The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Combat Forces)known before October 1916 as (The Imperial German Air Service, lit. "The flying troops of the German Kaiser’s Reich")was the air arm of the
Imperial German Army
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service, although that is not a literal translation of either name. German
naval aviators
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operation ...
of the were an integral part of the
Imperial German Navy
The Imperial German Navy or the ''Kaiserliche Marine'' (Imperial Navy) was the navy of the German Empire, which existed between 1871 and 1919. It grew out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy), which was mainly for ...
(). Both
military branch
Military branch (also service branch or armed service) is according to common standard a subdivision of the national armed forces of a sovereign nation or state.
Types of branches
Unified armed forces
The Canadian Armed Forces is the unifie ...
es operated aeroplanes,
observation balloon
An observation balloon is a type of balloon that is employed as an aerial platform for gathering intelligence and spotting artillery. The use of observation balloons began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World ...
s and
airship
An airship, dirigible balloon or dirigible is a type of aerostat (lighter-than-air) aircraft that can navigate through the air flying powered aircraft, under its own power. Aerostats use buoyancy from a lifting gas that is less dense than the ...
s.
Founding
The Imperial German Army created an experimental balloon company inspired by the American balloon corps they had seen while observing the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, 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 by
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155� ...
and
Schutte-Lanz. The first
military aircraft
A military aircraft is any Fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing or rotorcraft, rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary military of any type. Some military aircraft engage directly in aerial warfare, while others take on su ...
to be acquired by the German Army entered service in 1910 and the first five aviation battalions were established on 1 October 1913. The Imperial German Air Service () and other branches concerned with air matters such as anti-aircraft, home defence and air intelligence were unified in the on 8 October 1916.
The duties of such aircraft were initially intended to be
reconnaissance
In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...
and artillery spotting in support of the armies, just as balloons had been used during the
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
(1870–1871) and as far back as the
Battle of Fleurus (1794)
The Battle of Fleurus was fought on 26 June 1794 during the War of the First Coalition between the French Revolutionary Army under Jean-Baptiste Jourdan and an Habsburg monarchy, Austro-Dutch Republic, Dutch army commanded by Prince Josias of ...
during the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
. The French (army air service) was created in 1909 and became the in 1912. The
Air Battalion of the
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
, with two companies, was established in November 1911. The
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...
(RFC), with a military wing and a naval wing, was formed in February 1912.
Organization
The initial units of the , dedicated to observation, were known as (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. The 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 the of Nazi Germany, when it was revealed in 1935. During 1916, the German High Command (, OHL) reorganised by creating specialist fighter, bomber and reconnaissance units such as single-seat fighter squadrons (, , hunting squadrons) to counter the Royal Flying Corps and the French .
Commanders
Fighter unit organization

