© Air War Publications 20171

Glossary and AbbreviationsAA/AAA Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Aircraft ArtilleryA/B German basic flying licences, and also the designation used for basic flying schoolsAbschuss German word for aerial victoryAbsprungsplatz German advanced landing groundAbwurf German word for release (of bombs)Abteilung (abbreviated Abt.) German word for section, department or battalionAbwurfbehälter (abbreviated AB) German bomblet container, either 250 or 500 kg (AB 250 or AB 500)Ack-ack Allied slang for anti-aircraft fire derived from early-war British phonetic alphabet for ‘AA’Aeronautica della Sicilia Italian air force command in Sicily, controlling all Sicily-based unitsAR American Action Report, written after the completion of an operationArmed reconnaissance Reconnaissance mission on which ground targets were also attackedArmee Large German army formation consisting of two or more Korps under a single commanderArmy Air Corps (abbreviated AAC) United States Army Air Corps, precursor to the USAAFAS Designation used to indicate fitting of Daimler-Benz 605 AS engine to the Bf 109ASR Air/Sea RescueAusbildungsstaffel Luftwaffe training unit Aufklärungsfliegerschule German reconnaissance airman schoolAufklärungsgruppe (abbreviated AGr.) German air force reconnaissance groupAuftrag German word for task or missionAW American army unit designation, Automatic WeaponsB4 German 87 octane aviation fuelBauchlandung German word for belly-landingBefehl German word for orderBegleitschutz German word for escort [mission]Beobachter German word for an observer in an aircraftBereitschaft German word for readinessBesatzung German word for crewBetriebsstoff German word for fuel, oil and lubricantsBG American Bombardment Group, usually made up of four bombardment squadronsBildberichter German photo journalistBodenpersonal German word for ground personnelBodenteile German air unit’s ground personnel and equipmentBombenschütze German word for a bomb aimer in an aircraftBordfunker German word for a radio operator in an aircraftBordmechaniker German word for a mechanic in an aircraftBruchlandung German word for crash-landingBrückenkopf German word for bridgeheadBS American Bombardment Squadron, with an official strength of 12 to 18 aircraftBundesluftwaffe West German post-war air forceBundeswehr West German post-war armed forcesC3 German 100 octane aviation fuel used by Fw 190s and other typesCircus British air force operation flown on Channel Front involving large number of fighters escorting small number of bombers, intended to draw Luftwaffe fighters into the airComando Supremo Italian armed forces high commandCT Caccia Terrestre, Italian land-based fighter unitDeutsches Afrikakorps (abbreviated DAK) German Africa Corps, an army formation created in early 1941Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (abbreviated DKiG) German cross in goldDUKW American amphibious vehicleENTF American Eastern Naval Task Force in the invasion of SicilyErdabwehr German word for ground defence against aircraftErgänzungsgruppe (abbreviated Erg.Gr.) German air force replacement and training groupErgänzungsstaffel (abbreviated Erg.St.) German air force replacement and training squadronExperte German term for an ace, plural ExpertenFallschirmabsprung (abbreviated FSA) German word for bailing out of an aircraftFallschirmjäger German paratrooperFeldflugplatz German landing ground, plural FeldflugplätzeFeldgendarmerie German military policeFeldpostnummer (abbreviated FPN) German field post number, an identification number for the military mail serviceFernaufklärungsgruppe German long-range reconnaissance groupFG American Fighter Group, usually made up of three fighter squadrons, totalling 75 aircraftFlieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment (abbreviated FAR) German air force basic training regimentFlieger-Ersatz-Abteilung German air force replacement unit, which distributed new personnel to their frontline unitFliegerführer (abbreviated Fl.Fü) German Luftwaffe commander generally subordinate to a FliegerkorpsFliegerkorps German air corpsFliegerverbindungsoffizier (abbreviated Flivo) German word for army-air force liaison officerFlugabwehrkanone (abbreviated Flak) German word for anti-aircraft gun, with ‘flak’ used as an Allied term for anti-aircraft fireFlugbereitschaft German air force duty flight

Version 4,1 - 17 November 2017

© Air War Publications 20172

Flugboot German flying boatFlugzeugführerschule (abbreviated FFS) German air force pilot schoolFS American Fighter Squadron, with an official strength of 24 aircraftFührerreserve Ob.d.L. German leader reserve of the Commander-in-Chief of the LuftwaffeFührungsstab German command staffFunkgerät (abbreviated FuG) German word for radio or radio equipmentGefechtsstand German command postGeneralderJagdflieger (abbreviated GdJ) German designation for leader of the Luftwaffe fighter arm, not necessarily with the rank of GeneralGeneralderKampfflieger (abbreviated GdK) German designation for leader of the Luftwaffe bomber arm, not necessarily with the rank of GeneralGeneral der Panzertruppe German general of armoured troopsGeneralderSchlachtflieger(abbreviated GdS) German designation for leader of the Luftwaffe ground-attack arm, not necessarily with the rank of GeneralGeneralquartiermeister (abbreviated GQM) German word for quartermaster generalGeneralstabderLuftwaffe German air force general staffGeschwader German Luftwaffewing, divided into Gruppen with an official strength of 112 to 276 aircraft - the number of aircraft grew throughout the war, plural GeschwaderGeschwaderadjutant German officer in Geschwader responsible for administrative mattersGeschwaderkommodore German commander of a Geschwader, plural GeschwaderkommodorenGeschwaderstab German Geschwader headquarters staff, plural GeschwaderstäbeGroupe de Chasse (abbreviated GC) French fighter group, usually made up of two or three fighter squadrons, totalling 26 or 38 aircraftGrünherz German word meaning green heart, referring to the fighter unit Jagdgeschwader 54Gruppe German Luftwaffe group subordinate to a Geschwaderstab, with an official strength of 36 to 48 aircraft, plural GruppenGruppenadjutant German officer in Gruppe responsible for administrative mattersGruppenarzt German medical officer of a GruppeGruppenkommandeur German commander of a Gruppe, plural GruppenkommandeureGruppenstab German Gruppe headquarters flight, plural GruppenstäbeGruppo Italian air force unit, equivalent to a German Gruppe, plural GruppiHauptkampflinie (abbreviated HKL) German word for main line of resistanceHauptmann beim Stab (abbreviated Hptm. beim Stab) German captain in the headquarters flight of a Gruppe, although the position could be held by an OberleutnantHauptquartier German word for headquartersHE High ExplosiveHeckschütze German word for rear gunner, thus ‘Il-2 m.H.’ means a Soviet Il-2 ground-attack aircraft with a rear gunnerHeer The German armyHeeresgruppe (abbreviated HG) German army group, usually followed by a letter or locationHerausschuβ (abbreviated HSS) Enemy bomber separated from the protection of its formation by German aircraft attackHigh Speed Launch (abbreviated HSL) British motor boat used primarily for Air/Sea RescueHit-and-run raid Bombing raid by aircraft using speed, low-altitude and surprise to avoid defencesHMHS His Majesty’s Hospital ShipHMS His Majesty’s Ship, a British Royal Navy vesselIa German operations officerIc German intelligence officerJ2 German jet fuel Jabogruppe German fighter-bomber group, plural JabogruppenJabostaffel German fighter-bomber squadron, plural JabostaffelnJagdbomber (abbreviated Jabo) German fighter-bomber aircraftJagdbombermitgroβerReichweite(abbreviated Jabo/Rei) German fighter-bomber aircraft with extended rangeJagddivision (abbreviated JD) German fighter divisionJagdfliegerführer (abbreviated Jafü) German officer in command of fighter operations for an area such as Sicily or Southern ItalyJagdfliegerschule(abbreviated JFS) German advanced fighter pilot training schoolJagdfliegervorschule (abbreviated JFVS) German fighter pilot schoolJagdflugzeug German word for fighter aircraftJagdgeschwader (abbreviated JG) German fighter wingJagdgruppe (abbreviated JGr.) German fighter groupJagdkorps (abbreviated JK) German air force fighter corpsJagdwaffe German fighter air forceJäger German word for fighter aircraftJägerplatz German fighter airfieldKampfflugzeug German word for bomber aircraftKampfgeschwader (abbreviated KG) German bomber wingKampfgeschwader zur besonderen Verwendung (abbreviated KGzbV) German air force battle wing for special duties, designation for an early war transport unitKampfgruppe (abbreviated KGr.) German army combat group of variable size. Also a German bomber groupKampfgruppe zur besonderen Verwendung (abbreviated KGrzbV) German air force battle group for special duties, designation for an early war transport unitKampfschulgeschwader (abbreviated KSG) German bomber training wingKampfverband German battle unitKanonenvogel German slang for ‘Cannon Bird’, the Ju 87 G armed with two 37 mm flak cannons for anti- tank warfareKatschmarek German term for wingman

