| German Air Combat Forces | |
|---|---|
| Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte | |
 Form of theTatzenkreuz used on German military aircraft in 1915 | |
| Founded | 1 May 1910 – 8 May 1920 |
| Country |  German Empire (1910–1918) Weimar Republic (1918–1920) |
| Allegiance |  KaiserWilhelm II |
| Branch |  Imperial German Army |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 1918: 2,709 front line aircraft 56 airships 186 balloon detachments About 4,500 aircrew |
| Engagements | World War I Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919) |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen Ernst von Hoeppner |
| Insignia | |
| 1914–1915 | |
| 1916 – March 1918 |  |
| March/April 1918 – 1919 |  |
TheDeutsche Luftstreitkräfte (German:[ˈdɔʏtʃəˈlʊftˌʃtʁaɪtkʁɛftə], German Air Combat Forces) – known before October 1916 asDie Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (The Imperial German Air Service, lit. "The flying troops of the German Imperial Realm") – was the air arm of theImperial German Army.[1] In English-language sources it is usually referred to as theImperial German Air Service, although that is not a literal translation of either name. Germannaval aviators of theMarine-Fliegerabteilung were an integral part of theImperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine). Bothmilitary branches operated aeroplanes,observation balloons andairships.
The Imperial German Army created an experimental balloon company inspired by the American balloon corps they had seen while observing theAmerican Civil War, with varying forms of organisation from 1884 to 1901 until a Balloon Battalion was finally formed. The rapid development of aeronautics led to trials of airships and the choice of rigid types built byZeppelin andSchutte-Lanz. The firstmilitary aircraft to be acquired by the German Army entered service in 1910 and the first five aviation battalions were established on 1 October 1913.[2] The Imperial German Air Service (Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches) and other branches concerned with air matters such as anti-aircraft, home defence and air intelligence were unified in theLuftstreitkräfte on 8 October 1916.[3][4]
The duties of such aircraft were initially intended to bereconnaissance and artillery spotting in support of the armies, just as balloons had been used during theFranco-Prussian War (1870–1871) and as far back as theBattle of Fleurus (1794) during theFrench Revolutionary Wars.[5] The FrenchAviation Militaire (army air service) was created in 1909 and became theAéronautique Militaire in 1912.[6] TheAir Battalion of theRoyal Engineers, with two companies, was established in November 1911. TheRoyal Flying Corps (RFC), with a military wing and a naval wing, was formed in February 1912.[7]
The initial units of theLuftstreitkräfte, dedicated to observation, were known asFeldflieger Abteilungen (Field Flier Detachments) and had an official establishment of six unarmed, two-seat"A" (monoplane), and/or "B"-class (biplane) aircraft apiece. Each "FFA" unit was assigned to an army unit in their local area and usually numbered with the same number as the army they were assigned to serve.[8] TheLuftstreitkräfte organization changed substantially as the war progressed, to accommodate new types of aircraft, doctrine, tactics and the needs of the ground troops, in particular the artillery. During this time the system of organisation and unit designations evolved that would form the basis of those used in theLuftwaffe of Nazi Germany, when it was revealed in 1935. During 1916, the German High Command (Oberste Heeresleitung, OHL) reorganisedDie Fliegertruppen by creating specialist fighter, bomber and reconnaissance units such as single-seat fighter squadrons (Jagdstaffeln,Jastas, hunting squadrons) to counter the Royal Flying Corps and the FrenchAviation Militaire.[9][10]
The Luftstreitkräfte had single commander during its existence, theKommandierender General der Luftstreitkräfte,General der KavallerieErnst von Hoeppner who held the position from 8 October 1916 to 21 January 1919, a period of 2 years, 3 months.