The initial deployment of fighter aircraft in the summer of 1915 occurred within the , which were being equipped with one or two of the new
Fokker Eindecker
The Fokker ''Eindecker'' fighters were a series of German World War I monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft designed by Netherlands, Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker.Boyne 1988 Developed in April 1915, the first ''Eindecker'' ("Monoplane") was the ...
fighter aircraft for each unit, starting with the five Fokker M.5K/MG production prototypes of the Eindecker, bearing serial numbers E.1/15 through E.5/15. The buildup of the fighter force rapidly progressed with regular
lMG 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 like
Max Immelmann
Max Immelmann (21 September 1890 – 18 June 1916) ''Pour le Mérite, PLM'' was the first German Lists of World War I flying aces, World War I flying ace.Shores, 1983, p. 10. He was a pioneer in fighter aviation and is often mistakenly credi ...
, who received IdFlieg serial number E.13/15 in August 1915.
The first step towards specialist fighter-only aviation units within the German military was the establishment of (single-seat battle unit, abbreviated as KEK) formations by Inspektor-Major Friedrich Stempel in February 1916. These were based around Eindeckers and other new fighter designs emerging, like the
Pfalz
Pfalz, Pfälzer, or Pfälzisch are German words referring to Palatinate (disambiguation), Palatinate.
They may refer to:
Places
*Pfalz, the Palatinate (region) of Germany
**Nordpfalz, the North Palatinate
**Vorderpfalz, the Anterior Palatinat ...
E-series monoplanes, 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 at
Vaux,
Avillers,
Jametz,
Cunel and other strategic locations along the Western Front, to act as (aerial guard force) units, consisting only of fighters.
Following the era of the KEK units through the summer of 1916, (hunting squadrons), established by the reorganization that started in the late summer of 1916 were fielded by four kingdoms of the German Empire. Individuallyeach of these units was often known by the abbreviation . The
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...
was predominant, with a fighter force eventually comprising 67 squadrons. The
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria ( ; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1806 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German Empire in 1871, the kingd ...
formed ten of these units, the
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony () was a German monarchy in Central Europe between 1806 and 1918, the successor of the Electorate of Saxony. It joined the Confederation of the Rhine after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, later joining the German ...
formed seven and the
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg ( ) was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Electorate of Württemberg, which existed from 1803 to 1806.
Geogr ...
four.
On 24 June 1917, the brought a quartet of squadrons together to form its first
fighter wing, Royal Prussian , incorporating Jastas 4, 6, 10 and 11, and set the pattern for using
Roman numerals
Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, eac ...
in the in the titles of such larger units.
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of th ...
was moved up from command of Jasta 11 to command JG I. Much as
Jasta 2 had been renamed as in December 1916 after
Oswald Boelcke
Oswald Boelcke PlM (; 19 May 1891 – 28 October 1916) was a World War I German professional soldier and pioneering flying ace credited with 40 aerial victories. Boelcke is honored as the father of the German fighter air force, and of air ...
, 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.
The Prussians established three more . On 2 February 1918, JG II formed from 12, 13, 15 and 19, with
Adolf Ritter von Tutschek
Adolf Ritter von Tutschek (born Adolf von Tutschek)(16 May 1891 – 15 March 1918) ''Pour le Mérite, PlM'', Military Order of Max Joseph, MOMJ was a professional soldier turned aviator. As German air strategy turned towards concentrated air power ...
in command. On the same day, JG III consolidated 2 and 26, 27 and 36 under
Bruno Loerzer
Bruno Loerzer (22 January 1891 – 23 August 1960) was a German air force officer during World War I and World War II. Credited with 44 aerial victories during World War I, he was one of Germany's leading flying aces, as well as commander of ...
. Finally, on 2 September 1918, the Royal Prussian was formed from the 's I through V and placed in charge of
Gotthard Sachsenberg. Bavaria established the Royal Bavarian on 3 October 1918, from Jastas 23, 32, 34 and 35 under
Eduard Ritter von Schleich.
Unit designations

:(AFA) : Artillery Flier Detachment
:(AFS) ; Artillery Flier School
:AFP – : Army Flight Park
:BZ – : Balloon Platoon
:BG – : Bomber Wing
: – : the Bomber Wings under direct control by the German Army's High Command in World War I.
:Bosta – : Bomber Squadron
:etc – : Post
:FFA – : Field Flier Detachment, the initial flight formations of the German Army in 1914–15
:FLA – : Field Airship Detachment
:FestFA – : Fortress Flier Detachment
:FA – : Flier Detachment
:FA(A) – : Flier Detachment (Artillery)
:FlgBtl – : Flier Battalion
:FBS – : Aerial Observer School
:FEA – : Replacement Detachment
:FS – : Flight School
:JG – : Hunting Wing, i.e., Fighter Wing
:Jasta – : Hunting Squadron, i.e., Fighter Squadron
:JastaSch – : Fighter Squadron School (also referred to as )
:KEK – : Combat Single-Seater Command, a predecessor to units
:Kest – : Combat Single-Seater Squadron, a predecessor to units
:KG – : Tactical Bomber Wing
: – : the Tactical Bomber Wings under direct control by the German Army's High Command in World War I.
:Kasta – : Tactical Bomber Squadron
:Luft – : Airship Force
:LsBtl – : Airship Battalion
:RBZ – : Aerial Photography Platoon
:Rfa – : Giant Aircraft Detachment
:Schlasta – : Battle Squadron
:Schusta – : Protection Squadron
Aircraft

During the war, the Imperial Army Air Service used many types of aircraft, ranging from fighters (such as those manufactured by ,
Fokker
Fokker (; ) was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer that operated from 1912 to 1996. The company was founded by the Dutch aviator Anthony Fokker and became famous during World War I for its fighter aircraft. During its most successful period in the 19 ...
, and
Siemens-Schuckert
Siemens-Schuckert (or Siemens-Schuckertwerke) was a German electrical engineering company headquartered in Berlin, Erlangen and Nuremberg that was incorporated into the Siemens AG in 1966.
Siemens Schuckert was founded in 1903 when Siemens & H ...
), reconnaissance aircraft (
Aviatik, (DFW) and
Rumpler
Rumpler-Luftfahrzeugbau GmbH, Rumpler-Werke, usually known simply as Rumpler was a German aircraft and automobile manufacturer.
History
Founded in Berlin by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler in 1909 as Rumpler Luftfahrzeugbau.Gunston 1993, p. ...
), two-seat fighters from
Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke and
Hannoversche Waggonfabrik and heavy bombers, largely the twin-engined designs from the () and the enormous, multi-engined heavy bombers produced by and
rigid airship
A rigid airship is a type of airship (or dirigible) in which the Aerostat, envelope is supported by an internal framework rather than by being kept in shape by the pressure of the lifting gas within the envelope, as in blimps (also called pres ...
s from (the Zeppelin Company) and as well as various types of airship from other firms.
Aircraft designation system

