Airfield ground units

[Henofred]

Bonjour,

I will like to have some details regarding the functioning and organization of an airfield. What I am looking for it is especially about ground units. Which kind of units and their role? Which is its theoretical strength? …and so on. I read - Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur - but what brings together this single name? Thanks a lot beforehand for your explanations.

Best regards,
Fred

[retje]

Here is an topic about the, Flughafenbetriebs Kompanieën,

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=17060

regards,

René

[Larry deZeng]

Originally Posted by Henofred

Bonjour,
I will like to have some details regarding the functioning and organization of an airfield. What I am looking for it is especially about ground units. Which kind of units and their role? Which is its theoretical strength? …and so on. I read - Fliegerhorst-Kommandantur - but what brings together this single name? Thanks a lot beforehand for your explanations.
Best regards,
Fred

The answer to your question will largely depend on what kind of a Fl.H.Kdtr. you are talking about: A, E or the smaller Flugplatzkommando C or D. It will also depend on the date, e.g., October 1940, February 1942, August 1943, June 1944, etc., etc., and which one you are talking about (Bourges, Caen-Carpiquet, Dreux, Melun-Villaroche, Toulouse-Blagnac, etc., etc.).

[Henofred]

Bonjour,

I speak about Bourges and more particularly about Avord airfield. I am a novice in this matter but your answer confirms what I presumed. In this case my request about Fliegerhorst-Kommandanturen relates to a large period…June 1940 to August 1944.

Best regards,
Fred

[Larry deZeng]

Fred:

Fliegerhorst Avord
Fl.H.Kdtr. E 14/XII (07.40 – 10.42)
Fl.H.Kdtr. A 217/XII (10.42 – 04.44)
Fl.H.Kdtr. E(v) 219/XII (04.44 – 08.44)
Subordinated to: Koflug 2/XIII (Orléans 1940-44)
Used by: IV./KG 27 (06.40 – 08.42) plus other units for various periods of time.
06.44: had 3 satellite airstrips: Avord – Saligny, Avord – Saligny le Vif, Avord – Süd 2.

The typical medium and large Fliegerhorstkommandantur in 1943 and thereafter had all or most of the following components:

Organic to the Air Base
- Fliegerhorstkp. (Air Base Co.)
- Gruppe Verwaltung (Administrative Gp. )
- Ln.Stelle (Signals Section)
- Wetterstelle (Weather Section)
- Lw.-Sanitätsstaffel (Medical Section), and/or Lw.-Krankenrevier (Dispensary)
- Lw. Zahnstation (Dental Clinic)
- Flugleitung (Air Traffic Control)
- Bildstelle (Photographic Section)
- Munitionsverwaltung (Munitions Administration)
- Flieger-Techn.Verwaltung (Air Technical Administration)
- Betriebs-Techn.Gruppe (Technical Operations Gp. )
- Fliegerhorst Werft (Air Base Workshops)
- Feuerschutzeinheit (Fire Fighting Section)
- Bomben-Übungs-u.Schiessplatz (Bomb and Gunnery Range)

Attached to the Air Base (as needed)
- Flughafen-Betriebskp.(Qu) (Airfield Servicing Co.(Quartermaster))
- Werft-Abteilung oder -züge (Workshop Detachment or Platoons)
- Lw.Bergekp. (Salvage Co.)
- Landesschützeneinheiten (Guard units)
- Lw.-Baueinheiten (Construction units)
- Transportkolonnen (Transport Columns)
- Flugbetriebsstoffkolonnen (Aviation Fueling Columns)
- Traktorenzüge d.Lw. (Air Force Tractor Platoons)

(Note: these “attached” units were only attached to the Fliegerhorstkommandantur if and when needed, and only in the quantity needed. For example, most air bases had only occasional call for salvage, construction and transport units, and most of the air bases located in Germany used civilian guards rather than uniformed Luftwaffe guard units.)

The median strength of the Fl.H.Kdtr. at Avord, 1940-44, including attached ground units, but not including tenant air units, would have been between 350 and 700 Luftwaffe and German civilian personnel plus an unknown number of French civilian personnel (several hundred, perhaps).

[Source: Qu/Luftgaukdo. XIV instructions, 6 Dec 1944, in NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-971 roll 34/0554-56.]

Larry

[Henofred]

Great Larry!

It is exactly what I wanted. So, I have also a few “Abteilungen” of Flak to add to this estimate.
Merci beaucoup.

Best regards from France.
Fred.

[Fredo Hara]

Thank you Larry !
Your answer is very complete!
I m' interest for my part in Beaumont-the-Roger, Caen-Carpiquet, Querqueville and Théville (respectively western and eastern of Cherbourg).
Is it this same organization that you have described ?
Merci,
Fredo

[HALLOUIN]

Hello Larry !
I m' interest for my part in Chartres , Dreux and Chateaudun if possible.
Thank you by advance

Frédéric

[Larry deZeng]

Bonjour Fredo et Frédéric,

The Kriegsgliederung for a Fliegerhorstlommandantur that I posted above is what one would typically find for a medium or large size airfield in France, 1941-44.

You might be able to find an actual one for the specific airfields you listed in Signaturen RL 20 and RL 21 at BA-MA Freiburg since many of the KTB'er und Anlagen for the Fliegerhorstkommandturen in France survived the war. You could probably go to Freiburg for a day and see what they have.

Larry

[Fredo Hara]

Merci Larry !
I will looking for in these way.
Fredo