Luftflotte 5
Encyclopedia
Luftflotte 5 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe
in World War II
. It was formed 12 April 1940 in Hamburg
for the invasion of Norway.
It transferred to Oslo
, Norway
on 24 April 1940 and was the organization responsible for Luftwaffe activity in Occupied Norway
throughout the Second World War.
, and for the defence of the occupied territory thereafter.
It was divided into various operational formations, governing air forces, and into Air Districts (Luftgau) controlling ground forces and facilities.
In 1940, for the invasion, its main air asset was FliegerKorp X
, a formation comprising four bomber and one fighter wings (Geschwader) together with air support forces.
With the conclusion of the Norwegian campaign FliegerKorps X was moved to other theatres (first to the Battle of Britain, then to the Mediterranean
) while in Norway air operations came under Fliegerfuehrer (Ff) Nord, an ad hoc formation of assigned squadrons (Staffel) and groups (Gruppe). From June 1941 fighter forces in Norway came under the separate command of Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
. Total forces amounted to three fighter groups and one bomber group, with attached night fighter and fighter bomber squadrons plus auxiliaries.
On the ground Luftflotte 5's assets were administered by a single air district, Luftgau Kommando(LgK) Norwegen, with subordinate commands operating airfields around Oslo
, Kristiansand
, Bergen
, and Stavanger
in the south, Trondheim
, in the centre, and Narvik
and Kirkenes
in the north of the country.
In 1941, with the invasion
of the Soviet Union
and the entry of Finland
into the war
as Germany’s ally, a second air district was formed (LgK Finnland) around Rovaniemi
, to co-ordinate German air activity on the northern front.
In June 1942 Ff Nord was divided into three separate commands; Ff Nord West ("North (West)"), organized from Trondheim; Ff Lofoten operating from the Lofoten Islands
against Allied convoys to Murmansk
and the Soviet arctic ports; and Ff Nord Ost ("North (East)"), supporting Army operations against Murmansk and the northern front. In the summer of 1942 Ff Lofoten was reinforced with two bomber groups formed specifically for maritime operations.
In 1944 these formations were reorganized again; Nord Ost became, briefly Ff Eismeer before becoming Ff 3; Nord West became Ff 4; and Lofoten became Ff 5.
On the ground LgK Norwegen became Kommandierende General der Luftwaffe (K.G.) in Norwegen, covering ground and air formations in Norway, while LgK Finnland became K.G. Finnland, with a similar remit in Finland and, later, northern Norway.
As the war progressed however these organizations became increasingly irrelevant as German forces were forced to retreat and their air strength diminished. By the end of World War II they existed largely on paper.
This Luftwaffe detachment served in Finland
and Norway
for air support of the Axis forces in the sector, with command offices in Oslo
, Norway (at July 26, 1944).
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was formed 12 April 1940 in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
for the invasion of Norway.
It transferred to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
on 24 April 1940 and was the organization responsible for Luftwaffe activity in Occupied Norway
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
throughout the Second World War.
History
Luftflotte 5 was responsible for German air operations during the invasion of NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and for the defence of the occupied territory thereafter.
It was divided into various operational formations, governing air forces, and into Air Districts (Luftgau) controlling ground forces and facilities.
In 1940, for the invasion, its main air asset was FliegerKorp X
10th Air Corps (Germany)
X. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was a formation of the German Luftwaffe in World War II, which specialised in coastal operations. It was formed 2 October 1939, in Hamburg from the 10...
, a formation comprising four bomber and one fighter wings (Geschwader) together with air support forces.
With the conclusion of the Norwegian campaign FliegerKorps X was moved to other theatres (first to the Battle of Britain, then to the Mediterranean
Battle of the Mediterranean
The Battle of the Mediterranean was the name given to the naval campaign fought in the Mediterranean Sea during World War II, from 10 June 1940-2 May 1945....
