The Kingdom of Prussia was predominant, with a force eventually comprising 67 Jastas. However, the Kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony, and Wuerttemberg had their own fighter squadrons; Bavaria had ten, Saxony seven, and Wuerttemberg four.
On 24 June 1917, the Luftstreitkräfte formed its first fighter wing, Royal Prussian Jagdgeschwader I, incorporating Jastas 4, 6, 10, and 11. Manfred von Richthofen was moved up from command of Jasta 11 to command JG I. After his death in action, it would renamed for him by order of the Kaiser.
The Prussians would follow up by establishing three more Jagdgeschwaders. On 2 February 1918, JG II formed from Jastas 12, 13, 15, and 19, and placed Adolf Ritter von Tutschek in command. On the same day, JG III consolidated Jastas 2, 26, 27, and 36 under Bruno Loerzer. Finally, on 2 September 1918, the Royal Prussian Marine Jagdgeschwader was formed from Marine Feld Jastas I through V, and placed in charge of Gotthard Sachsenberg.
Bavaria also established their own Royal Bavarian Jagdgeschwader IV on 3 October 1918. It consisted of Jastas 23, 32, 34, and 35 under Eduard von Schleich.
Unit designations
Artillerieflieger-Abteilung: Artillery Flier Department
Artillerieflieger-Schule; Artillery Flier School
- AFP - Armee-Flug-Park: Army Flight Park
- BZ - Ballonzug: Balloon Course
- Bogohl/BG - Bombengeschwader : Bomb squadrons
- Bosta - Bomberstaffel: Bomber relay
- etc - Etappe: Stage
- FFA - Feldflieger Abteilung: Field Flier Department
- FLA - Feldluftschiffer-Abteilung: Field Airship Department
- FestFA - Festungsflieger-Abteilung: Fortress Flier Department
- FA - Flieger-Abteilung: Flier Department
- FA(A) - Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie): Flier Department (Artillery)
- FlgBtl - Flieger-Bataillon: Flier Battalion
- FBS - Fliegerbeobachter-Schule: Aerial Observer School
- FEA - Fliegerersatz-Abteilung: Flier Spare Department
- FS - Fliegerschule: Flight School
- JG - Jagdgeschwader: Fighter wing
- Jasta - Jagdstaffel: Hunting group", i.e., fighter squadron
- JastaSch - Jagdstaffel-Schule: Fighter squadron school
- KEK - Kampfeinsitzerkommando: Combat single-seater command
- Kest - Kampfeinsitzerstaffel: Combat single-seater relay
- Kagohl/KG - Kampfgeschwader: Combat squadrons
- Kasta - Kampfstaffel: Combat relay
- Luft - Luftschiff-Truppe: Airship troop
- LsBtl - Luftschiffer-Bataillon: Airship battalion
- Marine - Marine-Flieger: Naval pilots
- RBZ - Reihenbildzug: Aerial photography course
- Schlasta - Schlachtstaffel: Battle relay
- Schusta - Schutzstaffel: Protection relay
Aircraft
During the war, the Imperial Army Air Service utilised a wide variety of aircraft, ranging from fighters (such as those manufactured by Albatros-Flugzeugwerke and Fokker), reconnaissance aircraft (Aviatik and DFW) and heavy bombers (Gothaer Waggonfabrik, better known simply as Gotha, and Zeppelin-Staaken) and airships of all types.
Designation system
During the First World War German aircraft officially adopted for military service were allocated a designation that included (1) the name of the manufacturer, (2) a function or "class" letter, and (3) a Roman numeral. The three-part designation was needed for a unique designation to simplify logistics support of the many types of aircraft in operation - especially as Luftstreitkräfte squadrons more often than not were equipped with several different types.
