Air Force ranks (1935–1945)

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The ranks of the Luftwaffe were similar to the ranks of other branches of the Wehrmacht (1935–1945).

Badge of rank

insignia Rank designation equivalent to
Shoulder piece Collar Tabs Badge of rank
special clothing 		Bundeswehr Logo Luftwaffe with lettering.svg Flag of NATO.svg
NATO
General ranks
Luftwaffe epaulette Reichsmarschall.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Reichsmarschall 3D.svg no special clothing Reichsmarschall no equivalent
Luftwaffe epaulette Generalfeldmarschall.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Generalfeldmarschall 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Field Marshal 3D.svg Field Marshal General
Luftwaffe epaulette Generaloberst.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Colonel General 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Colonel General 3D.svg Colonel General general OF-9
WMacht Lw General 1945.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs General der Flieger 3D.svg Air Force paraman general of the Airmen 3D.svg Generals of the Army:
 Lieutenant General OF-8
Luftwaffe epaulette Generalleutnant.svg Wehrmacht Lw Lieutenant General 1945collar.svg Air Force Paraman Lieutenant General 3D.svg Lieutenant General
( Lieutenant General (Ing) Aviation Engineer Service ) 		Major general OF-7
Luftwaffe epaulette Major General.Svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Major General 3D.svg Air Force paraman major general 3D.svg Major General
( Major General (Ing) Aviation Engineer Service ) 		Brigadier General OF-6
Officer ranks
Wehrmach Lw Oberst 1945h.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Colonel 3D.svg Air Force paraman Colonel 3D.svg Colonel in the General Staff (i. G.)
( Flieger-Hauptstabsingenieur (Fl Hpt Stb Ing) Fliegeringenieurdienst ) 		Colonel i. G. OF-5
Luftwaffe epaulette Lieutenant Colonel.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Lieutenant Colonel 3D.svg Air Force paraman lieutenant colonel 3D.svg Lieutenant Colonel ( Aviation Chief Staff Engineer (Fl Ob Stb Ing) Aviation Engineer Service )
 Lieutenant colonel OF-4
Luftwaffe epaulette Major.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Major 3D.svg Air Force Paraman Major 3D.svg Major
( Flieger-Stabsingenieur (Fl Stb Ing) Fliegeringenieurdienst )
( Flieger-Staffnautiker, Flieger-Nautikkorps ) 		major OF-3
Luftwaffe epaulette Hauptmann.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Hauptmann 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman captain 3D.svg Captain
( Flieger-Hauptingenieur (Fl Hpt Ing) Fliegeringenieurdienst )
( Flieger-Hauptnautiker, Flieger-Nautikkorps ) 		Captain OF-2
Luftwaffe epaulette Oberleutnant.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs First Lieutenant 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman first lieutenant 3D.svg Oberleutnant
( Flieger-Oberingenieur (Fl Ob Ing) Fliegeringenieurdienst )
( Flieger-Obernautiker, Flieger-Nautikkorps ) 		First lieutenant OF-1
Luftwaffe epaulette Leutnant.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Leutnant 3D.svg Air Force paraman lieutenant 3D.svg Lieutenant
( Aviation Engineer (Fl Ing) Aviation Engineer Service ) 		lieutenant
NCO ranks and officer candidates
Like StFw , plus
10mm double Uffz weft
across the lower end of
the shoulder flap 		Luftwaffe collar tabs Oberfeldwebel 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman staff sergeant 3D.svg Ensign staff sergeant no equivalent OR-8 *
WMacht Lw OR8 StFw h 1945.svg Staff Sergeant
like OFw , plus
10mm double Uffz weft
across the lower end of
the shoulder flap 		Luftwaffe paraman Oberfeldwebel 3D.svg Fahnenjunker-Oberfeldwebel Ensign OR-7
WMacht Lw OR7 OFw h 1945.svg Sergeant Major Sergeant Major
like Fw , plus
10mm double Uffz weft
across the lower end of
the shoulder flap 		Luftwaffe collar tabs Sergeant 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Sergeant 3D.svg Flagship Sergeant Ensign OR-6
Luftwaffe epaulette Feldwebel.svg sergeant
WMacht Lw Fhj-UFw h 1945.svg Luftwaffe collar tabs Unterfeldwebel 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Unterfeldwebel 3D.svg Ensign sergeant major no equivalent OR-5
WMacht Lw OR5a UFw h 1945.svg Sergeant major Staff Sergeant
like Uffz , plus
10mm double Uffz weft
across the lower end of
the shoulder flap 		Luftwaffe collar tabs NCO 3D.svg Air Force paraman NCO 3D.svg Ensign-NCO Flagjunker
Luftwaffe epaulette Unteroffizier.svg Sergeant
Teams
WMight Lw OR4-1 teams 1945.png Luftwaffe collar tabs Corporal 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman corporal 3D.svg Corporal OR-4
Luftwaffe collar tabs Hauptgefreiter 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman Hauptgefreiter 3D.svg Corporal OR-3
Luftwaffe collar tabs Obergefreiter 3D 2.svg Luftwaffe paraman Lance Corporal 3D.svg Corporal
Luftwaffe collar tabs Private 3D.svg Luftwaffe paraman private 3D.svg Private OR-2
Luftwaffe collar tabs Flieger 3D.svg no badge of rank Aviator OR-1
 * Note : OR stands for English Other Ranks

Gun colors

The type of weapon or troop concerned , the special force or the use were identified by the respective weapon color of the collar tabs and the patches on the special clothing.

See also

literature

  • Samuel W. Mitcham : The Rise of the Wehrmacht: The German Armed Forces and World War II . tape 1 . Praeger Security International, Westport, CT 2008, ISBN 978-0-275-99659-8 .
  • Kevin Conley Ruffner: Luftwaffe field divisions, 1941–45 . Osprey Publishing, London 1992, ISBN 1-85532-100-9 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The abbreviation “OR” stand for “other ranks / sous-officiers et militaires du rang”: NATO glossary abbreviations used in NATO documents and publications / Glossaire OTAN des abréviations utilisées dans les documents et publications OTAN . 2010, p. 237 ( nato.int ( memento of May 8, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) [PDF]).