Luftflotte 1 ("Air Fleet 1") was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on 1 February 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 1 in Berlin. This Luftwaffe detachment served in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, supporting Axis forces in area; with command offices in Malpils, Latvia, (26 June 1944), Eastern front.

Luftflotte 1
Flag for the Chief of a Luftflotte
Active1 February 1939
Disbanded16 April 1945
Country Nazi Germany
BranchLuftwaffe
TypeCommand

Units under command

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Strategic reconnaissance

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  • Stab/FAGr 1 (RigaSpilve)
  • 3.(F)/22 (Riga–Spilve)
  • 5.(F)/122 (Mitau)
  • NASt 3 (Riga–Spilve)

Maritime reconnaissance

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Transports

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  • 1./TGr 10(Ital.) (Riga–Spilve)

Transports (special works)

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This unit was branch of Kampfgeschwader 200 (KG 200) with bases in East Prussia, Courland and the Baltic. It was equipped with:

  • Junkers Ju 252
  • Junkers Ju 352 Herkules
  • Arado Ar 232 Tausendfüßler for transporting special commandos, weapons, vehicles or dropping secret agents in clandestine missions behind enemy lines.
  • I.(TGr.)/KG 200 (based at Riga)

Bombers

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3.Fliegerdivision (3rd air division) Petseri

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Tactical Reconnaissance

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  • Nahaufklärungsgruppe 5
  • Nahaufklärungsgruppe 31

Land Air Strike

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  • I/SG 3 (Jakobstadt)

Night ground attack

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  • Nachtschlachtgruppe 1
  • Nachtschlachtgruppe 1
  • Nachtschlachtgruppe 12
    • 1./(Detach)NSGr 12(Riga–Spilve)
  • Nachtschlachtgruppe 11
    • Stab/NSGr 11 (Rahkla)[a]
    • 1./NSGr 11 (Rahkla)
    • 2./NSGr 11 (Rahkla)
    • 2./NSG 12 (Libau)

Jagdabschnittführer Ostland ("fighter direction in Ostland") Riga-Spilve

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JG 54 with fighters

Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Kuhlmey combat unit) Immola

Tactical reconnaissance

Fighters

  • II./JG 54 (Immola)

Ground attack

Commanding officers

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Chiefs of staff

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  • Generalmajor Wilhelm Speidel, 1 February 1939 – 19 December 1939
  • Generalleutnant Ulrich Kessler, 19 December 1939 – 25 April 1940
  • Oberst Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch, 1 May 1940 – 9 May 1940
  • Generalmajor Dr. Robert Knauss, 9 May 1940 – 4 October 1940
  • Generalmajor Otto Schöbel, 5 October 1940 – 16 January 1941
  • Generalmajor Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch, 16 January 1941 – 13 October 1941
  • Generalmajor Herbert Rieckhoff, 13 October 1941 – 23 February 1943
  • Generalmajor Hans Detlef Herhudt von Rohden, 23 February 1943 – 24 August 1943
  • Generalmajor Klaus Uebe, 25 August 1943 – 24 December 1944
  • Oberstleutnant Paul-Werner Hozzel, 25 December 1944 – 16 April 1945

Subordinate units

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Detachment Kuhlmey1st Air Division (Germany)

Abbreviations

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See also

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References

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Notes
  1. ^ Not to be confused with Rahkla, Rakvere Parish.
References