# Luftflotte 3

Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed on 1 February 1939 from Luftwaffengruppenkommando 3 in Munich and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando West (Air Command West) on 26 September 1944. This Luftwaffe detachment was based in German-occupied areas of Northern France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Vichy France, to support the Axis power's forces in area. Its command offices were in Paris, France (on 26 June 1944).

## Strategic Reconnaissance

* Stab/FAGr.123 (Toussus le Noble – Buc)
* 4.(F)/123 (Saint-André-de-l'Eure)
* 5.(F)/123 (Monchy-Breton)
* 1.(F)/121 (Toussus le Noble – Buc)

## II.Fliegerkorps (II.Air Corps) Chartres
### Tactical Reconnaissance

* Stab/NAGr.13 (Chartres)
* 1./NAGr.13 (Chartres)
* 3./NAGr.13 (Laval)

### Land Air Attack

* III./SG 4 (Clermont-Ferrand)
* III./SG 4 (Detach) (Avord)

## IX. Fliegerkorps (IX.Air Corps) Beauvais-Lille
### Strategic Reconnaissance

* 3.(F)/122 (Soesterberg)
* 6.(F)/123 (Cormeilles)

### Bombers(Medium)

* Stab/KG 2 (Gilze en Rijen)
* I./KG 2 (Gilze en Rijen)
* II./KG 2 (Gilze en Rijen)
* III./KG 2 (Hesepe)
* Stab/KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)
* I./KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)
* II./KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)
* III./KG 6 (Melun-Villaroche)
* 16./KG 6(JABO/Rapid) (Soesterberg)
* Stab/KG 30 (Zwischenhan)
* I./KG 30 (Leck)
* 4./KG 51 (JABO/Rapid) (Soesterberg)
* 5./KG 51(JABO/Rapid) (Gilze en Rijen)
* 6./KG 51(JABO/Rapid) (Soesterberg)
* Stab/KG 54 (Eindhoven)
* I./KG 54 (Eindhoven)
* III./KG 54 (Eindhoven)
* III./KG 66 (Montdidier)
* (Eins)St. IV./KG 101 (Saint-Dizier)
* Stab(KG)/LG 1 (Melsbroek)
* I.(KG)/LG 1 (Le Culot)
* II.(KG)/LG 1(Melsbroek)

### JABO (Fighter-Bombers/Incursion strike groups)

* I.(Jb)/SKG 10 (Tours)

## X.Fliegerkorps (X.Air Corps) Angers
### Special duties/long-distance operations

* 1./KG 200 (Mont-de-Marsan)
* 1./KG 200(Detach) (Bordeaux–Mérignac)
* II/KG 200 (Biscarrosse)

### Strategic/Maritime Reconnaissance (Ultra Long Range)

* Stab/FAGr.5 (Mont-de-Marsan)
* 1.(F)/5 (Mont-de-Marsan)
* 2.(F)/5 (Mont-de-Marsan)
* 4.(F)/5 (Nantes)
* 3.(F)/123 (Corme-Écluse)
* 1.(F)/SAGr.129 (Biscarrosse)
* 1.(F)/JG.52 "BF 109"

### Bombers (Heavy) Submarine Support/Merchant Strike (Long Range)

* Stab/KG 40 (Bordeaux–Mérignac)
* 1./KG 40 (Toulouse–Blagnac)
* 2./KG 40 (Bordeaux–Mérignac)
* II./KG 40 (Bordeaux–Mérignac)
* 7./KG 40 (Saint-Jean-d'Angély)
* 8./KG 40 (Cognac)
* 9./KG 40 (Cognac)

### 2.Fliegerdivision (2.Air Division) Montfrin
#### Strategic/Tactical/Maritime Reconnaissance (Medium-Short Range)

* 1.(F)/33 (St.Martin)
* 2./NAGr.13 (Cuers)
* 2./SAGr.128 (Berre)

### Bombers (Medium)

* Stab/KG 26 (Montpellier)
* II./KG 26 (LT) (Valence)
* III./KG 26 (LT) (Montpellier)
* III./KG 26 (LT)(Detach) (Valence)
* Stab/KG 77 (Salon-de-Provence)
* I./KG 77 (LT) (Orange-Caritat)
* III./KG 77 (LT) (Orange-Caritat)
* 6./KG 77 (Istres)
* 4./KG 76 (Istres)
* 6./KG 76 (Istres)
* Stab/KG 100 (Toulouse–Francazal)
* III./KG 100 (Toulouse–Francazal)

## II.Jagdkorps (II.Fighter Corps) Chantilly
### Jagdabschnittführer 4 (Fighter Direction 4°) St Pol-Brias
#### Fighters

* Stab/JG 1 (St.Quentin–Clastres)
* I./JG 3 (St.Quentin–Clastres)
* I./JG 5 (St.Quentin–Clastres)
* II./JG 11 (Mons en Chaussée)
* I./JG 301 (Épinoy)
* Stab/JG 27 (Champfleury)
* I./JG 27 (Vertus)
* III./JG 27 (Connantre)
* IV./JG 27 (Champfleury)

#### Night Fighters

* Stab/NJG 4 (Chenay)
* I./NJG 4 (Florennes)
* III./NJG 4 (Junvincourt)
* Stab/NJG 5 (Haguenau)
* I./NJG 5 (Saint-Dizier)
* III./NJG 5 (Athies-sous-Laon)

