''Luftflotte'' 1For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see

Luftwaffe Organisation The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

(Air Fleet 1) was one of the primary divisions of the German

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

in World War II. It was formed 1 February 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 1 in Berlin. This

detachment served in

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

and Immola, Finland, for air support of Axis forces in area; with command offices in Malpils, Latvia, (26 June 1944), Eastern front.

Units under Command

Strategic Reconnaissance

*Stab/FAGr 1 (

Riga Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...

– Spilve) *3.(F)/22 (

– Spilve) *5.(F)/122 (

Mitau Jelgava (; german: Mitau, ; see also other names) is a state city in central Latvia about southwest of Riga with 55,972 inhabitants (2019). It is the largest town in the region of Zemgale (Semigalia). Jelgava was the capital of the united ...

) *NASt 3 (

– Spilve)

Maritime Reconnaissance

*1./SAGr 127 (

Reval Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ''m ...

–

Ülemiste Ülemiste is a subdistrict ( et, asum) in the district of Lasnamäe, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf ...

)

Transports

*1./TGr 10(Ital.) (

– Spilve)

Transports (special works)

This unit was branch of KG 200 with bases in East Prussia, Kurland and Baltic areas, stay equipped with: * Junkers Ju 252A-1 * Junkers Ju 352A-0/A-1 ''Herkules'' * Arado Ar 232B-0 ''Tausendfüßler'' for transport special commandos, weapons, vehicles or dropping by parachute secret agents in clandestine missions behind enemy lines. * I.(TGr.)/KG 200 (

)

Bombers

* 14.(Eis)/KG 55 ( Jakobstadt)

3.Fliegerdivision (3°Air Division) Petseri

Tactical Reconnaissance

* Stab//NAGr 5 (

Petseri Pechory (russian: Печо́ры; Estonian and Seto: ') is a town and the administrative centre of Pechorsky District in the Pskov Oblast, Russia. Its population in the 2010 Census was 11,195, having fallen from 13,056 recorded in ...

) * 1./NAGr 5 ( Idriza) * 1./NAGr 31 ( Wesemberg)

Land Air Strike

*I/SG 3 ( Jakobstadt)

Night land strike

*Stab/NSGr 1 ( Idriza) *3./NSGr 1 ( Idriza) *1./NSGr 1 ( Kaunas) *2./NSGr 1 ( Kaunas) *Stab/NSGr 3 ( Vecuci) *1./NSGr 3 ( Vecuci) *2./NSGr 3 ( Vecuci) *1./NSGr 12 ( Vecuci) *1./(Detach)NSGr 12(

– Spilve) *Stab/NSGr 11 ( Rahkla) *1./NSGr 11 ( Rahkla) *2./NSGr 11 ( Rahkla) *2./NSG 12 ( Libau)

Jagdabschnittführer Ostland (Fighter direction in Ostland) Riga-Spilve

Fighters

*Stab/JG 54 (

Dorpat Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after the Northern European country's political and financial capital, Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 91,407 (as of 2021). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of ...

) *I./JG 54 (

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

) (Finland) *2./JG 54 (

– Laksberg) *3./JG 54 (

– Laksberg)

Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Kuhlmey Combat Unit) Immola

Tactical Reconnaissance

*1./NAGr 5 ( Immola)

Fighters

*II./JG 54 ( Immola)

Land Air Strike

*Stab/SG 3 ( Immola) *1./SG 3 ( Immola) *2./SG 3 ( Immola) *3./SG 3 ( Immola)

Commanding officers

*Generalfeldmarschall

Albert Kesselring Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' of the Luftwaffe during World War II who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. In a military career that spanned both world wars, Kesselring beca ...

, 1 February 1939 – 11 January 1940 *Generaloberst

Hans-Jürgen Stumpff __NOTOC__ Hans-Jürgen Stumpff (15 June 1889 – 9 March 1968), was a German general during World War II and was one of the signatories to Germany's unconditional surrender at the end of the war. Military career Stumpff joined the army in 190 ...

, 12 January 1940 – 10 May 1940 *General

Wilhelm Wimmer Wilhelm may refer to: People and fictional characters * William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm" * Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname Other uses * Mount ...

, 11 May 1940 – 19 August 1940 *Generaloberst

Alfred Keller Alfred Keller (19 September 1882 – 11 February 1974) was a general in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during the Second World War who commanded the ''Luftflotte 1''. His career in the Imperial German Armed Forces began in 1897; he served a ...

, 20 August 1940 – 12 June 1943 *Generaloberst

Günther Korten Günther Korten (26 July 1898 – 22 July 1944) was a German Colonel General and Chief of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe in World War II. He died from injuries suffered in the assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler on 20 July 1944. Biography ...

, 12 June 1943 – 23 August 1943 *General

Kurt Pflugbeil __NOTOC__ Kurt Leopold Pflugbeil (9 May 1890 – 31 May 1955) was a German general (General der Flieger) in the Luftwaffe during World War II who commanded 4th Air Corps and Luftflotte 1. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cros ...

, 24 August 1943 – 16 April 1945

Chief 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 __NOTOC__ Herbert Rieckhoff (25 December 1898 – 30 November 1948) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards and decorations * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ...

, 13 October 1941 – 23 February 1943 *Generalmajor Hans Detlef Herhudt von Rohden, 23 February 1943 – 24 August 1943 *Generalmajor

Klaus Uebe __NOTOC__ Klaus Uebe (1 May 1900 – 3 February 1968) was a Luftwaffe general and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards * German Cross in Gold on 29 December 1942 as ''Oberstleutnant im Generalstab'' with com ...

