Luftflotte 4

Luftflotte 4 (Air Fleet 4) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on March 18, 1939 from Luftwaffenkommando Österreich in Vienna. The Luftflotte was redesignated on April 21, 1945 to Luftwaffenkommando 4, and became subordinated to Luftflotte 6. It was the Luftflotte 4, which was responsible for the bombing campaign of Stalingrad, where ca. 40000 civilians died. This Luftwaffe Detachment was based in Romania, Bulgaria, Southeast Poland, Hungary, Ukraine and Russian occupied territories, for supporting Axis forces; with command offices in Morczyn, Hungary, during June 26, 1944, Eastern Front.

see Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945) for explanation of abbreviations used below.

Strategic reconnaissance

• 2.(F)/11 (Jasionka)
• 2.(F)/22 (Focşani)
• 2.(F)/100 (Lublin)

Transports (special duties)

• 14 St./Transportgeshwader 4 (Odessa)

Strategic Reconnaissance

• 3.(F)/121 (Ziliştea)
• NSt.1 (Focşani)

Tactical reconnaissance

• Stab/NAGr.1(Chişinău)
• 2/NAGr.16 (Chişinău)
• Stab/NAGr.14(Comrat)
• 1./NAGr.14 (Comrat)
• 2./NAGr.14 (Bacău)

Maritime reconnaissance

• Stab/FAGr.125(See) (Constanţa)
• 1.(F)/125 (See) (Varna, Bulgaria)
• 3.(F)/125 (See) (Mamaia)
• (Rum)A.St.22/1 (Ciocârlia, Romania)
• (Rum)101.A.St. (Mamaia)
• (Bulg)See. A.St.(Varna, Bulgaria)

Fighters

• Stab/JG.52 (Manzar)
• I./JG.52 (Leipzig, Romania)
• II./JG.52 (Manzar)
• III./JG.52 (Roman)
• 15(Kroat)/JG.52 (Ziliştea)

Land air strike

• Stab/SG.2 (Huşi)
• I./SG.2 (Huşi)
• II./SG.2 (Ziliştea)
• III./SG.2 (Huşi)
• II./SG.10 (Culm)
• 10.(Pz)/SG.2 (Trotuş)
• 14.(Pz)/SG.2 (Trotuş)

Night land attack

• Stab/NSGr.5 (Manzar)
• 1./NSGr.5 (Roman)
• 2./NSGr.5 (Chişinău)
• 3./NSGr.5 (Chişinău)

Bombers (medium)

• I./KG.4 (Focşani)

Strategic reconnaissance

• 2.(F)/11 (Jasionka)
• 2.(F)/100 (Lubin)

Tactical reconnaissance

• Stab/NAGr.2(Strunybaby)
• 1./NAGr.2(Strunybaby)
• 2./NAGr.2(Strunybaby)

Land air strike

• Stab IV(Pz)/SG.9 (Lisiatycze)
• 12.(Pz)/SG.9 (Strunybaby)
• 13.(Pz)/SG.9(Lisiatycze)
• Stab./SG.77 (Jasionka)
• I./SG.77 (Jasionka)
• II./SG.77(Lemberg)
• III./SG.77(Cuniov)
• 10.(Pz)/SG.77(Starzava)
• (Ung)S.St. G.102/1(Cuniov)
• (Ung)(101 C.O.)St. G.101(Borgond-Balaton)

Night land attack

• Stab/NSGr.4 (Hordinia)
• 1./NSGr.4 (Hordinia)

Bombers

• 14.(Eis.)KG.27 (Krosno)

Tactical Reconnaissance

• (Ung)N.A.St.102/1 (Labunia)
• 7./NAGr.32 (Labunia)

Fighters

• (Ung)J.St.102/1 (Zamość)

Bombers

• (Ung)K.St.102/1 (Klemensova)

Rapid bombers

• (Ung)SK.St.102/1 (Klemensova)

Strategic/tactical reconnaissance

• (Rum)2.(F) A.St. (Iveştidisambiguation needed)
• (Rum)102 A.St. (Vilkov)
• (Rum)(C.A.1)1A.St.(Bacău)

