Form of Iron Cross used on German military aircraft in 1915
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte ("German Air Force"), known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches ("Imperial German Flying Corps"), or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I (1914–1918). In English language sources it is usually referred to as the "Imperial German Air Service", although that is not a literal translation of either name. German naval aviators remained an integral part of the Kaiserliche Marine. Both the army and navy operated conventional aircraft, balloons and Zeppelins.
Luftstreitkräfte in Southern Victory[]
The Luftstreitkräfte arose from the Great War, as reconnaissance aircraft quickly started taking on combat roles. They shipped plans for their fighter planes like the Albatros across the Atlantic to the US to help their allies. They also made many raids on England using Zeppelins, although these were nothing more than nuisance raids. When the war ended, the Luftstreitkräfte failed to play a decisive role in the war.
When the Second Great War broke out again in 1941, the Luftstreitkräfte was forced onto the defensive against the RAF and FAF, but the RAF was the most dangerous foe. In the East, the Luftstreitkräfte enjoyed far better combat conditions against the Russians, bombing many Russian cities after defeating them in Poland and the Ukraine.
in 1943, as the tide of the war turned, the Luftstreitkräfte began to retaliate against the British after they liberated the Netherlands, by using bases there to bomb British cities. These raids increased as they moved into Belgium, while the French were no longer able to prevent the Germans from pounding their cities, particularly Paris.
As the war drew to a close, the Luftstreitkräfte was used to deliver Germany's first superbomb against the Russian capital of Petrograd. After France refused to give up, the Luftstreitkräfte then dropped another one on Paris.
After the RAF dropped a superbomb on Hamburg, the Luftstreitkräfte struck back with a massive raid on England, deploying three superbombs in London, Brighton and Norwich. The RAF attempted to retaliate but the Luftstreitkräfte was too strong, and their new Turbo fighters were able to shoot down the British bomber carrying the deadly super weapon, which detonated in an area of Belgium.
See also[]
- Luftwaffe, the German air force under the Nazi Party.
- Kaiserliche Luftmarine at the Leviathans wiki, for the German air force in "Last Flight of the Swan of the East."
