Flugplatz, Fliegerhorst security and weapons?

[Dili]

What was the composition of these units, did they had some sort of organic defences AAMG? security squads, machine guns?

[Larry D.]

Landesschützenzug (v) d.Lw.
KStN L 5264.
1 x Offz. (Leutnant) als Zugführer
3 x Uffz. als Gruppenführer
4 x le.MG-Schützen
29 x Schützen
2 x le.Maschinengewehre

[Source: NARA WashDC Microcopy T-405 roll 44/frame 243.]

At peak in 1941-44, the Luftwaffe had an average of about 1,483 Landesschützenzüge (v) d.Lw. at any one time. A typical large or operational airfield in Russia or in one of the occupied countries would have from 2 to 4 of them. Their mission was to guard the base and defend it if attacked. The light machine guns were used in MG bunker strong points around the airfield perimeter. I do not think they were used to man heavy antiaircraft machine guns.

L.

[Dili]

Thanks, i suspected about AA that since Luftwaffe had their own AA.

the 4 x le.MG-Schützen were to support the 2 MG's -i suppose MG34?

My still incipient research on Luftwaffe air support leds me to believe that Flugplatz were for smaller aircraft units while Fliegerhorst is this correct? Are there any "rule of thumb" to say the first had enough support for a squadron and the later a group?

[Larry D.]

Yes, the 4 x MG-Schützen were trained crew for the 2 light machine guns, two per gun.

The specifics on airfields can be found below:

Classifications (Airfield Types)
Abholplatz: airfield used for the collection and delivery of aircraft.
Absprunghafen: advanced landing ground.
Abstellplatz: parking area (for aircraft not it use).
Arbeitsplatz: practice airfield (almost always associated with flight school training).
Aussenliegeplatz: remote dispersal or outlying parking area.
Ausweichflugplatz: satellite airfield or dispersal airfield (minor – usually no services).
Behelfsflugplatz: auxiliary airfield.
Einsatzhafen: operational airfield (minor – limited services; used mainly for fighters, dive-bombers and ground attack aircraft). Ranked I for 1st Class and II for 2d Class.
Feldflugplatz: field airstrip, advanced airfield or satellite airfield (minor – limited services; used mainly by single-engine aircraft). The Allies called this an advanced landing ground (ALG).
Fliegerhorst: air station, aerodrome, airdrome or air base (major – full services).
Flughafen: airport (major – full services).
Flughafen (See): seaplane station (major – full services).
Flugplatz: airfield (major – full services).
Gefechtslandeplatz: tactical landing ground (minor – limited services or no services).
Hilfsflugplatz: auxiliary airfield.
Industriehafen: factory airfield.
Landeplatz: landing field or landing ground (minor – limited services or no services).
Leithorst: controlling air base (major – full services).
Nebenplatz: satellite airfield or landing ground (minor – limited services or no services).
Notlandeplatz: emergency landing field or emergency landing ground (minor – no services).
Schattenplatz: satellite airfield or landing ground (minor – limited services or no services).
Scheinflugplatz: dummy airfield used to deceive the enemy.
Seefliegerhorst: seaplane station.
Seeflugstützpunkt: seaplane base.
Seeflugstützpunktkommando: seaplane base detachment.
Sportplatz: sports field for civil aircraft, sports ground/playing field.
Teilkommandantur: branch component of a Fliegerhorstkommandantur.
Übungsflugplatz: practice or training airfield (minor – limited services or no services).
Verkehrsflughafen: civil airfield (ranked I for 1st Class and II for 2d Class).
Verkehrslandeplatz: civil landing ground.
Zivilflughafen: civil airport.
Zwischenlandeplatz: transit airfield.
[Note: on 1 April 1944, the Fl.H.Kdtr. designations A and E and the Fl.Pl.Kdo. designations A, B and C were terminated and replaced with A(o) and E(v).]

Airfield Designations

Pre-War to the End of 1942:
A 6-page Luftgaukdo. XIII (Nürnberg) document, Nr. 2086/40 geh., dated 6. April 1940 and signed by Generalintendant Urrisk, Luftgauintendant of Luftgaukdo. XIII, and a 7-page Luftflottenkdo. 3 (Paris) document, O.Qu.Nr.5505/40 g.K. Gliederung der Bodenorganisation im Luftflottenbereich, dated 16.7.1940, give the official designation of every airfield in the Luftgau on 1 April 1940 and the Luftflotte 3 area on 16 July 1940, with the latter covering Luftgau VII, Luftgau XII/XIII and Luftgau Westfrankreich. Airfields in Germany were referred by name, e.g., Fliegerhorst Ansbach (or Fl.H. Ansbach). Airfield commands were also referred to by name, e.g., Fliegerhorstkommandantur L Ansbach (or Fl.H.Kdtr. L Ansbach) and Fliegerhorstkommandantur A Crailsheim (or Fl.H.Kdtr. A Crailsheim), the “L” signifying a Leithorst and the “A” signifying the largest or the most major of the four Fliegerhorst classifications (A, B, C and D). Einsatzhafen were referred to by number, e.g., Fl.H.Kdtr. (E) 12/XIII in Öttingen (in all cases, the “E” is in parentheses), but by mid-July 1940 the parentheses had been dropped and the example now shown as Fl.H.Kdtr. E 12/XIII Angers. The designation Flugplatzkdo. does not appear in these documents.

