THE LUFTWAFFE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 87, 21 February 1941, Page 3

THE LUFTWAFFE

What Is Its Strength? OW many aeroplanes has Germany got, and how many will be thrown into the long-threatened invasion? These are questions which are being subjected to the closest analysis throughout the world, and here is a fairly authoritative survey made by the Air Correspondent of the "Sunday Times": It will be noticed that these figures are a little higher than those given by Oliver Stewart from the BBC recently in a broadcast repeated by the NBS, He thought that Germany had a total of about 35,000 machines, whereas this expert thinks that Germany probably has an absolute total of about 40,000 machines, of which fewer than 18,000 are "combat" types, and the number available for full operation at any given time is about 9,000. "We know there are at present three Air-fleets (Luftflotte) operating against this country, out of a total of seven regular Air-fleets. "Each German squadron (Staffel) — fighter, bomber or reconnaissance — has a peacetime strength of nine ’planes, now expanded to twelve, with a further three in reserve. Three squadrons formed a wing (Gruppe), three wings a group (Geschwader). Two fighter groups and one reconnaissance wing form one air corps (Fliegerkorps), representing the fighter protection allotted to each division. Three bomber groups, one fighter group and one reconnaissance wing go to make a division with a total of about 480 machines, not counting reserves or transports. "Each Air-fleet is composed of three divisions and one fighter air corps, make ing a total of about 1,700 aeroplanes, about a thousand of which are bombers, 75 are reconnaissance, and 625 are fighters. At any given time about one-quarter of these will be unserviceable — undergoing overhaul or repair, Therefore, the total effective strength of an Air-fleet at any moment is about 1,300 aeroplanes. "The Luftwaffe also has special transport units attached to each squadron for carrying ground personnel. For instance, each fighter group of 140 machines has 30 transports attached to it. "Thus, as far as can be estimated, without reference to official sources, the total strength plus first-line reserve immediately available and transports of the Luftwaffe may at the outset be: Six Air Fleets, 16,500; Independent Air Unit, 2,750; Naval Air Service, 1,000; Operational Training, 650; Transport Organisation, 3,500. Total, 24,400. "Behind all this will lie the reserve pool and unfinished machines, approximately 50 per cent., as well as some §,000 trainers, communication aircraft. This brings the absolute grand total of all ’planes to about 40,000. "The strength of the coming attack is thus fairly clear. If Germany were free of all other commitments and could concentrate all her operational units, she might be able to start the attack with about 9,000 aeroplanes, 4,500 of which would be bombers. This total, irrespective of losses in action, would soon be reduced by operational forces to about 6,000,"