Fliegerstaffel des Führers.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; taking advantage of this text posted in this forum by Lorenz.........

Fliegerstaffel des Führers (F.d.F.)
(Unit Code: factory codes were used exclusively)

also as: Regierungsflugdienst
Flugbereitschaft RLM
Regierungsstaffel
Staffel Baur

Formation and Early History. (Feb 33 - Aug 39).

The Staffel’s orgin dates back to February 1933 when Adolf Hitler directed Lufthansa Flugkapitän Hans Baur, who was already the Führer’s personal pilot, to establish a Regierungsflugdienst (Government Flight Service) at Berlin-Tempelhof with 2 Ju 52/3m ce transports. In 1934, and now with 4 Ju 52s on hand, it was officially designated Flugbereitschaft RLM but informally referred to as Regierungsstaffel. By 31 December 1936 the Regierungsstaffel had grown to 13 Ju 52s, two of which were reserved for Hitler’s use, 3 for General Göring’s use and 7 of the remainder assigned to Hess, Himmler, Rippentrop and several other high officials. The first Fw 200 Condor was delivered to the Staffel in July 1939 and a specially outfitted Condor (D-2600 “Immelmann III”) for Hitler’s use was delivered on 19 October 1939. Through its existence from 1933 to 1945 the Staffel’s sole function was to operate as a private passenger airline for Hitler and the highest ranking personages of the National Socialist regime and foreign heads of state on official visits to the Führer. At no time during its existence did the Staffel belong to the Luftwaffe. Instead, it came directly under the Reichskanzlei and the Führer’s personal military staff. The aircrew personnel and other senior officials were former Deutsche Lufthansa (DLH) employees who held honorary rank in the SS and wore high-ranking SS uniforms. The remaining personnel were a mixture of DLH civilians and after the war began a smattering of carefully selected Luftwaffe personnel. During the early war years Hans Baur created a Staffel emblem that consisted of an eagle’s head with a surrounding oak wreath or crown and the inscription “F.d.F.” The Regierungsstaffel was renamed Fliegerstaffel des Führers on or about 1 September 1939.

See below the unit's emblem and two pictures showing the first Fw 200 Condor called "Grenzmark" at the airfield of Kolberg in 1939.

Sources: the Fuehrer’s squadron. C. G. Sweeting
8. Luftwaffe Photo Album - KAMPFGESCHWADER 1. Historical Media, LLC.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..........................

Fliegerstaffel des Führers (F.d.F.).

Focke-Wulf Fw 200A-0 Grenzmark.

It was assigned as the Führerbegleitflugzeug or escort aircraft, therefore needed no modifications and entered service on June 30, 1939, it had capacity for 26 passengers and 3 crew (4 with one hostess).

This aircraft was destroyed on December 23, 1941 while landing on a snowy track near Orel in the hands of another pilot.

Sources: the Fuehrer’s squadron. C. G. Sweeting
Der Adler Nº 18 1939.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..........................

Fliegerstaffel des Führers (F.d.F.).

Focke-Wulf Fw 200A-0 Immelmann III.

The Condor FW-200-0 assigned to the Führer (Führerflugzeug) was called Immelmann III by Hitler orders and became operational on October 19, 1939 with the following configuration: it was divided into two cabins, the back ones with a configuration like a commercial aircraft with capacity for 11 passengers ... ... ... ... ... ... ..

the front ones configured for Hitler's use with 6 seats and an armchair (the Führersessel) on the right side; in front of this chair a wooden table, in the rear two seats with a small table and a sofa on the left side. Passengers and crew had a breathing apparatus for personal use.

Sources: the Fuehrer’s squadron. C. G. Sweeting
Der Adler Nº 18 1939.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; more follows..........................

Fliegerstaffel des Führers (F.d.F.).

Focke-Wulf Fw 200A-0 Immelmann III.

The Duce as pilot of the Focke-Wulf Immelmann III.

Sources: the Fuehrer’s squadron. C. G. Sweeting
Der Adler Nº 18 1939.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; another picture of the Grenzmark...............

Focke-Wulf Fw 200A-0 Grenzmark

Source: eBay auction. http://www.trixum.de. Domingo, 19 de Septiembre de 2010, 18:24:50

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more...............

The Führer's Ju-52s.

In June 1933 it was purchased the Ju-52 / 3 N º 4021 and was registered under code D-2600 (the number was kept unchanged), the aircraft was named Immelmann in honor of the As of the WWI Oberleutnant Max Immelmann. It was powered by three Pratt and Whitney A-2 nine-cylinder radial air-cooled. When BMW got the license the P & W was reappointed to the metric system and named BMW 132.

In February 1935 it was replaced by the Ju-52 / 3 N ° 4053 called Immelmann I but maintaining the code D-2600, this aircraft was transferred to the Luftwaffe in November 1939.

Another machine Ju-52 / 3, No. 4065, called Immelmann II also served as staff transport aircraft for the Führer until it was replaced by the Fw-200 A-0 No. 3099 which was called Immelmann III.

The initial complement of the squadron had assigned at least 6 aircraft Ju-52 / 3 among them were:

No. 4013 Registration D-2201 Oswald Boelcke, then D-ADOM.
No. 4015 Registration D-2202 Richthofen, then D-ADYL.
No. 4019 Registration D-2468 Joachim v. Schroeder, then D-AFIR.
No. 4021 Registration D-2600 Immelmann, then D-AHUT.

Source: the Fuehrer’s squadron. C. G. Sweeting
Private Sales List KAMPFGESCHWADER 1. Sábado, 02 de Febrero de 2008, 21:20:37

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more...............

The Führer's Ju-52s.

Here goes the Führer flying over Poland aboard a Ju-52.

Source: Mit Hitler in Polen.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more on this topic..................

The end of the Focke-Wulf Fw 200A-0 "Grenzmark".

The "Grenzmark" was destroyed after an accident at the airfield of Orel on December 23, 1941 when it was carrying the Christmas gifts sent by Hitler to the German soldiers on the eastern front. The pilot was Flugkapitän Ludwig Gaim... who survived but with serious injury: a crushed kidney, two broken ribs, a broken leg and other bruises.

Sources: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=53381
Der Fw- 200 Condor. Jet&Prop 6/1992.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; something more on this topic..................

The end of the Focke-Wulf Fw 200A-0 "Grenzmark".

After signing the non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union, Minister v. Ribbentrop returned to Germany aboard the Fw-200 A No. 3098 "Grenzmark".

Sources: Jagdwaffe-Luftwaffe Colours. Vol 1.

Cheers. Raúl M .