© Air War Publications 20173

Kette German formation of three aircraftKommandeur German commander of a Gruppe, full term Gruppenkommandeur, plural KommandeureKommando (abbreviated Kdo) Small German formation of men or aircraftKommodore German commander of a Geschwader, full term Geschwaderkommodore, plural KommodorenKraftfahrzeug (abbreviated Kfz.) German word for motor vehicleKraftrad (abbreviated Krad) German word for motorcycleKraftstoff German word for fuelKriegsberichter or Kriegsberichterstatter (abbreviated KB) German war reporterKriegsoffizier German serviceman promoted to the rank of Leutnant at the front, without the formal training. A temporary rank until officer education could be undertakenKriegstagebuch (abbreviated KTB) German war diaryKurierstaffel German air force courier squadron Küstenfliegergruppe (abbreviated KFGr.) German coastal flying groupLastkraftwagen (abbreviated Lkw.) German word for truckLCA Allied landing craft, assault, approximately 9 tonsLCF Allied landing craft, flak, approximately 500 tonsLCI Allied landing craft, infantry, approximately 250 tonsLCT Allied landing craft, tank, approximately 250-600 tons Lehrgeschwader (abbreviated LG) Luftwaffe proving/demonstration wing, later used operationallyLeitwerk German word for tail unitLiberty Ship Mass-produced American cargo shipLong Range Desert Group (abbreviated LRDG) British special forces unit, primarily an intelligence-gathering organizationLST Allied landing ship, tank, approximately 2.000 tonsLufbery Aerial combat manoeuvre involving tight turning, developed in First World War by Raoul LufberyLuftflotte (abbreviated Lfl.) German air fleetLuftgau German Luftwaffe administrative district (airfield control, supply, air defence and some training)Luftkriegschule (abbreviated LKS) German air force officer schoolLuftnachrichten (abbreviated Ln.) German air force signals and communications (control, reporting and signals service)Luftschraube German word for propellerLuftstreitkräftederNationalenVolksarmee East German post-war air forceLuftwaffenDienstvorschriften(abbreviated L.Dv.) German air force service regulationsLuftwaffenVerordnungsblatt German air force regulations periodicalMacchia Italian shrublandMae West British nickname for life-saving jacket, referring to the American actress Major beim Stab German major in the headquarters flight of a Geschwader, although the position could be held by a HauptmannMarshal Sovyetskogo Soyuza Marshal of the Soviet Union. It was the highest military rank of the Soviet UnionMaschinengewehr (abbreviated MG) German abbreviation for automatic weapon of less than 20 mm calibreMaschinenkanone (abbreviated MK) German abbreviation for automatic weapon of more than 20 mm calibreMeldung German word for reportMG 131 German 13 mm aircraft machine-gun built by Rheinmetall-BorsigMG 151 German 15 mm aircraft machine-gun built by Waffenfabrik Mauser AGMG 151/20 German 20 mm aircraft cannon built by Waffenfabrik Mauser AGMG 151/20E German 20 mm aircraft cannon built by Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, the E indicating it used electrical rather than percussion primingMGB British Motor Gun Boat, approximately 90 tonsMinensuchgruppe (abbreviated MSGr.) German air force mine search groupMk. British abbreviation for mark, used to distinguish aircraft variantsMonitor Shallow-draught warship designed specifically for coastal bombardment, approximately 8.500 tonsMTB British Motor Torpedo Boat, approximately 50 tonsMV Motor Vessel, a designation for a ship powered by an internal combustion engineNachkommando German rear detachmentNachrichtenoffizier (abbreviated NO) German communications officerNachtjagdgeschwader (abbreviated NJG) German night fighter wingNachtjagdgruppe (abbreviated NJGr.) German night fighter groupNachtjagdschule German night fighter training schoolNachtjagdversuchskommando German air force night fighter test detachmentNachtjäger German word for night fighterNachtschlachtgruppe (abbreviated NSGr.) German night ground-attack groupNahaufklärungsgeschwader (abbreviated NAG) German short-range reconnaissance wingNahaufklärungsgruppe(abbreviated NAGr.) German short-range reconnaissance groupNational Guard United States reserve military forceNationaleVolksarmee (abbreviated NVA) East German post-war armed forcesNavy Air Corps American naval flying armNCO Non-Commissioned Officer Near miss Bomb landing close to a ship

© Air War Publications 20174

Notlandung German word for emergency landingNotwurf German word for emergency [bomb] releaseOberbefehlshaberderLuftwaffe (abbreviated Ob.d.L.) German commander-in-chief of the air forceOberbefehlshaber Süd (abbreviated OBS) German commander-in-chief southOberkommandoderLuftwaffe (abbreviated OKL) German air force high commandOberkommando der Marine (abbreviated OKM) German navy high commandOberkommando der Wehrmacht (abbreviated OKW) German armed forces high commandOberkommando des Heeres (abbreviated OKH) German army high commandOffizier z.b.V. German officer for special tasksOG Observation Group, American reconnaissance groupOperations Record Book (abbreviated ORB) British Operations Record Book, a Royal Air Force unit recordOS Observation Squadron, American reconnaissance squadronPanzerabwehrkanone (abbreviated Pak.) German word for anti-tank gunPanzerarmee Afrika German-Italian field command in North Africa, succeeded Panzergruppe from 24 January 1942Panzerblitz German anti-tank rocket used by aircraftPanzergruppe Afrika German-Italian field command in North Africa from 17 August 1941 to 23 January 1942Panzerkampfwagen (abbreviated Pz.Kpfw.) German word for tankPanzerschreck German anti-tank rocket used by aircraft and troopsPanzerspähwagen German word for armoured reconnaissance car Personenkraftwagen (abbreviated Pkw.) German word for passenger car PG American Pursuit Group, later Fighter GroupPlanquadrat (abbreviated Pl.Qu.) German map grid square reference (Pl.Qu. 14 Ost 41465, after May 1943: Pl.Qu. 05 Ost S OK65) Propagandakompanie (abbreviated PK) German propaganda companyPS American Pursuit Squadron, later Fighter SquadronRAAF Royal Australian Air ForceRAF British Royal Air ForceRamrod British air force short range bomber operation flown on Channel Front, similar to CircusRCAF Royal Canadian Air ForceReflexvisier (abbreviated Revi) German reflector gunsightRegia Aeronautica Italian air forceReichsarbeitsdienst (abbreviated RAD) German national labour serviceReichsluftfahrtministerium (abbreviated RLM) German air ministry, with the abbreviation RLM serving as the designator for German aircraft camouflage coloursReichsmarschall German marshal of the empire, Hermann GöringReichsverteidigung (abbreviated RV) German word for Reich defence, applied to Luftwaffeoperations in defence of GermanyReichswehr German army before 1935Rhubarb British air force operation flown on Channel Front by fighters and fighter-bombers at low altitude searching for ground targets of opportunityRitterkreuzträger German holder of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron CrossRNZAF Royal New Zealand Air ForceRodeo British air force operation, a fighter sweep intended to draw German fighters into the airRotte German formation consisting of two aircraft led by a Rottenführer, plural RottenR/T Radio TelephonyRumpf German word for fuselageSAAF South African Air ForceSammelmitteilung German order or communicationSanitäts-Flugbereitschaft German air force ambulance unitSC Sprengbombe Cylindrisch, German thin-walled, general purpose high-explosive bomb for use against soft targets, 250 or 500 kg (SC 250 or SC 500)Schlachtflieger German ground-attack pilot or pilotsSchlachtflugzeug German word for ground-attack aircraftSchlachtgeschwader (abbreviated Sch.G., later SG) German ground-attack wingSchlachtstaffel German ground-attack squadronSchlauchboot German word for rubber dinghySchnellkampfgeschwader (abbreviated SKG) German fast bomber wingSchützenpanzerwagen (abbreviated SPW) German half-tracked armoured personnel carrierSchwarm German formation consisting of four aircraft led by a Schwarmführer, plural SchwärmeSD SprengbombeDickwändig. German thick-walled, armour-piercing or semi-armour piercing high-explosive bomb for use against lightly armoured targetsSeeaufklärungsgruppe (abbreviated SAGr.) German maritime reconnaissance groupSeeflugzeug German word for seaplaneSeenotdienst German sea rescue serviceSeenotstaffel (abbreviated SNSt.) German sea rescue squadronSegelflugzeug German word for gliderSeitenruder German word for rudderSoldbuch German pay book issued to every member of the German armed forces. It included unit information and a record of all equipment issued as well as other detailsSonderkommando German special unitSpecial Air Service (abbreviated SAS) British special forces unitSplitterbombe German word for fragmentation bombSquadriglia Italian air force unit, equivalent to a German Geschwader, plural SquadriglieSquadron Royal Air Force unit subordinate to a Wing, with an official strength of 12 to 40 aircraftSS Steam Ship, a designation for a ship powered by steamStab German headquarters, plural Stäbe

© Air War Publications 20175

Stabsarzt German staff doctorStabskompanie German word for headquarters company. Responsible for supplies, administration etc.Stabsschwarm German Luftwaffe headquarters formation of four aircraftStaffel German Luftwaffe squadron subordinate to a Gruppe, with an official strength of 12 to 20 aircraft, plural StaffelnStaffelführer (abbreviated Stafü) Acting leader of a StaffelStaffelkapitän (abbreviated Staka) Leader of a Staffel, plural StaffelkapitäneStalag Luft German abbreviation for Stammlager Luft, a prisoner of war camp for airmenStammkennzeichen (abbreviated Stkz) German four letter factory code applied to newly built aircraft. Also used as a radio call sign, for example on non-operational flightsSteckrübenverfahren Rechlin Rechlin turnip procedure, a German anti-shipping tacticStellvertreter (abbreviated Stellv.) German word for deputySternmotor German word for radial engineSTOL Abbreviation for short take-off and landing aircraftStorch German word for stork, and the nickname for the Fieseler Fi 156 liaison aircraftStormo Italian air force unit, equivalent to a German GeschwaderStuka-Kette Formation of three aircraft, used by Luftwaffe bomber and dive-bomber unitsSturzkampfflugzeug (abbreviated Stuka) German word for dive-bomber, commonly associated with the Junkers Ju 87Sturzkampfgeschwader (abbreviated St.G.) German air force dive-bomber wingTechnischerOffizier (abbreviated TO) German Technical OfficerTF United States Navy Task ForceTiefangriff German word for low-level attackTiefflug German word for low-level flightTransportfliegergeschwader (abbreviated TG) German air force transport wingTransportfliegergruppe (abbreviated TGr.) German air force transport groupTrialen Explosive intended primarily for anti-shipping bombsÜberführung German word for transferÜbung German word for training or practise, so Übungsflug is a training or practise flightULTRA Security classification for German signals from high-grade machine ciphers intercepted and decoded by the BritishUnternehmen German word for undertaking or operationUSAAC United States Army Air Corps, precursor to USAAFUSAAF United States Army Air ForceUSAF United States Air Force, successor to the USAAF, created in 1947USAFIME United States Army Forces in the Middle East, later to become part of the Ninth Air ForceUSN United States NavyUSS United States Ship, a United States Navy vesselVerband German unit or formation, plural VerbändeVerbindungsstaffel German air force liaison squadronVerlegung German word for transferVerletzt(abbreviated verl.) German word for non-operational injuryVerlust German word for loss or casualtyVermisst German word for missingVernichtet German word for annihilatedVersuchskommandofürPanzerbekämpfung Experimental German air force unit for tank combat. Established in February 1943 and converted into 10.(Pz.)/SG 77 and 10.(Pz.)/SG 2 on 18 October 1943 when the Luftwaffe ground-attack branch was reorganizedVerwundet (abbreviated verw.) German word for operational wound or injuryViermot German slang for four-engine bomber, usually referring to American daylight bombersVorkommando German forward detachment, in charge of setting up facilities before the arrival of a unitWehrmacht German armed forcesWehrpass German service and conduct book (units, promotions, awards)Werknummer (abbreviated WNr.) German aircraft serial number (abbreviated various ways during the war, with Werk-Nr. and W.-Nr. seemingly the official abbreviations)Werkstattflug German word for test or workshop flightWirkung German word for effectWNTF American Western Naval Task Force in the invasion of SicilyW/T Wireless Telegraphy (morse code)Wüstennotstaffel German desert rescue squadronY-Service Allied wireless intercept serviceZerstörer German heavy fighter, most notably the Bf 110, Me 210 and Me 410Zerstörergeschwader (abbreviated ZG) German heavy fighter wingZerstörergruppe (abbreviated ZGr.) German heavy fighter groupZerstörerschule (abbreviated ZS) German heavy fighter training schoolZerstört German word for destroyedZiel German word for target, objective or aimZünder German word for bomb fuse

