At the end of November 1953, a reorganisation of air units saw air units transferred from the Ministry of the Interior directly to the Deputy Minister and Chief of the People's Police. The air regiments were reorganized into the Aero Club 1 (Cottbus), 2 (Drewitz) and 3 (Bautzen), which in turn were divided into two sections. Starting in 1954, additional Z-126 and M-1D from Czechoslovakian production were made available.[1]
On 1 March 1956 the air force was officially established as part of the National People's Army, following the GDR's entry into the Warsaw Pact alliance. Initially the air force (LSK), with its headquarters at Cottbus, was separate from the Luftverteidigung (Air Defence, headquartered at Strausberg. It was intended to establish three fighter divisions, an attack aircraft division and an anti-aircraft division. However, eventually only the 1st and 3rd Aviation Divisions and the 1st Flak-Division were created.[2] On 1 June 1957 there was a merger of the two administrations in Strausberg, and the new headquarters was renamed the Kommando LSK/LV.
A number of military units and formations were under direct control of the Kommando LSK/LV, the Air Force Staff, and the Air Force Command of the NPA, with its HQ in Strausberg.
Soldiers of the Fritz Schmenkel fighter wing, 1985
The 1st Luftverteidigungsdivision (en: Air Defence Division), with its HQ in Cottbus, was in charge to provide air defence throughout the southern territory of the GDR. The following units were subordinated to that particular division:
The 3rd Luftverteidigungsdivision, with its HQ in Trollenhagen, was in charge to provide air defence throughout the northern territory of the GDR. The following units were subordinated to that particular division:
Structure of the Luftstreitkräfte, 1988[3]
Verbindungsfliegerkette 33 (VFK-33) An-2, Zlin-43, (Communication flight), Trollenhagen Air Base
All fighter-bomber aircraft, transport aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and transport helicopters were under the control of the FO FMTFK (roughly translates into: "Lead unit of the Frontal and Military air units", Führungsorgan der Front- und Militärtransportfliegerkräfte). The following units were part of the FO FMTFK:
Taktische Aufklärungsfliegerstaffel 47 (TAFS-47), MiG-21M, MiG-21UM, Preschen Air Base
Taktische Aufklärungsfliegerstaffel 87 (TAFS-87), MiG-21M, MiG-21UM, Drewitz Air Base
Offiziershochschule für Militärflieger
The Offiziershochschule für Militärflieger (OHS MF) with its headquarters at Bautzen was the command responsible for providing training, it had the following assigned units:
A diamond-shaped symbol identified LSK aircraft – divided into vertical black, red, and gold stripes corresponding to the horizontal fesses or bars on the GDR state flag. The centre of the diamond portrayed the GDR coat of arms: a hammer and compass surrounded by a wreath of yellow grain. The symbol differentiated the Luftstreitkräfte from the West German Luftwaffe, which displayed a stylised Iron Cross similar to the emblem on German aircraft during World War I.
Uniforms
The uniforms of the two German air forces were also different: following an older German tradition, LSK/LV uniforms were the same stone gray worn by army personnel, modified by distinctive blue insignia (similar in style, but not colour, to World War II Luftwaffe ranks) and piping. West German uniforms, on the other hand, were blue with yellow insignia and more closely modelled on those worn by Luftwaffe personnel during World War II.
Aircraft
Personal log book of a Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter pilot
Starting in 1953, East Germany received An-2, La-9, Yak-11, and Yak-18 aircraft and the MiG-15bis/UTI, MiG-17/Lim-5P, An-14A, Il-14P, MiG-9, MiG-19, Il-28, Mi-4, and Ka-26 in 1956 which were provided by the Soviet Union. The first MiG-21s were delivered in 1962. The 1970s saw the introduction of the MiG-23, while Su-22 fighter-bombers were delivered in the 1980s. The latest addition was the MiG-29 in 1988. The inventory also included Soviet-built helicopters along with trainers and other light aircraft manufactured in the Soviet Union.
The East German Air Force was unique among Warsaw Pact countries in that it was often equipped with the most advanced Soviet fighters, instead of downgraded export models. As an extension of the Soviet 16th Air Army deployed in East Germany, the Luftstreitkräfte was expected to play a front-line role in any war with NATO. As a result, it was under closer Soviet control than the air forces of other Warsaw Pact states.
After German reunification in 1990, the Luftwaffe assumed control over Luftstreitkräfte equipment and enlisted some of its personnel. Many of the GDR's military aircraft were obsolete or incompatible with NATO technical standards, and were sold to other countries. However, the Luftwaffe did retain the MiG-29 in both air defense and aggressor roles because of its excellent capabilities.
LSK/LV equipment
An Antonov An-26T at Dresden in August 1990, one week before the Luftstreitkräfte was grounded.An An-2 Colt with NVA markingsAn MiG-21PFM with NVA markingsAn MiG-21U at the Montélimar Ancône Museum in France
^"Administration of the Aero Club (Federal Archive)
^Engelhardt, Heinrich (1993). "NVA Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung". In Naumann, Klaus (ed.). NVA: expectations and reality according to selected documents mediator. Berlin / Bonn /... Herford. ISBN 3-8132-0430-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^"Die Nationale Volksarmee und die Grenztruppen der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik Ende 1988" [The National People's Army and the Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic at the end of 1988] (PDF). www.relkite.com (in German). Alterfritz. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
^Lemke, Bernd; Krüger, Dieter; Rebhan, Heinz; Schmidt, Wolfgang (2006). Die Luftwaffe 1950 bis 1970. Konzeption, Aufbau, Integration [The Air Force from 1950 to 1970. Conception, construction, integration] (in German). Munich: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag. p. 833. ISBN 3-486-57973-8.
External links
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