new research - readiness state, losses and logistics

[Andreas Brekken]

Dear all.

I would like to share a small part of my research with regards to the responsibilities concerning the readiness state and logistics connected to replacement aircraft in the Luftwaffe.

Sadly - as you all probably know - large amounts of Luftwaffe related documents were destroyed during (as a natural part of a running military security regime - report, consume, destroy) and in the aftermath of the World War II.

To get a broader picture with regards to what information was required and was available at the time, we have some scraps left, and these are often found in strange places, for example as copies used as attachments to letters concerning a given topic .

One such scrap of information that will be described in full in an upcoming article is the 'Erfassung des Flugzeugbestandes un Neuregelung der Ersatzgestellung bei Frontverbänden' - loosely translated to ' Reporting of aircraft inventory and new routine for requests for replacement aircraft for the frontline units' - a letter to the Luftflotten and other high level commands (30 copies...!) from the General Staff.

In this letter the role of the Generalquartiermeister in the General Staff as the responsible unit with regards to both upholding the operational strength of the units, but also the centralized control of the flow of replacement aircraft is made totally clear (as opposed to earlier comments by others on this board dismissing the Gen.Qu. as a statistics unit only...). The O.Qu. or Oberquartiermeister has as relayed in this letter the same responsibility in the Luftflotten.

One very important sentence reads (for those of you fluent in German):

"Um sicherzustellen, dass Verbände nicht mehr Flugzeuge anfordern als ihnen rüstplanmässig zustehen und um eine laufende Kontrolle über den Bestand an Flugzeugen zu besitzen, wird die Führung von Bewegungslisten bei den Staffeln, Gruppen, Geschwadern und Luftflotten bzw. beim Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.H. und Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M. befohlen."

Again, loosely translated to : in order to have an overview of the different units aircraft strength and to ensure that the units does not request a larger number of aircraft than they are entitled to according to standards, the Staffeln, Gruppen, Geschwadern and Luftflotten and the Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.H. und Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M. are all required to deliver lists of their aircraft inventory with changes.

These lists are to be made in 5! copies, split into List A with operational aircraft and list B with all other aircraft present in the unit.

The Verteiler or distribution of the lists were:

1. Geschwader
2. Fliegerkorps or Division (dependant on chain of command)
3. Luftflotte, Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.H. und Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M. (dependant on chain of command)
4. Reichsluftministerium L.E.2

Last copy stays at the unit.

And now to a very interesting part - all aircraft leaving the units for any given cause is to be reported with Werknummer, and all communication with regards to the replacements are also to include the Werknummer.

And so to the final proof of the pudding my friends, and to show that the discussions we have had over the times with regards to what real importance and impact for a unit the loss lists kept by the Gen.Qu. had:

"In jedem Falle bleibt die werknummermässige Verlustmeldung die alleinige Unterlage für die ordnungsmässige Regelung des Nachschubes an Flugzeugen."

translated to

The loss report by Werknummer (serial number) will in every aspect be the basis for the request of an replacement aircraft.

There are further enhamncements which will be relayed later which underline this even more.

I hope that this small part of my research will enable us to come to terms with how the system was intended to work, and what responsibilities the different parts of the command chain had.

There were of course descrepancies and errors made, some even anticipated and importance of actions to reduce them outlined, as you will see from the full article.

Regards,
Andreas B

PS! The example report attached to the letter is a beauty... and this was to be used as a template