Identification codes of units of the Luftwaffe 1939 - 1945

by Wolfram Bradac

The explanation for this aircraft are shown in the chapter 'alpha code of combat wings (units) and squadrons

Code: Unit:

A1+ KG 53 (53. Bomber Wing)
A2+ I./ZG 52, (I./52nd Heavy Fighter Wing, from 6.7.1940 onwards: II./ZG 2 (II./2nd Heavy Fighter Wing), Flugbereitschaft Kd.Gen.d.dt.L in Finnland (HQ German Airforce Finland)
A3+ KG 200 (200 Special Duties Wing), Versuchskdo. 200 (200 Trials Unit), Versuchskdo. 36 (36 Trial Unit)
A4+ with squadron letter .A - Luftbeobachterstaffel - 3rd fighter division, spring / summer 1944
A5+ 1./St.G.1 (I./1st Dive Bomber Wing), SG 1 (1st Assault Wing)
A6+ Aufkl.Gr.120 (120 Reconnaissance Group)
A8+ with the letters .H+.K seen on a He 111 in february 1942 at Grosetto (arial torpedo trials)
B1+ Transport Squadron of I. Air Corps (occasionally also called Transport Squadron "Don")
B3+ KG 54 (54 Bomber Wing)
B4+ Night Fighter Squadron Finland
B7+ Westa 1 (1rd Metrological Squadron)
C1+ Test Centre Peenemünde (Me 163)
C2+ Aufkl. Gr.41 (41st Reconaissance Group)
C3+ Transport Squadron II. Air Corps
C5+ Westa 26 (26th Metrological Squadron)/Lfl.6 with Squadron Letter . H
C6+ KGr.z.b.V.600 (600 Special Duties Battle Group), Tr.FI.St.4 (4th Transport Squadron)
C8+ I.+II./KG.z.b.V.323, TG 5 (I.+II./323 Special Duties Battle Group - 5 Transport Wing)
C9+ NJG 5 (5th Night Fighter Wing) also NJ 100 (100th Night Fighter Wing)
D1+ SAGr.126 (126 Maritime Reconnaissance Wing), LD.Kdo.65 (65th Courier Detachment)
D3+ 2nd Night Harassment Group
D5+ NJG 3 (3rd Night Fighter Wing), frequently also with the code L1+
D7+ Wekusta 5 (5th Metrological Squadron; from April 1943 onwards in connection with the code letter "N", previously 1B+ with the squadron letter "H")
D9+ Night Fighter Squadron Norway, temporarily I./NJG 7
E1 - E7+ Test Centre Rechlin (for Me 163 and Ar 234)
E8+ 1./FKG 50
F1+ KG 76 (76th Bomber Wing), I./St.G. 76 (I./76th Dive Bomber Wing; using the letter C,M,N,P of the II. Group as those of the I. Group had already been allocated to the I./KG 76 and, from 6.7.1940 onwards, to the III./St.G. 77)
F2+ Erg.(F)Gr. (Long-range Reconaissance Replacment-Group)
F3+ Aufkl.Gr.12 (12th Reconaissance Group)
F5+ NAG 5 (5th Short-range Reconaissance Wing)
F6+ Aufkl. Gr.122 (122th Reconaissance Group)
F7+ I./LLG 2 (I./2nd Glider Assault Wing), SAGr. 130 (130 Maritime Reconaissance Wing; frequently also with the code 6I+)
F8+ KG 40 (40 Bomber Wing), Transport Squadron "Condor"
G1+ KG 55 (55 Bomber Wing)
G2+ Aufkl.Gr.124 (124th Reconaissance Group)
G3+ NJG 101 (101st Night Fighter Wing)
G5+ Transport Squadron V. Air Corps
G6+ KGrzbV.2; 101, 102, 103, 104+105 (2nd, 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 104th+105th Special Duties Battle Group), TG 4 (4th Transport Group), 1st Air Transport Group (Maritime)
G8+ Transport Squadron IV. Air Corps
G9+ NJG 1 (1st Night Fighter Wing), ZG 1 (1st Heavy Fighter Wing; initial formation), NJG 4 (4th Night Fighter Wing; only for a short period of time)
H1+ Aufkl. Gr.12 (12th Reconaissance Group)
H4+ LLG 1 (1st Glider Assault Wing)
H7+ St.G.3 (3rd Dive Bomber Wing), SG 3 (3rd Assault Wing)
H8+ Aufkl. Gr.33 (33rd Reconaissance Group)
H9+ 7th Air Transport Squadron (Maritime)
J2+ NAG 3 (3rd Short-range Reconnaissance Wing)
J4+ 5th and 290th Air Transport Squadron
J6+ KGr.z.b.V 500 (500 Special Duties Battle Group)
J9+ StG 5 (5th Dive Bomber Wing), SG 5 (5th Assault Wing) (previously l./186fh Dive Bomber Wing, carrier-based, from 6.7.1940 onward III. /Dive Bomber Wing 1)
K1+ Messenger Squadron of Ob.d.L. (High Command of Luftwaffe)
K6+ Kü.fl.Gr.406 (406th Coastal Aviation Group) KG 6 (6th Bomber Wing).
K7+ Aufkl.Gr.Nacht (Night Reconnaisance Group)
K9+ Aufkl.Gr.B.d.L. (Reconnaisance Group High Command Luftwaffe) (also T5+)