The designation system evolved during the war. Initially all military aircraft were classed as "A" (monoplane) or "B" (biplane). The new "C" class of armed (two seat) biplane began to replace the "B" class aircraft as reconnaissance machines in 1915, the B's continuing to be built, but as trainers. The "E" class of armed monoplane were also introduced in 1915 - the other classes being added later as new aircraft types were introduced. For most of the war 'D' was only used for biplane fighters, 'E' for monoplane fighters and 'Dr' for triplane fighters. By the end of the war however, the 'D' designation was also used for all single-seat fighters, including monoplanes.
- A - Unarmed reconnaissance monoplane aircraft (for example the Rumpler Taube and Fokker M.5)
- B - Unarmed two-seat biplane, with the observer seated in front of the pilot.
- C - Armed two-seat biplane, with the observer (usually) seated to the rear of the pilot.
- CL - Light two-seater, initially intended as escort fighters - latterly mainly used for ground attack.
- D -
Doppeldecker - single-seat, armed biplane, but later any fighter - for instance the Fokker E.V monoplane was redesignated the D.VIII.E - Eindecker - armed monoplane - initially included monoplane two-seaters. New monoplane types at the end of the war designated as "D" (single seat) or "CL" (two seat).Dr - Dreidecker - triplane fighter (prototype Fokker triplanes initially "F")G - Grosskampfflugzeug - Large twin engined types, mainly bombers (initially "K")J - Schlachten - Armoured ground-attack aircraftN - "C" type aircraft adapted for night bombingR - Riesenflugzeug - "Giant" aircraft - at least three, up to four or five engines - all serviceable in flight.
Most manufacturers also had their own numbering systems quite separate from the official military designations for their products. These sometimes cause confusion - for instance the military "J" series is quite distinct from the "J" designations (as in the pioneering, all-metal Junkers J 1 demonstrator monoplane of 1915-16) for the designs of Hugo Junkers - the factory designation of the (military) Junkers J.I armored, all-metal sesquiplane was the Junkers J.4. The "M" (for "Militär" or military) and "V" (for "Versuchs" or experimental) designations of the Fokker firm were also internal. The latter has no direct connection with the official Third Reich-era German "V" designation for prototype aircraft.
The German Naval aviation used manufacturers' designations rather than the systematic Luftstreitkräfte system described above. For example the landplane Gotha bombers were numbered in an "LD" (for "land biplane") series by their manufacturer, but in the "G" series in the Luftstreitkräfte - while the Gotha seaplanes used by the navy were (and continue to be) known by their manufacturer's "WD" (for "seaplane biplane") designation.
Army and Navy airships were individually numbered, in the same way as contemporary German destroyers and submarines, and were outside any system of "type" designation.
Pilots
The fighters thus received the most attention in the annals of military aviation, since it produced high-scoring "aces" such as Manfred von Richthofen, popularly known in English as "The Red Baron" (in Germany, he was known as "der Rote Kampfflieger" [Red Air Fighter]), Lothar von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Hermann Göring, Oswald Boelcke, Werner Voss, and Max Immelmann (the first airman to win the Pour le Mérite, Imperial Germany's highest decoration for gallantry, as a result of which the decoration became popularly known as the "Blue Max") . As well as the German Navy, the German Army also used Zeppelin airships for bombing military and civilian targets in France and Belgium as well as the United Kingdom.
Insignia
Initially all German and Austro-Hungarian military aircraft in service used the Iron Cross insignia. The Balkenkreuz, a black Greek cross on white, officially replaced the earlier marking from late March 1918, although the last order on the subject, fully standardising the new national marking, was dated June 25 1918.
Establishment
By the end of the war, the German Army Air Service possessed a total of 2,709 frontline aircraft, 56 airships, 186 balloon detachments and about 4,500 flying personnel.
Statistics
Casualties totalled 8,604 aircrew killed/missing/prisoner, 7,302 wounded, and 3,126 aircraft, 546 balloons and 26 airships. Some 5,425 Allied aircraft and 614 kite balloons were claimed destroyed.
After the war ended in German defeat, the service was dissolved completely on May 8, 1920 under the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, which demanded that its aeroplanes be completely destroyed.
Sources
See also
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