### Jagdabschnittführer 5 (Fighter Director 5) Bernay
#### Fighters

* Stab/JG 2 (Creil)
* I./JG 2 (Creil)
* II./JG 2 (Creil)
* III./JG 2 (Creil)
* Stab/JG 3 (Évreux)
* II./JG 3 (Guyancourt)
* III./JG 3 (Mareilly)
* Stab/JG 11 (Le Mans)
* I./JG 11 (Le Mans)
* I0./JG 11 (Le Mans)
* I./JG 1 (Alençon)
* II./JG 1 (Alençon)
* Stab/JG 26 (Guyancourt)
* I./JG 26 (Guyancourt)
* II./JG 26 (Guyancourt)

#### Night Fighters

* Stab/NJG 2 (Coulommiers)
* I./NJG 2 (Châteaudun)
* II./NJG 2 (Coulommiers)
* II./NJG 4 (Coulommiers)

### Jagdabschnittführer Bretagne (Fighter Direction in Brittany) Brest
#### Fighters

* II./JG 53 (Vannes)

### Jagdabschnittführer Südfrankreich (Southern France Fighter Direction) Aix
#### Fighters

* 1./JGr 200 (Orange-Caritat)
* 2./JGr 200 (Avignon)
* 3./JGr 200 (Orange-Caritat)

## Jagdlehrer-Gr Bordeaux (Instruction Wing in Bordeaux sector)

* Jagdabschnittführer Bordeaux (Fighter Direction in Bordeaux) Bordeaux-Mérignac
* Zerstörer (Heavy Fighters)
** Stab/ZG 1 (Bordeaux–Mérignac)
** 1./ZG 1 (Corme-Écluse)
** 3./ZG 1 (Corme-Écluse)
** 2./ZG 1 (Châteauroux)
** III./ZG 1 (Cazaux)

## Luftwaffe Special Strike Units

* Jet Bombers/Jet Fighter-Bombers
** (R)"Blitz" KG 76 (Istres)
** II.St.(JABO)/KG 51 (Soesterberg)
* Mistel Special Section
** 2. (Mistel I) /KG 101 (Saint-Dizier)
** II. (Mistel I) -(Detach)/KG 200 (Saint-Dizier)
* Bombers with V-1 Launchers
** Stab/KG 3 (Venlo)
** II./KG 3 (also known as I./KG.5) (Venlo)
** I./KG 53 "Legion Condor" (Gilze en Rijen)
** III./KG 53 "Legion Condor" (Gilze en Rijen)
* Luftwaffe V-1 fixed/mobile ramps units; operated near Calais (France), and in Belgium and the Netherlands.
** Untergruppenbezeichnung FZG (Flakzielgerät) 76 (also known as 5th Flak Division (W), later as Armeekorps zur Vergeltung)
** I./155 Artillerie Abt (W)
** II./155 Artillerie-Abt (W)
** III./155 Artillerie-Abt (W)
* Luftwaffe special transport units(1944–45); based in Muhldorf, Bavaria, and composed of Helicopters:
** Focke-Achgelis Fa 223 Drachen
** Flettner Fl 265
** Flettner 282B Kolibri
* Heer/Luftwaffe V-2 mobile ramps sections
* Division zur Vergeltung(Div.z.V.); led by Heer and SS Commanders, working along with Luftwaffe personnel and facilities. They operated in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
* "Div.z.V." Nordgruppe
** 444° Artillerie-Abt
** 485° Artillerie- Abt (also known as Artillerie Regiment z. V. 902)
** 2°./485° Artillerie-Abt
* "Div.z.V." Südgruppe
** 500° Waffen SS Artillerie-Abt (also known as 500° SS Werfer Abt.)
** 836° Artillerie-Abt (also known as Artillerie Regiment zur Vergeltung 901)
* Heer V-4 "Rheinbote" Mobile ramps units
** I./709 Artillerie Abt
* Heer V-3 Artillery group
** 705° Artillerie Abt.

## Abbreviations

* FAGr = Fernaufklärungsgruppe = Long-range/strategic Reconnaissance aircraft.
** Gruppe = equivalent to a USAAF Group.
* JG = Jagdgeschwader = Fighters.
** Geschwader = equivalent to a USAAF Wing.
* JGr = Jagdgruppe = Fighters.
* KG = Kampfgeschwader = Bombers.
* LG = Lehrgeschwader = Operational Training.
* NAGr = Nahaufklärungsgruppe = Short-range/tactical Observation aircraft.
* NJG = Nachtjagdgeschwader = Night Fighters
* SAGr = Seeaufklärungsgruppe = Maritime Patrol aircraft
* SKG = Schnellkampfgeschwader = Fast Bombers.
* St = Staffel = equivalent to a RAF Squadron.
* ZG = Zerstörergeschwader = Twin engined diurnal heavy fighters.

## Commanding officers

* Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle, 1 February 1939 – 23 August 1944
* Generaloberst Otto Deßloch, 23 August 1944 – 22 September 1944
* Generalleutnant Alexander Holle, 22 September 1944 – 26 September 1944

### redesignated to Luftwaffenkommando West

* Generalleutnant Alexander Holle, 28 September 1944 – 15 November 1944
* Generalleutnant Joseph Schmid, 16 November 1944 – 27 April 1945
* Generalleutnant Martin Harlinghausen, 28 April 1945 – 8 May 1945

### Chief of staff

* Generalmajor Maximilian Ritter von Pohl, 1 February 1939 – 10 June 1940
* Oberst Günther Korten, 11 June 1940 – 31 December 1940
* Generalmajor Karl Koller, 1 January 1941 – 23 August 1943
* Generalleutnant Hermann Plocher, 1 October 1943 – 26 September 1944

#### redesignated to Luftwaffenkommando West

* Oberst Hans Wolters, September 1944 – March 1945
* Oberst Heinrich Wittmer, March 1945 – May 1945