L1+ I./NJG 3(l./3rd Night Fighter Wing), I. u. IV. (Z)/LG 1 I./IV. (Heavy Fighter)/1st Instruction Wing, also I./5th Dive Bomber Wing (former IV./1st Dive Bomber Instruction Wing)
L2+ LG 2 (2nd Instruction Wing)
L5+ KGr.z.b.V.5 (5 Special Duties Battle Group), 7./Erg. Transportgeschwader (7./Transport Training Replacement Wing)
L7+ seen with +AB-AF on Fi 156, Me 108 and Me 110
M2+ Kü.fl. Gr.106 (106th Coastal Aviation Group)
M3+ seen on a Ju 52/3m (unit ?)
M7+ Kü.fl. G r.806 (806th Coastal Aviation Group)
M8+ ZG 76 (76th Heavy Fighter Wing - first activation)
N1+ High Capacity Transport Squadron from 30.1.1945 onward
N3+ I./KGr.z.b.V.172 (I./172nd Special Duties Battle Group also 4V+)
N6+ Unit Major Babekuhl
N7+ seen on a Do 18 (unit ?)
N9+ Flugbereitschaft Norwegen (Air Service Norway)
P1+ KGr.60 (60th Battle Group)
P2+ Aufkl. Gr.21 (21st Reconnaissance Group)
P4+ Führungskette X. Fliegerkorps (Staff Flight X. Air Corps), Transportstaffel Fliegerführer Nord (Ost) (Transport Squadron Air Commander North (East)
P5+ Sonderstaffel Trans-Ozean (Special Squadron Transocean), KGr.zbV. 108 (108th Special Duties Battle Group), Kdo. d. Transportfl. Chef See-Norwegen (Command of Chief. Maritim Transport Norway)
Q5+ Westa 27 (27th Metrological Squadron)from October 1943 on, previously 5M+ together with Westa 26 (26th Metrological Squadron)/Lfl. 2 as an Squadron in Southern Greece
R4+ 2 Night Fighter Wing
S1+ St.G. 3 (3 Dive Bomber Wing (also S7+)
S2+ St.G. 77, SG 77 (77 Dive Bomber Wing) (77 Assault Wing)
S3+ KGr.z.b.V.5, Transportgruppe 30 (5th Special Duty Battle Group, 30th Transport Group)
S4+ Kü.fl.Gr.506 (506th Coastal Aviation Group)
S7+ St.G.3, SG 3 (3 Dive Bomber Wing, 3 Assault Wing)
S9+ Erp.Gr.210, (at first 210th Testing Group until April 1941, then 210th Special Battle Group and from 1942 on Heavy Fighter Wing 1 together with 2N+)
T1+ Aufkl. Gr.10 (10th Reconnaissance Group)
T3+ 1./Bordfliegerstaffel 196 (1./Shipboard Squadron 196)
T5+ Aufkl.St.Ob.d.L (Reconnaissance Squadron Commander-in-Chief Luftwaffe) 3.(Einsatz) Ob.d.L. (3rd Operational Squadron Commander-in-Chief Luftwaffe), Aufkl.Gr.100 (100th Reconnaissance Squadron), with last letter U = Wekusta Ob.d.L. (with last letter U = Meteorological Squadron Commander-in-Chief Luftwaffe)
T6+ St.G.2 (2 Dive Bomber Wing), SG 2 (2 Assault Wing) mit letztem Buchstaben Z = St. Erg. St. des VIII FI.Korps (with Z as last letter = Dive Bomber Replacement Training Squadron of VIII. Air Corps).
T9+ Experimental unit (Transport) High Command Luftwaffe, II./Experimental Unit Commander-in Chief Luftwaffe = Circus Rosarious, several special commandos
U2+ Nachtrotte bei der NAG 5 (Night-Flight of 5 Short Range Reconnaissance Wing)
U5+ KG 2 (2 Bomber Wing)
U8+ I./ZG 26 (Erstaufstellung) (I./26 Heavy Fighter Winq (Initial Activation)
U9+ NSG 3 (3 Night Assault Wing)
V1+ Transportstaffel VIII. Fliegerkorps (Transport Squadron VIII. Air Corps)
V3+ seen on a Ju 88 with the Squadron letters L+K in Cognac (France)
V4+ KG 1 (1 Bomber Wing)
V7+ Aufkl.Gr.32 (32nd Reconnaissance Group; during the war they partially used an own code: the squadron number was immediately right of the Balkenkreuz, followed by the letter indicating the aircraft within the squadron, e.g. V7+2G was aircraft "G" within the squadron).
W1-W3+ Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider)
W5+ Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider)
W7+ Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider), NJG 100 (100 Night Fighter Wing)
W8-W9+ Me 321 Unit (Cargo Glider)
X4+ Air Transport Group (Maritime) 222, later also SAGr. 129 (129th Maritime Reconnaissance Group)
X8+ Flugbereitschaft RLM Staaken (Aviation Ministry's Air Service Staaken)
Z4+ Transport Squadron of III. Air Corps
Z5+ seen on a Do 17 (unit unknown)
Z6+ KG 66 (66th Bomber Wing)

