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
- Stab/FAGr.123
- 4./123
- 5./123
- 1./121
II.Fliegerkorps (II.Air Corps) Chartres
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
- Stab/JG 1
- I./JG 3
- I./JG 5
- II./JG 11
- I./JG 301
- Stab/JG 27
- I./JG 27
- III./JG 27
- IV./JG 27
Night Fighters
- Stab/NJG 4
- I./NJG 4
- III./NJG 4
- Stab/NJG 5
- I./NJG 5
- III./NJG 5
5.Jagddivision (5° Fighter Division) Jouy-en-Josas
Jagdabschnittführer 5 (Fighter Director 5) Bernay
Fighters
- Stab/JG 2
- I./JG 2
- II./JG 2
- III./JG 2
- Stab/JG 3
- II./JG 3
- III./JG 3
- Stab/JG 11
- I./JG 11
- I0./JG 11
- I./JG 1
- II./JG 1
- Stab/JG 26
- I./JG 26
- II./JG 26
Night Fighters
- Stab/NJG 2
- I./NJG 2
- II./NJG 2
- II./NJG 4
Jagdabschnittführer Bretagne (Fighter Direction in Brittany) Brest
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
- Generalleutnant Alexander Holle, 28 September 1944 – 15 November 1944
- Generalleutnant Joseph Schmid, 16 November 1944 – 27 April 1945
- Generalleutnant Martin Harlinghausen, 28 Aril 1945 – 8 May 1945
Chief of staff
- Generalmajor Maximilian Ritter von Pohl, 1 February 1939 – 10 June 1940
- Oberst Günther Korten, 11 June 1940 – 31 December 1940
- Generalmajor Karl Koller, 1 January 1941 – 23 August 1943
- Generalleutnant Hermann Plocher, 1 October 1943 – 26 September 1944
- Oberst Hans Wolters, September 1944 – March 1945
- Oberst Heinrich Wittmer, March 1945 – May 1945
Subordinated units
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PlotArea = width:460 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: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
LineData =
layer:front # all lines in front of bars except where noted. otherwise
at:01/09/1939 color:yellow