Thanks to Nick Beale, Clint Mitchell, Martin Pegg, Konrad Schmittlein, Norbert Schuchbauer, Dan Zamansky and Ralph Zimmer for additions or corrections to various sections.

© Air War Publications 20176

Soviet AbbreviationsAbbreviation Soviet Term English TermAAE Artillerii Aviatsionnaya Eskadrilya Soviet Artillery Spotting Aviation Squadron of Coastal DefenceBAD Bombardirovochnyy Aviatsionnya Diviziya Bomber Aviation DivisionBAP Bombardirovochnyy Aviatsionnyy Polk Bomber Aviation RegimentG Gvardeyskiy Guards (included before unit designation)IAD Istrebitelnaya Aviatsionnaya Diviziya Soviet Fighter Aviation DivisionIAK Istrebitelniy Aviatsionniy Korpus Soviet Fighter Aviation CorpsIAP Istrebitelnyy Aviatsionnyy Polk Soviet Fighter Aviation RegimentKBF Karsnoznamenniy Baltijski Flot Red Banner Baltic FleetKRAP Korrektirovochniy Razvedyvatelnnyy Aviatsionnyy Polk Soviet Artillery Spotting Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment MTAD Minno-Torpednaya Aviatsionnaya Diviziya Soviet Mine-Torpedo Aviation DivisionMTAP Minno-Torpednaya Aviatsionnyy Polk Soviet Mine-Torpedo Aviation RegimentNBAD NochnoyBombardirovochnyyDiviziya Soviet Night Bomber Aviation DivisionNBAP NochnoyBombardirovochnyyAviatsionnyyPolk Soviet Night Bomber Aviation RegimentOAE PLO Otdelnaya Aviatsionnaya Eskadrilya Protivolodotsnaya Oborona Independent Anti-Submarine Aviation SquadronORAP Otdelnyy Razvedyvatelnnyy Aviatsionnyy Polk Soviet Independent Reconnaissance Aviation RegimentPBAP Pikiruyushchiy Bombardirovochnyy Aviatsionnyy Polk Soviet Dive Bomber Aviation Regiment RAP Razvedyvatelnnyy Aviatsionnyy Polk Soviet Reconnaissance Aviation RegimentShAD Shturmovaya Aviatsionnaya Diviziya Soviet Shturmovik Aviation DivisionShAK Shturmovoy Aviatsionnyy Korpus Soviet Shturmovik Aviation CorpsShAP Shturmovoy Aviatsionnyy Polk Soviet Shturmovik Aviation RegimentVA Vozdushnaya Armiya Soviet Air ArmyVVS Voyenno-Vozdushnyye Sily Military Air Forces

© Air War Publications 20177

Tabl

e 1:

Air

Forc

e R

anks

Luftw

affe

RA

FU

SAA

FVV

SR

egia

Aer

onau

tica

Gen

eral

feld

mar

scha

ll (G

FM)

Mar

shal

of t

he R

oyal

Air

Forc

e (M

RAF

)G

ener

al o

f the

Arm

y (5

-sta

r) (G

A)G

lavn

yy M

arsh

al A

viat

siyi

(Sup

rem

e Ai

r Mar

shal

)M

ares

cial

lo d

ell’A

ria

Gen

eral

ober

st (G

en.O

bst.)

Air C

hief

Mar

shal

(AC

M)

Gen

eral

(4-S

tar)

(Gen

.)M

arsh

al A

viat

siyi

(Air

Mar

shal

)G

ener

ale

d’A

rmat

a A

erea

Gen

eral

der

Flie

ger (

GdF

)1Ai

r Mar

shal

(AM

)Li

eute

nant

Gen

eral

(3-S

tar)

(Lt.G

en.)

Gen

eral

-Pol

kovn

ik (C

olon

el-G

ener

al)

Gen

eral

e di

Squ

adra

Aer

ea

Gen

eral

leut

nant

(Gen

.Lt.)

Air V

ice-

Mar

shal

(AVM

)M

ajor

Gen

eral

(2-S

tar)

(Maj

.Gen

.)G

ener

al-L

eyte

nant

(Lie

uten

ant-G

ener

al)

Gen

eral

e di

Div

isio

ne A

erea

Gen

eral

maj

or (G

en.M

aj.)

Air C

omm

odor

e (A

/Cdr

e.)

Brig

adie

r Gen

eral

(1-S

tar)

(Brig

.Gen

.)G

ener

al-M

ajor

(Maj

or-G

ener

al)

Gen

eral

e di

Brig

ata

Aer

ea

Obe

rst

Gro

up C

apta

in (G

/Cap

t.)C

olon

el (C

ol.)

Pol

kovn

ik (C

olon

el)

Col

onne

llo

Obe

rstle

utna

nt (O

bers

tlt.)

Win

g C

omm

ande

r (W

/Cdr

.)Li

eute

nant

Col

onel

(Lt.

Col

.)P

odpo

lkov

nik

(Lie

uten

ant-C

olon

el)

Tene

nte

Col

onne

llo

Maj

orSq

uadr

on L

eade

r (S/

Ldr.)

Maj

or

Maj

or (M

ajor

)M

aggi

ore

Hau

ptm

ann

(Hpt

m.)

Flig

ht L

ieut

enan

t (F/

Lt.)

Cap

tain

(Cap

t.)K

apita

n (C

apta

in)

1a C

apita

no

Obe

rleut

nant

(Obl

t.)Fl

ying

Offi

cer (

F/O

.)Fi

rst L

ieut

enan

t (1/

Lt.)

Sta

rshi

yi L

eyte

nant

(Sen

ior L

ieut

enan

t)1a

Ten

ente

Leut

nant

(Lt.)

Pilo

t Offi

cer (

P/O

.)Se

cond

Lie

uten

ant (

2/Lt

.)Le

yten

ant (

Lieu

tena

nt)

Tene

nte

Sot

tote

nent

e

Aiu

tant

e di

Bat

tagl

ia

Obe

rfähn

rich

(Obf

hr.)*

Flig

ht O

ffice

r (F/

O.)

Mla

dshi

y Le

yten

ant (

Juni

or L

ieut

enan

t)M

ares

cial

lo M

aggi

ore

Fähn

rich

(Fhr

.)**

Mar

esci

allo

Cap

o

Sta

bsfe

ldw

ebel

(Stfw

.)W

arra

nt O

ffice

r (W

/O.)

Mar

esci

allo

Ord

inai

re

Obe

rfeld

web

el (O

fw.)

Flig

ht S

erge

ant (

F/Sg

t.)Fi

rst S

erge

ant (

1/Sg

t.)2

Sta

rshi

y S

erzh

ant (

Seni

or S

erge

ant)

Ser

gent

Mag

gior

e

Feld

web

el (F

w.)

Serg

eant

(Sgt

.)M

aste

r Ser

gean

t (M

/Sgt

.)2S

erzh

ant (

Serg

eant

)

Unt

erfe

ldw

ebel

(Ufw

.)Te

chni

cal S

erge

ant (

T/Sg

t.)S

erge

nt

Unt

eroffi

zier

(Uffz

.)C

orpo

ral (

Cpl

.)St

aff S

erge

ant (

S/Sg

t.)M

lads

hiy

Ser

zhan

t (Ju

nior

Ser

gean

t)

Sta

bsge

freite

r (S

tgef

r.)

Hau

ptge

freite

r (H

gefr.

)Se

rgea

nt (S

gt.)

Obe

rgef

reite

r (O

bgef

r.)Le

adin

g Ai

rcra

ftman

(LAC

)C

orpo

ral (

Cpl

.)Ye

freyt

o (C

orpo

ral)

Prim

o Av

iere

Gef

reite

r (G

efr.)

Airc

raftm

an F

irst C

lass

Priv

ate

Firs

t Cla

ss (P

FC)

Flie

ger (

Flg.

)Ai

rcra

ftman

Sec

ond

Cla

ssPr

ivat

e (P

vt.)

Kra

snoa

rmey

ets

(Red

Arm

y M

an)

Avie

re

1 Variants such as General der Jagdflieger and General der Schlachtflieger were not ranks, but titles introduced as the war progressed and the need for more area-specific titles arose.2 Master Sergeant was above First Sergeant until September 1942.

Ranks

NB:

The

se ra

nks w

ere

only

roug

hly

com

para

ble

betw

een

the

air f

orce

s, b

ecau

se th

ere

wer

e di

ffere

nces

in th

e ar

eas o

f res

pons

ibili

ty, n

umbe

r of m

en

unde

r the

ir c

omm

and

etc.

