Luftflotte 1 ("Air Fleet 1") was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on 1 February 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 1 in Berlin. This Luftwaffe detachment served in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, supporting Axis forces in area; with command offices in Malpils, Latvia, (26 June 1944), Eastern front.
Units under command
Strategic reconnaissance Stab/FAGr 1 (Riga–Spilve) 3.(F)/22 (Riga–Spilve) 5.(F)/122 (Mitau) NASt 3 (Riga–Spilve)
Maritime reconnaissance 1./SAGr 127 (Reval–Ülemiste)
Transports 1./TGr 10(Ital.) (Riga–Spilve)
Transports (special works) This unit was branch of Kampfgeschwader 200 (KG 200) with bases in East Prussia, Courland and the Baltic. It was equipped with: Junkers Ju 252 Junkers Ju 352 Herkules Arado Ar 232 Tausendfüßler for transporting special commandos, weapons, vehicles or dropping secret agents in clandestine missions behind enemy lines. I.(TGr.)/KG 200 (based at Riga)
Bombers 14.(Eis)/KG 55 (Jakobstadt)
3.Fliegerdivision (3rd air division) Petseri
Tactical Reconnaissance Nahaufklärungsgruppe 5 Stab//NAGr 5 (Petseri) 1./NAGr 5 (Idriza) Nahaufklärungsgruppe 31 1./NAGr 31 (Wesemberg)
Land Air Strike I/SG 3 (Jakobstadt)
Night ground attack Nachtschlachtgruppe 1 Stab/NSGr 1 (Idriza) 3./NSGr 1 (Idriza) 1./NSGr 1 (Kaunas) 2./NSGr 1 (Kaunas) Nachtschlachtgruppe 1 Stab/NSGr 3 (Vecuci) 1./NSGr 3 (Vecuci) 2./NSGr 3 (Vecuci) 1./NSGr 12 (Vecuci) Nachtschlachtgruppe 12 1./(Detach)NSGr 12(Riga–Spilve) Nachtschlachtgruppe 11 Stab/NSGr 11 (Rahkla) 1./NSGr 11 (Rahkla) 2./NSGr 11 (Rahkla) 2./NSG 12 (Libau)
Jagdabschnittführer Ostland ("fighter direction in Ostland") Riga-Spilve
JG 54 with fighters Stab/JG 54 (Dorpat) I./JG 54 (Turku) (Finland) 2./JG 54 (Reval–Laksberg) 3./JG 54 (Reval–Laksberg)
Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Kuhlmey combat unit) Immola
Tactical reconnaissance 1./NAGr 5 (Immola)
Fighters II./JG 54 (Immola)
Ground attack Schlachtgeschwader 3 based at Immola Stab/SG 3 1./SG 3 2./SG 3 3./SG 3
Commanding officers Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, 1 February 1939 – 11 January 1940 Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, 12 January 1940 – 10 May 1940 General Wilhelm Wimmer, 11 May 1940 – 19 August 1940 Generaloberst Alfred Keller, 20 August 1940 – 12 June 1943 Generaloberst Günther Korten, 12 June 1943 – 23 August 1943 General Kurt Pflugbeil, 24 August 1943 – 16 April 1945
Chiefs of staff Generalmajor Wilhelm Speidel, 1 February 1939 – 19 December 1939 Generalleutnant Ulrich Kessler, 19 December 1939 – 25 April 1940 Oberst Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch, 1 May 1940 – 9 May 1940 Generalmajor Dr. Robert Knauss, 9 May 1940 – 4 October 1940 Generalmajor Otto Schöbel, 5 October 1940 – 16 January 1941 Generalmajor Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch, 16 January 1941 – 13 October 1941 Generalmajor Herbert Rieckhoff, 13 October 1941 – 23 February 1943 Generalmajor Hans Detlef Herhudt von Rohden, 23 February 1943 – 24 August 1943 Generalmajor Klaus Uebe, 25 August 1943 – 24 December 1944 Oberstleutnant Paul-Werner Hozzel, 25 December 1944 – 16 April 1945
Subordinate units
II, III/Kampfgeschwader 1 "Hindenburg" (Ju 88A) Kampfgeschwader 76 (Ju 88A) Kampfgeschwader 77 (Ju 88A) K.Fl.Gr. 806 (Ju 88A) Jagdgeschwader 54 (Bf 109F) 2(F) Ob.d.L. (Do 215B) 5(F) 122 (Ju 88D) eleven squadrons of (Hs 126) SAGr 125 (Ar 95, Ar 196, He 114) one transport squadron (Ju 52) five liaison squadrons (Fi 156) IV Flak Corps 2nd Flak Division 6th Flak Division
Abbreviations FAGr = Fernaufklärungsgruppe = Reconnaissance aircraft. Gruppe = equivalent to an RAF Wing. JG = Jagdgeschwader = Fighters. Geschwader = equivalent to a Royal Air Force Group. KG = Kampfgeschwader = Bombers. KG zbV = Kampfgeschwader zur besonderen Verwendung = Transport aircraft, later TG. NAGr = Nahaufklärungsgruppe = Observation aircraft. NASt = Nahaufklärungsstaffel = Observation aircraft. Staffel = equivalent to an RAF Squadron. NSGr = Nachtschlachtgruppe = Night ground attack. SAGr = Seeaufklärungsgruppe = Maritime patrol aircraft SG = Schlachtgeschwader = Ground attack. TG = Transportgeschwader= Transport aircraft.
See also Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945) References Notes
References
Luftflotte 1 @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht Luftflotte 1 @ The Luftwaffe, 1933-45