German Aircraft Markings.

[Njaco]

Charles,

Wurger, Micdrow and Wayne and myself contributed alot of this in the Technical section...try this ..

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ai...twaffe-aircraft-camouflage-markings-9318.html

You might find a few answers in addition to what was posted here.

 

[vanir]

Here you go! Scroll down to page 26 to see what you're looking for. It seems to have muddled up my fonts for the side numbers and letters, but it should still make sense. If you want me to fix it, let me know!

Looking at it, it completely makes the bomber part useless! I will fix it this week.

Nice work and all and I realise I'm a bit of an outsider, but just trying to help out.

The ranks seem a bit awry around the sergeant ranks and upper ranks.
stabsfeldwebel is staff sergeant and equivalent to warrant officer, an administrative position and the highest NCO rank
oberfeldwebel is master sergeant, equivalent to flight sergeant
feldwebel is sergeant
unteroffizier a corporal
hauptgefreiter has no equivalent
obergefreiter a leading airmen, etc.

Also General der Flieger is an administrative title, Galland was a Major when it was awarded him iirc. It's not a rank. He simultaneously held the rank Generalleutnant and the title General der Flieger by war's end.
Reichsmarschall is a unique combination of rank and title given to Göring personally by Hitler many say to satisfy jealousy regarding the Reichsführer-SS rank of Himmler (whom stole the Gestapo conceived and developed by Göring). Regardless that its award was political in nature and that it is a unique title, it is a legitimate WW2 Luftwaffe rank. It is equivalent to Supreme Commander of Allied (air) forces, which admitedly is an adminstrative title attached to a 5-star General and generally Theatre specific, or the British rank of Marshal of the RAF, which also borders on political title as an integral component of the Air Ministry, but is directly in senior command to all other RAF ranks as well. The confusing thing about Göring was that he also held political titles separately, such as Minister of the Interior (Prussia), a cabinet position roughly like combining Defence Chief and National Security Chief with Congressman and Senator.
Generalfeldmarschall is indeed a 5-star General or equivalent to a Field Marshal (British Army).
Generaloberst is a 4-star General, equivalent to an Air Chief Marshal.
General is a 3-star General and equivalent to an Air Marshal.
Generalleutnant is a Lieutenant General and equivalent to an Air Vice Marshal.
Generalmajor is a Major General and equivalent to an Air Commodore.
Oberst of course Colonel or Group Captain (remembering RAF uses naval ranks).
etc.

Also varying rank and gruppe markings on Jagd aircraft sides were used depending upon theatre and timeline. Here's what I've gathered...

<<|+
can be geschwaderkommodore (gruppe irrelevent of course)
so can
<-+-
and others I've no characters for

<+
is adjutant but so is
<|+
and
<1+
but not
<2+
because the <+ is the stabschwarm which used to be
<<|+ (kommodore)
<||+ (chief of staff)
<|+ (geschwader adjutant)
<|o+ (geschwader technical officer)
<<+ (gruppenkommandeur)
<+ (gruppe adjutant)
<o+ (gruppe technical officer)
<<+- (etc.)
and became more like
<-+- (geschwaderkommodore)
<A+- or -+- (geschwader adjutant)
<+-+- (chief of staff)
2-+- (stab flight, various administrative functions)
<|o+
<<+
<1+ (gruppe adjutant)
<o+ (technical officer)
<2+ (stab flight, various administrative functions)
<3+ (etc.)

and the confusing thing is are far as specific types of stab, kommandeure, beim stab markings per theatre and timescale, they're a bit all over the shop, with some general themes for theatre and timescale

also you could have something totally ridiculous like
13-+- where obviously there cannot possibly be 13 subodinate administrative members of geschwaderstab in addition to the primary functions, so necessarily this is the mount of a wilde sow geschwaderkommodore (ie. a bit of a rebel).

Liked the colouring markings (theatre bands, etc.) somebody posted, d/l those pictures quick smart