Luftwaffe o

ffice

r can

dida

tes h

ad th

e tit

le F

ahne

njun

ker (

cade

t) in

fron

t of t

heir

exis

ting

rank

whi

le th

ey w

aite

d fo

r the

ir co

mm

issi

on to

com

e th

roug

h:Fa

hnen

junk

er-S

tabs

feldw

ebel

(Fhj

.Stfw

.)* F

ahne

njun

ker-

Obe

rfeld

web

el (F

hj.O

bfw

.) eq

uiva

lent

to a

Oberfähnrich

** F

ahne

njun

ker-

Feld

web

el (F

hj.F

w.)

equi

vale

nt to

a Fähnrich

Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier

(Fhj.Uffz.)

Fahn

enju

nker

-Obe

rgefr

eiter

(Fhj

.Obg

efr.)

Fahn

enju

nker

-Gefr

eiter

(Fhj

.Gefr

.)

Hau

ptfel

dweb

el w

as th

e G

erm

an e

quiv

alen

t of a

Com

pany

Ser

gean

t Maj

or, b

ut w

as a

title

and

not

an

offici

al ra

nk d

urin

g th

e Se

cond

Wor

ld W

ar. I

n a LuftwaffeStaffel h

e w

as in

form

ally

kno

wn

as th

e Staffelspieß

. The

Hau

ptfel

dweb

el w

as u

sual

ly a

n O

berfe

ldw

ebel

or S

tabs

feldw

ebel.

Hau

ptfel

dweb

el la

ter

beca

me

an N

CO

-ran

k in

the

post

-war

Ger

man

arm

y.

© Air War Publications 20178

Luftwaffe AwardsGroβkreuzdesEisernenKreuzes (Grand Cross of the Iron Cross)RitterkreuzmitGoldenemEichenlaub (Knight’s Cross with Golden Oak Leaves)RitterkreuzmitBrillanten (Knight’s Cross with Diamonds)RitterkreuzmitSchwertern(Knight’s Cross with Swords)RitterkreuzmitEichenlaub (Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves)RitterkreuzdesEisernenKreuzes (Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross)Ehrenpokal (Honour Goblet)Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross in Gold)Eiserne Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross First Class)Eiserne Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross Second Class)FrontflugspangeinGold (mission clasp for 110 missions)FrontflugspangeinSilber (mission clasp for 60 missions)FrontflugspangeinBronze (mission clasp for 20 missions)Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold (Wound badge in Gold)3

Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber (Wound badge in Silver)4

Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (Wound badge in Black)5

VVS Awards7

Geroy Sovyetskogo Soyuza (Hero of the Soviet Union)Orden «Pobeda» (Order of Victory)Orden Krasnogo Znameni (Order of the Red Banner)Orden Otechestvennoj vojny pervoj stepeni (Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class)Orden Otechestvennoj vojny vtoroj stepeni (Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class)Orden Suvorova pervoj stepeni (Order of Suvorov 1st Class)Orden Suvorova vtoroj stepeni (Order of Suvorov 2nd Class)Orden Suvorova tret’ej stepeni (Order of Suvorov 2nd Class)Orden Kutuzova pervoj stepeni (Order of Kutuzov 1st Class)Orden Kutuzova vtoroj stepeni (Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class)OrdenKutuzovatеret’ejstepeni(Order of Kutuzov 3rd Class)Orden «Slava» pervoj stepeni (Order of Glory 1st Class)Orden «Slava» vtoroj stepeni (Order of Glory 2nd Class)Orden «Slava» tret’ej stepeni (Order of Glory 3rd Class)Orden Lenina (Order of Lenin)Medal «Za otvagu» (Medal “For Courage”)Medal «Za boevye zaslugi (Medal “For Battle Merit”)

USAAF Awards Medal of Honor (MOH)Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)Silver Star (SS)Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)Air Medal (AM)Purple Heart (PH)Prisoner of War Medal (POW)

RAF Awards6

Victoria Cross (VC)Distinguished Service Order (DSO)Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)Air Force Cross (AFC)Air Force Medal (AFM)Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) (CGM)Mentioned in Despatches (MID)

Awards

3 1st class, for those wounded five or more times (could be awarded posthumously), total blindness, “loss of manhood”, or severe brain damage via hostile action.4 2nd class, for those wounded three or four times, or suffering loss of a hand, foot or eye from hostile action (also partial loss of hearing), facial disfigurement or brain damage via hostile action.5 3rd class, for those wounded once or twice by hostile action (including air raids), or frostbitten in the line of duty. 6 The British also gave the following campaign, naval and civil medals and awards: 1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War

Medal 1939-1945, George Cross, Atlantic Star, Burma Star, Military Medal, Pacific Star and George Medal (civil).7 The Soviets also gave the following medals: Order of Ushakov (navy), Order of Nakhimov (navy), Order of Alexander Nevsky (mainly civil) and Order of the Red Star.

Listed below are the most relevant awards given to airmen and high ranking air force officers during the Second World War. A variety of campaign- and battle-specific awards existed, as did specific army, navy, and civil awards, but please consult other resources for full lists and details of those.

Above: Ofw. Erich Morgenstern (center) and Fw. Johann Trummer (right) of I. Gruppe, Schlachtgeschwader 5 at their Ritterkreuz awards ceremony on 4 May 1944. Erich Morgenstern survived the war and passed away in 2000, and Johann Trummer was still alive in August 2017.

Right: Order of the Red Banner. It was awarded for “recognised heroism in combat or otherwise extraordinary accomplishments of military valour during combat operations”.

Right: The Distinguished Flying Cross. It is awarded for “an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy”. If a British airman already had an award but performed deeds sufficient to earn another, he was awarded a Bar to that award. This applied to all RAF awards listed here (except Mentioned in Despatches).

Right: Air Medal. The medal was created in 1942 and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. If a United States airman already had the Silver Star, Purple Heart, DFC, DSC or AM, but performed deeds sufficient to earn another, he was awarded Oak Leaf Clusters to that award.

The titles listed below can be consulted for further information about medals:Behr, Volker A. Typenkompass-DeutscheAuszeichungen-Kampf-undTätigkeitsabzeichenderLuftwaffe1935-1945, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, 2016, ISBN 978-3-613-03875-2.Risk, James Charles British Orders and Decorations, Numismatic Society, New York, 1945, ASIN B002FYL5K8.Aldebol, Anthony ArmyAirForceandUnitedStatesAirForce:Decorations,Medals,Ribbons,BadgesandInsignia1941to1947, Medals of America, Fountain Inn, 1998, ISBN 1-8844-5221-3

© Air War Publications 20179

Luftwaffe Air Unit Organization

At t

he b

egin

ning

of t

he w

ar Luftflotte 1

to 4

exis

ted,

but

as t

he w

ar d

evel

oped

Luftflotte 5

w

as cr

eate

d to

cove

r Nor

way

, Fin

land

and

the n

orth

ern

part

of t

he S

ovie

t Uni

on. A

fter

the

war

mov

ed e

astw

ard

into

Rus

sia,

Luftflotte 6

was

cre

ated

in M

ay 1

943,

follo

wed

by

Luftflotte R

eich

in F

ebru

ary

1944

for t

he a

ir d

efen

ce o

f Ger

man

y.

A F

liege

rkor

ps w

as u

sual

ly s

ubor

dina

te to

a Luftflotte,

and

com

prise

d of

uni

ts o

f var

ious

fu

nctio

ns (fi

ghte

rs, b

ombe

rs, g

roun

d-att

ack

and

recc

e). T

he F

liege

rkor

ps w

as in

tend

ed to

be

a m

obile

ent

ity th

at co

uld

be d

eplo

yed

rapi

dly

at th

e fr

ont a

s the

situ

atio

n re

quire

d. T

he

first

Flie

gerk

orps

to b

e cre

ated

with

a sp

ecifi

c pur

pose

was

VIII

. Flie

gerk

orps

(gro

und-

attac

k),

afte

r the

Pol

ish c

ampa

ign.

The

stre

ngth

of a

Flie

gerk

orps

was

300

to 7

50 a

ircra

ft an

d th

e co

mm

andi

ng o

ffice

r usu

ally

hel

d th

e ra

nk o

f Gen

eral

leut

nant

or G

ener

al d

er F

liege

r.A

Flie

gerd

ivis

ion

was

sim

ilar t

o a

Flie

gerk

orps

, onl

y sm

alle

r.A

Jagd

divi

sion

was

sm

alle

r tha

n an

d su

bord

inat

e to

a F

liege

rkor

ps o

r Jag

dkor

ps, a

nd

adm

inis

tere

d on

ly fi

ghte

r un

its. T

he c

omm

andi

ng o

ffice

r us

ually

hel

d th

e ra

nk o

f O

bers

t, G

ener

alm

ajor

or G

ener

alle

utna

nt.

A G

erm

an Luftwaffe

Ges

chw

ader

(w

ing)

was

div

ided

into

Gru

ppen

with

an

offici

al

stre

ngth

of 1

12 to

276

air

craf

t and

the

com

man

ding

offi

cer,

the

Ges

chw

ader

kom

mod

ore,

usua

lly h

eld

the

rank

of O

bers

tleut

nant

or O

bers

t.

A G

rupp

e (gr

oup)

was

eith

er o

rgan

ic a

s a co

mpo

nent

of a

Ges

chw

ader

or i

ndep

ende

nt

(aut

onom

ous)

. The

offi

cial

stre

ngth

was

36

to 4

8 ai

rcra

ft an

d th

e co

mm

andi

ng o

ffice

r, th

e G

rupp

enko

mm

ande

ur, u

sual

ly h

eld

the

rank

of H

aupt

man

n or

Maj

or.

A Staffel w

as a

tact

ical

uni

t with

an o

ffici

al st

reng

th o

f 12 t

o 20

airc

raft

and

the c

omm

andi

ng

office

r, th

e Staffelführer

or Staffelkapitän,

usu

ally

hel

d th

e ran

k of

Leu

tnan

t or O

berle

utna

nt.