The initial deployment of fighter aircraft in the summer of 1915 occurred within theFeldflieger Abteilung, which were being equipped with one or two of the newFokker Eindecker fighter aircraft for each unit, starting with the fiveFokker M.5K/MG production prototypes of the Eindecker, bearing serial numbers E.1/15 through E.5/15. The buildup of theEindecker fighter force rapidly progressed with regularlMG 08 "Spandau"-armed production examples of the Fokker E.I following the deliveries of the M.5K/MG airframes late in the summer of 1915, with early E.Is going to aces likeMax Immelmann, who receivedIdFlieg serial number E.13/15 in August 1915.[11]
The first step towards specialist fighter-only aviation units within the German military was the establishment ofKampfeinsitzer Kommando ("single-seat battle unit", abbreviated as KEK) formations byInspektor-Major Friedrich Stempel in February 1916. These were based around Eindeckers and other new fighter designs emerging, like thePfalz E-series monoplanes (copies ofa French design), that were being detached from their former FFA units during the winter of 1915–1916 and brought together in pairs and quartets at particularly strategic locations, as KEK units were formed atVaux,Avillers,Jametz,Cunel and other strategic locations along the Western Front, to act asLuftwachtdienst (aerial guard force) units, consisting only of fighters.[12][13]
Following the era of the KEK units through the summer of 1916,Jagdstaffeln (hunting squadrons), established by the reorganization that started in the late summer of 1916 were fielded by four kingdoms of the German Empire. Individually – each of these units was often known by the abbreviation"Jasta". TheKingdom of Prussia was predominant, with a fighter force eventually comprising 67 squadrons. TheKingdom of Bavaria formed ten of these units, theKingdom of Saxony formed seven and theKingdom of Württemberg four.[14]
On 24 June 1917, theLuftstreitkräfte brought a quartet ofJasta squadrons together to form its firstfighter wing, Royal PrussianJagdgeschwader I, incorporatingJastas 4, 6, 10 and 11, and set the pattern for usingRoman numerals in theLuftstreitkräfte in the titles of such larger units.Manfred von Richthofen was moved up from command ofJasta 11 to command JG I. Much asJasta 2 had been renamed asJasta Boelcke in December 1916 afterOswald Boelcke, Germany's top fighter tactician, had been lost in a mid-air collision in October 1916 following the "Red Baron's" death in action in late April 1918, JG I was renamed to honor von Richthofen by order of the Kaiser.[15]
The Prussians established three moreJagdgeschwader. On 2 February 1918, JG II formed fromJastas 12, 13, 15 and 19, withAdolf Ritter von Tutschek in command.[citation needed] On the same day, JG III consolidatedJasta 2Boelcke andJastas 26, 27 and 36 underBruno Loerzer.[citation needed] Finally, on 2 September 1918, the Royal PrussianMarine Jagdgeschwader was formed from theKaiserliche Marine'sMarine Feld Jastas I through V and placed in charge ofGotthard Sachsenberg. Bavaria established the Royal BavarianJagdgeschwader IV on 3 October 1918, from Jastas 23, 32, 34 and 35 underEduard Ritter von Schleich.[citation needed]
During the war, the Imperial Army Air Service used many types of aircraft, ranging from fighters (such as those manufactured byAlbatros-Flugzeugwerke,Fokker,Pfalz Flugzeugwerke andSiemens-Schuckert), reconnaissance aircraft (Aviatik,Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke (DFW) andRumpler), two-seat fighters fromHalberstädter Flugzeugwerke andHannoversche Waggonfabrik and heavy bombers, largely the twin-engined designs from theGothaer Waggonfabrik (Gotha) and the enormous, multi-engined heavy bombers produced byZeppelin-Staaken andrigid airships fromLuftschiffbau Zeppelin (the Zeppelin Company) andSchütte-Lanz as well as various types of airship from other firms.
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) aRoman numeral. The three-part designation was needed for a unique designation to simplify logistics support of the many types of aircraft in operation – especially asLuftstreitkräfte 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" (monoplanes) or "B" (biplanes). The new "C" class of armed (two seat) biplane began to replace the "B" class aircraft as reconnaissance machines in 1915, the Bs continuing to be built, but as trainers. The "E" class of armed monoplane was also introduced in 1915 – the other classes were 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, however by the end of the war the 'D' designation was used for all single-seat fighters, including monoplanes (and, in theory at least, triplanes).
