Flak Unit ID's

[JayWhit]

What are the type identifiers for Flak units?
If JG is single engine fighter, StG is Dive bombers & etc.
What is the ID for a flak unit?

[Nick Beale]

The experts will give you more detail but the hierarchy was like army artillery units: Korps, Division, Brigade (and Regiment?), Abteilung, Batterie, Zug.

Then at Abteilung (battalion) level or below you got suffixes like "schwer" (heavy); "leicht" (light); (Eis.) = Eisenbahn = railway; and (IIRC) "mot." for motorised.

There were also mixed units but I can't remember the German abbreviation used for those.

[JayWhit]

I understand about the Flak Regiments being Flugabwehr (Regiment) abbreviated "Fla(Rgt)" [at least in english] but can find absolutely no records in any of my various books about individual units.
Plenty of info about the various Air Fleets, such as LuftFlotte 2 in 1940 consisting of three different FliegerKorps and two units called "JaFu" (Fighter Commands?) with individual Corps such as VIII Fliegerkorps with two KG (medium bomber) squadrons, four StG (dive bomber) squadrons, two LG (training) squadrons and three JG (fighter) squadrons.
I have found the squadron designations in more than one reference.

What I cannot find is the designations of the Flak batteries.
For instance, Is it
"3rd Heavy Battery/2nd Flak Regiment/VIII Fliegerkorps" ? In German of course.
Also, are the searchlight batteries part of the Flak unit or seperate?

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Try this reference for Flak units:

http://www.ww2.dk/ground/flak.html

[Andy Fletcher]

Check this link

http://ww2.dk/

At the left hand side click on Ground Units, then in the main panel click on Flak Units, then you can click on the individual Flak units as required.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Larry deZeng]

You can also take a look here:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...?f=49&t=157203

[JayWhit]

OK, So a particular Unit is only a "Staff" entity and the individual batteries were never (permanently attached to a regiment?
IE:
Stab/Flak-Regiment 45 (mot.): (which appears to be a motorized Unit)
did NOT have a section of heavy/light/self-propelled AAA unit(s)?
The individual batteries got moved around to where-ever in Europe/Africa/Russia they were needed?
Sounds complicated to me. How did they ever get their mail?

Let's see if I get this right:
Stab/Flak-Regiment 45 (mot.)
1.1.44 in Bordeaux under 11. Flak-Division (12. Flak-Brigade), with s.347 (v), le.144 (v), le.923 (v), gem.196 (v), gem.261 (v) and s.473 (E)
I believe the above line is saying that:
Headquarters Flak Regiment 45 was in the area around Bordeau on 1st Jan 1944 under the command of the 11th Flak-Division/12th Flak Brigade, and had 5 different Flak Batteries (or other units) attached to it.
Now, how can I find out what the 5 units are/were equipped with?
What does "s.347(v)" mean? [s = heavy, le = light, gem = Supply/ammo]? (v) = ?
Are these actual Flak units or are some searchlight/supply/ammo units?


Thanks, Jay W

[byron-]

They are normal Flak units

Le = light (leicht)
s. = heavy (schwer)
gem. = mixed (gemischt)

[Larry deZeng]

Let's see if I get this right:
Stab/Flak-Regiment 45 (mot.)
1.1.44 in Bordeaux under 11. Flak-Division (12. Flak-Brigade), with s.347 (v), le.144 (v), le.923 (v), gem.196 (v), gem.261 (v) and s.473 (E)
I believe the above line is saying that:
Headquarters Flak Regiment 45 was in the area around Bordeau on 1st Jan 1944 under the command of the 11th Flak-Division/12th Flak Brigade, and had 5 different Flak Batteries (or other units) attached to it.
Now, how can I find out what the 5 units are/were equipped with?
What does "s.347(v)" mean? [s = heavy, le = light, gem = Supply/ammo]? (v) = ?
Are these actual Flak units or are some searchlight/supply/ammo units?

Pretty good, but here are some corrections and answers:

(1) On 1 Jan 44 Flak-Rgts.Stab was under 12. Flak-Brig. Prior to April 1943 it had been under 11. Flak-Div.
(2) It had 6 different Abteilungen (=battalions) subordinated to it:

schwere Flak-Abt. 347(v = transferable)
leichte Flak-Abt. 144(v)
leichte Flak-Abt. 923(v)
gemischte Flak-Abt. 196(v)
gemischte Flak-Abt. 261(v)
schwere Flak-Abt. 473(E or Eis. = Eisenbahn = railway)

"gemischte" = mixed.

A schwere Flak-Abt. almost always had 4 or more Batterien of 8.8 cm, 10.5 cm or 12.0 cm guns.
A leichte Flak-Abt. almost always had 4 or more Batterien of 2.0 cm or 3.7 cm guns.
A gemischte Flak-Abt. almost always had 3 schwere Batterien and 2 leichte Batterien.

Good luck trying to find out exactly what kind and number of guns each battery had at some given time. That information was not preserved is most cases.

P.S. We all try and remember to say "thank you" to those who try and help and provide us with answers to our questions. Without the common civilities, these forums quickly self-destruct. Most of the members here are over 40, many over 50, some over 60. I'm 71. We realize good manners is a generational issue, but nevertheless we try to abide by them. Thank you.

[JayWhit]

Thank You ALL for your answers and help.

It was getting me frustrated as Flak units are virtually ignored in the histories I have. Except for the "88's" as they were famous for brewing up French and Engllish armour. Before us Yanks joined the land war.

One last clarification question:
The Railway units; Are these the ones we see in photographs, mounted in front of and interspersed with the freight cars to proect a train?
Mostly 2.0 & 3.7 cm weapons?
Not Heavy Flak guns that needed rails to move? Yes/No?

My German is non-existant, although in the 70's I could order a beer and ask for the location of the toilet.
(Stationed in Europe for three years 74-77).
Mostly in the Med, but some NATO cruises.
So I am over 50 myself.

Once again, Thanks to everyone for their answers and help.

Jay Whittle