Fighters

• (Rum)II./JG.3 (Bacău)
• (Rum)65./J.St. (Bacău)
• (Rum)66./J.St. (Bacău)
• (Rum)67./J.St. (Bacău)
• Stab(Rum) IV.JGr.45 (Ianca)
• (Rum).45 J.St. (Ianca)
• (Rum).46 J.St. (Ianca)
• (Rum).49 J.St. (Ianca)
• (Rum).IX JGr. (Tecuci)
• (Rum).47 J.St.(Tecuci)
• (Rum).48 J.St.(Tecuci)
• (Rum).56 J.St.(Tecuci)

Tactical support (dive bombers)

• (Rum)StG.3 (Călimăneşti?) StG is Sturzkampfgeschwader, dive bombers
• (Rum)StG.4 (Huşi)
• (Rum)StG.8 (Matca)
• (Rum)(G.P.)StG.3(Detach)(Odessa)
• (Rum)(G.P.)StG.3 (Cioara-Dolceşti)

Bombers

• (Rum)KG.2 (Ţăndărei)
• (Rum)KG.4 (Ţăndărei)
• (Rum)76 K.St.(Ianca)
• (Rum)78 K.St.(Ianca)
• (Rum)V KGr. (Iveştidisambiguation needed)
• (Rum)K.St.1/3 (Ciocârliadisambiguation needed)

Fighters

• I./JG.53 (Târgşorul-Nou)
• III./JG.77 (Mizil)
• (Rum)I./JG.2 (Roşiori)
• (Rum)43. J.St.(Roşiori)
• (Rum)63.J.St.(Roşiori)
• (Rum)64.J.St.(Roşiori)
• (Rum)VII JGr.(Popești-Leordeni)
• (Rum)59./VII JGr.(Popești-Leordeni)
• (Rum)61./VII JGr.(Popești-Leordeni)
• (Rum)62./VII JGr.(Popești-Leordeni)
• (Rum)VII.JGr. (Boteni)
• (Rum)53./VII.J.St (Boteni)
• (Rum)57./VII.J.St.(Boteni)
• (Rum)51.J.St. (Ţepeş Vodădisambiguation needed)
• (Rum)52.J.St. (Mamaia)
• (Rum)58.J.St. (Pipera)

Night fighters

• 10./NJG.6 (Otopeni-Bucharest)
• 12./NJG.6 (Otopeni-Bucharest)
• 11./(Detach)NJG.100 (Otopeni-Bucharest)
• 4./(N)JG.301 (Mizil)
• 6./(N)JG.301 (Târgşorul-Nou)
• (Rum)1./NJ.St. (Otopeni-Bucharest)

Commanding officers

Flag for the Chief of a Luftflotte

• Generaloberst Alexander Löhr, 18 March 1939 – 20 July 1942
• Generalfeldmarschall Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, 20 July 1942 – 4 September 1943
• Generaloberst Otto Deßloch, 4 September 1943 – 17 August 1944
• Generalleutnant Alexander Holle, 25 August 1944 – 27 September 1944
• Generaloberst Otto Deßloch, 28 September 1944 – 21 April 1945

Chief of staff

Herbert Olbricht

• Oberst Günther Korten, 18 March 1939 – 19 December 1939
• Oberst Herbert Olbrich, 19 December 1939 – 21 July 1940
• Obstlt Andreas Nielsen, 21 July 1940 – 3 November 1940
• Oberst Richard Schimpf, 4 November 1940 – 15 January 1941
• Generalleutnant Günther Korten, 15 January 1941 – 12 August 1942
• Oberst Hans-Detlef Herhudt von Rohden, 24 August 1942 – 23 February 1943
• Oberst Karl-Heinrich Schulz, 1 March 1943 – 25 March 1943
• General Otto Deßloch, 26 March 1943 – 3 September 1943
• Generalmajor Karl-Heinrich Schulz, 3 September 1943 – 21 April 1945

References

Notes

References

• Luftflotte 4 @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Luftflotte 4 @ The Luftwaffe, 1933-45