Luftflotte 3


Luftflotte 3 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on 1 February 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West on 26 September 1944. This Luftwaffe detachment was based in German-occupied areas of Northern France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Vichy France, to support the Axis power's forces in area. Its command offices were in Paris, France.

Strategic Reconnaissance

;Fliegerführer West

Tactical Reconnaissance

  • Stab/NAGr.13
  • 1./NAGr.13
  • 3./NAGr.13

    Land Air Attack

  • III./SG 4
  • III./SG 4

    IX. Fliegerkorps (IX.Air Corps) Beauvais-Lille

Strategic Reconnaissance

  • 3./122
  • 6./123

    Bombers(Medium)

  • Stab/KG 2
  • I./KG 2
  • II./KG 2
  • III./KG 2
  • Stab/KG 6
  • I./KG 6
  • II./KG 6
  • III./KG 6
  • 16./KG 6
  • Stab/KG 30
  • I./KG 30
  • 4./KG 51
  • 5./KG 51
  • 6./KG 51
  • Stab/KG 54
  • I./KG 54
  • III./KG 54
  • III./KG 66
  • St. IV./KG 101
  • Stab/LG 1
  • I./LG 1
  • II./LG 1

    JABO (Fighter-Bombers/Incursion strike groups)

  • I./SKG 10

    X.Fliegerkorps (X.Air Corps) Angers

Special duties/long-distance operations

  • 1./KG 200
  • 1./KG 200
  • II/KG 200

    Strategic/Maritime Reconnaissance (Ultra Long Range)

  • Stab/FAGr.5
  • 1./5
  • 2./5
  • 4./5
  • 3./123
  • 1./SAGr.129
  • 1./JG.52 "BF 109"

    Bombers (Heavy) Submarine Support/Merchant Strike (Long Range)

  • Stab/KG 40
  • 1./KG 40
  • 2./KG 40
  • II./KG 40
  • 7./KG 40
  • 8./KG 40
  • 9./KG 40

    2.Fliegerdivision (2.Air Division) Montfrin

Strategic/Tactical/Maritime Reconnaissance (Medium-Short Range)

  • 1./33
  • 2./NAGr.13
  • 2./SAGr.128

    Bombers (Medium)

  • Stab/KG 26
  • II./KG 26
  • III./KG 26
  • III./KG 26
  • Stab/KG 77
  • I./KG 77
  • III./KG 77
  • 6./KG 77
  • 4./KG 76
  • 6./KG 76
  • Stab/KG 100
  • III./KG 100

    II.Jagdkorps (II.Fighter Corps) Chantilly

4.Jagddivision (4°Fighter Division) Metz

Jagdabschnittführer 4 (Fighter Direction 4°) St Pol-Brias

Fighters

Jagdabschnittführer 5 (Fighter Director 5) Bernay

Fighters

Fighters

  • II./JG 53

    Jagdabschnittführer Südfrankreich (Southern France Fighter Direction) Aix

Fighters

  • 1./JGr 200
  • 2./JGr 200
  • 3./JGr 200

    Jagdlehrer-Gr Bordeaux (Instruction Wing in Bordeaux sector)

  • Jagdabschnittführer Bordeaux Bordeaux-Mérignac
  • Zerstörer
  • *Stab/ZG 1
  • *1./ZG 1
  • *3./ZG 1
  • *2./ZG 1
  • *III./ZG 1

    Luftwaffe Special Strike Units

  • Jet Bombers/Jet Fighter-Bombers
  • *"Blitz" KG 76
  • *II.St./KG 51
  • Mistel Special Section
  • *2. /KG 101
  • *II. -/KG 200
  • Bombers with V-1 Launchers
  • *Stab/KG 3
  • *II./KG 3
  • *I./KG 53 "Legion Condor"
  • *III./KG 53 "Legion Condor"
  • Luftwaffe V-1 fixed/mobile ramps units; operated near Calais, and in Belgium and the Netherlands.
  • *Untergruppenbezeichnung FZG 76
  • *I./155 Artillerie Abt
  • *II./155 Artillerie-Abt
  • *III./155 Artillerie-Abt
  • Luftwaffe special transport units; based in Muhldorf, Bavaria, and composed of Helicopters:
  • *Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drachen
  • *Flettner Fl 265
  • *Flettner 282B Kolibri
  • Heer/Luftwaffe V-2 mobile ramps sections
  • Division zur Vergeltung; led by Heer and SS Commanders, working along with Luftwaffe personnel and facilities. They operated in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
  • "Div.z.V." Nordgruppe
  • *444° Artillerie-Abt
  • *485° Artillerie- Abt
  • *2°./485° Artillerie-Abt
  • "Div.z.V." Südgruppe
  • *500° Waffen SS Artillerie-Abt
  • *836° Artillerie-Abt
  • Heer V-4 "Rheinbote" Mobile ramps units
  • *I./709 Artillerie Abt
  • Heer V-3 Artillery group
  • *705° Artillerie Abt.

