Luftflotte 3

Luftflottenkommando 3

(FpNs: L 20736, L 37456)

Oberbefehlshaber:

Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle (RK) (1 Feb 39 - 23 Aug 44)

Generaloberst Otto Dessloch (RK, EL) (23 Aug 44 - 22 Sep 44)

Generalleutnant Alexander Holle (RK, DKG) (22 Sep 44 - 26 Sep 44)

Subordinate Commands:

Combat

I. Fliegerkorps (4 Oct 39 - 15 May 40)

(end of Aug 40 - May 41)

II. Fliegerkorps (4 Oct 39 - Jul 40)

(Dec 43 - Aug 44)

IV. Fliegerkorps (Jul 40 - May 41)

V. Fliegerkorps (4 Oct 39 - May 41)

VIII. Fliegerkorps (13 May 40 - end of Aug 40)

IX. Fliegerkorps (Jun 41 - 14 Sep 44)

X. Fliegerkorps (c. 1 Mar 44 - 5 Sep 44)

II. Jagdkorps (15 Sep 43 - 26 Sep 44)

2. Fliegerdivision (Aug 42 - 6 Sep 44)

5. Fliegerdivision (1 Feb 39 - 4 Oct 39)

6. Fliegerdivision (1 Feb 39 - 4 Oct 39)

Fliegerführer 3 (Dec 39 - Mar 40)

Fliegerführer Atlantik (15 Mar 41 - c. 1 Mar 44)

Fliegerführer West (c. 1 Apr 44 - 2 Jul 44)

Angriffsführer England (1 Apr 43 - 4 Sep 43)

Höherer Jagdfliegerführer West (Dec 42 - 15 Sep 43)

Jagdfliegerführer 2 (end of May 41 - 16 Sep 43)

Jagdfliegerführer 3 (Dec 39 - 6 Sep 43)

Jagdfliegerführer 4 (1 Apr 43 - 6 Sep 43)

(16 Sep 43 - 31 Aug 44)

Jagdfliegerführer 5 (15 Sep 43 - 1 Jul 44)

Jagdfliegerführer Bretagne (15 Sep 43 - 31 Aug 44)

Jagdfliegerführer Paris (21 Jun 43 - 6 Sep 43)

Jagdfliegerführer Südfrankreich (Nov 42 - 31 Aug 44)

Jagdabschnittsführer Bordeaux (Jan 44 - Jul 44)

Flakartillerie (I., II., III. Flakkorps)

Luftnachrichten-Regimente (Ln.Rgt. 3, 13, 23)

Administrative

Luftgaukommando VII, XII, XIII, Belgien-Nordfrankreich, Holland, Westfrankreich

Luftgaustab z.b.V. 3, 12, 14, 16, 31, 100, 112

Formation, Territorial Authority and Headquarters Locations:

(See below)

Formation. (Feb 39)

Formed 1 February 1939 in Munich (ex-Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 (Süd)).

West. (Sep 39 - Sep 44)

24 Aug 39: on mobilization, Stab moved from Munich to Roth near Nürnberg and located there on 1 September 1939.

Sep 39 – May 40: Phony War and Reich air defense West. Moved from Roth to Bad Orb just NE of Frankfurt/M, probably in September.

10 May 40: Stab at Bad Orb.

May 40 – Jun 40: attack on France, Belgium and Holland in support of Army Group A (Heeresgruppe A).

Jul 40: Stab moved to Paris around the end of June or beginning of July, remaining there until 17 August 1944.

Jul 40 – May 41: air offensive against England (Battle of Britain).

Jun 41 - May 44: responsible for all air operations in the West, and in command of all Luftwaffe air units in France, Belgium and Holland.

c.Mar 43: a Deutsches Luftwaffe Bevollmächtigter der Luftflottenkommando 3 (German Air Force Commissioner or Special Representative of Luftflotte 3) was set up by renaming the former Luftwaffen-Kontrollinspektion and assigned Feldpost number L 01121. It evidently had the same duties as the former Control Inspection. It was disbanded on or about 1 March 1944.

Jun 44 – Aug 44: defensive operations in the West following the Allied invasion of France through Normandy (D-Day).

17 Aug 44: Stab evacuated Paris moving to Reims to 27 August, then to Arlon to 1 September, then to Mayen near Koblenz to 17 September, then to Dehrn an der Lahn near Limburg.

26 Sep 44: renamed Luftwaffenkommando West.

Flugbereitschaft Luftflotte 3

Formation, History and Losses. (Feb 40? - Jul 44?)

No information has so far come to light about the duty flight assigned to Luftflotte 3, except for the following:

26 Sep 41: Ju 52 crash landed at Paris-Le Bourget airfield, 100% /2 killed.

5 Mar 43: Fw 190 A-4 flipped while taxying at Paris-Le Bourget, 60%.

16 Aug 43: bombed on ground during Allied air attack on Paris-Le Bourget: 1 x Ju 88 R-3 (95%), 1 x Fw 58 (70%), 2 x Fi 156 (95% and 10%).

© H.L. deZeng IV, 2023

Return to Commands