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 required)
- 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 many of the air bases located in Germany used civilian guards rather than uniformed Luftwaffe guard units.)

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

L.

[Dili]

So not much differences in capabilities between flugplatz, fliegerhorst, flughafen?

[Larry D.]

Flughafen (civil or joint civil/military airport) and Fliegerhorst were the largest with a Flugplatz being a bit smaller. But there were always exceptions. I have never seen any hard and fast rules for differentiating between a Fliegerhorst and a Flugplatz. Size and surface of the runway(s) along with repair and overhaul capabilities of the workshops played a decisive role in deciding whether it was a Fliegerhorst or a Flugplatz but these were not the only determinants.

L.

[Dili]

Thanks. I guess it depends then. Was there any difference in commander ranking?

[Larry D.]

Not initially, but from early 1944 to the end of the war it was usually an Oberst or Generalmajor for a Fliegerhorst A(o) and an Oberstleutnant or Major for a Fliegerhorst E(v), but there were no written rules for this as far as I know.

L.

[Dili]

Ok. Thanks for your help Larry.

[Larry D.]

Dili -

........usually an Oberst or Generalmajor for a Fliegerhorst A(o) and an Oberstleutnant or Major for a Fliegerhorst A(o), ..........

Change the above to:

Fliegerhorst A(o): usually an Obstlt. or Oberst.
Fliegerhorst A(o): usually a Major or Obstlt.

There were 7 Fliegerhorst A(o) with a Gen.Maj. as Kdt. in 1944-45, e.g., A(o) 4/III, A(o) 12/VII, A(o) 6/VIII, A(o) 3/XI, A(o) 4/XI, A(o) 26/XI and A(o) 6/XVII, but this was a relatively rare exception rather than the rule.

L.

[Liberty_Bell]

Hi, I realize that this post was from several years ago but I was hoping you all could help me with a Luftwaffe belt and buckle I have in my collection. It has the wording stamped into it that you were talking about in this post. On the hitch end of the belt it has 'L.B.A. (S)' with 'Joseph Moll, Goch 1938' underneath. On the belt below the stitched down tongue is either 'I. H. Kdtr. Ansbach' or FI. H. Kdtr. Ansbach'. On the buckle end, underneath the leather buckle tongue is stamped 'H. Aurich, Dresden 1940' inside a box with a pointed & slightly rounded bottom, like the tongue of a belt would look like. Thank you for any assistance you could give. I'd post a photo or two if I knew how on here.
Thanks again.
Liberty

[Larry D.]

'L.B.A. (S)' is a mystery, I'm afraid. There are just too many possibilities to be able to narrow it down or make an assumption.

'I. H. Kdtr. Ansbach' almost certainly is 'Leithorstkommandantur Ansbach', which means it was the controlling airfield within a network of 4 or 5. This was a term that existed until 1941 after which it fell out of use.

L.

[Liberty_Bell]

Thanks Larry. I greatly appreciate your knowledge. I was looking online regarding some other items I'm unsure of, read the post and wanted to ask. I'm very glad to have located this forum. Thanks again.
Liberty

[Larry D.]

L.

[kfbr392]

the 4 x le.MG-Schützen were to support the 2 MG's -i suppose MG34?

The MG 15 (converted to the ground role) is the most likely candidate, 1942 and after.

While the MG 34 was the standard MG of the Wehrmacht, there were never enough to go around, and they tended to go to units in the front lines.
Second tier weapons, such as MG 15 and Beute-MG, would have gone to rear echelon LW units like Landesschützenzug (v) d.Lw.. I suppose that these units would have made provisions to have their MG mobile, in dug-outs/bunkers, and on AA-mounts - and switching them in and out of those depending on the threat situation.

In fact, the MG 15 shows up explicitly in some Luftwaffe KStNs, in locations where a lMG 34 would be in a Heer KStN.
Such as schw.4.Komp. of I.-V.Batl./15.lw.FD:
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=116000&start=375#p2203041

Also, impressive posts by user Larry D., thank you.