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The Ranks of the Luftwaffe were similar to other branches of the Wehrmacht.

Rank Insignia[]

Luftwaffe insignia Luftwaffe rank Approximate US[1]/UK equivalent
during World War II
Shoulder Collar Sleeve,
Flight suit
General officer ranks
Luftwaffe epaulette Reichsmarschall Luftwaffe collar tabs Reichsmarschall 3D Reichsmarschall No Equivalent
Luftwaffe epaulette Generalfeldmarschall Luftwaffe collar tabs Generalfeldmarschall 3D Generalfeldmarschall General of the Army Marshal of the Air Force
Luftwaffe epaulette Generaloberst Luftwaffe collar tabs Generaloberst 3D Luftwaffe paraman Generaloberst 3D Generaloberst General Air Chief Marshal
Luftwaffe epaulette General Luftwaffe collar tabs General der Flieger 3D Luftwaffe paraman General der Flieger 3D General der Flieger (General Aviation),
General der Fallschirmtruppe (Airborne),
General der Luftnachrichtentruppe (Signals),
General der Flakartillerie (Air Defense Artillery),
General der Luftwaffe (Infantry and Armored units, Air Force Staff and educational institutions)
Lieutenant General Air Marshal
Luftwaffe epaulette Generalleutnant Luftwaffe collar tabs Generalleutnant 3D Luftwaffe paraman Generalleutnant 3D Generalleutnant Major General Air Vice-Marshal
Luftwaffe epaulette Generalmajor Luftwaffe collar tabs Generalmajor 3D Luftwaffe paraman Generalmajor 3D Generalmajor Brigadier General Air Commodore
Officer ranks
Luftwaffe epaulette Oberst Luftwaffe collar tabs Oberst 3D Luftwaffe paraman Oberst 3D Oberst Colonel Group Captain
Luftwaffe epaulette Oberstleutnant Luftwaffe collar tabs Oberstleutnant 3D Luftwaffe paraman Oberstleutnant 3D Oberstleutnant Lieutenant Colonel Wing Commander
Luftwaffe epaulette Major Luftwaffe collar tabs Major 3D Luftwaffe paraman Major 3D Major Major Squadron Leader
Luftwaffe epaulette Hauptmann Luftwaffe collar tabs Hauptmann 3D Luftwaffe paraman Hauptmann 3D Hauptmann Captain Flight Lieutenant
Luftwaffe epaulette Oberleutnant Luftwaffe collar tabs Oberleutnant 3D Luftwaffe paraman Oberleutnant 3D Oberleutnant First Lieutenant Flying Officer
Luftwaffe epaulette Leutnant Luftwaffe collar tabs Leutnant 3D Luftwaffe paraman Leutnant 3D Leutnant Second Lieutenant Pilot Officer
Non-Commissioned Officer ranks
Luftwaffe epaulette Stabsfeldwebel Luftwaffe collar tabs Stabsfeldwebel 3D Luftwaffe paraman Stabsfeldwebel 3D Stabsfeldwebel Master Sergeant Warrant Officer
Luftwaffe collar tabs Oberfeldwebel 3D Luftwaffe paraman Oberfeldwebel 3D Oberfähnrich Flight cadet Acting pilot officer
Luftwaffe epaulette Oberfeldwebel Oberfeldwebel Technical Sergeant Flight Sergeant
Luftwaffe epaulette Feldwebel Luftwaffe collar tabs Feldwebel 3D Luftwaffe paraman Feldwebel 3D Feldwebel Staff Sergeant Sergeant
Luftwaffe epaulette Faehnrich Luftwaffe collar tabs Unterfeldwebel 3D Luftwaffe paraman Unterfeldwebel 3D Fähnrich Flight Cadet Officer Cadet
Luftwaffe epaulette Unterfeldwebel Unterfeldwebel Sergeant Corporal
Luftwaffe collar tabs Unteroffizier 3D Luftwaffe paraman Unteroffizier 3D Fahnenjunker Flight Cadet Officer Cadet
Luftwaffe epaulette Unteroffizier Unteroffizier Corporal Corporal
Enlisted ranks
Luftwaffe epaulette Mannschaften Luftwaffe collar tabs Stabsgefreiter 3D Luftwaffe paraman Stabsgefreiter 3D Stabsgefreiter from 1944 Private First Class Senior Aircraftman
Luftwaffe epaulette Mannschaften Luftwaffe collar tabs Hauptgefreiter 3D Luftwaffe paraman Hauptgefreiter 3D Hauptgefreiter until 1944 Private First Class Senior Aircraftman
Luftwaffe epaulette Mannschaften Luftwaffe collar tabs Obergefreiter 3D 2 Luftwaffe paraman Obergefreiter 3D Obergefreiter Private First Class Leading Aircraftman
Luftwaffe epaulette Mannschaften Luftwaffe collar tabs Gefreiter 3D Luftwaffe paraman Gefreiter 3D Gefreiter Private First Class Aircraftman 1st Class
Luftwaffe epaulette Mannschaften Luftwaffe collar tabs Flieger 3D Flieger Private Aircraftman 2nd Class

Service colors (Waffenfarbe)[]

The branch of the Luftwaffe in which personnel served was indicated by the color of the collar tabs (German language: Kragenspiegel).

Color Branch
White General Officers and Marshals of the Air Force
Gold Yellow Aircrews (Fliegertruppe)
Airborne Parachute Troops (Fallschirmtruppe)
Ground personnel
Orange Recalled officers
Crimson General Staff of the Air Force
Brown Signals and Communications Command
Purple Legal
Red Anti-aircraft Defense troops (Flak Division)
Ordnance
Pink Air Force Engineers
Black Pioneer
Construction Units
Blue Air Force Medical Corps
Light Green Radar Units
Light Blue Transportation
Dark green Attached Wehrmacht troops under Luftwaffe command

References[]

  • Mitcham, Samuel W. (2008). The Rise of the Wehrmacht: The German Armed Forces and World War II, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-275-99659-8. 
  • Ruffner, Kevin Conley (1990). Luftwaffe Field Divisions 1941-45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-100-7. 
All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Military Ranks of the Luftwaffe (1935–45) and the edit history here.
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