Austrian Luftstreitkräfte 1936-1938

German Luftwaffe 1935-1945.
Post Reply
User avatar
Loïc B.
Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:30 am

Austrian Luftstreitkräfte 1936-1938

Post by Loïc B. »

Hello Feldgrauians !

Does anyone have information about the Austrian Air Force of the First Republic (1918-1938) ?

I'm especially looking for :
1) when these "Luftstreitkräfte" were raised ? I assume it was in 1936, when the Austrian Bundesheer expanded to face the threats which endangered the young republic, but I'd like to have confirmation (and if possible a day).
2) how many aircrafts were in each of the Staffeln (Jasta, Bomba, Aufklsta, and even Schulsta) : 10, 12, 15, more ?
3) some figures concerning these aircrafts : how many Fiat CR.20, CR.30 or CR.32, how many Caproni Ca.133 or Ca.100, how many FW44, FW56 or FW58, were in these Luftstreitkräfte ?
4) what they became when they were integrated into the German Luftwaffe in 1938 ? And what became their old and Italian aircrafts also ?

Thanks for your help,
Regards,

Loïc
"On ne relève pas Picardie !"
sid guttridge
on "time out"
Posts: 8055
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 4:54 am

Post by sid guttridge »

Hi Loic,

I have some of this information somewhere. Give me a week or two.

From memory, there was already an embryonic Austrian air force by 1934 under a code name that escapes me. It certainly flew reconnaissance missions against the Communist coup attempt in February 1934 and I would imagine also against the Nazi coup attempt in July 1934. (Can anyone confirm this last?)

The Italian aircraft were sold on to the Hungarians.

Cheers,

Sid
User avatar
Loïc B.
Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:30 am

Post by Loïc B. »

Hi Sid,

Take all the time you need, this is not an urgent work ;)
I'm very interested in your information about the embryonic Austrian airforce in 1934-1936, because I suppose that the well-known organization in two Fliegerregimenter (with several Jasta, Bomba, Schulsta and Aufklsta) was that of the 1936-1938 period.

All the best,

Loïc
"On ne relève pas Picardie !"
User avatar
Michi
Contributor
Posts: 281
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2002 2:40 pm
Location: Austria

Post by Michi »

My article for the offline Armies! website of Henrik Krog
March 1938 Austrian Air Force OB
Info contributed by Michael Lenz

This page was updated the last time on 5 March 2002
The contents of this site is the product of litterally years of exhaustive work on the part of my contributors and I. It is therefore imperative that you, should you want to use any of the info in it for anything but personal entertainment, contact me and ASK! You can do so here.


TO&Es - how the units are organised and equipped... The following Order of Battle shows the Austrian air forces as of March 1938, the time when Austria was invaded, and ultimately annexed, by Germany. The Austrian Air Force did not resist. For purposes of comparison, you can find an OB of the invading German units (including air units) here.

Air Units

Flying regiment 1
2nd Fighter wing (3 squadrons with 36 Fiat CR. 32bis)
1st Recce wing (2 squadrons with some Romeo Ro. 37)

Flying regiment 2
1st Fighter wing (3 squadrons with 36 Fiat CR. 32bis)
1st Bomber wing (2 squadrons with 5 Caproni Ca. 133, 2 Ju 52/3m and 1 Ju 86)
Training wing (3 squadrons with Fiat CR. 20/30 biposta)

Anti-Aircraft Units
1 heavy AA battery (with 8cm AA guns)
2 medium AA sections (each with 3 batteries with 4cm AA guns)
2 light AA coys (one with 2cm AA guns, one with AA machine-guns)
1 Signal/Radio coy


Ground Units
The Airplane-workshop at Graz
1 Airforce Signal/Radio company


As you are looking for the TO/E, I have found on Dr. Leo Niehorster's homepage following .gif-file:
Image


MfG Michi
eierlegende Wollmilchsau
sid guttridge
on "time out"
Posts: 8055
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 4:54 am

Post by sid guttridge »

Hi Loic,

Michi has given you as much as I have by way of OBs.

I know no more about the earlier 1934 period than I have already told you. From memory, at that stage the embryonic air force, or a part of it near Vienna, had a code name rather like "Airfield Inspectorate Aspern". (This is not an exact rendition, so do not quote it.)

Cheers,

Sid.
User avatar
Loïc B.
Member
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:30 am

Post by Loïc B. »

Michi, Sid,

Great information, but some elements are contradictory between Michi's article and Dr. Niehorster's OoB (for instance, Michi indicates 12 Fiat CR.32bis for each Jasta - 36/3 - whereas Leo says only six per squadron).

Who's right ? ;)

Anyway, thanks for your help and time, guys !
Cheers,

Loïc
"On ne relève pas Picardie !"
Post Reply