F32010 GERMAN MECHANIC N°1

The roots of the German air force go back to 1913, when it was established Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches, or Die Fliegertruppen for short. It is worth adding, however, that the first planes appeared in the equipment of the German army as early as 1910 and performed strictly reconnaissance tasks. These tasks were, moreover, carried out at the outbreak of the Great War by 34 Feldflieger Abteilung, i.e. field air troops, each of which consisted of six two-seat reconnaissance machines. However, in the course of World War I, bomber units (Ger. Kampfstaffel - Kasta for short) and hunting (German Jagdstaffel - Jasta for short). From 1916, the German Air Force changed its name to Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte or in short - Luftstreitkräfte, and their commander was General Ernst von Hoeppner. On his initiative, the fighter squadrons (Jasta) were combined into larger units called Jagdgeschwader. It is worth noting that the Luftstreitkräfte at the end of World War I had approximately 2,700 aircraft ready, 4,500 pilots and 75,000 ground crew. During the Great War, the Luftstreitkräfte lost approx. 4,580 crew members and approx. 300 ground personnel.