Inspector of Fighters, von Greim, etc.
 

I am currently researching the office of the Inspector of Fighters of the R.L.M. As of 1 April 1935, Major Robert Ritter von Greim served as the Inspekteur der Jagdflieger (Inspector of Fighters). I assume this is the tittle that he went by at that time, but I have no documentation to back this up. Von Greim held this position until 9 February 1936. I am wondering if anyone knows who took on this position after that. Udet apparently took over on 1 February 1938, but I would like to know who served before him and after von Greim and if anyone knows the exact title they went by. As of 1938, the title was Luftwaffen-Inspekteur der Jagdflieger.

Barry Smith

Feldpost@aol.com

Re: Inspector of Fighters, von Greim, etc.
 

The story here is rather complex and not entirely accounted for, but it goes something like this: in the beginning there was the Inspector of the fighter forces combined with the dive bomber forces and this lasted until (1) things began to get complicated , and (2) Ernst Udet was not up to the task. By the summer of 1941 the functions became more specialized and an Inspector was created for each type of unit. There was also created the post of General der Jagdflieger to do the oversight functions that Udet was unprepared to do. As the war became more complex, the inspectorate functions were divided on a regional basis.

To find out who did what when, I first examined:
Mehner, Kurt and Reinhard Teuber. Die Deutsche Luftwaffe 1939-1945 Führung und Truppe (Norderstedt: Militar-Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 1993). ISBN None?
This helped but it was too vague. I then keyword searched Larry deZeng’s Officer career notes and came up with the following summary. It is not complete, but it does fill in most of it.

General der Jagdflieger:
01.04.35 to 01.08.35 Maj. Robert Ritter von Greim appt provisional Inspekteur der Jagd- und Sturzkampfflieger/Fl.In. 3.
01.08.35 to no later than 10.02.36 Maj./Obstlt. Robert Ritter von Greim appt Inspekteur der Jagd-und Sturzkampfflieger/Fl. In 3 .
01.04.38 Bruno Loerzer appt Inspekteur der Jagdflieger.
01.02.39 to 17.11.41 Gen.Lt./Gen.Oberst Ernst Udet appt General-Inspekteur d. Jagdflieger.
06.08.41 to 22.11.41+ Obstlt. Werner Mölders appt General der Jagdflieger (L.In. 3)
05.12.41 to late 01.45 Oberst Adolf Galland appt General der Jagdflieger (L.In. 3)/RLM.
01.02.45 to 08.05.45 Oberst Gordon Gollob appt General der Jagdflieger (L.In. 3)/RLM.

Inspekteur der Tagjagd (L.In.3).
11.08.42 to c.17.12.43 Obstlt. Günther Lützow appt Inspekteur der Tagjagd.
17.12.43 to 01.45 Obstlt./Oberst Hans Trautloft appt Inspekteur der Tagjagd (to 01.45).
26.01.45 to 08.05.45 Oberst Walter Dahl appt Inspekteur der Tagjäger.


Inspekteur der Tagjagd Ost (L.In.3).
c.06.07.43 to 17.12.43 Obstlt./Oberst Hannes Trautloft appt Inspekteur der Jagdflieger Ost.
09.02.45 to 08.05.45 Oberst Karl-Gottfried Nordmann appt Inspekteur der Tagjäger Ost.

Inspekteur der Tagjagd West (L.In. 3).
07.43 to 17.12.43 Oberst Günther Lützow appt Inspekteur der Jagdflieger West und Süd.
09.02.45 to 08.05.45 Oberst Josef Priller appt Inspelteur der Tagjäger West

Inspekteur der Jagd-,Zerstorer- und Schlachtflieger(L.In. 3).
01.02.39 to 04.06.40 Obstlt. Werner Junck appt Inspekteur der Jagd-, Zerstörer- u.Schlachtflieger (L.In.3)/RLM
06.06.40 to 18.12.40 Oberst Gehard-Albrecht (Gerd) von Massow appt Inspekteur der Jagd-, Zerstörer- u.Schlachtflieger (L.In.3)/RLM
05.06.40 to 18.12.40 Oberst Gerd von Massow.
19.12.40 to 05.08.41 Gen.Maj., Kurt-Bertram von Döring appt Inspekteur der Jagd-, Zerstörer- u.Schlachtflieger (L.In.3)/RLM.



I hope that this answers most of your questions.

DGS

Re: Inspector of Fighters, von Greim, etc.
 

here is a nice picture of von Greim

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons

Re: Inspector of Fighters, von Greim, etc.
 

Thanks very much Doug! I appreciate it.

Barry