) while in Norway air operations came under Fliegerfuehrer (Ff) Nord, an ad hoc formation of assigned squadrons (Staffel) and groups (Gruppe). From June 1941 fighter forces in Norway came under the separate command of Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen was a formation of the German Luftwaffe based in Occupied Norway during World War II.It was named for the "Fighter Leader , Norway" and referred to the units under his command.-Service history:...
. Total forces amounted to three fighter groups and one bomber group, with attached night fighter and fighter bomber squadrons plus auxiliaries.
On the ground Luftflotte 5's assets were administered by a single air district, Luftgau Kommando(LgK) Norwegen, with subordinate commands operating airfields around Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
, Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, and Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
in the south, Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, in the centre, and Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
and Kirkenes
Kirkenes
is a town in the municipality of Sør-Varanger in the county of Finnmark in the far northeast of Norway...
in the north of the country.
In 1941, with the invasion
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the entry of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
into the war
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
as Germany’s ally, a second air district was formed (LgK Finnland) around Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi is a city and municipality of Finland. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Finland's northernmost province, Lapland. It is situated close to the Arctic Circle and is between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its...
, to co-ordinate German air activity on the northern front.
In June 1942 Ff Nord was divided into three separate commands; Ff Nord West ("North (West)"), organized from Trondheim; Ff Lofoten operating from the Lofoten Islands
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
against Allied convoys to Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
and the Soviet arctic ports; and Ff Nord Ost ("North (East)"), supporting Army operations against Murmansk and the northern front. In the summer of 1942 Ff Lofoten was reinforced with two bomber groups formed specifically for maritime operations.
In 1944 these formations were reorganized again; Nord Ost became, briefly Ff Eismeer before becoming Ff 3; Nord West became Ff 4; and Lofoten became Ff 5.
On the ground LgK Norwegen became Kommandierende General der Luftwaffe (K.G.) in Norwegen, covering ground and air formations in Norway, while LgK Finnland became K.G. Finnland, with a similar remit in Finland and, later, northern Norway.
As the war progressed however these organizations became increasingly irrelevant as German forces were forced to retreat and their air strength diminished. By the end of World War II they existed largely on paper.
This Luftwaffe detachment served in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
for air support of the Axis forces in the sector, with command offices in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway (at July 26, 1944).
Kom. Gen.d.dtsch. Lw.i. Finnland (General-chief of Luftwaffe in Finland) Rovaniemi
Jagdabschnittführer Norwegen (Fighter Command in Norway) Petsamo
Commanding officers
- Generalfeldmarschall Erhard MilchErhard MilchErhard Milch was a German Field Marshal who oversaw the development of the Luftwaffe as part of the re-armament of Germany following World War I, and served as founding Director of Deutsche Luft Hansa...
, 12 April 1940 - 9 May 1940 - Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen StumpffHans-Jürgen StumpffHans-Jürgen Stumpff , was a German general of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.-Early life:Born in Kolberg, Stumpff entered the Brandenburgisches Grenadierregiment Nr. 12 "Prinz Karl von Preußen" as an ensign in 1907. Promoted to lieutenant in 1908, by the start of the First World War,...
, 10 May 1940 - 27 November 1943 - General Josef KammhuberJosef KammhuberJosef Kammhuber was a Career Officer in the German Air Force, and is best known as the first General of the Night Fighters in the Luftwaffe during World War II...
, 27 November 1943 - 16 September 1944
Chief of staff
- Oberst Dr. Robert Knauss, 12 April 1940 - 16 April 1940
- Generalmajor Helmuth Förster, 16 April 1940 - 9 May 1940
- Generalmajor Dr. Robert Knauss, 9 May 1940 - 1 August 1940
- Oberst Gerhard Bassenge, 1 August 1940 - 5 October 1940
- Generalmajor Andreas Nielsen, 20 October 1940 - 31 December 1943
- Oberst Ernst Kusserow, 1 January 1944 - 16 September 1944