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Between 1933 and 1945, the organization of the Luftwaffe underwent several changes. Originally, the German military high command, for their air warfare forces, decided to use an organizational structure similar to the army and navy, treating the aviation branch as a strategic weapon of war.
The Luftwaffe was organized in a large and diverse structure led by Reich minister and supreme commander of the Air force (German: Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe) Hermann Göring. Through the Ministry of Aviation (Reichsluftfahrtministerium) Göring controlled all aspects of aviation in Germany, civilian and military alike.
The Luftwaffe was just starting to accept the Junkers Ju 88A for service, as it had encountered design difficulties, with only a dozen aircraft of the type considered combat-ready. The Luftwaffe's strength at this time stood at 373,000 personnel (208,000 flying troops, 107,000 in the Flak Corps, and 58,000 in the Signals Corps).
The Luftwaffe experienced combat action for the first time since World War II during September 1995 [8] in the course of Operation Deliberate Force, when six IDS Tornado fighter-bombers, equipped with forward looking infrared devices, and escorted by eight ECR Tornados, supported NATO's artillery missions on positions of the Bosnian Serbs ...
In the Luftwaffe war time tables of organization, certain positions could be filled with personnel not possessing the required military training, if properly trained personnel were not available. Such Sonderführer (Specialist Leaders), should have a civilian education or training qualifying them for the technical side of the position to be ...
Many Luftwaffe personnel would simply be drafted into the Hermann Göring from other units to replace combat losses. With high caliber recruits, the regiment occupied a brand new purpose-built barracks complex at Berlin- Reinickendorf , which was constructed to the highest standards and with the most modern of facilities.
While many ranks might have equivalents in other air forces, in reality the Luftwaffe military had a far greater responsibility; while officers of the Royal Air Force, the British Air Force, were graded to a higher rank when performing higher rank functions, Luftwaffe officers maintained their rank while performing functions, regardless of size ...
During the Second World War the German Luftwaffe was the main support weapon of the German Army (Heer). It fought and supported the Wehrmacht's war effort throughout the six years of conflict and contributed to much of Nazi Germany's early successes in 1939–1942. After the turn in Germany's fortunes, it continued to support the German ground ...