The

abov

e is

a si

mpl

ified

des

crip

tion

of th

e Luftwaffe o

rgan

izat

ion

and

form

atio

ns. T

he ti

tles l

iste

d be

low

can

be co

nsul

ted

for f

urth

er in

form

atio

n ab

out t

his s

ubje

ct:

Boog

, Hor

st DiedeutscheLuftwaffenführung1935-1945:Führungsprobleme,Spitzengliederung,Generalstabsausbildung,

Deu

tsch

e Ve

rlags

-Ans

talt,

Stu

ttgar

t, 19

82, I

SBN

3-4

21-0

195-

3.H

oote

n, E

.R. PhoenixTriumphant:TheRiseandRiseoftheLuftwaffe,

Arm

s & A

rmou

r Pre

ss, L

ondo

n, 1

994,

ISBN

1-8

5409

-181

-6.

Mur

ray,

Will

iam

son StrategyforDefeat:TheLuftwaffe1933-1945

, Cha

rtw

ell B

ooks

, Sec

aucu

s (N

J), 1

986,

ISBN

1-5

5521

-087

-2.

Pric

e, A

lfred

LuftwaffeHandbook1939-1945

, Ian

Alla

n, L

ondo

n, 1

977,

ISBN

0-7

110-

0632

-6.

Obe

rkom

man

do d

er W

ehrm

acht

(OKW

)

Obe

rkom

man

do d

er L

uftw

affe

(OKL

)O

berk

omm

ando

des

Hee

res

(OKH

)O

berk

omm

ando

der

Mar

ine

(OKM

)

Kam

pfge

schw

ader

(KG

)

Luftfl

otte

4 (L

fl. 4

)

Jagd

gesc

hwad

er (J

G)

Ges

chw

ader

stab

III. G

rupp

e

Stur

zkam

pfge

schw

ader

(St.G

.)

Luftfl

otte

2 (L

fl. 2

)Lu

ftflot

te 1

(Lfl.

1)Lu

ftflot

te 3

(Lfl.

3)

1. S

taffe

l

I. G

rupp

e

2. S

taffe

l

II. G

rupp

e

3. S

taffe

l

Gru

ppen

stab

I./J

G

Sch

war

m

Rot

teR

otte

Jagd

divi

sion

Flie

gerk

orps

Jagd

korp

s

Jagd

divi

sion

Flie

gerk

orps

Flie

gerd

ivis

ion

Sch

war

m

Rot

teR

otte

... ......... ...

Sch

war

m

Rot

teR

otte

...

Fuse

lage

mar

king

Upp

er a

nd lo

wer

w

ing

mar

king

Tail

mar

king

A S

chw

arm

was

a ta

ctic

al fo

rmat

ion

of fo

ur a

ircr

aft,

led

by a

Sch

war

mfü

hrer

, who

coul

d be

led

by a

non

-com

mis

sion

ed o

ffice

r. A

thr

ee-a

ircr

aft

bom

ber

and

dive

-bom

ber

form

atio

n ex

iste

d, c

alle

d a Kette

.A

Rotte w

as a

subd

ivis

ion

of a

Sch

war

m w

ith tw

o ai

rcra

ft, co

nsis

ting

of th

e Rottenführer

and

his

win

gman

.

Abo

ve: Luftwaffea

ircra

ft m

arki

ngs

chan

ged

seve

ral t

imes

thro

ugho

ut th

e w

ar, a

nd th

e ab

ove

are

only

exa

mpl

es o

f mar

king

s.

Flie

gerfü

hrer

*

* A F

liege

rführ

er w

as u

sual

ly a

sp

ecia

l geo

grap

hic

com

man

d an

d of

ten

tem

pora

ry in

nat

ure.

Air

Form

atio

ns O

nly

© Air War Publications 201710

RAF Air Unit Organization

Flyi

ng c

omm

ands

wer

e re

spon

sibl

e fo

r al

l asp

ects

of o

pera

tions

dur

ing

the

Seco

nd

Wor

ld W

ar, w

here

as m

aint

enan

ce, s

uppl

y an

d ad

min

istr

atio

n w

ere

in a

sep

arat

e co

mm

and.

The

flyi

ng c

omm

ands

wer

e sp

lit in

to fi

ghte

r ai

rcra

ft, b

ombe

rs, c

oast

al

dutie

s, a

nd g

roun

d-su

ppor

t, an

d w

ere

com

man

ded

by a

n A

ir M

arsh

al.

Gro

ups

wer

e su

bdiv

isio

ns o

f ope

ratio

nal c

omm

ands

res

pons

ible

for

cert

ain

type

s of

ope

ratio

ns, o

r fo

r op

erat

ions

in a

lim

ited

geog

raph

ical

are

a. C

omm

ande

d by

a

Gro

up C

apta

in.

Win

gs w

ere a

gro

upin

g of

two

or m

ore fl

ying

squa

dron

s and

wer

e sup

port

ed b

y se

para

te

adm

inist

ratio

n an

d se

rvice

win

gs. D

urin

g th

e Sec

ond

Wor

ld W

ar th

e win

gs w

ere n

umbe

red,

co

mpa

red

to th

e m

oder

n da

y RA

F w

here

they

are

nam

ed. A

win

g w

as co

mm

ande

d by

a

Win

g C

omm

ande

r and

the

offici

al s

tren

gth

was

48

to 9

6 ai

rcra

ft.

A fl

ight

was

a s

ub-d

ivis

ion

of a

squ

adro

n co

mm

ande

d by

a F

light

Lie

uten

ant.

Earl

y in

the

war

eac

h fli

ght c

onsi

sted

of s

ix a

ircr

aft (

two

sect

ions

of t

hree

), an

d la

ter

in th

e w

ar e

ight

air

craf

t whe

n th

e RA

F ad

opte

d th

e Luftwaffe f

our-

finge

r for

mat

ion.

A fl

ying

squ

adro

n w

as th

e sm

alle

st a

uton

omou

s ai

rcra

ft un

it w

ith a

str

engt

h of

24

airc

raft.

A s

quad

ron

was

com

man

ded

by a

Squ

adro

n Le

ader

.

The

abov

e is

a si

mpl

ified

des

crip

tion

of th

e Ro

yal A

ir Fo

rce

orga

niza

tion

and

form

atio

ns. T

he ti

tle b

elow

can

be re

ad fo

r mor

e de

tail:

RAF

War

Man

ual:

Org

aniz

atio

n an

d A

dmin

istra

tion

Part

Tw

o, M

ilita

ry L

ibra

ry R

esea

rch

Serv

ice,

Lon

don,

200

9, IS

BN 1

-847

9-18

47-6

.

Chi

efs

of S

taff

Com

mitt

ee

(CO

S)

Roy

al A

ir Fo

rce

Briti

sh A

rmy

Roy

al N

avy

RAF

in N

orth

ern

Irela

ndFi

ghte

r C

omm

and

Coa

stal

C

omm

and

Bom

ber

Com

man

d

Win

g

Gro

upG

roup

Win

g

Gro

up

Squa

dron

... ......

Ove

rsea

s C

omm

ands

Hom

e C

omm

ands

Arm

y C

o-O

pera

tion

Com

man

d

Ballo

on

Com

man

d

Squa

dron

Squa

dron

Flyi

ng T

rain

ing

Com

man

dM

aint

enan

ce

Com

man

dTe

ch T

rain

ing

Com

man

d

Non

Ope

ratio

nal C

omm

ands

A Fl

ight

No.

1 S

ectio

nN

o. 2

Sec

tion

..

..

..

..

Abo

ve: R

AF

airc

raft

mar

king

s ch

ange

d se

vera

l tim

es th

roug

hout

the

war

, and

the

abov

e ar

e on

ly e

xam

ples

of m

arki

ngs.

Fuse

lage

mar

king

Upp

er a

nd lo

wer

w

ing

mar

king

Tail

mar

king

Air

Form

atio

ns O

nly

B Fl

ight

No.

1 S

ectio

nN

o. 2

Sec

tion

...

© Air War Publications 201711

USAAF Air Unit Organization

The

abov

e is

a si

mpl

ified

des

crip

tion

of th

e U

nite

d St

ates

Air

Arm

y Fo

rce

orga

niza

tion

and

form

atio

ns. T

he ti

tle b

elow

is re

com

men

ded

for f

urth

er re

adin

g:M

aure

r, M

aure

r Air

Forc

e Com

bat U

nits

of W

orld

War

II, O

ffice

of A

ir Fo

rce

His

tory

, Was

hing

ton

D.C

., 19

83.

The

book

list

s all

war

time

USA

AF

Gro

ups,

Win

gs, D

ivis

ions

, Com

man

ds a

nd A

ir Fo

rces

, and

is (l

egal

ly) a

vaila

ble

onlin

e he

re: w

ww

.ibib

lio.o

rg/h

yper

war

/AA

F/A

AFH

S/A

AFH

S-14

0.1.

pdf

Fuse

lage

mar

king

, upp

er a

nd lo

wer

win

g m

arki

ng

No

gene

ric

tail

mar

king

exi

sted

, an

d if

pres

ent i

t co

uld

vary

dow

n to

sq

uadr

on le

vel.

Abo

ve: U

SAA

F ai

rcra

ft m

arki

ngs c

hang

ed se

vera

l tim

es d

urin

g th

e w

ar, b

ut th

e ab

ove

wer

e th

e ba

sic

shap

es, f

rom

whi

ch th

ere

wer

e va

riat

ions

.

An

air f

orce

was

num

bere

d an

d di

vide

d in

to co

mm

ands

bas

ed in

a w

ider

geo

grap

hica

l ar

ea, r

espo

nsib

le fo

r all

type

s of

ope

ratio

ns. T

he c

omm

andi

ng o

ffice

r of a

n ai

r for

ce

usua

lly h

eld

the

rank

of L

ieut

enan

t Gen

eral

(3-s

tar)

. The

re w

ere

sixt

een

num

bere

d ai

r for

ces,

Fir

st th

roug

h Fi

fteen

th, a

nd a

lso

the

Twen

tieth

.

