Identification codes of units of the Luftwaffe 1939 - 1945
by Wolfram Bradac
This is an alphabetic listing of all known codes. This
kind of marking was used at all wings (units) and some ground-attack wings
(units) and some heavy fighter wings(units). This code was always an alpha
numeric code which was shown on the left hand from the national insignia.
Example: Fi 156 C-3/trop of the reconnaissance
group 14 (5F)
The explanation for this aircraft
are shown in the chapter 'alpha code of combat wings (units)
and squadrons
Code:
Unit:
A1+
KG 53 (53. Bomber Wing)
A2+
I./ZG 52, (I./52nd Heavy Fighter Wing, from 6.7.1940
onwards: II./ZG 2 (II./2nd Heavy Fighter Wing), Flugbereitschaft
Kd.Gen.d.dt.L in Finnland (HQ German Airforce Finland)
A3+
KG 200 (200 Special Duties Wing), Versuchskdo. 200 (200
Trials Unit), Versuchskdo. 36 (36 Trial Unit)
A4+
with squadron letter .A - Luftbeobachterstaffel - 3rd
fighter division, spring / summer 1944
NJG 3 (3rd Night Fighter Wing), frequently also with
the code L1+
D7+
Wekusta 5 (5th Metrological Squadron; from April 1943
onwards in connection with the code letter "N",
previously 1B+ with the squadron letter "H")
D9+
Night Fighter Squadron Norway, temporarily
I./NJG 7
E1 - E7+
Test Centre Rechlin (for Me 163 and Ar 234)
E8+
1./FKG 50
F1+
KG 76 (76th Bomber Wing), I./St.G. 76 (I./76th Dive
Bomber Wing; using the letter C,M,N,P of the II. Group
as those of the I. Group had already been allocated to
the I./KG 76 and, from 6.7.1940 onwards, to the III./St.G.
77)
I./LLG 2 (I./2nd Glider Assault Wing), SAGr. 130 (130
Maritime Reconaissance Wing; frequently also with the
code 6I+)
F8+
KG 40 (40 Bomber Wing), Transport Squadron "Condor"
G1+
KG 55 (55 Bomber Wing)
G2+
Aufkl.Gr.124 (124th Reconaissance Group)
G3+
NJG 101 (101st Night Fighter Wing)
G5+
Transport Squadron V. Air Corps
G6+
KGrzbV.2; 101, 102, 103, 104+105 (2nd, 101st, 102nd,
103rd, 104th+105th Special Duties Battle Group), TG 4
(4th Transport Group), 1st Air Transport Group (Maritime)
G8+
Transport Squadron IV. Air Corps
G9+
NJG 1 (1st Night Fighter Wing), ZG 1 (1st Heavy Fighter
Wing; initial formation), NJG 4 (4th Night Fighter Wing;
only for a short period of time)
Messenger Squadron of Ob.d.L. (High Command of Luftwaffe)
K6+
Kü.fl.Gr.406 (406th Coastal Aviation Group) KG 6 (6th
Bomber Wing).
K7+
Aufkl.Gr.Nacht (Night Reconnaisance Group)
K9+
Aufkl.Gr.B.d.L. (Reconnaisance Group High Command Luftwaffe)
(also T5+)
L1+
I./NJG 3(l./3rd Night Fighter Wing), I. u. IV. (Z)/LG
1 I./IV. (Heavy Fighter)/1st Instruction Wing, also I./5th
Dive Bomber Wing (former IV./1st Dive Bomber Instruction
Wing)
L2+
LG 2 (2nd Instruction Wing)
L5+
KGr.z.b.V.5 (5 Special Duties Battle Group), 7./Erg.
Transportgeschwader (7./Transport Training Replacement
Wing)
L7+
seen with +AB-AF on Fi 156, Me 108 and Me 110
M2+
Kü.fl. Gr.106 (106th Coastal Aviation Group)
M3+
seen on a Ju 52/3m (unit ?)
M7+
Kü.fl. G r.806 (806th Coastal Aviation Group)
M8+
ZG 76 (76th Heavy Fighter Wing - first activation)
N1+
High Capacity Transport Squadron from 30.1.1945 onward
N3+
I./KGr.z.b.V.172 (I./172nd Special Duties Battle Group
also 4V+)
N6+
Unit Major Babekuhl
N7+
seen on a Do 18 (unit ?)