    Abbreviations

  • FAGr = Fernaufklärungsgruppe = Long-range/strategic Reconnaissance aircraft.
  • *Gruppe = equivalent to a USAAF Group.
  • JG = Jagdgeschwader = Fighters.
  • *Geschwader = equivalent to a USAAF Wing.
  • JGr = Jagdgruppe = Fighters.
  • KG = Kampfgeschwader = Bombers.
  • LG = Lehrgeschwader = Operational Training.
  • NAGr = Nahaufklärungsgruppe = Short-range/tactical Observation aircraft.
  • NJG = Nachtjagdgeschwader = Night Fighters
  • SAGr = Seeaufklärungsgruppe = Maritime Patrol aircraft
  • SKG = Schnellkampfgeschwader = Fast Bombers.
  • St = Staffel = equivalent to a RAF Squadron.
  • ZG = Zerstörergeschwader = Twin engined diurnal heavy fighters.

    Commanding officers

  • Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle, 1 February 1939 – 23 August 1944
  • Generaloberst Otto Deßloch, 23 August 1944 – 22 September 1944
  • Generalleutnant Alexander Holle, 22 September 1944 – 26 September 1944
;redesignated to Luftwaffenkommando West
;redesignated to Luftwaffenkommando West
  • Oberst Hans Wolters, September 1944 – March 1945
  • Oberst Heinrich Wittmer, March 1945 – May 1945

    Subordinated units


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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy # European date format
Period = from:01/01/1937 till:08/05/1945 #
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bar:VL3 from:start till:end text:Verbindungsstaffel/Luftflotte 3
bar:1FK from:01/10/1939 till:15/05/1940 text:I. Fliegerkorps
bar:1FK from:01/08/1940 till:31/05/1941
bar:2FK from:22/09/1939 till:31/07/1940 text:II. Fliegerkorps
bar:2FK from:01/12/1943 till:31/08/1944
bar:4FK from:01/07/1940 till:31/05/1941 text:IV. Fliegerkorps
bar:5FK from:01/10/1939 till:31/05/1941 text:V. Fliegerkorps
bar:8FK from:13/05/1940 till:31/08/1940 text:VIII. Fliegerkorps
bar:9FK from:01/05/1941 till:30/09/1944 text:IX. Fliegerkorps
bar:10FK from:01/04/1944 till:05/09/1944 text:X. Fliegerkorps
bar:2JK from:01/09/1943 till:30/09/1944 text:II. Jagdkorps
bar:2FD from:01/01/1944 till:31/07/1944 text:2. Flieger-Division
bar:5FD from:01/02/1939 till:31/10/1939 text:5. Flieger-Division
bar:6FD from:01/02/1939 till:31/10/1939 text:6. Flieger-Division
bar:FFA from:01/03/1941 till:01/04/1944 text:Fliegerführer Atlantik
bar:HJFW from:01/01/1942 till:30/09/1943 text:Höherer Jagdfliegerführer West
bar:JF2 from:01/05/1941 till:01/01/1942 text:Jagdfliegerführer 2
bar:JF3 from:01/01/1940 till:01/01/1942 text:Jagdfliegerführer 3
bar:JFSD from:01/02/1943 till:01/07/1943 text:Jagdfliegerführer Süddeutschland
bar:JFSF from:01/12/1942 till:30/09/1943 text:Jagdfliegerführer Südfrankreich
bar:LK7 from:01/10/1937 till:21/03/1941 text:Luftgau-Kommando VII
bar:LK12 from:01/10/1937 till:21/03/1941 text:Luftgau-Kommando XII
bar:LK13 from:01/10/1937 till:30/01/1941 text:Luftgau-Kommando XIII
bar:LKBNF from:01/05/1941 till:30/09/1944 text:Luftgau-Kommando Belgien-Nordfrankreich
bar:LKH from:01/05/1941 till:31/01/1944 text:Luftgau-Kommando Holland
bar:LKWF from:01/06/1940 till:30/09/1944 text:Luftgau-Kommando Westfrankreich
bar:LV3 from:01/04/1940 till:30/06/1940 text:Luftgaustab z.b.V. 3
bar:LV16 from:01/04/1940 till:30/06/1940 text:Luftgaustab z.b.V. 16
bar:1FKK from:01/10/1939 till:30/09/1940 text:I. Flakkorps
bar:2FKK from:01/12/1940 till:31/03/1941 text:II. Flakkorps
bar:3FKK from:01/02/1944 till:30/09/1944 text:III. Flakkorps
bar:LR3 from:start till:end text:Luftnachrichten-Regiment 3
bar:LR13 from:start till:end text:Luftnachrichten-Regiment 13
bar:LR23 from:start till:end text:Luftnachrichten-Regiment 23
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at:01/09/1939 color:yellow