Imperial German Air Service

Also known as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches, Die Fliegertruppen, Deutsche Luftstreitkr, Luftstreitkräfte, Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte

The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte (, German Air Combat Forces)known before October 1916 as ' (lit. "The flying troops of the German Imperial Reich")was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service', although that is not a literal translation of either name. German naval aviators of the were an integral part of the Imperial German Navy (). Both military branches operated aeroplanes, observation balloons and airships.

Key facts

Military unit.unit_name: German Air Combat Forces
Military unit.image: Cross-Pattee-Heraldry.svg
Military unit.image_size: 150px
Military unit.caption: Form of the Tatzenkreuz used on German military aircraft in 1915
Military unit.start_date: 1 May 1910
Military unit.dates: 1 May 1910 – 8 May 1920
Military unit.disbanded: 8 May 1920
Military unit.country: (1910–1918) (1918–1920)
Military unit.allegiance: Kaiser
Military unit.type: Air force
Military unit.role: Aerial warfare
Military unit.size: 1918: 2,709 front line aircraft 56 airships186 balloon detachmentsAbout 4,500 aircrew

~17 min read

Article

17 sections

Contents

Founding
Organization
Commanders
Fighter unit organization
Unit designations
Aircraft
Aircraft designation system
Pilots
Insignia
Final year
Statistics
See also
Notes
References
Sources
Further reading
External links

==Founding== The Imperial German Army created an experimental balloon company inspired by the American balloon corps they had seen while observing the American Civil War, with varying forms of organisation from 1884 to 1901 until a Balloon Battalion was finally formed. The rapid development of aeronautics led to trials of airships and the choice of rigid types built by Zeppelin and Schutte-Lanz. The first military aircraft to be acquired by the German Army entered service in 1910 and the first five aviation battalions were established on 1 October 1913. The Imperial German Air Service () and other branches concerned with air matters such as anti-aircraft, home defence and air intelligence were unified in the on 8 October 1916.