National Socialist Flyers Corps
Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps - NSFK
NSFK pennant
Agency overview
Formed15 April 1937
Preceding agency
Dissolved8 May 1945
JurisdictionNazi Germany Nazi Germany
Occupied Europe
Agency executives
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The National Socialist Flyers Corps (German: Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps; NSFK) was a paramilitary aviation organization of the Nazi Party.

History

NSFK was founded 15 April 1937 as a successor to the German Air Sports Association; the latter had been active during the years when a German air force was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles. The NSFK organization was based closely on the para-military organization of the Sturmabteilung (SA). A similar group was the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK). During the early years of its existence, the NSFK conducted military aviation training in gliders and private airplanes.

Leadership

Friedrich Christiansen, originally a Generalleutnant then later a Luftwaffe General der Flieger, was NSFK Korpsführer from 15 April 1937 until 26 June 1943, followed by Generaloberst Alfred Keller until 8 May 1945. Hermann Goering as Reich Marshal was nominal head of the NSFK and was occasionally consulted on issues surrounding heavy transport, as at the Battle of Stalingrad.

Ranks, uniforms and other insignia

The paramilitary rank system was in use by the NSFK between the years of 1933 and 1945. The ranks were designed after paramilitary rank titles of the Sturmabteilung. Most ranks of the NSFK were also used by the National Socialist Motor Corps which maintained its own paramilitary rank system.

As with most Nazi paramilitary groups, rank patches were worn on a single collar opposite a badge of unit membership. The exception was for the ranks Standartenführer and above which displayed rank insignia on both collars.

Rank insignia

As of 1937, the final rank pattern of the National Socialist Flyer Corps was as follows:[1][2][3]

Insignia NSFK Rank Translation Luftwaffe equivalent
Collar Shoulder
Korpsführer Corps Leader Generalfeldmarschall
Ehrenführer Honorary Leader Generaloberst
Obergruppenführer Senior Group Leader General
Gruppenführer Group Leader Generalleutnant
Brigadeführer Brigade Leader Generalmajor
Oberführer Senior Leader Oberst
Standartenführer Regiment Leader Oberst
Obersturmbannführer Senior Assault Unit Leader Oberstleutnant
Sturmbannführer Assault Unit Leader Major
Hauptsturmführer Chief Assault Leader Hauptmann
Obersturmführer Senior Assault Leader Oberleutnant
Untersturmführer Junior Assault Leader Leutnant
Obertruppführer Senior Troop Leader Stabsfeldwebel
Truppführer Troop Leader Hauptfeldwebel
Oberscharführer Senior Squad Leader Oberfeldwebel
Scharführer Squad Leader Unteroffizier
Rottenführer Section Leader Obergefreiter
Sturmmann Storm Trooper Gefreiter
Mann Trooper Flieger
None Anwärter Candidate None

Uniforms

Source:[4]

Rank flags

Source:[5]

NSFK badges

References

  1. ^ "Uniform und Rangabzeichen des NSFK" (in German). Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  2. ^ Ley, Robert (1937). "Table 73". Organisationsbuch der NSDAP (in German). Zentralverlag.
  3. ^ "Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps (NSFK) Regulation Collar Tabs". German Daggers. 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  4. ^ Ley, Robert (1943). Organisationsbuch der NSDAP. Zentralverlag der NSDAP, images 70-73.
  5. ^ Herzfeld, Andreas (2013). Die Riemann'sche Sammlung deutscher Autoflaggen und Kfz-Stander, vol. 1. p. 170, and image 71.
  6. ^ a b c Doehle 1995, p. 122.

Further reading

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