During the First World War, German aircraft officially adopted for military service were allocated a designation that included (1) the name of the manufacturer, (2) a function or "class" letter, and (3) a
Roman numeral
Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, ea ...
. The three-part designation was needed for a unique designation to simplify logistics support of the many types of aircraft in operation – especially as 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).
:A – Unarmed reconnaissance monoplane aircraft (for example the
Rumpler Taube and
Fokker M.5)
:B – Unarmed two-seat biplane, with the observer seated in front of the pilot.
:C – Armed two-seat biplane, with the observer (usually) seated to the rear of the pilot.
:CL – Light two-seater (primarily from
Halberstadt
Halberstadt (; Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany, the capital of Harz (district), Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town ...
and
Hannover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
), initially intended as escort fighters – by 1917–18, mainly used for ground attack.
:D – – single-seat, armed biplane but later any fighter – for instance the
Fokker E.V monoplane was renamed the D.VIII.
:Dr – – triplane fighter (twin service test Fokker triplanes initially
"F")
:E – – armed monoplane – initially included monoplane two-seaters. New monoplane types at the end of the war designated as "D" (single seat) or "CL" (two seat).
:G – – Large twin-engined types, mainly bombers (initially "K")
:GL – Lighter, faster twin-engined bombers, intended for use by day.
:J – – Fuel tanks, pilot, and (usually) the engine protected by armour plate, reducing vulnerability to ground fire. Used for low-level work, especially ground attack.
:N – "C" type aircraft adapted for night bombing – apart from night flying equipment they were fitted with wings of greater span to increase bomb load.
:R – – "Giant" aircraft – at least three, up to four to six engines – all serviceable in flight.

Most manufacturers also had their own numbering systems quite separate from the official military designations for their products. These sometimes cause confusion – for instance the military "J" series of armored aircraft designs was quite distinct from the
Junkers
Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (JFM, earlier JCO or JKO in World War I, English language, English: Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works) more commonly Junkers , was a major German aircraft manufacturer, aircraft and aircraft engine manufactu ...
aviation firm's own "J" factory type designations – the factory designation of the (military)
Junkers J.I
The Junkers J.I (manufacturer's name J 4) was a German Idflieg aircraft designation system, "J-class" armored sesquiplane of World War I, developed for low-level attack aircraft, ground attack, Aerial reconnaissance, observation and liaison airc ...
armored, all-metal sesquiplane, for example, was the Junkers J.4. The "M" (for "Militär" or military) and "V" (for "Versuchs" or experimental, according to some source initially meant a or "unbraced" airframe) designations of the Fokker firm were also internal. The latter has no direct connection with the official
Third Reich
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...
-era German "V" designation, also signifying , for prototype aircraft, promulgated by the
RLM from 1935.
The maritime aviation service used manufacturers' designations rather than the systematic system described above. For example, the landplane Gotha bombers were numbered in an "LD" (for "land biplane") series by their manufacturer, but in the "G" series in the – while the Gotha seaplanes used by the navy were (and continue to be) known by their manufacturer's "WD" (for , or "seaplane biplane") designation. Similarly, the sizable number of German seaplane designs from
Flugzeugbau 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 German
destroyers
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...
and
submarines
A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or info ...
, and were outside any system of "type" designation.
Pilots