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 of armored aircraft designs was quite distinct from theJunkers aviation firm's own "J" factory type designations – the factory designation of the (military)Junkers J.I armored, all-metal sesquiplane, for example, was the Junkers J.4.[17] The "M" (for "Militär" or military) and "V" (for "Versuchs" or experimental, according to some source initially meant aVerspannungslos or "unbraced" airframe) designations of the Fokker firm were also internal. The latter has no direct connection with the officialThird Reich-era German "V" designation, also signifying"versuchs", for prototype aircraft, promulgated by theRLM from 1935.
TheKaiserliche Marine's Marine-Fliegerabteilung maritime aviation service used manufacturers' designations rather than the systematicLuftstreitkräfte 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 theLuftstreitkräfte – while the Gotha seaplanes used by the navy were (and continue to be) known by their manufacturer's "WD" (forWasserflugzeug-Doppeldecker, or "seaplane biplane") designation. Similarly, the sizable number of German seaplane designs fromFlugzeugbau Friedrichshafen, were all known in naval service by their "FF" factory designations.
Army and navy airships were individually numbered, in the same way as contemporary Germandestroyers andsubmarines, and were outside any system of "type" designation.
Fighter pilots received the most attention in the annals of military aviation, since it produced high-scoring "aces" such asManfred von Richthofen, known in German asder Rote Kampfflieger (the Red Air Fighter) and in English as The Red Baron. With 80 confirmed kills he is considered the most successful fighter pilot of the war. The first "confirmed" German aerial fighter victory of the war credited to asynchronized-gun-equipped aircraft went toLeutnantKurt Wintgens on 15 July 1915,[18] after downing two similarMorane-Saulnier Lparasol monoplanes to the victim on 15 July, one each on 1 and 4 July thatremained unconfirmed – this fortnight of unprecedented German aerial victories initiated the period of theFokker Scourge. Other notable German pilots from the Fokker Scourge onwards includedErnst Udet,Erich Löwenhardt,Werner Voss,Josef Jacobs,Lothar von Richthofen,Wilhelm Frankl,Hermann Göring,Max Immelmann and the master aerial tacticianOswald Boelcke (the latter pair were the first to be awarded thePour le Mérite, the highest decoration for gallantry for officers in the German Empire: simultaneously, on 12 January 1916, after shooting down eight Allied aeroplanes each).[19] The award to Immelmann may have caused the decoration to acquire its popular nickname, the "Blue Max". With more and more pilots reaching this mark the required air victories were steadily increased to about 30 in 1918.[20] In total 76 airmen were awarded thePour le Mérite.[21] 69 airmen received the "Goldenes Militär-Verdienst-Kreuz" (Military Merit Cross), the highest Prussian bravery award for non-commissioned officers and enlisted men.[22] Among them wereGottfried Ehmann, the highest scoring air gunner of the war (12 victories).[23] About 391 German pilots are credited with shooting down at least five Allied aircraft.[24]
German andAustro-Hungarian military aircraft at first used thecross pattée insignia, most often known in German as theEisernes Kreuz, for thePrussian military medal. TheBalkenkreuz, a blackGreek cross on white, replaced the earlier marking from late March 1918 (especially in early April — Richthofen's last Dr.I,425/17, was changed over just before he was killed), although the last order on the subject, standardising the newnational marking, was dated 25 June 1918.
Between January and September 1918 German pilots shot down 3,732 Allied planes while losing 1,099 aircraft.[25] 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. After the war ended in German defeat (→Armistice of 11 November 1918), the service was dissolved completely on 8 May 1920 under the conditions of theTreaty of Versailles (Article 198), which demanded that its aeroplanes be completely handed over to the Allies (Art. 202).
German casualties totalled 4,579 aircrew and 299 ground personnel killed, 1,372 missing/prisoner and 5,123 wounded, along with 1,962 men killed in flying accidents in Germany. Material losses by enemy action were 3,126 aircraft, 546 balloons and 26 airships. Although adding up all of the confirmed kills by allied aces, gives a total of a little under 5,000 German aircraft destroyed, as well a 600 observation balloons to just 3,000 allied planes and 370 observation balloons. According to other sources, the Luftstreitkräfte shot down 7,783 allied aircraft (7,425 Western Front, 358 Eastern Front) and 614 captive balloons.[26] In addition, 1,588 allied aircraft and 2 airships were shot down by German anti-aircraft guns.[27]