1B+ 13.(Z)/JG 5/13. ( )/5th Fighter Wing (only in connection with "X" as the final code letter), 5th Metrological Air Squadron (only in connection with "H" as the final letter)
1G+ KG 27 (27th Bomber Wing)
1H+ KG 26 (26th Bomber Wing)
1K+ NSGr.4 (4th Night Harassment Group)
1L+ seen on a Me 110, Ju 88 and He 219 with the squadron letters L+K at Test Centre Werneuchen.
1R+ Courier Squadron in Finland (perhaps Courier Squadron AOK Lapland?)
1T+ KG 28 (28th Bomber Wing), KGr. 126 (126th Bomber Group)
1Z+ KGrzbV. 1 (1st Special Duties Battle Group), TG 1 Savoia Staffel (1st Transport Wing Savoia-Squadron), III./KGrzbV. 1 (III./1st Special Duties Battle Group)
2B+ 2. Fliegerschuldivision (2nd Air Training Division)
2F+ until March 1940: KG 54 (54th Bomber Wing), 5./KG 28 (5./28th Bomber Wing)
2H+ 210th Trial Unit
2J+ ZG 1 (1st Heavy Fighter Wing; after reforming)
2N+ ZG 76 (76th Heavy Fighter Wing; after reforming), Originally II./ZG 1, from July 1940 onwards III./ZG 76)
2P+ X. Flying Division
2S+ I./ZG 2 (l./2nd Heavy Fighter Wing; after reforming)
2Z+ NJG 6 (6th Night Fighter Wing - from August 1943 onwards)
3C+ NJG 4 (4th Night Fighter Wing), NJG 6 (1-7.1943)
3E+ KG 6 (6th Bomber Wing)
3J+ NJG 3 (3rd Night Fighter Wing) also labelled D5+
3K+ Luftwaffe Mine Searching Group
3M+ ZG 2 (2nd Heavy Fighter Wing, initial formation)
3U+ ZG 26 (26th Heavy Fighter Wing; initial formation. Also used onferry aircraft by the 6th Fighter Wing from August 1944 onwards)
3W+ NSG 11 (11th Night Harassment Wing)
3X+ II./KG 1 (II./1st Bomber Wing; originally until 18. 9. 1939 I./KG 152 (I./152nd Bomber Wing)
3Z+ KG 77 (77th Bomber Wing: perhaps temporarily also called KG 153 (153rd Bomber Wing)
4A+ IV./ZG 26 (after the dissolution of ZG 26: IV/26th Heavy Fighter Wing in Norway, early August 1944
4B+ Westa 3 (3rd Metrological Squadron)
4D+ KG 30 (30th Bomber Wing), I./KG 25 (l./25th Bomber Wing)
4E+ Aufkl.Gr. 13 (13th Reconnaissance Group: later: 15th Short-range Reconnaissance Wing)
4F+ KGr.z.b.V. 400 (400th Special Duties Battle Group)
4M+ Erg.Z.Gr. (Replacement Group), later I./152nd Assault Wing)
4N+ Aufkl.Gr. 22 (22nd Reconnaissance Group), Westa 3 with Squadron letter "H"
4Q+ Liaison Squadron of 7th Flying Division
4R+ 7./NJG 2 (7./2nd Night Fighter Wing) in spring 1944 the code for this unit was changed from R4 to 4R
4T+ Westa 51 (51st Metrological Squadron) with Squadron letter "H"
4U+ Aufkl. Gr.123 (123rd Reconnaissance Group)
4V+ KGr.z.b.V. 9+106 (9th+106th Special Duties Battle Group), l./KGr.z.b. V. 172 (172nd Special Duties Battle Group), KGr.z.b. V. Neapel (Special Duties Battle Group Naples), TG 3 (3rd Transport Squadron), TG 4 (in April 1945: 4th Transport Squadron)
5B+ 10th Night Harassment Wing (i.e. the renamed II./ 1st Glider Assault Wing as from September 1944)