Fighter pilots received the most attention in the annals of military aviation, since it produced high-scoring "aces" such as
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of th ...
, known in German as (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 a
synchronized-gun-equipped aircraft went to ''Leutnant''
Kurt Wintgens on 15 July 1915, after downing two similar
Morane-Saulnier L
The Morane-Saulnier L, or Morane-Saulnier Type L, or officially MoS-3, was a French parasol wing one or two-seat scout aeroplane of the First World War. The Type L became one of the first successful fighter aircraft when it was fitted with a sin ...
parasol monoplanes to the victim on 15 July, one each on 1 and 4 July that
remained unconfirmed – this fortnight of unprecedented German aerial victories initiated the period of the
Fokker Scourge
The Fokker Scourge (Fokker Scare) occurred during the First World War from Kurt Wintgens#First victory using a synchronized gun, July 1915 to early 1916.Franks 2001, p. 1. Imperial German Flying Corps () units, equipped with (Fokker monoplane) ...
. Other notable German pilots from the Fokker Scourge onwards included
Ernst Udet
Ernst Udet (26 April 1896 – 17 November 1941) was a German pilot during World War I and a ''Luftwaffe'' Colonel-General (''Generaloberst'') during World War II.
Udet joined the Imperial German Air Service in April 1915 at the age of 19 ...
,
Erich Löwenhardt
Erich Loewenhardt (7 April 189710 August 1918) was a German soldier and military aviator who fought in the First World War and became a fighter ace credited with 54 confirmed aerial victories. Originally enlisting in an infantry regiment even tho ...
,
Werner Voss
Werner Voss (; 13 April 1897 – 23 September 1917) was a World War I German flying ace credited with 48 aerial victories. A Dyer (occupation), dyer's son from Krefeld, he was a patriotic young man while still in school. He began his milita ...
,
Josef Jacobs,
Lothar von Richthofen,
Wilhelm Frankl,
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...
,
Max Immelmann
Max Immelmann (21 September 1890 – 18 June 1916) ''Pour le Mérite, PLM'' was the first German Lists of World War I flying aces, World War I flying ace.Shores, 1983, p. 10. He was a pioneer in fighter aviation and is often mistakenly credi ...
and the master aerial tactician
Oswald Boelcke
Oswald Boelcke PlM (; 19 May 1891 – 28 October 1916) was a World War I German professional soldier and pioneering flying ace credited with 40 aerial victories. Boelcke is honored as the father of the German fighter air force, and of air ...
(the latter pair were the first to be awarded the ''
Pour le Mérite
The (; , ), also informally known as the ''Blue Max'' () after German WWI flying ace Max Immelmann, is an order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. Separated into two classes, each with their own designs, the was ...
'', the highest decoration for gallantry for officers in the German Empire: simultaneously, on 12 January 1916, after shooting down eight Allied aeroplanes each). 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. In total 76 airmen were awarded the ''
Pour le Mérite
The (; , ), also informally known as the ''Blue Max'' () after German WWI flying ace Max Immelmann, is an order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. Separated into two classes, each with their own designs, the was ...
''. 69 airmen received the "''Goldenes Militär-Verdienst-Kreuz''" (
Military Merit Cross), the highest Prussian bravery award for non-commissioned officers and enlisted men. Among them were
Gottfried Ehmann, the highest scoring air gunner of the war (12 victories). About 391 German pilots are credited with shooting down at least five Allied aircraft.
Insignia

German and
Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
military aircraft at first used the ''
cross pattée
A cross pattée or cross patty (, ), also known as a cross formée or cross formy, or even a Templar cross, is a type of Christian cross with arms that are narrow at the centre and often flared in a curve or straight line shape to be broader at th ...
'' insignia, most often known in German as the , for the
Prussian military medal. The , a black
Greek cross
The Christian cross, with or without a figure of Jesus, Christ included, is the main religious symbol of Christianity. A cross with a figure of Christ affixed to it is termed a crucifix and the figure is often referred to as the ''corpus'' (La ...
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 new
national marking, was dated 25 June 1918.
Final year
Between January and September 1918 German pilots shot down 3,732 Allied planes while losing 1,099 aircraft.
[Richard Suchenwirth: The Development of the German Air Force, 1919–1939. In: USAF Historical Studies. No. 160. Arno Press, New York 1970, p. 2] 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 Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed in a railroad car, in the Compiègne Forest near the town of Compiègne, that ended fighting on land, at sea, and in the air in World War I between the Entente and their las ...
), the service was dissolved completely on 8 May 1920 under the conditions of the
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty signed on 28 June 1919. As the most important treaty of World War I, it ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allies of World War I, Allied Powers. It was signed in the Palace ...
(Article 198), which demanded that its aeroplanes be completely handed over to the Allies (Art. 202).
Statistics
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. In addition, 1,588 allied aircraft and 2 airships were shot down by German anti-aircraft guns.
See also
*
German Air Force
The German Air Force (, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ) was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War as the aerial warfare branch of the armed forces of West Ger ...
*
''Luftstreitkräfte der NVA''
* ''
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
''
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
External links
* http://www.spartacus-educational.com/FWWgaas.htm
Der Vormarsch der Flieger Abteilung 27 in der Ukraine(The advance of Flight Squadron 27 in the Ukraine). Thi
portfolio comprising 263 photographs mounted on 48 pages, is a photo-documentary of the German occupation and military advances through the southern Ukraine in the spring and summer of 1918.
Die deütschen Luftstreitkräfte im Weltkriege edited by Georg Paul Neumann 1920 [German][Books google].
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luftstreitkrafte
.01
German military aviation
Disbanded air forces
Army aviation units and formations
Aviation in World War I
German Army (German Empire)
German Empire in World War I
Military history of Germany
Military of the German Empire
Military of the German Empire by branch
1916 establishments in Germany
1920 disestablishments in Germany
Military units and formations established in 1916
Military units and formations disestablished in 1920
20th-century German aviation