Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum  

Go Back   Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum > Discussion > Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces

Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the German Luftwaffe and the Air Forces of its Allies.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old 24th December 2021, 17:27
Schlageter Schlageter is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 90
Schlageter is on a distinguished road
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Thanks a lot for the input so far!


Ernst Scotti of 8./SG3 was an infantry soldier as well before switching to the Luftwaffe.


So not only fighter pilots had an Army past


Best an Merry Christmas to everybody
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 24th December 2021, 21:46
NickM NickM is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 606
NickM
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Quote:
Originally Posted by Schlageter View Post
Hello gents,

I would like to ask for your help researching the career of specific Luftwaffe pilots.

I am interested how many and which members of the Army and Navy (maybe Waffen-SS too?) volunteered or were selected for pilot training and subsequent transfer to the Luftwaffe during wartime.

What was the criteria/ ratio behind these changes in the careers? Were e.g. only professional soldiers eligible for such a step? Did the other Armed Forces branches encourage these transfers or did they try to prevent losing their members (and trained and specialized personnel) to the Luftwaffe?

I am excluding from my request the Army members who served as observers in Nahaufklärungsgruppen and from 1943 onwards were sent to pilot training as well the (pilot trained) Army and Navy personnel who were transferred in the 1930s to build up the Luftwaffe.

I know of following examples to above-described process:
  • Helmut Lipfert (JG52), member of Nachr. Abt.37 of 1. Panzerdivision, volunteered 1941 for pilot training
  • Hans Dortenmann (JG54, JG26), NCO in an Infantry Regiment, transferred to Luftwaffe after self-inflicted wounds saw him unfit for ground combat duties
  • Siegfried Sy (JG26), Officer in an Infantry Regiment, began 1943 pilot training
  • Willi Heilmann (JG54, JG26), Officer in an Engineer Battalion, began 1943 pilot training
Do you know other examples of such a wartime transfer and career change?

Thanks a lot in advance

Best

Michael

Firstly, Didn't 'Wutz' Galland start his service in a flak regiment?

Secondly: Dortenmann had a 'self inflicted wound'? Do you have any details of this interesting little factoid?
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 24th December 2021, 22:41
tonda75 tonda75 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 354
tonda75 is on a distinguished road
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Hello,
Major Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland was a member of FLAK from 1935 to 1940.
Regards Tony
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 25th December 2021, 01:14
Teresa Maria's Avatar
Teresa Maria Teresa Maria is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,220
Teresa Maria is on a distinguished road
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Herbert Findeisen (JG 54) was first in the infantry, then he became a reconnaissance pilot and, finally, a fighter pilot.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 25th December 2021, 18:16
Bookman Bookman is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 57
Bookman is on a distinguished road
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Mr. Drewes told us the story years ago about panzer school, witha son of Cjiang Ki Chek's son. Years later Martin and son visited the son in Taiwan, spoke still perfect German). Martin related he didn't like the tanks close quarters, but then...the 109, also narrow.
My old friend Otto Wernik (JG1/11) was straining to go to flight school all through LW service, first in a Flak unit, where he earned that qualification badge, then a LW ground unit, where he earned that badge, finally flight school, that badge. He was reunited many years later with his Belgian rescuers, thanks to Lt. Col. Klaeys. Even two re enactors w/US uniforms and his first jeep ride in decades.
As the first westerner i visited and spent a week with Guenther Scholz, JG54/JG5 etc. The stories weren't all repeated, but he was one of the so called Goring Kadetten, first navy, then LW. His friend Mr. Hrabak was also.
Herbert Trautman of our JG27 was invalided out of flying service but sent to the HG division. LW tankers badge awarded, and kindly passed on to a certain bookman.
A merry Healthy Christmas to all and families. Best wishes for the new year, and some...good books!
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 26th December 2021, 13:36
Schlageter Schlageter is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 90
Schlageter is on a distinguished road
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Quote:
Originally Posted by NickM View Post
Firstly, Didn't 'Wutz' Galland start his service in a flak regiment?

Secondly: Dortenmann had a 'self inflicted wound'? Do you have any details of this interesting little factoid?

Well, Dortenmann shot and cut himself accidentially on a hunting trip. The wounds rendered him unfit for infantry service.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 26th December 2021, 23:09
NickM NickM is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 606
NickM
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Quote:
Originally Posted by Schlageter View Post
Well, Dortenmann shot and cut himself accidentally on a hunting trip. The wounds rendered him unfit for infantry service.
Well...'ouch'.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 28th February 2022, 11:35
Edward L. Hsiao Edward L. Hsiao is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 494
Edward L. Hsiao is on a distinguished road
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Gentlemen,

I have to move this interesting topic to the front page. I know there were a lot of men from the Kriegsmarine that went to serve with the Luftwaffe.

Edward L. Hsiao
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 2nd March 2022, 12:54
Johannes Johannes is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,372
Johannes has a spectacular aura aboutJohannes has a spectacular aura aboutJohannes has a spectacular aura about
Re: Luftwaffe Pilots from other Armed Forces branches

Hi Michael

I know there were a few Luftwaffe pilots without a pilots license, also a private license holder flying with NJG units, and making claims, yet not a member of the Luftwaffe at all !

Kind Regards

Johannes
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Korea-MiG-15 and the other side of the history Daniel Nole Post-WW2 Military and Naval Aviation 24 20th April 2022 21:18
Unknown Luftwaffe pilots Adlerhorst Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 2 2nd April 2020 23:56
Information about 2 Luftwaffe fighter pilots named Mertens canonne Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 0 9th November 2016 18:35
Luftwaffe Pilots Fumanchan Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 0 18th February 2015 00:09
Luftwaffe Reaction re: African American Pilots? Glimspur Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 10 12th November 2006 04:33


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 01:10.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net