FlyPast 03.2018

86 FLYPAST March 2018

Right, top to bottom

A formation of Junkers Ju

86Ks of I/KG 253 based

at Gotha in 1937. This

was one of the pre-war

types that would help

a prospective bomber

trainee graduate at

an FFS C.

The shapely Arado Ar 96
formed the backbone of
the Luftwaffe’s pre-fi ghter
training from 1938.
KEY COLLECTION

An Arado Ar 68F of a

Jagdfl iegerschule –

fi ghter pilots’ school.

E GROSSE

A Dornier Do 23 of I/KG

253 at Gotha in 1937. With

mediocre performance,

this type was quickly

relegated to several FFS C

schools. ALL TGD COLLECTION

UNLESS NOTED

LUFTWAFFE TRAINING

The Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann

biplane, of which 1,910 were

produced in World War Two,

first entered service with the DLV

and then was operated by FFS

A/B schools throughout the war.

Another Bücker product, the Bü 181

Bestmann monoplane, became the

principal Luftwaffe wartime trainer.

The excellent Focke-Wulf Fw 44

Stieglitz biplane appeared in 1932 and

more than 900 were built. Heinkel

supplied 235 He 72 Kadett biplanes,

equipping several NSFK units.

The Arado Ar 66 biplane was

used for primary tuition with

1,425 built from 1932. The Ar 76

parasol monoplane was

an advanced fighter trainer

• just 182 were built – joining the
  schools from 1936.
  Arado also produced the most
  important Luftwaffe advanced
  trainer, the Ar 96 monoplane, that
  first flew in 1938. A total of 11,546
  were produced, equipping FFS
  A/B schools, fighter training wings,
  officer cadet schools and crew
  replacement units.
  The main type operated by FFS
  See units was the Heinkel He 42
  biplane floatplane, entering service
  in 1932 with 194 being built. He
  60s were also used.
  Focke-Wulf Fw 56 Stösser parasols,
  Fw 58 Weihe twins and Gotha Go

145 biplanes were issued to the

schools. Many obsolete types such

as Arado Ar 68 biplanes, Heinkel

He 45 and He 51 biplanes, He 46

parasols, Dornier Do 11 and Do

23 bombers and Junkers 86 twin-

engined bombers were all co-opted

for tuition. Junkers W 33 and W 34

monoplanes were used extensively

for blind flying and radio operator

training.

The demand for aircrew was such

that by the outbreak of war the

Luftwaffe had 400,000 personnel.

This was an exceptional achievement

because before 1933 the training

establishment was clandestine and

necessarily limited. By 1941 that

figure had grown to 1,700,000 with

just over one-third – 588,000 –

being aircrew. In less than a decade a

formidable air force had arisen.

“By the outbreak of war, the Luftwaffe had 400,000 personnel.

This was an exceptional achievement as before 1933 the training

establishment was clandestine and necessarily limited ”