A c

omm

and

was

sub

ordi

nate

to th

e nu

mbe

red

air

forc

e, a

nd u

sual

ly c

onsi

sted

of

two

or th

ree

win

gs. D

ue to

the

size

of t

he E

ight

h A

ir F

orce

, a la

yer

of a

ir d

ivis

ions

ex

iste

d be

twee

n th

e com

man

d an

d th

e win

gs. T

he co

mm

andi

ng o

ffice

r of a

com

man

d us

ually

hel

d th

e ran

k of

Bri

gadi

er G

ener

al. C

omm

ands

wer

e num

bere

d w

ith a

Rom

an

num

eral

des

igna

tor.

A g

roup

was

the

basi

c op

erat

iona

l aut

onom

ous

unit

in th

e U

SAA

F, a

nd c

onsi

sted

of

thre

e to

four

squ

adro

ns b

ased

at t

he s

ame

airfi

eld.

The

offi

cial

str

engt

h w

as 3

6 to

48

airc

raft

and

the

com

man

ding

offi

cer,

the

Gro

up C

omm

ande

r, us

ually

hel

d th

e ra

nk o

f Lie

uten

ant C

olon

el o

r Col

onel

.

A s

quad

ron

was

a ta

ctic

al u

nit w

ith a

n offi

cial

str

engt

h of

twel

ve a

ircr

aft a

nd th

e co

mm

andi

ng o

ffice

r, th

e Sq

uadr

on C

omm

ande

r, us

ually

hel

d th

e ra

nk o

f Maj

or.

A fl

ight

was

a ta

ctic

al fo

rmat

ion

of si

x ai

rcra

ft, le

d by

a F

light

Lea

der.

The t

erm

‘sec

tion‘

se

ems

to b

e th

e eq

uiva

lent

of a

flig

ht, a

nd is

som

etim

es u

sed.

An

elem

ent w

as a

subd

ivis

ion

of a

flig

ht w

ith th

ree

airc

raft,

cons

istin

g of

the

Elem

ent

Lead

er a

nd h

is tw

o w

ingm

en.

A w

ing

cons

iste

d of

thre

e or

mor

e gr

oups

and

the

com

man

ding

offi

cer,

the

Win

g C

omm

ande

r, us

ually

hel

d th

e ra

nk o

f Col

onel

.

28 M

ay 1

942

- 29

June

194

314

Aug

ust 1

942

- 14

Janu

ary

1947

Euro

pean

The

ater

of O

pera

tions

, U

nite

d St

ates

Arm

y (E

TOU

SA)

US

Air F

orce

s in

the

Briti

sh Is

les

(USA

FBI)

Arm

y G

roun

d Fo

rces

Arm

y Se

rvic

e Fo

rces

Figh

ter C

omm

and

Bom

ber C

omm

and

Gro

up

Win

gW

ing

Gro

up

Win

g

Squa

dron

...

Gro

und-

Air S

uppo

rt C

omm

and

Squa

dron

Squa

dron Fl

ight

Elem

ent

Elem

ent

..

..

..

Air F

orce

Serv

ice

Com

man

d

Gro

up

Squa

dron...

Air

Form

atio

ns O

nly

Flig

ht

Elem

ent

Elem

ent

...

© Air War Publications 201712

VVS Air Unit OrganizationA

bove

: Fus

elag

e, w

ing

and

tail

mar

king

s wer

e a re

d st

ar th

roug

hout

the w

ar. I

t var

ied

in

size

and

som

etim

es h

ad a

n ou

tline

of w

hite

or b

lack

. Fro

m 3

Sep

tem

ber 1

943

onw

ards

a

five c

entim

etre

whi

te o

utlin

e for

the r

ed st

ar m

arki

ng, a

nd a

n ad

ditio

nal o

ne ce

ntim

etre

re

d st

rip, w

as in

trod

uced

by

the

NK

O (P

eopl

e’s C

omm

issa

riat f

or D

efen

ce).

The

abov

e is

a si

mpl

ified

des

crip

tion

of th

e So

viet

Air

Forc

e or

gani

zatio

n an

d fo

rmat

ions

. For

furt

her r

eadi

ng th

e tit

le li

sted

bel

ow ca

n be

read

:H

arde

stry

, Von

& G

rinbe

rg, I

lya

Red

Phoe

nix

Risin

g: T

he S

oviet

Air

Forc

e in

Wor

ld W

ar II

(app

endi

x on

air

arm

ies)

, Uni

vers

ity P

ress

of K

ansa

s, K

ansa

s, 20

12, I

SBN

: 0-7

006-

1828

-7.

Air

War

Pub

licat

ions

wou

ld li

ke to

than

k D

an Z

aman

sky

for i

nput

and

revi

ew o

f thi

s dia

gram

and

text

.

Peop

le’s

Com

mis

saria

t for

D

efen

ce o

f the

Sov

iet U

nion

Mai

n D

irect

orat

e of

the

Red

Arm

y Ai

r For

ces

Sovi

et N

avy

Arm

y Ai

r For

ce/

Air C

orps

Figh

ter D

ivis

ion

... Long

-Ran

ge

Rec

onai

ssan

ce

Div

isio

n

Nig

ht B

ombe

r D

ivis

ion

Mix

ed D

ivis

ion

Bom

ber D

ivis

ion

Assa

ult D

ivis

ion

Figh

ter

Reg

imen

tFi

ghte

rR

egim

ent

Assa

ult

Reg

imen

tBo

mbe

r R

egim

ent

Figh

ter

Reg

imen

t

Air F

orce

of a

Fro

nt/

Air A

rmy

Figh

ter

Squa

dron

Figh

ter

Squa

dron

Figh

ter

Squa

dron

Gen

eral

Sta

ffof

the

Red

Arm

y*

Arm

y Ai

r For

ce/

Air C

orps

Ar

my

Air F

orce

/Ai

r Cor

ps

Arm

y Ai

r For

ce/

Air C

orps

An

Air

Forc

e of a

Fro

nt (f

or ex

ampl

e Air

Forc

e of t

he W

este

rn F

ront

) exi

sted

until

appr

oxim

atel

y M

ay 19

42, a

nd w

as th

en su

perc

eded

by an

entit

y ca

lled

an A

ir A

rmy

(VA)

. The

Air

Arm

ies w

ere

num

bere

d 1.V

A th

roug

h 18

.VA

. A

n A

ir A

rmy

cont

rolle

d al

l air

units

in a

giv

en o

pera

tiona

l are

a, an

d w

as

usua

lly co

mm

ande

d by

a Ge

nera

l-Ley

tenan

t, but

occa

siona

lly a

Gene

ral-M

ayor

.

An

Arm

y A

ir F

orce

(for

exam

ple A

ir F

orce

of t

he 5

. Arm

y) ex

iste

d un

til a

ppro

xim

atel

y M

ay 1

942,

and

was

then

supe

rced

ed b

y an

A

ir C

orps

(AK

), co

nsis

ting

of tw

o or

thre

e di

visi

ons a

nd 2

00 to

40

0 ai

rcra

ft, c

omm

ande

d by

a G

ener

al-Le

yten

ant.

An

Air

Div

isio

n (A

D) c

onsi

sted

of t

wo

to fo

ur re

gim

ents

with

60

to

160

airc

raft,

com

man

ded

by a

Pol

kovn

ik (C

olon

el).

Mos

t Div

isio

ns

oper

ated

one

type

of r

egim

ent,

for e

xam

ple fi

ghte

r or b

ombe

r, bu

t M

ixed

Div

isio

ns c

ontr

olle

d a

vari

ety

of re

gim

ent t

ypes

.

An

Air

Reg

imen

t (A

P) co

nsis

ted

of th

ree

to fo

ur sq

uadr

ons w

ith

30 to

60

airc

raft.

The

y w

ere

equi

pped

with

air

craf

t des

igne

d fo

r sp

ecifi

c ro

les:

air

-to-a

ir c

omba

t, gr

ound

sup

port

, bom

bing

etc

. an

d w

ere

com

man

ded

by a

Pod

polk

ovni

k (L

ieut

enan

t-Col

onel

).

An

Air

Squ

adro

n (A

E) c

onsi

sted

of t

en a

ircr

aft i

n bo

mbe

r uni

ts

and

twel

ve a

ircr

aft

in o

ther

typ

es o

f un

its. A

squ

adro

n w

as

com

man

ded

by a

Kap

itan.

A F

light

(Z

veno

) co

nsis

ted

of f

our

airc

raft

and

was

usu

ally

co

mm

ande

d by

a L

eyte

nant

.

The M

ain

Dire

ctor

ate o

f the

Red

Arm

y A

ir Fo

rces

was

the c

omm

and

whi

ch p

rovi

ded

a lin

k be

twee

n th

e G

ener

al S

taff

of th

e Re

d A

rmy

and

the o

pera

tiona

l uni

ts a

t the

fron

t.

Flig

ht

Pair

Pair

Flig

ht

Pair

Pair

Flig

ht

Pair

Pair

A p

air

was

the

smal

lest

tact

ical

form

atio

n us

ed b

y fig

hter

and

gr

ound

-atta

ck u

nits

. Usu

ally

com

man

ded

by a

Mla

dshi

y Le

yten

ant

(Jun

ior L

ieut

enan

t) or

Sta

rshi

y Se

rzha

nt (S

enio

r Ser

gean

t).

...* A

ll or

ders

wer

e is

sued

by

the

Ope

ratio

ns D

irect

orat

e of t

he G

ener

al

Staff

of th

e Red

Arm

y, in

cludi

ng th

ose

to th

e air

forc

e and

the n

avy.