, 25 August 1943 – 24 December 1944 *Oberstleutnant Paul-Werner Hozzel, 25 December 1944 – 16 April 1945

Subordinated units

*II, III/

Kampfgeschwader 1 ''Kampfgeschwader'' 1 (KG 1) (Battle Wing 1) was a German medium bomber wing that operated in the Luftwaffe during World War II. KG 1 was created in 1939 as the Luftwaffe reorganised and expanded to meet Adolf Hitler's rearmament demands. ...

"Hindenburg" ( Ju 88A) *

Kampfgeschwader 76 ''Kampfgeschwader 76'' (KG 76) (Battle Wing) was a Luftwaffe bomber Group during World War II. It was one of the few bomber groups that operated throughout the war. In 1933 Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in Germany. To meet the ...

( Ju 88A) *

Kampfgeschwader 77 ''Kampfgeschwader 77'' (KG 77) was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II. Its units participated on all of the major fronts in the European Theatre until its dissolution in 1944. It operated all three of the major German bomber types; the ...

( 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. Flakkorps (anti-aircraft artillery) **2. Flak-Division **6. Flak-Division ImageSize = width:580 height:520 PlotArea = width:465 height:460 left:35 bottom:20 AlignBars = early DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy # European date format Period = from:01/01/1937 till:08/05/1945 # TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1937 ScaleMinor = grid:blue unit:month increment:3 start:01/01/1937 PlotData= color:red width:10 bar:1FD from:01/02/1939 till:22/09/1939 text: 1. Flieger-Division bar:2FD from:01/02/1939 till:31/08/1939 text:2. Flieger-Division bar:3FD from:01/02/1943 till:31/10/1944 text:3. Flieger-Division bar:LLD from:01/08/1939 till:04/10/1939 text:Luftwaffen-Lehr-Division bar:1FK from:01/05/1941 till:19/07/1942 text:I. Fliegerkorps bar:8FK from:01/07/1941 till:28/09/1941 text:VIII. Fliegerkorps bar:FF1 from:01/07/1942 till:28/02/1943 text:Fliegerführer 1 bar:FFO from:01/04/1941 till:30/11/1941 text:Fliegerführer Ostsee bar:LKO from:01/02/1939 till:30/09/1939 text:Luftwaffenkommando Ostpreussen bar:JAO from:01/12/1943 till:17/09/1944 text:Jagdabschnittsführer Ostland bar:GVK from:01/06/1944 till:30/06/1944 text: Gefechtsverband Kulmey bar:LK1 from:01/08/1938 till:01/01/1943 text:Luftgau-Kommando I bar:LK2 from:30/09/1939 till:31/05/1941 text:Luftgau-Kommando II bar:LK3 from:01/10/1937 till:24/03/1941 text:Luftgau-Kommando III bar:LK4 from:01/10/1937 till:24/03/1941 text:Luftgau-Kommando IV bar:LK8 from:01/02/1939 till:01/04/1939 text:Luftgau-Kommando VIII bar:LKP from:01/11/1941 till:30/06/1943 text:Luftgau-Kommando Petersburg/Riga bar:FK26 from:01/06/1943 till:31/08/1944 text:Feldluftgau-Kommando XXVI bar:LV1 from:01/08/1939 till:31/10/1939 text:Luftgaustab z.b.V. 1 bar:LV1 from:01/06/1941 till:30/11/1941 bar:LV3 from:01/08/1939 till:31/10/1939 text:Luftgaustab z.b.V. 3 bar:LV10 from:01/06/1941 till:30/11/1941 text:Luftgaustab z.b.V. 10 bar:4FK from:01/06/1944 till:30/06/1944 text:IV. Flakkorps bar:2FKD from:01/01/1942 till:30/09/1944 text:2. Flak-Division bar:6FKD from:01/04/1942 till:16/04/1945 text:6. Flak-Division bar:LR1 from:start till:end text:Luftnachrichten-Regiment 1 bar:LR11 from:start till:end text:Luftnachrichten-Regiment 11 bar:LR21 from:start till:end text:Luftnachrichten-Regiment 21

Abbreviations

* FAGr = ''Fernaufklärungsgruppe'' = Reconnaissance aircraft. ** ''Gruppe'' = equivalent to a RAF

Wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...

. * JG = ''Jagdgeschwader'' =

Fighters Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to: Combat and warfare * Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict * Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplan ...

. ** ''Geschwader'' = equivalent to a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

Group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...

. * KG = ''Kampfgeschwader'' =

Bombers A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped from an aircra ...

. * KG zbV = ''Kampfgeschwader zur besonderen Verwendung'' =

Transport aircraft Transport aircraft is a broad category of aircraft that includes: * Airliners, aircraft, usually large and most often operated by airlines, intended for carrying multiple passengers or cargo in commercial service * Cargo aircraft or freighters, fix ...

, later TG. * NAGr = ''Nahaufklärungsgruppe'' =

Observation aircraft A surveillance aircraft is an aircraft used for surveillance. They are operated by military forces and other government agencies in roles such as intelligence gathering, battlefield surveillance, airspace surveillance, reconnaissance, observat ...

. * NASt = ''Nahaufklärungsstaffel'' = Observation aircraft. ** ''Staffel'' = equivalent to a RAF

Squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

. * NSGr = ''Nachtschlachtgruppe'' = Night ground attack. * SAGr = ''Seeaufklärungsgruppe'' =

Maritime patrol aircraft A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol rol ...

* SG = ''Schlachtgeschwader'' =

Ground attack In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement ...

. * TG = ''Transportgeschwader''= Transport aircraft.

References

;Notes ;References
Luftflotte 1 @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht

{{Authority control German Air Fleets in World War II Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945