Luftwaffe Organisation
The basic Luftwaffe unit was the Staffel which was normally made up of between 9 and 16 aircraft.It was led by a Staffelkapitan who normally held the rank of Hauptmann or Oberleutnant (Captain or First Lieutenant respectively).The Staffel was always identified by an Arabic number ( 6./JG 1). Apart from the aircraft and aircrew, the Staffel had a ground organisation of various vehicles and about 150 men.
Three or four Staffeln combined together formed a Gruppe. This could be automomous like a recon. unit - and it was ibentified by an Arabic number - or part of a Geschwader or WIng in which case it was ibentified by a Roman number ( NAG 6 or III./JG 1).The Gruppe also had a Stab(staff) or Headquarters flight. Commanding Officer of the unit was the Gruppe Kommandeur (usually a Major or Hauptmann) with his Stab including the Gruppe Adjutant and the Gruppe Technische Offizier(technical Officer).
As with the Staffel, three, four and occasionally five Gruppen formed a Geschwader or Wing.They were always identified by an Arabic numeral. Like the Gruppe , the Geschwader contained a Stab made of the Geschwader Kommodore (wing commander usualy an Oberst,Obertsleutnant or Major) and other personel as Adjutant,TO,Ia (operation officer), Ic (intelligence officer), Nachrichten Offizier (signals officer) and a Major Beim Stab(staf major).Erly Worl War II composition of a Geschwader was:
Geschwader Stab
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I. Gruppe
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II. Gruppe
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III. Gruppe
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I. Gruppe Stab
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II. Gruppe Stab
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III. Gruppe Stab
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1. Staffel
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4. Staffel
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7. Staffel
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2. Staffel
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5. Staffel
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8. Staffel
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3. Staffel
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6. Staffel
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9. Staffel
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During the automn of 1944 ( for JG 2 and JG 26 summer 1943) many Jagdgeschwader (day fighter wings) were expanded to include a fourth Gruppe of four Staffeln each.Thus the new form of a typical Geschwader was:
Geschwader Stab
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I. Gruppe
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II. Gruppe
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III. Gruppe
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IV. Gruppe
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I. Gruppe Stab
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II. Gruppe Stab
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III. Gruppe Stab
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IV. Gruppe Stab
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1. Staffel
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5. Staffel
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9. Staffel
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13. Staffel
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2. Staffel
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6. Staffel
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10. Staffel
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14. Staffel
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3. Staffel
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7. Staffel
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11. Staffel
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15. Staffel
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4. Staffel
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8. Staffel
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12. Staffel
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16. Staffel
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Note: Staffel colors only apply to Jagdgeschwader airgraft.For rest of Luftwaffe see CODES.
Major types of Geschwader:
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German
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English
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Written As
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Jagdgeschwader
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Day Fighter Wing
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JG
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Kampfgeschwader
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Bomber Wing
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KG
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Kampfgeschwader(Jagd)
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Bomber
Wing on Fighter operations
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KG(J)
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Nachtjagdgeschwader
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Night Fighter
Wing
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NJG
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Schnellkampfgeschwader
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Fast Bomber Wing
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SKG
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Schlachtgeschwader
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Ground Attack
Wing
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SG
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Sturzkampfgeschwader
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Dive Bomber Wing
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St.G
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Transportgeschwader
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Transport Wing
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TG
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Zerstorergeschwader
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Destroyer Wing
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ZG
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Types of autonimous Gruppen:
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German
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English
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Written As
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Aufklarungsgruppe
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Reconnaissance Group
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Aufkl.Gr.
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Fernaufklarungsgruppe
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Long-Range Reconnaissance Group
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FAG
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Nahaufklarungsgruppe
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Short-Range Reconnaissance Group
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NAG
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Nachtschlachtgruppe
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Night Ground Attack Group
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NSG
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