Air

Form

atio

ns O

nly

© Air War Publications 201713

Regia Aeronautica Organization

The R

egia

Aer

onau

tica u

nder

wen

t a lo

t of s

truc

tura

l cha

nges

in th

e hig

her c

omm

ands

bet

wee

n 19

40 a

nd 1

943,

m

akin

g it

diffi

cult

to d

escr

ibe t

he o

rgan

izat

ion

laye

r by

laye

r. Th

eref

ore,

the d

escr

iptio

n be

low

is d

iffer

ent t

o th

ose

of o

ther

air

forc

es in

this

glo

ssar

y. H

igh

Com

man

dsIn

Jun

e 19

40 m

ost o

f th

e op

erat

iona

l uni

ts in

Ita

ly (

mai

nlan

d, S

icily

and

Sar

dini

a) w

ere

attac

hed

to

Div

ision

i Aer

ee o

r Brig

ate A

eree

, sub

ordi

nate

d to

a S

quad

ra A

erea

.O

n 10

June

194

0, o

pera

tiona

l uni

ts in

Sic

ily w

ere

attac

hed

to 2

a Squ

adra

Aer

ea, a

nd w

hen

it ca

me

back

to

Pad

ova,

to th

e Co

man

do A

eron

autic

a Si

cilia

. Oth

er s

uch

maj

or R

egia

Aer

onau

tica

entit

ies

at th

at ti

me

wer

e Co

man

do A

eron

autic

a Sa

rdeg

na, C

oman

do A

eron

autic

a de

ll’A

lban

ia, C

oman

do A

eron

autic

a de

ll’Eg

eo (A

egea

n),

Com

ando

Aer

onau

tica d

ella L

ibia

and

Com

ando

Aer

onau

tica A

frica

Orie

ntal

e Ita

liana

(Ita

lian

East

Afr

ica)

.O

pera

tiona

l uni

ts in

Lib

ya w

ere

attac

hed

to C

oman

do A

eron

autic

a del

la L

ibia

, but

on

25 Ju

ly 1

940,

the

5a Squ

adra

Aer

ea w

as fo

rmed

and

uni

ts w

ere a

ttach

ed to

it. 5

a Squ

adra

Aer

ea w

as d

isba

nded

on

15 A

pril

1943

. A

fter t

he fi

rst m

onth

s of t

he w

ar al

mos

t all

Div

ision

i Aer

ee an

d Br

igat

e Aer

ee w

ere d

isban

ded

and

oper

atio

nal

units

wer

e att

ache

d di

rect

ly to

the

Squa

dre A

eree

, or t

o th

e Co

man

di A

eron

autic

a or t

o op

erat

iona

l com

man

ds

subo

rdin

ated

to th

em. F

or ex

ampl

e, C

oman

do A

eron

autic

a Sici

lia h

ad, w

hen

oper

atio

nally

nee

ded,

a C

oman

do

Bom

bard

amen

to w

ith b

ombe

r uni

ts a

nd a

Com

ando

Cac

cia w

ith fi

ghte

r uni

ts. O

n 28

Feb

ruar

y 19

42, 1

a Squ

adra

A

erea

had

attac

hed

Com

ando

Cac

cia B

orea

(with

one

Fig

hter

Sto

rmo a

nd o

ne fi

ghte

r Gru

ppo a

uton

omou

s atta

ched

to

it), ComandoTuffatori (

dive

-bom

ber u

nit w

ith o

ne G

rupp

o, on

e Squ

adrig

lia an

d a d

ive-

bom

ber t

rain

ing

unit)

, pl

us tw

o bo

mbe

r Sto

rmi.

By m

id-M

arch

194

1 th

ere

wer

e on

ly tw

o Br

igat

e Aer

ee a

nd o

ne D

ivisi

one A

erea

left,

and

the

last

of t

hem

w

as d

isba

nded

on

15 F

ebru

ary

1942

.O

ther

regi

onal

com

man

ds w

ere f

orm

ed in

194

1-19

42. T

he m

ost i

mpo

rtan

t wer

e: C

oman

do A

eron

autic

a G

reci

a (G

reec

e); C

oman

do A

viaz

ione

Slo

veni

a e D

alm

azia

(Dal

mat

ia);

Com

ando

Aer

onau

tica F

ront

e Ori

enta

le

in R

ussi

a (f

orm

erly

Com

ando

Avi

azio

ne p

er il

C.S

.I.R

. (C

orpo

Spe

dizi

one

Ital

iano

in R

ussi

a));

Com

ando

Av

iazi

one C

orsi

ca; C

oman

do A

eron

autic

a Tu

nisi

a.

Ope

ratio

nal U

nits

Figh

ter S

torm

i (Ca

ccia

Ter

rest

re -

land

-bas

ed) w

ere f

orm

ed b

y tw

o G

rupp

i with

thre

e Squ

adrig

lie ea

ch. B

ombe

r St

orm

i (Bo

mba

rdam

ento

Ter

rest

re an

d BombardamentoMarittimo,

whi

ch b

ecam

e Bom

bard

amen

to T

erre

stre

in M

ay

1941

) and

torp

edo

bom

ber S

torm

i (A

eros

ilura

nti)

wer

e for

med

by

two

Gru

ppi w

ith tw

o Sq

uadr

iglie

each

. Gru

ppi

and

Squa

drig

lie co

uld

be au

tono

mou

s uni

ts. A

Sto

rmo w

as u

sual

ly co

mm

ande

d by

a Co

lonn

ello.

A G

rupp

o was

us

ually

com

man

ded

by a

Ten

ente

Col

onne

llo o

r Mag

gior

e, an

d a

Squa

drig

lia b

y a

Capi

tano

.Re

ccon

naiss

ance

Gru

ppi (

Oss

erva

zione

Aer

ea o

ver l

and;

RicognizioneM

arittima o

ver s

ea) h

ad tw

o Sq

uadr

iglie

ea

ch (t

here

wer

e no

RM

Sto

rmi).

The

num

ber

of G

rupp

i in

the

Oss

erva

zion

e Aer

ea S

torm

i dep

ende

d on

the

oper

atio

nal s

ituat

ion.

Oss

erva

zion

e Aer

ea u

nits

wer

e no

t atta

ched

to S

tato

Mag

gior

e Re

gia

Aer

onau

tica,

but

to th

e Co

man

do

Supe

riore

Avi

azio

ne p

er il

Reg

io E

serc

ito, a

n ar

my

com

man

d he

aded

by

a Re

gia A

eron

autic

a hi

gh o

ffice

r, an

d to

maj

or a

rmy

units

. In

the

sam

e w

ay, RicognizioneMarittima

units

was

atta

ched

to C

oman

do S

uper

iore

Av

iazi

one p

er la

Reg

ia M

arin

a, a

nav

y co

mm

and

head

ed b

y a

Regi

a Aer

onau

tica

high

offi

cer,

and

loca

l nav

y co

mm

ands

. The

se u

nits

had

cre

ws f

orm

ed b

y Re

gia A

eron

autic

a pe

rson

nel p

lus a

n ar

my

or n

avy

obse

rver

offi

cer;

the

air f

orce

supp

lied

airc

raft,

per

sonn

el, e

quip

men

t etc

. O

n 1

June

194

3 tw

o m

ajor

uni

ts w

ere

form

ed, b

oth

subo

rdin

ated

to 3

a Squ

adra

Aer

ea: R

aggr

uppa

men

to

Bom

bard

ieri,

incl

udin

g th

e las

t ope

ratio

nal b

ombe

r uni

ts, a

nd R

aggr

uppa

men

to A

eros

ilura

nti,

incl

udin

g th

e las

t op

erat

iona

l tor

pedo

bom

ber u

nits

.Th

eore

tical

airc

raft

stre

ngth

for e

ach

Squa

drig

lia in

1940

was

: tw

elve

figh

ter a

ircra

ft; n

ine b

ombe

r airc

raft;

se

ven

airc

raft

for O

sser

vazi

one A

erea

; and

elev

en fo

r RicognizioneMarittima.

The n

umbe

r of a

ircra

ft co

uld

vary

de

pend

ing

on ci

rcum

stan

ces.

The t

actic

al fo

rmat

ions

wer

e eith

er a

copp

ia, co

nsist

ing

of tw

o ai

rcra

ft, o

r pattuglia

w

hich

cons

iste

d of

thre

e ai

rcra

ft.

In O

ctob

er 19

43 th

e Reg

ia A

eron

autic

a was

figh

ting

with

the A

llies

and

its st

ruct

ure c

hang

ed. A

ll op

erat

iona

l un

its w

ere

subo

rdin

ated

to C

oman

do U

nità

Aer

ea th

at w

as su

bord

inat

ed to

Sta

to M

aggi

ore R

egia

Aer

onau

tica.

Co

man

do U

nità

Aer

ea h

ad th

ree

Stor

mi C

accia

incl

uded

in th

e Ra

ggru

ppam

ento

Cac

cia, e

ach

with

thre

e G

rupp

i co

mpr

ised

of t

wo

Squa

drig

lie; R

aggr

uppa

men

to B

omba

rdam

ento

e Tr

aspo

rto i

nclu

ded

one S

torm

o Bom

bard

amen

to

and

two

Stor

mi T

rasp

orto

, eac

h w

ith tw

o G

rupp

i with

two

Squa

drig

lie ea

ch; R

aggr

uppa

men

to Id

ro h

ad se

apla

ne

Gru

ppi,

each

of t

hem

mad

e up

of t

wo

Squa

drig

lie. T

here

wer

e al

so so

me

min

or u

nits

. Thi

s was

the

stru

ctur

e in

pla

ce to

the

end

of th

e w

ar.

The a

bove

is a

sim

plifi

ed d

escr

iptio

n of

the R

egia

Aer

onau

tica o

rgan

izat

ion

and

form

atio

ns in

194

2/19

43. F

or fu

rthe

r re

adin

g th

e fo

llow

ing

Italia

n-la

ngua

ge ti

tle c

an b

e re

ad fo

r mor

e de

tail:

Giu

sepp

e, S

anto

ro L

’Aer

onau

tica

Italia

na n

ella

Seco

nda

Gue

rra

Mon

dial

e, Ed

izio

ni E

sse,

Rom

e, 1

966.

Sant

oro

was

Gen

eral

of t

he R

egia

Aer

onau

tica

and Sottocapo

of S

tato

Mag

gior

e (th

e vi

ce o

f the

Chi

ef o

f Sta

ff) fr

om

Dec

embe

r 193

9 to

Sep

tem

ber 1

943.

Air

War

Pub

licat

ions

wou

ld li

ke to

than

k G

iana

ndre

a Bus

si fo

r mat

eria

l, mak

ing

this

diag

ram

and

desc

riptio

n po

ssib

le.

