Robert Ritter von Greim was a German Generalfeldmarschall and First World War flying ace. In April 1945, in the last days of World War II in Europe, Adolf Hitler appointed Greim commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe after Hermann Göring had been dismissed for treason. He was the last person to have been promoted to field marshal in the German armed forces. After the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945, Greim was captured by the Allies. He committed suicide in an American-controlled prison on 24 May 1945.
branch of the German military}}
Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn was a German military aviator who was a renowned wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow pilot Erich Hartmann. Other than Hartmann, Barkhorn is the only fighter ace to ever exceed 300 claimed victories. Following World War II, he became a high-ranking officer in the German Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Josef "Pips" Priller was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 101 enemy aircraft shot down in 307 combat missions. All of his victories were claimed over the Western Front, including 11 four-engine bombers and at least 68 Supermarine Spitfire fighters.
Bruno Loerzer was a German air force officer during World War I and World War II. Credited with 44 aerial victories during World War I, he was one of Germany's leading flying aces, as well as commander of one of the first Imperial German Air Service Jagdeschwaders.
Wolfgang Schellmann was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 25 enemy aircraft shot down, including 12 in Spain, 12 on the Western Front and one on the Eastern Front of World War II.
Theodor "Theo" Osterkamp was a German fighter pilot during World War I and World War II. A flying ace, he achieved 32 victories in World War I. In World War II, he led Jagdgeschwader 51 up to the Battle of Britain and claimed a further six victories during World War II, in the process becoming one of only a few men to score victories and become an ace in both world wars.
Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 73 "Steinhoff", formerly known as Jagdgeschwader 73, is a fighter wing of the German Air Force. The wing is based in north-eastern Germany at Rostock-Laage Airport near Rostock. Its role includes general air defence as well as training for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Walther Dahl was a German pilot and a fighter ace during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Dahl claimed some 128 enemy aircraft shot down in 678 missions.
Dietrich "Dieter" Hrabak was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. Following the war, he became a Generalmajor in the German Air Force of West Germany. As a fighter ace, he claimed 125 enemy aircraft shot down in over 1000 combat missions. The majority of his aerial victories were claimed over the Eastern Front with 16 claims over the Western Allies.
Gotthard Handrick was a German Olympic athlete and German fighter pilot during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
Erich Leie was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with 121 aerial victories claimed in more than 500 combat missions. He claimed 44 on Western Front, 77 on the Eastern Front, including one four-engine bomber.
Karl-Gottfried "Karlfried" Nordmann was a German Luftwaffe pilot during World War II and, after the war, a president of Mercedes-Benz in North America. As a fighter ace he was credited with 78 enemy aircraft shot down in over 800 combat missions. He claimed the majority of his victories over the Eastern Front, with one during the Invasion of Poland and eight during the Battle of France and Britain.
Dietrich Peltz was a German World War II Luftwaffe bomber pilot and youngest general of the Wehrmacht. As a pilot he flew approximately 320 combat missions, including roughly 130 as a bomber pilot on the Eastern Front, 90 as a bomber pilot on the Western Front, and 102 as a dive bomber pilot during the invasion of Poland and Battle of France.
Friedrich Beckh was a Luftwaffe wing commander and fighter ace of Nazi Germany during World War II. As a fighter ace, he claimed 48 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of combat missions. This figure includes 44 claims on the Eastern Front and four over the Western Allies, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He held the position of Geschwaderkommodore of fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 51 and Jagdgeschwader 52.
Friedrich-Erich Obleser was a German general in the Bundeswehr. During World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe. A fighter ace, Obleser was credited with 120 aerial victories and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. For his post-war service in the German Air Force, he received the Grand Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
I. Jagdkorps was formed 15 September 1943 in Zeist from the XII. Fliegerkorps and the Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte, and later subordinated to the Luftflotte Reich. The Stab relocated to Brunswick-Querum in March 1944 and to Treuenbrietzen in October 1944. The unit was disbanded on 26 January 1945 and its obligations were taken over by IX.(J) Fliegerkorps.
Johannes Naumann was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 34 aerial victories claimed in roughly 350 combat missions, all of which claimed over the Western Front. Following World War II, he served in the newly established West Germany's Air Force in the Bundeswehr and commanded the Helicopter Transport Wing 64.
The Inspector of the Air Force is the commander of the Air Force of the modern-day German Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr. The Inspector is responsible for the readiness of personnel and materiel in the German Air Force, in that function reports directly to the Federal Minister of Defence. The current Inspector is Ingo Gerhartz, appointed on 29 May 2018.
Karl Müllner is a former German air force general. He served as Inspector of the Air Force from 25 April 2012 to 29 May 2018.