N9+
Flugbereitschaft Norwegen (Air Service Norway)
P1+
KGr.60 (60th Battle Group)
P2+
Aufkl. Gr.21 (21st Reconnaissance Group)
P4+
Führungskette X. Fliegerkorps (Staff Flight X. Air Corps),
Transportstaffel Fliegerführer Nord (Ost) (Transport
Squadron Air Commander North (East)
P5+
Sonderstaffel Trans-Ozean (Special Squadron Transocean),
KGr.zbV. 108 (108th Special Duties Battle Group), Kdo.
d. Transportfl. Chef See-Norwegen (Command of Chief. Maritim
Transport Norway)
Q5+
Westa 27 (27th Metrological Squadron)from October 1943
on, previously 5M+ together with Westa 26 (26th Metrological
Squadron)/Lfl. 2 as an Squadron in Southern Greece
Aufkl.St.Ob.d.L (Reconnaissance Squadron Commander-in-Chief
Luftwaffe) 3.(Einsatz) Ob.d.L. (3rd Operational Squadron
Commander-in-Chief Luftwaffe), Aufkl.Gr.100 (100th Reconnaissance
Squadron), with last letter U = Wekusta Ob.d.L. (with
last letter U = Meteorological Squadron Commander-in-Chief
Luftwaffe)
T6+
St.G.2 (2 Dive Bomber Wing), SG 2 (2 Assault
Wing) mit letztem Buchstaben Z = St. Erg. St. des VIII
FI.Korps (with Z as last letter = Dive Bomber Replacement
Training Squadron of VIII. Air Corps).
T9+
Experimental unit (Transport) High Command Luftwaffe,
II./Experimental Unit Commander-in Chief Luftwaffe = Circus
Rosarious, several special commandos
U2+
Nachtrotte bei der NAG 5 (Night-Flight of 5 Short Range
Reconnaissance Wing)
U5+
KG 2 (2 Bomber Wing)
U8+
I./ZG 26 (Erstaufstellung) (I./26 Heavy Fighter Winq
(Initial Activation)
U9+
NSG 3 (3 Night Assault Wing)
V1+
Transportstaffel VIII. Fliegerkorps (Transport Squadron
VIII. Air Corps)
V3+
seen on a Ju 88 with the Squadron letters L+K in Cognac (France)
V4+
KG 1 (1 Bomber Wing)
V7+
Aufkl.Gr.32 (32nd Reconnaissance Group; during the war
they partially used an own code: the squadron number was
immediately right of the Balkenkreuz, followed by the
letter indicating the aircraft within the squadron, e.g.
V7+2G was aircraft "G" within the squadron).
W1-W3+
Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider)
W5+
Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider)
W7+
Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider), NJG 100 (100 Night Fighter
Wing)
W8-W9+
Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider)
X4+
Air Transport Group (Maritime) 222, later also SAGr.
129 (129th Maritime Reconnaissance Group)
X8+
Flugbereitschaft RLM Staaken (Aviation Ministry's
Air Service Staaken)
Z4+
Transport Squadron of III. Air Corps
Z5+
seen on a Do 17 (unit unknown)
Z6+
KG 66 (66th Bomber Wing)
1B+
13.(Z)/JG 5/13. ( )/5th Fighter Wing (only
in connection with "X" as the final code letter),
5th Metrological Air Squadron (only in connection with
"H" as the final letter)
1G+
KG 27 (27th Bomber Wing)
1H+
KG 26 (26th Bomber Wing)
1K+
NSGr.4 (4th Night Harassment Group)
1L+
seen on a Me 110, Ju 88 and He 219 with the squadron
letters L+K at Test Centre Werneuchen.
1R+
Courier Squadron in Finland (perhaps Courier Squadron
AOK Lapland?)
1T+
KG 28 (28th Bomber Wing), KGr. 126 (126th Bomber Group)
1Z+
KGrzbV. 1 (1st Special Duties Battle Group), TG 1 Savoia
Staffel (1st Transport Wing Savoia-Squadron), III./KGrzbV.