Com

ando

Sup

rem

o

Sta

to M

aggi

ore

Reg

ia

Aer

onau

tica

(Air

Forc

e)S

tato

Mag

gior

e R

egio

E

serc

ito (A

rmy)

Sta

to M

aggi

ore

Reg

ia

Mar

ina

(Nav

y)

Sto

rmo

Gru

ppo

Gru

ppo*

Gru

ppo

Cop

pia

or

Pat

tugl

ia

Squ

adrig

liaS

quad

riglia

**S

quad

riglia

Sto

rmo

1a Squ

adra

A

erea

(Mila

no)

Liai

son

Flig

ht

3a Squ

adra

A

erea

(Rom

a)2a S

quad

ra

Aer

ea (P

adov

a)

* Fro

m Ja

nuar

y 194

4 onw

ards

a S

torm

o had

thre

e Gru

ppi.

** F

ight

er G

rupp

i usu

ally

ha

d th

ree

Squa

drig

lie,

com

pare

d w

ith t

wo

for

othe

r typ

es o

f Gru

ppi.

4a Squ

adra

A

erea

(Bar

i)5a S

quad

ra

Aer

ea (T

ripol

i)

Cop

pia

or

Pat

tugl

iaC

oppi

a or

P

attu

glia

Cop

pia

or

Pat

tugl

ia

1942-1943

Liai

son

Flig

htLi

aiso

n Fl

ight

Liai

son

Flig

ht

Fuse

lage

mar

king

Upp

er a

nd lo

wer

w

ing

mar

king

Tail

mar

king

Abo

ve: R

egia

Aer

onau

tica a

ircra

ft m

arki

ngs h

ad so

me v

aria

tions

, and

the a

bove

are

onl

y ex

ampl

es.

Liai

son

Flig

ht

Air

Form

atio

ns O

nly

Sez

ione

***

***

Sezi

oni w

ere

smal

ler

units

than

Sq

uadr

iglie

, and

they

coul

d be

ad

hoc

stan

d-al

one

units

or b

e cr

eate

d w

ith

pers

onne

l fro

m a

Squa

drig

lia or

Gru

ppo,

rem

aini

ng u

nder

thei

r com

man

d.

Som

e airp

orts

had

a Se

zion

e Cac

cia

Notturna

and

/or SezioneIntercettori.

Sezio

ni u

sual

ly o

nly

had

a few

airc

raft,

bu

t the

y co

uld

vary

in si

ze.

© Air War Publications 201714

Table 2: Luftwaffe ColoursName Description8 RAL Code Application Note

RLM 00 Wasserhell (clear lacquer) 9000 Protective external finishes and paint

RLM 01 Silber (Silver) 9006 Overall aircraft colour Pre- and early war exterior and interior colour

RLM 02 RLM-Grau (Grey) 7003 Interiors, primer and camouflage

RLM 04 Gelb (Yellow) 1004 Markings, fuselage band, lower cowling Tactical Markings

RLM 05 Elfenbein (Ivory) Overall aircraft colour Pre-war. Exterior finish on gliders

RLM 11 Grau (Grey) Primer, specific purpose unknown

RLM 21 Weiss (White) 9001 Markings and winter camouflage Tactical Markings

RLM 22 Schwarz (Black) 9004 Markings and night camouflage Introduced during Battle of Britain

RLM 23 Rot (Red) 3001 Maintenance and safety markings, fuselage band Lines for walkways, trim tabs

RLM 24 Dunkelblau (Dark Blue) 5000 Fuselage markings (numerals, letters) and spinners

RLM 25 Hellgrün (Light Green) 6000 Fuselage markings (numerals, letters) and spinners

RLM 26 Braun (Brown) 8004 Fuselage markings (numerals, letters) and spinners

RLM 27 Gelb (Yellow) 1003 Fuselage markings (numerals, letters) and spinners Tactical markings and fuel octane triangles.

RLM 28 Weinrot (Wine Red) 3008 Maintenance and safety markings Lines for walkways, trim tabs

RLM 41 Grau (Grey) 7011/7036 Interior There were two versions of RLM 41

RLM 42 Grau (Grey) 7012 Interior

RLM 61 Dunkelbraun (Dark Brown) 8019 Upper and side surfaces Pre- and early war, Spanish Civil War

RLM 62 Grün (Green) 6003 Upper and side surfaces Pre- and early war, Spanish Civil War

L40/52 Hellgrau (Light Grey) Overall aircraft colour Pre-war

RLM 63 Grau (Grey) 7004 Upper and side surfaces Pre- and early war

RLM 63 Hellgrau (Light Grey) 7040 Upper and side surfaces Pre- and early war

RLM 64 Dunkelgrau (Dark Grey) Export colour (Light blue) originally but discontinued

RLM 65 Hellblau 1938 (Light Blue) Lower and side surfaces A few examples of overall colour

RLM 65 Hellblau 1941 (Light Blue) Lower and side surfaces More greyish blue colour than 1938 variant

RLM 66 Schwarzgrau (Black Grey) 7019 Upper and side surfaces and interiors

RLM 67 Weiss (White) Markings

RLM 68 Schwarzgrün (Black Green) Upper and side surfaces, desert camouflage

RLM 69 Dunkelgrün (Dark Green) Upper and side surfaces

RLM 70 Schwarzgrün (Black Green) Upper and side surfaces, all types

RLM 71 Dunkelgrün (Dark Green) Upper and side surfaces, all types

RLM 72 Grün (Green) Upper and side surfaces, sea aircraft

RLM 72 Mittelgrün (Middle Green) Upper and side surfaces, Dornier sea aircraft? Dornier

RLM 73 - Grün (Green) - Upper and side surfaces, sea aircraft

RLM 73 - Dunkelgrün (Dark Green) - Upper and side surfaces, Dornier sea aircraft? Dornier

RLM 74 - Graugrün (Grey Green) - Upper and side surfaces

RLM 75 - Grauviolett (Grey Violet) - Upper and side surfaces

RLM 76 - Lichtblau (Light blue) - Lower and side surfaces

RLM 76 - Graugrün (Grey Green) - Upper and side surfaces

RLM 76 - Graublau (Grey Blue) - Lower and side surfaces

RLM 77 - Hellgrau (Light Grey) - 7035 Upper and side surfaces

RLM 78 - Blau/Himmelblau (Blue/Sky Blue) - Lower and side surfaces, desert camouflage

RLM 79 - Sandgelb (Sand Yellow) - Upper and side surfaces, desert camouflage

RLM 80 - Olivgrün (Olive Green) - Upper and side surfaces, desert camouflage

RLM 81 - Dunkelgrün (Dark Green) - Upper and side surfaces, most frontline types Late-war colour, mid-1944, Dornier

RLM 81 - Braunviolett (Brown Violet) - Upper and side surfaces, most frontline types Late-war colour, mid-1944, Messerschmitt

RLM 81 - Olivbraun (Olive Brown) - Upper and side surfaces, most frontline types Late-war colour, mid-1944, Blohm & Voss

RLM 82 - Hellgrün (Light Green) - 6003 Upper and side surfaces, most frontline types Late-war colour, mid-1944, Dornier

RLM 82 - Dunkelgrün (Dark Green) - Upper and side surfaces, most frontline types Late-war colour, mid-1944, Messerschmitt

RLM 82 - Hellgrün (Light Green) - Upper and side surfaces, most frontline types Late-war colour, mid-1944, Blohm & Voss

RLM 839 - Dunkelblau (Dark Blue) - Upper and side surfaces, sea aircraft Late-war colour, introduced in mid-1944

8 The descriptive colour terminology used for the paint colours listed are offered here for the purposes of reference only, as these terms differed between aircraft manufacturers. A few examples of this are shown in the above.

9 This colour has been debated for a long time, but the mystery was finally resolved by Michael Ullmann: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=33931&highlight=rlm%2083

Luftwaffe Colours

© Air War Publications 201715

Aircraft Anatomy

PropellerPropeller or Schraube

Propeller bladeLuftschraubenblatt

CanopyHaube/Kabinenhaube, Kabinendach or Kanzel

AileronQuerruder

SpinnerPropellerhaube

TailplaneSeitenflosse

Tail sectionHeck

Rudder Seitenruder, Steuerruder or Ruder

CockpitCockpit or Führerraum

Engine CowlingMotorhaube

WingTragfläche

Wing leading edgeTragflächenvorderkante Flaps (on under side of wing)

Landeklappen

FuselageRumpf

English words in regular German words in italics

Tail wheelSpornrad

CodeKennzeichen

Radio AntennaRadioantenne

Unit EmblemAbzeichen or Emblem

Tail planeHöhenruder

Fuselage bandRumpfband

Factory NumberWerknummer

Fuselage CrossBalkenkreuz

SwastikaHakenkreuz

Victory MarkingsAbschussbalken & Abschussmarkerung

Group MarkingGruppenbar

Aircraft Markings

Coat of ArmsWappen

Also available from Air War Publications ...

eArticles

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily

224 pages in full colour (25 x 31,5 cm)137 black-and-white and 3 colour photographs 11 colour aircraft profiles16 colour maps10 appendices, including loss and victory lists, tactics, camouflage and markings material Highest quality print and paper

Air War Courland by Andrew ArthyFocke-Wulf Fw 190 Fighting Over Southern Italy by Andrew Arthy and Morten JessenHenschel Hs 123 by Morten Jessen

Follow our research andprogress on Facebook...facebook.com/airwarpublications

Free Stuff

Books Coming Soon

The Life of Kurt Bühligen by Leo Etgen and Andrew ArthyHenschel Hs 123 - Part One and Two by Morten Jessen Christmas in Courland 1944 by Andrew Arthy The Sinking of LST-158 by Andrew Arthy and Morten Jessen Wüstennotstaffel - Part One and Two by Adam Thompson and Andrew Arthy The Death of the Mustang Super Ace by John R. Beaman Jr. with Samuel L. Sox Jr.

... fully illustrated with photos, colour maps and tables!

Ready toprint!

Flight sim skins & artwork Supplemental information and lists for researchers - get it here airwarpublications.com Follow our blog with updates on publications and research - airwarpublications.com/blog