5D+ Aufkl. Gr.31 (31st Reconnaissance Group)
5F+ Aufkl. Gr.14 (14th Reconnaissance Wing; later also called 14th Short-range Reconnaissance Wing)
5J+ KG 4 (4th Bomber Wing)
5K+ KG 3 (3rd Bomber Wing)
5M+ Westa 26 (26th Metrological Squadron) Lfl. 2, Westa 26 Squadron southern Greece, renamed on 10.6.43 to Westa 27. No Squadron letter were painted on the aircrafts.
5T+ KSG 1 (1st; from 1. 2. 1943 onwards: KG 101 101st Bomber Wing)
5W+ Maritime Transport Group
5Z+ Wekusta 26 (26th Metrological Squadron) with the squadron letter A + H.
6A+ NAG 12 (12th Short-range Reconnaissance Wing)
6G+ St.G. 51 (51st Dive Bomber Wing), the original designation lll./St.G. 51 was still kept after reforming to 11./St.G. 1 on 6.7.1940
6H+ Aircraft Replacement Group (Maritime) Kamp
6I+ Kü.FI.Gr.706 (706th Coastal Reconnaissance Group), KGr.z.b.V 108 (108th Special Duties Battle Group), TG 20 (20th Transport Wing), SAGr. 130 (130th Maritime Reconnaissance Wing)
6K+ Aufkl.Gr. 23 (23rd Reconnaissance Group)
6M+ Coastal Squadron Krim, 11th Reconnaissance Group, plus several machines of the 8th Short-range Reconnaissance Wing at the end of the war
6N+ KG 100 (100 Bomber Wing) aicrafts with the squadron letter "R" were assigned to the 17th test- and instructional unit)
6Q+ Replacement Squadron St.G.2 as 6Q+C. with letters in ascending order. Probably SG 151
6R+ SAGr. 127 (127th Maritime Reconnaissance Wing)
6U+ ZG 1 (1st Heavy Fighter Wing; after reforming)
6W+ SAGr. 128 (128th Maritime Reconnaissance Group), Bordfliegergruppe 128 (128th Shipborne Wing)
6Z+ Transport Group Herzog 1945
7A+ Aufkl.Gr. 121 (121st Reconnaissance Wing)
7J+ NJG 102 (102nd Night Fighter Wing)
7R+ SAGr. 125 (125th Maritime Reconnaissance Group)
7T+ Kü.fl.Gr.606 (606th Coastal Reconnaissance Group), KGr. 606 (606th Bomber Group)
7U+ KGr.z.b.V. 108 (108th Special Duties Battle Group)
7V+ KGr.z.b.V. 700 (700th Special Duties Battle Group)
8A+ 1st Air Transport Group (Maritime)
8I+ 3./(H) Pz. NAG 16 (3./(AC) Anti-tank Squadron, NAG 16 (16th Short-range Reconnaissance Wing))
8L+ Kü.FI.Gr. 906 (906th Coastal Reconnaissance Group), SAGr.131 (131th Maritime Reconnaissance Wing)
8Q+ Transportgruppe 10, 10th Transport Group, seen on SM 82 (Squadron Unit unknown)
8T+ KGr.z.b.V. 800, später TG 2 (800th Special Duties Battle Group, later renamed 2nd Transport Wing)
8U+ Stab Transportfliegerführer 2 (HQ AOC "Transportfliegerführer 2")
8V+ NJG 200 (200th Night Fighter Wing)
9G+ Ju 52 Formation
9K+ KG 51 (51st Bomber Wing)
9N+ Seen on Fi 156 + Me110 (Unit unknown)
9P+ KGr.z.b.V. 9, 40, 50, 60, Frankfurt+Wittstock (9th, 40th, 50th, 60th Special Duties Battle Group, Frankfurt+Wittstock)
9V+ FAG 5 (5th Long-range Reconnaissance Wing)
9W+ NJG 101 (101st Night Fighter Wing)

fuente :
Identification codes of units of the Luftwaffe 1939 - 1945

by Wolfram Bradac ( internet )