1 (III./1st Special Duties Battle Group)
2B+
2. Fliegerschuldivision (2nd Air Training Division)
2F+
until March 1940: KG 54 (54th Bomber Wing), 5./KG 28
(5./28th Bomber Wing)
2H+
210th Trial Unit
2J+
ZG 1 (1st Heavy Fighter Wing; after reforming)
2N+
ZG 76 (76th Heavy Fighter Wing; after reforming), Originally
II./ZG 1, from July 1940 onwards III./ZG 76)
2P+
X. Flying Division
2S+
I./ZG 2 (l./2nd Heavy Fighter Wing; after reforming)
2Z+
NJG 6 (6th Night Fighter Wing - from August 1943 onwards)
3C+
NJG 4 (4th Night Fighter Wing), NJG 6 (1-7.1943)
3E+
KG 6 (6th Bomber Wing)
3J+
NJG 3 (3rd Night Fighter Wing) also labelled D5+
3K+
Luftwaffe Mine Searching Group
3M+
ZG 2 (2nd Heavy Fighter Wing, initial formation)
3U+
ZG 26 (26th Heavy Fighter Wing; initial
formation. Also used onferry aircraft by the 6th Fighter
Wing from August 1944 onwards)
3W+
NSG 11 (11th Night Harassment Wing)
3X+
II./KG 1 (II./1st Bomber Wing; originally until 18.
9. 1939 I./KG 152 (I./152nd Bomber Wing)
3Z+
KG 77 (77th Bomber Wing: perhaps temporarily also called
KG 153 (153rd Bomber Wing)
4A+
IV./ZG 26 (after the dissolution of ZG 26: IV/26th Heavy
Fighter Wing in Norway, early August 1944
4B+
Westa 3 (3rd Metrological Squadron)
4D+
KG 30 (30th Bomber Wing), I./KG 25 (l./25th Bomber Wing)
KGr.z.b.V. 400 (400th Special Duties Battle Group)
4M+
Erg.Z.Gr. (Replacement Group), later I./152nd Assault
Wing)
4N+
Aufkl.Gr. 22 (22nd Reconnaissance Group), Westa 3 with
Squadron letter "H"
4Q+
Liaison Squadron of 7th Flying Division
4R+
7./NJG 2 (7./2nd Night Fighter Wing) in spring 1944
the code for this unit was changed from R4 to 4R
4T+
Westa 51 (51st Metrological Squadron) with Squadron
letter "H"
4U+
Aufkl. Gr.123 (123rd Reconnaissance Group)
4V+
KGr.z.b.V. 9+106 (9th+106th Special Duties Battle Group),
l./KGr.z.b. V. 172 (172nd Special Duties Battle Group),
KGr.z.b. V. Neapel (Special Duties Battle Group Naples),
TG 3 (3rd Transport Squadron), TG 4 (in April 1945: 4th
Transport Squadron)
5B+
10th Night Harassment Wing (i.e. the renamed II./ 1st
Glider Assault Wing as from September 1944)
5D+
Aufkl. Gr.31 (31st Reconnaissance Group)
5F+
Aufkl. Gr.14 (14th Reconnaissance Wing; later also called
14th Short-range Reconnaissance Wing)
5J+
KG 4 (4th Bomber Wing)
5K+
KG 3 (3rd Bomber Wing)
5M+
Westa 26 (26th Metrological Squadron) Lfl. 2, Westa
26 Squadron southern Greece, renamed on 10.6.43 to Westa
27. No Squadron letter were painted on the aircrafts.
5T+
KSG 1 (1st; from 1. 2. 1943 onwards: KG 101 101st Bomber
Wing)
5W+
Maritime Transport Group
5Z+
Wekusta 26 (26th Metrological Squadron) with the squadron
letter A + H.
6A+
NAG 12 (12th Short-range Reconnaissance
Wing)
6G+
St.G. 51 (51st Dive Bomber Wing), the original designation
lll./St.G. 51 was still kept after reforming to 11./St.G.
1 on 6.7.1940
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meet the author
Wolfram Bradac
I was born in 1962 in Vienna.
During my school time I started modelling with Airfix kits.
After a long break I restarted modelling. My main subjects are
aircrafts of the German Luftwaffe of WWII, also military vehicles.
Like most other modellers I stored a lot of kits, more than
I built. Beside modelling photographing is my main subject.
This page: ARCHIVE: Identification codes of units
of the Luftwaffe 1939 - 1945
was last modified on: Dec 18, 2000
The URL of the page is: http://www.rlm.at/cont/archiv02_e.htm
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